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Minnesota Wild Sign Hunter Jones

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The Minnesota Wild are still hard at work improving their organizational depth, this time signing prospect goaltender Hunter Jones to a three-year entry-level contract. Jones’ season with the Peterborough Petes of the OHL was recently cut short, but he’ll instead get to enjoy the feeling of signing his first professional contract.

Jones was selected 59th overall in the 2019 draft, the fourth goaltender off the board. The 6’4″ netminder from Brantford, Ontario was having an excellent season for the Petes, recording a 31-14-3 record with a .913 save percentage. Jones will be eligible for the AHL next season given his 20th birthday comes before the season begins, but he could also return to the OHL to develop further against players his own age.

The Wild do already have some other options for their AHL net, and it is hard to see how another year in Peterborough would hurt Jones’ long-term outlook. Regardless of where he ends up, the future looks bright for the big goaltender.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mitchell Chaffee

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After just three seasons at UMass-Amherst, Mitchell Chaffee has decided to turn pro. The undrafted free agent forward has signed with the Minnesota Wild, receiving a two-year entry-level contract that will begin next season.

The 22-year old Chaffee was pursued by several teams this offseason as one of the top college free agents. In three NCAA seasons he posted 95 points in 109 games and was named captain as a junior. Chaffee led all Hockey East players in scoring during the 2018-19 campaign, posting an incredible 42 points in 40 games. Though those numbers dropped a tiny bit this year, there’s still plenty of upside in the former USHL forward.

In fact, there’s a good case to be made that Chaffee could compete for a roster spot as soon as next season. The Wild could see some substantial change at forward if both Mikko Koivu and Alex Galchenyuk are allowed to test unrestricted free agency (or retirement, in the case of the former), and a Zach Parise trade is revisited in the offseason. That would open up spots for some younger options, including perhaps a 22-year old Chaffee who has shown a well-rounded game at the college level.

It’s been a big week for GM Bill Guerin and the Wild, who also signed Damien Giroux and Adam Beckman yesterday. The club is obviously trying to restock the cupboards and provide a little more depth at the forward position.

Stretch Run Storylines: Minnesota Wild

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As things stand, the NHL is planning to have games resume at some point over the coming weeks.  Assuming the regular season continues, there will be plenty of things to watch for over the stretch run.  Over the coming weeks, PHR will examine the top stretch run storylines for each team.  We continue our look at the Central Division with Minnesota.

It has been another disappointing season for the Wild who currently are on the outside looking in at a playoff spot.  New GM Bill Guerin has been aggressive in recent months in terms of shaking things up, moving out Jason Zucker while making a change behind the bench as well.  The effect of that coaching change is among their storylines to watch for down the stretch.

Evason’s Future

The decision to part with Bruce Boudreau last month came as a bit of a surprise even though Minnesota was struggling at the time.  It seemed like the likelier time to make a move would have been the summer but Guerin opted not to wait and installed assistant Dean Evason as the new bench boss on an interim basis for the rest of the season.

The early returns have certainly been promising as the Wild are 8-4-0 since the change and as a result, they’ve crept back into the playoff race and sit only one point outside of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.  Despite the strong start under his tenure, Guerin indicated earlier this month that he wasn’t willing to remove the interim tag at this time and will make a decision on Evason’s status at the end of the season.

That makes the stretch run (and possible playoff appearance depending on the format) extremely important for the first time NHL head coach.  A good showing would certainly bolster his chances of getting the full-time gig but if they falter, Guerin could go elsewhere.  There’s a lot riding on their final few games (assuming they actually occur).

Dubnyk’s Struggles

While Devan Dubnyk’s save percentage dipped a bit in 2018-19 while his goals against average went up a couple of points, he still seemed like a safe bet to be at least an average starter this season.  That hasn’t exactly happened.

The 33-year-old has posted a save percentage of just .890 this season.  That’s his lowest one since his rookie year and the last time he had one around that territory (2013-14 at .891), three different organizations were paying him to be a platoon goalie for Montreal’s AHL affiliate.  His goals against average of 3.35 is his worst since that 2013-14 campaign.  Those are not starting-caliber numbers; those aren’t even backup level.

That’s why Alex Stalock was given a chance to run as the starter and to his credit, he made the most of it in the weeks leading up to the break in the schedule.  But he has been a backup (or third-stringer) for his entire career so asking him to keep up his level of play isn’t realistic.

Eventually, they will need Dubnyk to get back to his form from a year ago.  This is where the break should do him some good as some time away certainly can’t hurt.  If you look back at how he bounced back from his ugly 2013-14 season, he quickly rediscovered his form with Arizona which helped land him in Minnesota where he had fared well until now.  They’ll certainly be counting on a similar bounce back down the stretch.

