Pavel Padakin Garnering NHL Interest
The off-season has yet to officially begin, but there have already been a number of international signings in recent weeks and there are surely more to come. Among those potential imports on the way could be KHL forward Pavel Padakin. Agent Igor Larionov confirmed to Russian source Championat that the Ukranian right winger has received several offers to play in the NHL next season.
Padakin, 23, has more North American experience than the typical young international player. After coming over as a 17-year-old in 2011 to play in the U.S. Tier II junior-level North American Hockey League, Padakin was able to make the jump to major junior the next year, joining the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. After three seasons in the WHL, Padakin signed a minor league deal and split the 2015-16 season between the AHL and ECHL. Only after that did he return to Europe, signing with Sochi.
However, after leading his team in assists this season, as well as finishing third in points and second in plus/minus, Padakin in back in North America to train and meet with team executives. While his career statistics don’t indicate that Padakin could make a major impact on an NHL team right away, his familiarity with the North American game matched with a solid skill set could make him a nice AHL depth addition for the time being.
2018 WHL Bantam Draft Results
Though they’re not quite as noteworthy as the NHL Entry Draft, junior drafts can give fans a glimpse of the future of professional hockey. Today, the WHL held their 2018 Bantam Draft where the Edmonton Oil Kings held the first-overall pick.
With that pick Edmonton took Dylan Guenther, a 15-year old center who put up huge numbers in the CSSBHL. 103 points in just 30 games, he easily led the league in scoring and will now try to continue that success in the CHL. Eligible for selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, we’ll surely hear his name a few more times over the next few years.
The rest of the first round results can be found below, while the entire draft can be seen here.
- Edmonton Oil Kings: C Dylan Guenther
- Kootenay Ice: D Carson Lambos
- Prince Albert Raiders: D Nolan Allan
- Calgary Hitmen: F Sean Tschigerl
- Kamloops Blazers: C Logan Stankoven
- Saskatoon Blades: F Colton Dach
- Red Deer Rebels: C Jayden Grubbe
- Lethbridge Hurricanes: C Zack Stringer
- Prince George Cougars: C Craig Armstrong
- Seattle Thunderbirds: C Kai Uchacz
- Medicine Hat Tigers: C Cole Sillinger
- Vancouver Giants: C Zack Ostapchuk
- Victoria Royals: D Nolan Bentham
- Tri-City Americans: D Mark Lajoie
- Brandon Wheat Kings: F Jake Chiasson
- Red Deer Rebels: D Kyle Masters
- Spokane Chiefs: D Graham Sward
- Kelowna Rockets: C Trevor Wong
- Portland Winterhawks: C Gabe Klassen
- Edmonton Oil Kings: D Keegan Slaney
- Prince George Cougars: G Tyler Brennan
- Moose Jaw Warriors: F Eric Alarie
Dennis Cholowski Joins Grand Rapids Griffins
Dennis Cholowski has had quite the path to professional hockey, but that dream finally seems a reality. The Detroit Red Wings prospect has been assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he’ll likely suit up in the playoffs and then stay with for the 2018-19 season—that is, if he doesn’t make the NHL out of camp. Cholowski’s CHL team, the Portland Winterhawks, were eliminated from the WHL playoffs recently, ending his junior career.
In 2016, Cholowski was selected in the first round by the Red Wings who knew full well that he was planning on heading to college. The young defenseman had played in the BCHL to maintain NCAA eligibility, and was headed to St. Cloud State in 2016-17. He would make it to the collegiate ranks, but spend just one season at St. Cloud before signing his entry-level contract. That came with a single game for the Griffins last spring on an amateur tryout, though he’d have to wait for another opportunity in professional hockey.
