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Florida Panthers Sign Mack Guzda

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The Toronto Maple Leafs may have been aggressively pursuing Mack Guzda, but they didn’t land him. The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with the undrafted free agent goaltender to a three-year entry-level contract, winning the sweepstakes that included more than a dozen NHL teams. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a statement on his newest prospect:

Guzda has been a standout goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League this season. We are excited about his growth and are thrilled that he will continue his development in our organization.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Anaheim Ducks were all included in the teams that had shown interest in the 6’5″ goaltender, who has a .925 save percentage 16 appearances for the Barrie Colts this season. It’s been a steady progression for Guzda, who was a very inconsistent talent in his early OHL years, leading him to go undrafted completely each time he was eligible.

An entry-level deal is more than some late-round picks get though, so he’s already ahead of some of those lucky enough to be selected in the NHL draft. Because of his age, that three-year deal will kick in right away, meaning he’s scheduled for restricted free agency following the 2023-24 season. He recently did a one-on-one with Mark Masters of TSN, explaining what he thinks has led to his breakout campaign:

My dad is a goalie coach for the Seattle Thunderbirds now, so [during the canceled 2020-21 OHL season] I was with him just about every day on the ice. Looking over video, all the goals I gave up over the last couple of years, trying to find any patterns. I was able to rebuild parts of my game, which has helped out a lot.

Of course, the team he decided on certainly doesn’t have a lack of netminding. The Panthers have Sergei Bobrovsky signed to a massive contract that runs through 2025-26 and top prospect Spencer Knight fighting to take over the crease. That said, they also have one of the best goaltenders in NHL history to help his development as Roberto Luongo runs the Panthers’ “goaltending excellence” department. That’s likely a big selling point for a player that is still quite a distance from seeing NHL action and will need more coaching to bring out the most of his potential.

Noel Acciari Recalled From Conditioning Loan

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  • After just two games with the Charlotte Checkers, Noel Acciari has been recalled from his AHL conditioning loan. Of note, since he’s on long-term injured reserve he does not need to be activated yet, and Acciari is still listed on IR. The Florida Panthers do actually have an extra roster spot open at the moment, though that had been used by Matt Kiersted and Spencer Knight at various points, both of who are currently assigned to the minor leagues.

NHL Announces Several Key Events For 2022-23

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman took the podium today in Las Vegas to give an update on several topics, including some key events that will take place in 2022-23.

The 2023 NHL Winter Classic will feature the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park and will mark the fifth outdoor game for the team. The Bruins’ opponent has not yet been revealed, or the official date at this point. Fenway held the 2010 Winter Classic, where the Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime.

Next year’s All-Star festivities will be held in Sunrise, Florida, and will be hosted by the Florida Panthers for the first time since 2003. The event will take place over February 3-4, 2023 with the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, as it is this year. The Panthers, one of the league’s most exciting teams, will likely have several participants again next year.

The Stadium Series will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, where the Carolina Hurricanes will host an outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack. This will be the very first outdoor game for the Hurricanes, though their opponent has also not been announced yet. The Stadium Series date has also not yet been officially set for 2023.

On the upcoming 2022 draft that is currently scheduled for Montreal, Bettman explained that if Quebec’s current COVID restrictions have not changed by that point, the league may decide to take it somewhere else. He hopes to have not only the team representatives and players in person, but also fans in the stands.

The league will also return to Europe next season in the Global Series, with games scheduled for Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and the Czech Republic, though details on those games were not revealed.

Noel Acciari Sent To AHL On Conditioning Stint

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The already incredibly deep Florida Panthers may be getting even deeper. Noel Acciari has been loaned to the Charlotte Checkers for a conditioning stint, a sign that he may be ready to make his season debut at some point in the near future.

Acciari, 30, suffered an injury in the preseason that required surgery and has been on long-term injured reserve ever since. This move doesn’t actually remove that LTIR designation just yet, but even if it did the Panthers are still okay cap-wise because of Markus Nutivaara’s absence. The real question would be where exactly Acciari even fits into the lineup when he returns, given how incredible Florida’s forward group has looked to this point.

