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Marat Khusnutdinov Re-Signs In KHL

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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, Minnesota Wild fans. A Russian prospect has re-signed in the KHL before he participates in an international tournament. Marat Khusnutdinov has signed a new deal with SKA St. Petersburg that will keep him under contract through 2023-24, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic.

Khusnutdinov, 19, was the 37th overall pick in 2020 and looked to be developing quite well in the KHL. As Russo points out, his ice time was slashed recently, which is often a tactic used against young players that are considering leaving for North America. Instead of signing with the Wild this summer, he’ll stay overseas for at least two more seasons, where the team has no control over his development or playing time.

This case isn’t quite as drastic as what happened with Kirill Kaprizov, given Khusnutdinov will only be 21 when this contract ends, but there’s no guarantee he signs at that point either. The young forward is about to take part in his second World Juniors–on North American ice–where he should star once again. In 29 KHL games this season he has four goals and 11 points.

Because the NHL and KHL do not have a transfer agreement, Minnesota will retain Khusnutdinov’s draft rights indefinitely. The two leagues do respect each other’s contracts though, meaning the Wild will have to wait until this one expires to ink him to an entry-level deal. There are mechanisms (namely player-driven buyouts) to break a KHL contract, though that is unlikely with such a young player.

Hurricanes-Wild Game Postponed

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The Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild aren’t going to play tonight after all. According to several reports including Michael Russo of The Athletic, four more players from the Hurricanes have tested positive today for coronavirus and will be put into the COVID protocol. The team put Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho in the protocol yesterday. The league has officially announced the single postponement, noting that it will provide a further update tomorrow. The four players entering the protocol today are Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov, Ian Cole, and Steven Lorentz.

If it weren’t postponed, the Hurricanes would be extremely shorthanded for this evening’s action. The team does not have the cap space for more than one recall, which they used on Andrew Poturalski earlier today. There is also a growing sentiment that on-ice transmission has occurred over the weekend, as several teams that played each other–Carolina, the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Boston Bruins in particular–have now had players enter the protocol recently.

The Flames, Ottawa Senators, and New York Islanders are the three teams that have seen their season postponed to this point, but if the Hurricanes become the fourth, even more doubt will be placed upon NHL participation in the upcoming Olympics. The league has maintained that if postponements cause a “material disruption” to the schedule they will take the decision out of the players’ hands and withdraw from international competition.

This is also not the first time the Hurricanes have been affected by COVID absences. Brett Pesce, Tony DeAngelo, and Ethan Bear were all in the protocol at once, with the former two only expected to make their return tonight, before the game was postponed.

Bill Guerin Named GM Of U.S. Olympic Team

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It had been quite some time since Stan Bowman was removed from the general manager position with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team, but there had been no official replacement named. Until now that is, as Bill Guerin has been introduced as the new GM, with Chris Drury named an assistant. The two will work with John Vanbiesbrouck, assistant director of hockey operations at USA Hockey, to build out the roster.

Guerin had been an assistant GM before Bowman’s scandal forced his removal from the program, and was the obvious choice to take over the reins. He spoke with the media today and called it the “dream of a lifetime” though his appointment does not guarantee that NHL players will decide to go to the tournament in Beijing next year. The Minnesota Wild GM told reporters including Michael Russo of The Athletic that he has been in touch with Jack Eichel’s agent to discuss the Vegas Golden Knights forward’s status in regards to the Games.

Vanbiesbrouck meanwhile explained that if the NHL players decide not to go, the team will have to look at AHL, NCAA and international talent. His full focus currently is on the NHL and as Nick Cotsoniko of NHL.com tweets, it appears as though USA Hockey is proceeding as if the NHL will be participating.

Guerin of course has already been an Olympian, representing the U.S. on three occasions during his long playing career. He won a silver medal in 2002 at the Salt Lake City tournament. Drury too was a three-time Olympian during his playing days, and has been USA Hockey’s choice for GM of the World Championship team in both 2019 and 2021.

No Supplemental Discipline For P.K. Subban, Marcus Foligno

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Despite considerable media attention paid to both situations, New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban and Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno will not receive any discipline from recent altercations. The NHL Department of Player Safety has reviewed each scenario and determined that neither rises to the level of a suspension or fine.