Instead, he was sent to the CHL where he signed a deal with the Prince George Cougars. Prince George had drafted him way back in 2013 with the 200th selection in their bantam draft, never really expecting him to play for them. Instead, they received half a season—and an excellent one at that, scoring 39 points in 37 games—before moving him to Portland for a boatload of draft picks. Cholowski wold continue his strong play, scoring another 34 points in 44 games for the Winterhawks down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Cholowski was seen as a reach of sorts in his draft year, but looks like he’ll pay off for the Red Wings at the next level. A talented puck-mover, he’ll be a key part of how the Detroit re-tool looks over the next few seasons. For now, he’ll get some playoff experience with the Griffins who are trying to defend their 2017 Calder Cup Championship.
2019 Memorial Cup To Be Held In Halifax
The CHL Memorial Cup is one of the biggest tournaments in the world for junior-aged players, and attracts scouts from every organization in the NHL on a yearly basis. A good showing there can change a young player’s draft stock, and a poor one can cast doubt on your professional future (shortsighted as that may seem).
While the city of Regina, Saskatchewan prepares to host the 2018 event, the CHL has announced that Halifax, Nova Scotia will welcome in the hockey world in 2019. As a reward for hosting, the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL will get automatic entry to the tournament, where they will face off against the WHL, OHL and QMJHL champions (or runners-up should they take home the league crown).
Halifax is a very interesting choice, as they should be a powerhouse once again next season and could very well win both the QMJHL title and Memorial Cup. This year the team is already quite strong, and could send four players to the podium in the first round of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.
Filip Zadina is the obvious example, as the Czech sniper is expected to go somewhere in the top three or four picks in June. Beyond him though, Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jared McIsaac both have made great cases to go in the top-31. The fourth member of a potential first-round group is Alexis Gravel, the top ranked draft eligible North American goaltending prospect, though his market is much harder to read. Though many scouts believe Gravel will eventually become a top-tier netminder, he hasn’t shown that elite ability on a consistent basis—though, his start to the playoffs has been exquisite.
Even if Zadina graduates to the NHL right away (which is far from certain), the Mooseheads will be a contender next season with the talent already on the roster. Given the way CHL teams can also accumulate talent in-season with trades from rebuilding squads, you can bet the Mooseheads will be far from an underdog when the Memorial Cup comes to town.
Snapshots: Emergency Goalie, Lundqvist, Pettersson, College Free Agents
The Winnipeg Jets may have called up Michael Hutchinson on paper, but they weren’t actually able to get him on the roster in time for their game tonight against the New Jersey Devils. According to the team, Hutchison’s flight into New York was delayed and he was unable to arrive to the game in time. As a result, the Jets were forced to sign an emergency backup to a tryout deal. The man behind Connor Hellebuyck tonight will be Zane Kalemba, a New Jersey native and a friend of Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler. Kalemba played junior hockey with Wheeler for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers and went on to star for Princeton University. Kalemba only retired from hockey in 2016, having spent time in the ECHL, CHL, and several European leagues. An experienced keeper who, most importantly, was nearby, will have to do for the Jets tonight.
- A goalie in the tri-state area with a little more experience than Kalemba is New York Rangers superstar Henrik Lundqvist. In fact, when Lundqvist takes the ice tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he will tie former Tampa goalie Nikolai Khabibulin for the most NHL starts by a foreign-born goalie. The Rangers report that Lundqvist’s appearance, his 799th, is enough to share the top mark. When the Swedish keeper makes his next start, which could be as early as Saturday, he will not only reach a benchmark 800th appearance, but will also become the most experienced foreign keeper in NHL history.
- Another Swede setting records is Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson. Pettersson, who was selected fifth overall last year by Vancouver, has been playing in the top Swedish pro league, the SHL, this season. After a four-point outburst today, the Canucks pointed out that Pettersson’s 55 points on the year set a new record for the most points by a player under 20 in SHL history. The Vaxjo Lakers forward snapped a 42-year-old record while also taking over the league scoring lead. That’s not too shabby for a young player who looks to be an absolute stud-in-the-making for the Canucks.