While he may not be a household name for many NHL fans, remember that Acciari has been a valuable bottom-six option for the Panthers the last two seasons, even registering 20 goals in 66 games during the 2019-20 campaign. He received Selke Trophy votes that year because of the hard defensive minutes he was asked to play–Acciari almost never started a shift in the offensive zone–and there was no Panther who averaged more short-handed ice time last season. Florida’s penalty kill has actually been one of their biggest weak spots this season, as they sit 19th in the league behind several Atlantic Division rivals.

As a lineup crunch seemingly approaches, Owen Tippett’s name keeps coming up in trade talks and just yesterday Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet threw Frank Vatrano into the rumor mill as well. While Acciari certainly wouldn’t be a one-to-one replacement for either of those offensive wingers, the Panthers will need to make room for him somewhere when he’s ready to return.

Meanwhile, the team has also loaned Spencer Knight to the Checkers, where he can continue to play through the All-Star break.

Trade Rumors: Canucks, Tippett, Mrazek, Ducks

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek didn’t hold back on their reporting late this evening on “Hockey Night in Canada”. The duo behind “32 Thoughts” had plenty to contribute, starting with Friedman’s report on the Vancouver Canucks. With the Vancouver front office finally coming together, with Patrik Allvin being named GM of Jim Rutherford’s new-look front office, the Canucks are starting to get busy in trade talks. Although the .500 club is still in the Western Conference wild card race, the reality is that any true playoff success for Vancouver lies in the future. It should come as no surprise then that the Canucks are listening to trade offers – and not just for talked-about target J.T. Miller. Friedman reports that nearly any Vancouver forward could be had for the right price outside of captain Bo Horvat and young star Elias Pettersson. That includes Conor Garland, who the team just acquired themselves this past summer and signed to a reasonable five-year, $24.75MM deal. It is believed that the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, and New York Rangers are in pursuit of Garland, though there is likely no shortage of interest in the skilled forward, who has 102 points in 155 games dating back to the start of the 2019-20 season.

  • The Florida Panthers are one of the biggest surprises of the season, currently leading the top-heavy Atlantic Division with a .744 points percentage that is also third-best in the NHL. The Panthers are expected to go all-in on a Stanley Cup run this season and specifically are hoping to land a legitimate top-four defenseman. As they go about working the phones, Marek reports that one major name they are dangling is Owen Tippett. The 2017 first-rounder still has yet to make his mark in the NHL, struggling to find enough consistency at the top level to stick in the Florida lineup. However, he is only 22 and still a well-regarded as well as well-liked prospect. Tippett will likely end up as the centerpiece to any big trade the Panthers make this season.
  • With Jack Campbell playing at an elite level this season while Petr Mrazek has struggled with injuries and inconsistency, the latter has proven to be little more than a pricey backup for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season while the former will be the team’s offseason priority as an impending free agent. As a result, teams have begun to inquire about Mrazek’s availability. If Campbell does stay in Toronto, the team will have a proven starter and have some promising young options like Joseph Woll and Ian Scott behind him. Marek also adds that the Maple Leafs are in hot pursuit of undrafted OHL standout Mack Guzda, who would further boost the depth chart if Toronto can win a heated race for his services. This hypothetically makes Mrazek and his $3.8MM cap hit expendable, even though he just signed with Toronto this past summer. However, for now the Leafs are maintaining that Mrazek remains a part of their plans. Marek was not so sure about that, but does report that any decision on a Mrazek trade will have to wait for the offseason.
  • Among the other suitors for Guzda are the Ducks, Hurricanes, Islanders, Rangers, Penguins, and Predators. (Notably, Guzda is a Tennessee native.) One of those teams is about to get much more serious in their pursuit, as well as in the trade market. Friedman notes that Anaheim is closing in on naming a general manager. While there are still several names in contention, he believes that Pat Verbeek is the odds-on favorite. Once a permanent GM is named, the Ducks will become a fascinating team to watch; they are both well within the thick of the Western Conference playoff race, yet also possess numerous high-value rentals.