Galchenyuk’s Future

When the Canadiens signed Alex Galchenyuk to a three-year deal three offseasons ago, it set him up to potentially be one of the most sought after forwards in unrestricted free agency.  Here was a top-three pick only a year removed from a 30-goal campaign and he’d be hitting the open market at 26 in the prime of his career.

Things haven’t gone quite as planned, however.  Galchenyuk was eventually moved to Arizona where his numbers declined.  He started this season in Pittsburgh and didn’t do much there and saw his value plummet to the point where he was effectively a salary matching throw-in as part of the Zucker trade.

Prior to the pause, Galchenyuk was actually showing some signs of improvement.  He had seven points in 14 games, a pace that was comparable to his output from a year before despite averaging a little less than 15 minutes a night.  If he is able to return and sustain that pace, he’ll at least position himself to have interest from a few teams on the open market, including potentially Minnesota.  But if he struggles down the stretch (or even if play doesn’t resume), he could go from possibly being one of the more intriguing free agents to one that will have to wait a while in the offseason to find his next team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minnesota Wild Sign Adam Beckman, Damien Giroux

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The Minnesota Wild have started out this week with a couple of contracts, signing both Adam Beckman and Damien Giroux to three-year entry-level deals. Both players were mid-round picks by the Wild and are coming off outstanding seasons in the CHL.

In fact, Beckman’s performance may have quickly jumped him up the Minnesota prospect rankings. The 18-year old forward recorded 48 goals and 107 points for the Spokane Chiefs, leading all Western Hockey League skaters in both categories. Originally selected 75th overall in 2019, it’s easy to imagine him going much higher if teams had known how his offensive game was going to explode.

Obviously that doesn’t mean he’ll be an impact player at the NHL level, but the fact that Beckman has another year to dominate CHL competition before even being eligible for AHL play should be quite exciting for Wild fans. He’ll surely be an invitee should this year’s Summer Showcase happen, and should have a chance to compete for a spot on Team Canada at the World Juniors.

That’s not to take anything away from Giroux, who had an excellent season as the captain of the Saginaw Spirit. The 20-year old center scored 44 goals—good enough to tie for sixth in the OHL—and 75 points in just 61 games. Selected in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, his offensive production has steadily increased to the point where the Wild at least believe he’s worth of a contract slot.

Giroux’s deal will kick in next season when he will likely be assigned to the AHL, while Beckman’s will slide forward another year—unless he somehow makes the NHL roster and plays in ten games.

Extension Notes: Donovan, Svedberg, Leksands

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While Matt Donovan would undoubtedly rather remain under contract with the Nashville Predators, he will settle for staying in familiar territory and continuing his relationship with the organization. The Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, announced today that they had signed Donovan to a two-year AHL contract, an extension of sorts for the veteran defenseman. While Donovan only played in two games with Nashville last season and zero this season, he has been crucial piece for Milwaukee in both campaigns. An experienced two-way defenseman who has spent time in the New York Islanders organization as well as in Sweden and in the NCAA with the University of Denver, Donovan is known as a possession defenseman who can jump up into the play but can also be relied upon for physicality and defensive awareness. A top-pair defenseman for the Admirals, Donovan will continue to play a major role for the team while he sets his personal sights on playing his way back onto an NHL contract.

  • A move that flew under the radar recently – as fans hold out hope for a continued NHL season and are not thinking ahead to free agency just yet – is goaltender Niklas Svedberg resigning in Sweden. The 30-year-old netminder, and former member of the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild, was one of the best goalies in the SHL this season. Yet, despite what could be a weak goalie market this summer, Svedberg has opted to re-up with Djurgardens IF rather than test the NHL waters again. The team announced a new two-year deal with Svedberg, retaining one of their most valuable assets for a while longer. Svedberg would be 33 before he could have the chance to suit up once again in North America, which could mean that his NHL days are over. The talented keeper never quite found the right time to break into a consistent NHL role, despite strong numbers at both the NHL and AHL level – including an AHL All-Star nod in 2012-13 – as well as some stellar seasons in the KHL and SHL. It seems the veteran goalie is simply content to stay in his native country and continue to be one of Sweden’s best at his position.
  • Staying in Sweden, Leksands IF has a lot to look forward to as they have retained two young standouts in Alexander Lundqvist and Nils Aman. The team announced two-year contract extensions with both exciting young pieces, who each made their SHL debut this season. Lundqvist, 19, is the nephew of Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and a budding puck-moving defenseman in his own right. Undrafted in 2019, Lundqvist will be up for grabs again this year and should draw more attention following a 24-point campaign in the SuperElit and an eight-game stint in the SHL. At 6’2”, 183 lbs. and lauded skating ability, Lundqvist projects as a solid two-way defenseman and should step into a regular SHL role next year. Aman, 20, has a similar stature to Lundqvist but plays up front and has the numbers to prove it. Aman posted 47 points in 30 games in the SuperElit and made the most of his own eight-game stint in the SHL with three points. Aman looks ready for the top level and should slot into a consistent role next year as well. A youth movement could be coming to Leksands, who need all the help they can get after only missing the relegation game due to the league’s recent cancellation.