- Some other young players looking to make an impact in the pros is the 2018 crop of college free agents. While Zach Whitecloud‘s deal with Vegas today was the first NHL deal so far, a few other NCAA prospects have already hooked up with AHL teams for contracts and tryout agreements for the remainder of the season and could earn big-league deals if they impress. These transactions include Whitecloud’s Bemidji State teammate Kyle Bauman joining the Ontario Reign (LAK), the San Jose Barracuda (SJS) inking Alaska-Fairbanks’ Zach Frye, Yale’s Ryan Hitchcock going nearby to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI), the Chicago Wolves (VGK) adding Wisconsin’s Ryan Wagner, and both Derian Plouffe of Niagara and Josh Kestner of Alabama-Huntsville signing with the Toronto Marlies (TOR).
Arizona Coyotes Sign Tyler Steenbergen To Entry-Level Contract
The Arizona Coyotes have inked one of the best goal scorers in the CHL, signing Tyler Steenbergen to a three-year entry-level contract. Steenbergen currently plays for the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL, where he has put up another outstanding offensive season.
Though Steenbergen is used to scoring goals, with 95 over the last two seasons with Swift Current, none have come close to the importance of the gold medal-winning tally for Canada at the most recent World Juniors. Steenbergen, a surprise addition to the team after a scorching start in the WHL, was held off the board the entire tournament until 1:40 remained in a tied gold medal game against Sweden.
Steenbergen was selected in the fifth round in 2017 after going undrafted in his first round of eligibility. He’s done nothing but produce since, and could turn into a legitimate prospect for the Coyotes down the road. Now 20, he’ll join the Tucson Roadrunners next season to see if that scoring touch will carry over to the professional ranks. Though he’s not armed with any one standout skill, he always seems to be in the right place at the right time and can get off his shot quickly even while pressured.
Undrafted Free Agent Signings Dominating Juniors
Given that each team generally has seven chances to makes a pick in the NHL Draft each year resulting in, until recently, 210 selections, and now 217 moving forward, the bulk of top players in the league come through the draft process. However, no matter the level – Canadian juniors, American juniors and the NCAA, and Europe – there are always players that slip through the crack. Sometimes those particular players don’t slip too far. Case in point: take a look at some of the top players in the CHL this season. A significant proportion of 2017-18’s most valuable players in the OHL, WHL, and QMJHL are not just undrafted, but have also already signed with an NHL team.
In the Ontario League, Aaron Luchuk is the poster boy for the year of undrafted signings. The 20-year-old Barrie Colts center signed an entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators back in December. He’s rewarded them for taking a gamble on him by leading the league with 105 points thus far, including a league-leading 45 goals. This has been a major step up in his production of 60 points in 68 games in 2016-17. The 5’10” forward’s next step will be trying his hand at the AHL next season. Not far behind Luchuk is Sam Miletic, a fellow 20-year-old forward playing for the Niagara Ice Dogs. Miletic is fifth in the OHL with 86 points and also brings a good defensive sense to his game. Miletic signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in September after recording 55 points in 65 games with the London Knights last season; Miletic had 54 points in just 35 games with London prior to being traded mid-season. Undrafted netminders are also making a splash in the OHL. The Detroit Red Wings signed 19-year-old Kaden Fulcher back in October and the Hamilton Bulldogs goalie has since been a top goalie in the league, currently fourth in goals against average and seventh in save percentage among starters. Boston Bruins prospect Kyle Keyser is right there with him, as the Oshawa Generals keeper is sixth in save percentage and seventh in goals against average among starters.