Trade Rumors: Chiarot, Oilers, Coyotes, DeBrusk

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While the Marc-Andre Fleury-Washington Capitals connection was the highlight of the most recent “32 Thoughts” column from Sportnset’s Elliotte Friedman, the insider had plenty else to say about the burgeoning trade market. Though just a small note, the inclusion most likely to come to fruition is Friedman’s report that several teams are pursuing Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot. Chiarot’s name has been out there among trade candidate all season and it isn’t going away. As the top impending free agent on the NHL’s worst team, Chiarot is a near lock to be dealt. Friedman reports that the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, and St. Louis Blues are among the teams confirmed to have interest in Chiarot, but Friedman also keys in on another possibility: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rumblings out of Toronto suggest that the Leafs are targeting a defenseman at the trade deadline and they may very well need one to escape the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division. Friedman notes that the club kicked the tires on Chiarot when he was a free agent and could be a top contender to land him this time around.

  • Another report that is hardly outside the box is Friedman’s suggestion that the Edmonton Oilers have looked into just about every goalie that could potentially be traded this season. Among the list of names are some who have already been linked to Edmonton, such as Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo and Dallas’ Braden Holtby and Anton Khudobin, but other interesting targets include Philadelphia’s Martin Jones and Washington’s Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek. However, the key piece of Friedman’s report is that the Oilers may end up empty-handed if they aren’t willing to improve their offer. Friedman hears from potential trade partners that Edmonton is not willing to move their first-round pick and increasingly hesitant to move their second-rounder as well. Without a third- or fourth-round selection this year, the Oilers are seemingly only peddling late-round picks, with top prospects likely off the board as well. That won’t get it done in a sellers’ market.
  • One goalie who likely won’t wind up in Edmonton is Arizona’s Karel Vejmelka. Though there have been few bright spots in the Coyotes’ dismal season, Vejmelka’s play has given fans in the desert some hope. The 25-year-old rookie, an unheralded import from the top level in Czechia, has performed well this season. By league standards, his .901 save percentage and 3.40 GAA may not seem like much to be excited about, but as a first-year NHLer playing behind one of the worst rosters in the league, the keeper has held his own in 25 appearances. Rather than quickly flip Vejmelka to another team, the ’Yotes seem insistent on extending the goaltender instead, including him as a core piece in their rebuild.
  • Still in Arizona, where rumors circle the struggling squad, Friedman reports that young forward Lawson Crouse is unlikely to be traded despite recent speculation. The hulking power forward is not without his flaws, but with 10 goals and 20 points in 40 games, Crouse is well on his way to a career year. Although the Coyotes have shown their willingness to move on from high-potential players for the right price by placing Jakob Chychrun on the block, Friedman states that they have begun telling suitors that they would prefer to keep Crouse.
  • Elsewhere, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa writes that the market for Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk is in fact as cold as it seems. There was a flurry of speculation when DeBrusk first requested a trade, but it has quieted down significantly since Boston’s play improved in the new year. This isn’t because the Bruins aren’t listening though. Instead, Shinzawa reports that teams seem hesitant to make the commitment to DeBrusk, at least at the Bruins’ asking price. While his play has improved of late, it is still far off his performance earlier in his career and not up to the level that his $4.41MM qualify offer demands. The challenge for the Bruins is to find a team willing to pay the asking price that either is willing to qualify or otherwise negotiate an extension with DeBrusk or conversely a team that sees him as a rental, as recent rumors have suggested the New York Rangers might. Neither the Bruins nor DeBrusk want to extend their relationship, but it may be easier said than done to find the right deal.

Latest On Jakob Chychrun

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Jan 22: Marek gave another update on Hockey Night In Canada this evening, giving some specific details on the Chychrun sweepstakes:

They do have that [offer] from one team in the NHL as we speak now, essentially two former first-round players and a first-round draft pick. That auction though does continue. Los Angeles, Anaheim, Boston, Florida, who may very well be the team to watch through all of this. The Rangers as well are in, they’ve offered a package that includes Vitali Kravtsov, and the Columbus Blue Jackets interested in the servicces of Jakob Chychrun as well. 

Kravtsov was given permission from the Rangers earlier this season to seek a trade after not receiving a ton of NHL playing time and is currently playing in the KHL.