Wild Pursuing Several NCAA Free Agents, Won't Remove Interim Tag From Dean Evason

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When Mike Smith signed with Edmonton in free agency, the move raised some eyebrows.  He was coming off a season that saw him post the lowest save percentage of his career and with Mikko Koskinen having several question marks, some were expecting the Oilers to add a more proven goaltending option.  Instead, he has rebounded quite nicely and has posted the second-highest point total among NHL netminders since January while helping Edmonton get into second place in the Pacific Division.  As a result, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector suggests that the soon-to-be 38-year-old has done enough to warrant another one-year deal for next season.  Despite the strong record since the turn of the calendar to 2020, his overall numbers on the season (2.95 GAA, .902 SV%) aren’t the best so the Oilers may be able to get him cheaper than his current price tag of a $2MM base salary plus another $1.75MM in performance bonuses ($500K of which have been reached so far).

More from the West:

  • While there aren’t any games being played, college players can still sign deals and that where Minnesota’s focus appears to be at the moment. GM Bill Guerin told Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that they are currently involved in talks for a few players.  However, he also mentioned that he has no intention of merely stockpiling players given the uncertainty for next season.  With that in mind, it’s hard to imagine that they’ll sign all of their targets but perhaps a deal can be reached with one or two of them.
  • From the same interview, Guerin stated that he’s quite pleased with how Dean Evason has performed as the interim head coach so far but that he’s not prepared to change his status at this time to the permanent role. He acknowledged that he isn’t speaking to anyone else about the spot at the moment thanks to the current travel restrictions in place and that a final decision will come at the end of the season.

NHL Rosters To Be Frozen During Suspended Season

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According to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, the NHL will implement a league-wide roster freeze this evening after announcing a new directive for players earlier today. Johnston points to this freeze as the reason for several roster moves today, moving players between the NHL and AHL. We’ll list those moves below:

  • The New Jersey Devils have moved both Janne Kuokkanen and Matt Tennyson to the AHL. Both players are on two-way contracts, earning less at the minor league level.
  • The Minnesota Wild have moved Matt Bartkowski back to the AHL. He hadn’t played in a single NHL game this season and is on a two-way contract.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Mark Letestu from his conditioning loan in the AHL. He is on a two-way deal, but would need to clear waivers in order to be sent to the AHL full-time.
  • The Florida Panthers have moved Sam Montembeault back to the AHL. He is on a two-way deal and is still waiver-exempt.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have sent both Jani Hakanpaa and Anthony Stolarz to the AHL. Both players are actually on one-way contracts, meaning they don’t earn any less at the minor league level.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have sent Logan O’Connor to the AHL. The 23-year old is on a two-way contract.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have sent Keegan Kolesar and Brandon Pirri to the AHL. Pirri is on a one-way contract, while Kolesar is still on his two-way entry-level deal.

Vancouver’s Chris Tanev, Vegas’ Max Pacioretty Out “Week-To-Week”

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The Pacific Division playoff race received a significant shake-up on Wednesday night when two contenders announced the injury absences of key players. The Vancouver Canucks, fighting hard to stay in the playoff race, will be without defenseman Chris Tanev “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury. The same generalized injury and timeline was later announced by the Vegas Golden Knights in regards to veteran forward Max Pacioretty as well.

Tanev is no stranger to injury, having missed considerable time in each of the past three seasons. In fact, Tanev was on pace for the first full season of his career and could still top his career high of 70 games played if he returns for only two more contests. When healthy, Tanev is arguably the Canucks’ best two-way defenseman. Fortunately, he is not as much of a lynchpin player this season following the additions of rookie sensation Quinn Hughes and major free agent add Tyler Myers. Still, with the Canucks currently sitting in the final wild card spot out west and already missing starting goalie Jacob Markstrom, the team surely hopes that “week-to-week” might just mean a week or two tops without Tanev.