The Western League is littered with undrafted free agent signings among its top scorers. The Moose Jaw Warriors’ Brayden Burke has joined that group, having just signed with the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. Burke, 21, is tied for second in league scoring with 113 points in just 61 games, a pace of nearly two points per game this season. Burke is undersized at 5’10”, 165 lbs., but has done well for himself in the WHL, which is traditionally a heavier league, and will soon turn his sights on the pros. Also in the top ten in scoring are another Penguin, Jordy Bellerive, and the Colorado Avalanche’s Ty Lewis. Both forwards signed prior to the season and have each taken a big step in 2017-18, currently tied for eighth with 89 points. Bellerive, who is only 18, jumped on the opportunity to sign with the defending Cup champs after being passed over in the draft, and the Lethbridge Hurricanes center is now making the Penguins just as excited about the deal. Lewis, 20, has stepped into the top scorer role for the Brandon Wheat Kings left behind by Nolan Patrick and has excelled. Cameron Hebig of the Regina Pats is next in line with 88 points on the year, after signing with the Edmonton Oilers. The WHL also features an impressive undrafted goalie of their own in Cole Kehler, a 20-year-old for the Portland Winterhawks who inked a deal with the Los Angeles Kings in December as well. Kehler has a big frame and a quick glove, which has helped him maintain the best goals against average and fourth-best save percentage among goalies with at least 40 appearances this year.
While the Quebec League doesn’t count as many exciting undrafted prospects among its best, it does feature two consistent torrid scorers who, until recently, had been ignored due to their small stature. Alex Barre-Boulet joined the pro-bound on March 1st, when the Tampa Bay Lightning signed him to an entry-level deal. Barre-Boulet, 20, may stand only 5’10”, 165 lbs., but he is enjoying his third-straight 80+ point campaign. In fact, he is far beyond that in 2017-18, with a league leading 109 points that dwarfs the next-best scorer by 15 points. The Blainville-Boisbriand Armada star has at least earned a shot at the NHL. So too has Maxime Fourtier, the Halifax Mooseheads captain who has at least 70 points the past three years. Fourtier is slightly bigger that Barre-Boulet and has clearly focused on rounding out his game this season, after signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets in November.
The 2017-18 season shows that the draft is not the end of the line. These standouts make up only a fraction of the talented undrafted players skating in the CHL, some of whom are soon to be signed, and an even smaller fraction of undrafted players across the globe. Talent is always there to discover, even if it doesn’t fully manifest by the age of 18, and these players are proof. Expect to see many of them at the NHL level some time in the not-to-distant future.
Kole Lind Signs Entry-Level Contract With Vancouver Canucks
Like the Tampa Bay Lightning did earlier today, the Vancouver Canucks have turned their attention to entry-level deals for CHL players. This time, it’s Kole Lind, the Canucks’ second-round pick from 2017 that has inked his three-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in 2018-19, and according to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130, contains the maximum performance bonuses. GM Jim Benning shared his thoughts on Lind, who plays for the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL:
Kole has had an outstanding season in Kelowna despite missing games due to illness and injury. We’ve been impressed not only with his high-end offensive skill but also in the way he battles, sees the ice and makes plays in the defensive end. We’re excited for him to continue his development and provide further forward depth for our organization.
Lind, 19, is an excellent two-way forward who has put up 85 points in 51 games this season and could be in the Canucks future before long. Though he’s likely at least another year or two away from the NHL, his big shot and compete level give him an inside track on a top-six role down the road.
Along with Elias Pettersson, Jonah Gadjovich and Michael DiPietro, Lind is part of an incredibly talented crop for Vancouver from the 2017 draft. All four have a good chance to play in the NHL for a long time, and could be a huge part of the rebuild for the Canucks. For now, Lind will focus on taking the Rockets through the WHL playoffs and a potential Memorial Cup appearance.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Alex Barre-Boulet To ELC
Now that the trade deadline is over, front offices around the league can turn their attention to other matters. Among them is the pursuit of undrafted players in both the CHL and NCAA, ones that can be brought into the organization for nothing more than money. The Tampa Bay Lightning have struck a deal with one such player, signing undrafted QMJHL superstar Alex Barre-Boulet to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Barre-Boulet is currently leading the QMJHL in scoring with 104 points through 57 games, and is an excellent offensive talent in a league filled with them. The 20-year old forward went undrafted mainly due to his size, as he stands just 5’10” 165-lbs. Tampa Bay might not be scared of that though, as they’ve famously turned undersized forwards into all-star talents. Martin St. Louis, Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point have all visited the midseason celebration of talent, while Yanni Gourde would be in the running for a Calder Trophy if it weren’t for some historic competition. Barre-Boulet won’t have far to look for inspiration in the organization.