Jan 21: One of the biggest names emerging for the NHL trade deadline is Jakob Chychrun, who made his return to the Arizona Coyotes lineup on Wednesday with one assist in more than 20 minutes of action. The 23-year-old defenseman is the biggest trade chip the Coyotes have, as despite a poor season this year, Chychrun is signed at a very reasonable $4.6MM cap hit through 2024-25.

Every time Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet discuss the young defenseman more teams are involved in the chase, and today was no different. On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman talked a little bit about Chychrun:

I think there is a lot [of teams involved]. I think the Coyotes prefer to send him east, though I don’t think that is absolutely 100 percent going to happen. I think Florida has let it be known that they are deep in this and that they are prepared to do what it takes to get it done. I don’t think they’re the only one. You’ve talked about Los Angeles, Anaheim, and St. Louis. I think Columbus is there. I’ve heard the Rangers; I’ve had people disagree, that it doesn’t make sense for them, but I’ve heard it. 

From the moment Chychrun’s name hit the rumor mill, the reported ask has been “massive” from the Coyotes, and with so many teams involved it seems likely that they end up with something close to the package they’re looking for. Marek reported earlier this month that the team was after a young player, high-end prospect, and first-round pick for the young defenseman, something similar to the deal that saw Brent Burns go from Minnesota to San Jose a decade ago.

With 27 games under his belt this season, Chychrun has registered just two goals and eight assists after an outstanding 2020-21 campaign. He’s also is a league-worst -28, though much of that is due to the team around him as his underlying possession numbers still hint toward a strong two-way defenseman. At even-strength, Chychrun hasn’t had a consistent partner, skating almost equal amounts with Anton Stralman and Ilya Lyubushkin to this point.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have relied heavily on the trio of Aaron Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar, and Gustav Forsling to this point, each averaging more than 21 minutes a night. Radko Gudas and Brandon Montour have been regulars behind them, but the sixth spot has been rotated through the likes of Lucas Carlsson, Kevin Connauton, Olli Juolevi, and Matt Kiersted, given Markus Nutivaara’s injury issues.

Adding Chychrun to one of the best teams in the NHL would certainly seem like a good fit, especially given his ties to Florida. Born and raised there, he actually flew to Michigan for games every weekend as a 13-year-old before eventually joining the Toronto Jr. Canadiens at 15. A homecoming of sorts seems possible, but there’s more than just the Panthers in on the Coyotes defenseman at this point.

Olli Juolevi Placed On IR

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  • The Panthers have placed defenseman Olli Juolevi on injured reserve, relays George Richards of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link). The 23-year-old has had a tough first season in Florida as he has struggled to stay healthy, playing in just nine games.  He had been on a nice little stretch as of late, averaging nearly 16 minutes per night on the third pairing in his last four games but that has been put on hold for now.

Gustav Forsling Added To COVID Protocol

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One of the less talked about developments that have made the Florida Panthers such a deep, imposing team the last two seasons has been the progression of Gustav Forsling, a fifth-round pick snatched off waivers in early 2021. Forsling has become one of the most trusted defensemen on the Florida roster and is averaging over 21 minutes a night for the Panthers this year.

Unfortunately, they’ll need to find someone else to eat those minutes for the next few days as Forsling has been placed in the COVID protocol. He won’t play tomorrow against the Edmonton Oilers, and likely will be out against the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken, should he face the regular five-day isolation period.

Now 25, Forsling is in the first season of a three-year deal signed last July that carries a cap hit of just $2.67MM through 2023-24. That’s an incredible bargain for a defenseman that is eating incredibly tough defensive deployment and yet still has 19 points in 34 games. The Panthers have outscored their opponents 43-25 at even-strength this season despite the defenseman starting just 39 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone. Without him, a player like Olli Juolevi will have to step into a bigger role after playing a little over 15 minutes against the Calgary Flames yesterday.

Prospect Justin Sourdif Traded In The WHL

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  • Panthers prospect Justin Sourdif was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings from Vancouver at yesterday’s WHL trade deadline. A third-round pick in 2020, the winger has 32 points in 24 games this season and now goes to an Edmonton squad that is gearing up for a long playoff run.  Florida has already signed Sourdif to an entry-level contract, one that will slide this season and begin in 2022-23.

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