Meanwhile, the Pacific-leading Golden Knights are dealing with an even bigger loss. Pacioretty is the team’s leading scorer and has been healthy for every game up until this point. His injury comes much around the same time as last season and under similar circumstances. Vegas was hindered by a rash of injuries late last season as well and find themselves in the same place this year, with Pacioretty, Mark Stone, and Alex Tuch all sidelined. With only a three-point lead on the Edmonton Oilers, who hold a game in hand, the Knights’ division lead is at risk if Pacioretty’s “week-to-week” prognosis ends up extending into April.

Minor Transactions: 03/10/20

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If you are a fan of an Eastern Conference team fighting for a playoff spot tonight will certainly be of interest, as the Boston Bruins take on the Philadelphia Flyers while the Tampa Bay Lightning battle the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both games could have massive ramifications on seeding, while six other games have meaningful impact as well. As teams prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Matt Tennyson, who will play tonight in place of Fredrik Claesson. Tennyson, 29, has played in 19 games this season for the Devils, recording three points.
  • Like most days that end in Y, Nicolas Roy has been involved in another transaction. The Vegas Golden Knights forward is back on the AHL roster along with Brandon Pirri after his latest recalled. Roy has now been brought up or down more than 30 times on the season.
  • The Minnesota Wild have returned Gerald Mayhew to the minor leagues after going scoreless in six consecutive games. The 27-year old Mayhew has dominated the AHL this season scoring 39 goals in 48 games, but hasn’t been quite able to carry that production over to the NHL level.
  • Sheldon Dries and Martin Kaut have both been returned to the Colorado Eagles, which bodes well for the health of Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche star suffered a lower-body injury but it is not clear how serious it is at this point.
  • Perhaps most notable today among the minor moves is the recall of Nicolas Beaudin by the Chicago Blackhawks. The 20-year old defenseman is in his first year of professional hockey after being selected 27th overall in 2018. Through 59 games with the Rockford IceHogs, Beaudin has collected three goals and 15 points.

West Notes: Kaprizov, Nalimov, Ferraro, Dugan

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In his most recent mailbag series, The Athletic’s Micheal Russo (subscription required) writes even though prized prospect Kirill Kaprizov could finish his KHL season early, don’t expect him to be in a Minnesota Wild uniform before the season ends. The scribe writes that Kaprizov’s contract with CSKA Moscow doesn’t expire until Apr. 30, which means the soonest that Minnesota could sign the 22-year-old will be on May 1 to a two-year deal. While nothing is set in stone, it is believed that Kaprizov, who will be a free agent, will sign with the Wild this summer.

Minnesota also expects Kaprizov to play for Russia at the World Championships this summer (assuming it isn’t cancelled due to the coronavirus), before reporting the Minnesota this summer, according to Russo, who spoke to general manager Bill Guerin. It’s expected that he will attend development camp between June 28 to July 3 and would be expected to play in one of the rookie games in September.

Kaprizov is wrapping up his best season yet in the KHL as he has tallied 33 goals and 62 points in 57 games and should be one of the top rookies in the NHL next season.

  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) writes that Chicago Blackhawks goaltending prospect Ivan Nalimov is expected to sign a professional tryout agreement with their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs in the next few days. After playing with Sochi this season in the KHL, Nalimov has become a free-agent and is allowed to negotiate with the Blackhawks. Nalimov’s play over the years has been inconsistent, so the idea of signing him to an AHL PTO is a low-risk maneuver and will allow the team a chance to evaluate him up close before deciding whether to sign him to a NHL contract. The 25-year-old finished his season with Sochi with a 7-14-1 record in 24 appearances with a 2.50 GAA and a .911 save percentage. The Blackhawks have a number of decisions to make in net throughout the organization with just Collin Delia and Matt Tompkins signed. The team will have to make decisions on Corey Crawford, Malcolm Subban, Kevin Lankinen and now Nalimov this summer.
  • The San Jose Sharks will be without defenseman Mario Ferraro all weekend. The rookie defenseman has been trying to play through a lower-body injury for a week and a half, but finally requires a break as he will sit out Saturday’s game against Ottawa and against Colorado on Sunday, according to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz. Head coach Bob Boughner hopes Ferraro will be available by Wednesday, the start of the team’s four-game road trip. Ferraro, the college defensive partner of Colorado’s Cale Makar, has two goals and 11 points in 61 games in his first season with the Sharks.
  • David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes that the Vegas Golden Knights might get a depth addition as soon as next weekend (assuming they don’t get into the NCAA tournament) as Jack Dugan, who currently leads college hockey with 52 points, could sign with Vegas. Dugan, the Golden Knights’ fifth-round pick in 2017, has dominated in college and could add provide some depth, especially after the team learned that Cody Glass will miss the rest of the season.

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