He attended training camp with the Vegas Golden Knights this year, but couldn’t secure a contract and returned to the QMJHL to continue his dominance. As an over-aged player, he was expected to be among the very best in the league, but his performance has been outstanding nonetheless. Interestingly for his size, Barre-Boulet isn’t afraid to engage physically or forecheck against bigger players. His 63 penalty minutes on the year actually lead the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, just another category he tops on the squad. Turning 21 in a few months, he’s still a long-shot for the NHL during his professional career, but is probably in the best system possible for a player of his size.
Canadian Juniors Could Change Approach To Foreign Goalies
In 2013, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), the overarching body in major junior hockey that governs the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Western Hockey League (WHL), and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), decided to ban teams from drafting European goalies. The CHL holds an annual Import Draft in which all 60 teams across the three leagues are given two chances to draft foreign talent in an attempt to fill their two import slots on the roster for the following season. Sometimes the players who are drafted come over and other times they don’t. However, five years ago, CHL president David Branch and company decided to no longer take the risk of bringing in foreign keeper who could then in turn block young North American goalies by not allowing teams to select them in the import draft. While the idea was to protect the development and value of homegrown products, the result was a weaker product across the CHL and a more difficult time for their business partners in the NHL to evaluate foreign goalies.
In fairness, the decision was made after a stretch of dominant play by European keepers at the major junior level. In 2010-11, the top save percentage in both the OHL and QMJHL belonged to imports: Petr Mrazek and Christopher Gibson. Not long before, Michal Neuvirth was one of the OHL’s best as well. In the mid-2000’s, Ondrej Pavelec controlled the QMJHL, leading the league in goals against average in back-to-back seasons among other accomplishments, and is arguably still the league’s best goaltender in history.
This isn’t to say that Canadian and American goalies didn’t also flourish at that time as well, which calls the decision back into question. This was always a concern of quality over quantity, as the vast majority of teams still employed a North American starter and often a local backup or two as well. The CHL may have been concerned with the talent of some foreign prospects overshadowing Canada’s best, but they could never have honestly argued there was a lack of opportunity due to imported players. Top 2018 draft-eligible CHL prospects Andrei Svechnikov and Filip Zadina are both imports, yet they would never ban forwards.
Nevertheless, the CHL made a decision which clearly hurt their own competition level by excluding some of the top junior-level goaltending talent in the world without any evidence that it was truly hurting their domestic counterparts. Now, years later, the league is rethinking that decision. John Matisz of the Toronto Sun reports that the league is considering lifting the ban on foreign goalies, and for good reason. The ban has simply made it harder for NHL team to evaluate European keepers – with foreign leagues often dominated by older, experienced players, while the top young skaters come overseas – but hasn’t stopped them from being drafted into the pros at the same rate as CHL goalies. Meanwhile, top prospects such as Ukko-Pekka Luukonen (Buffalo), Filip Gustavsson (Ottawa), and 2018-eligible Jakub Skarek still reside overseas, but could surely benefit nearly any team in the CHL. The major juniors face little risk that a reversal would harm them in any way.
Interesting enough though, it may still be in European goalies’ best interests to remain in Europe and for NHL teams to focus on those who stay and face older, professional talent. The list of foreign goaltenders who played major junior in Canada and remain in the NHL – Mrazek, Neuvirth, Pavelec, Peter Budaj, Philipp Grubauer, Jaroslav Halak, Anton Khudobin, Marek Langhamer, Robin Lehner, and the most recent CHL import star, Oscar Dansk – all have one thing in common: they aren’t bona fide starters. Meanwhile, the likes of Sergei Bobrovsky, Henrik Lundqvist, Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask, and Andrei Vasilevskiy avoided North America until turning pro, and it worked out much better for them. With a new class of European goalies likely to join the CHL sooner rather than later, we’ll see if that trend continues.