In the case of Foligno, this appears to be a perfectly appropriate decision. The incident in question occurred on Saturday night as the Wild took on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Just as Foligno had jumped off for a change, a scrum ensued right in front of the Minnesota bench. Foligno got back on the ice to engage with the Leafs’ Wayne Simmonds. Typically, leaving the bench in this scenario would be a an automatic ten-game suspension, one of the NHL’s most harsh penalties. However, as The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports, the league did not consider this to be a case of Foligno leaving the bench, as no one had yet replaced him on the ice. Kirill Kaprizov was supposed to sub in for Foligno, but given the budding altercation in front of him smartly stayed put, which allowed Foligno, who was still straddling the boards, to legally get back on the ice. The Wild just narrowly avoided losing one of their veteran leaders for an extended period of time.

As for Subban, the lack of retribution from the league continues to be a strange phenomenon. Subban appeared to slew foot the Winnipeg Jets’ Nikolaj Ehlers on Friday night, though it was not called on the ice. The general understanding in this scenario is that the incident does not meet the league’s textbook definition of “slew foot”. Call what you will, but this shockingly marks his fourth dangerous trip this season. Yet, the veteran defenseman had not received any punishment and Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that this will continue with this latest incident. It remains a mystery how Subban continues to get off scot-free with obvious slew foots, especially when the Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand recently received a three-game suspension for a slew foot that received no attention from the officials nor the visiting Vancouver Canucks. Seravalli states that extra attention is being paid by the league to both Subban and slew foots, yet it made no difference yet again.

Injury Notes: Zuccarello, Joseph, Kase

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Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello was absent from Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury. While the Wild were able to take the game with a 4-2 win, Zuccarello’s great performance so far this season (16 points in 16 games) means they’ll want him back as soon as possible. Head coach Dean Evason said after the game that Zuccarello’s got a “nasty injury” on his bottom hand. Zuccarello will try to practice during the Wild’s optional skate tomorrow, but Evason offers no guarantees.

More injury news from around the league:

  • Mathieu Joseph of the Tampa Bay Lightning sustained an injury and did not return to today’s game against Minnesota. Joseph had been playing in the team’s top six along with Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli and had seven points in 19 games. It’s a tough blow to a team that’s already missing Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point up front. It’s unknown if Joseph will miss how much, if any, time.
  • Ondrej Kase isn’t returning for the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, but head coach Sheldon Keefe assures that his absence is more precautionary in nature. An upper-body injury to Kase is concerning considering his concussion history, but Keefe said today “There’s no clarity on that right now. But that has not been designated as the case.” Kase’s been working out on his own without practicing with the team.

Mats Zuccarello Missed Practice After Taking Slash In Friday's Game

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  • While Wild winger Mats Zuccarello left Friday’s victory over Winnipeg after taking a slash in the hand, head coach Dean Evason told reporters including Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press that his absence was precautionary and that he could have returned if needed. However, Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune relays (Twitter link) that the veteran was absent from practice today which could call into question his availability for Sunday’s game versus Tampa Bay.

Ivan Lodnia Signs AHL Contract

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Usually, when a player is put on unconditional waivers and their contract terminated, they end up signing overseas to continue their career far away from the NHL. In the case of Ivan Lodnia, something very different has happened. The young forward, who recently saw his deal with the Minnesota Wild terminated, has signed an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves.

This is still a step up for the 22-year-old forward, as the Wild had assigned him to the ECHL to start the season. Lodnia refused to report to the Iowa Heartlanders, earning a suspension from the team instead. Now he’ll at least get the chance to play in the AHL, where he can showcase himself for another NHL organization.

Notably, the Wolves are an independent minor league team, meaning that though they are affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes they can also make decisions like this for themselves. The team obviously sees the value in bringing in the 2017 third-round pick, though Lodnia has not shown much at that level to this point. In 2020-21, he was loaned to Dynamo Minsk of the KHL, where he had just one goal and seven points in 27 games. Prior to that, he had played six professional games, failing to record a point.

A solid two-way winger, early in his CHL career Lodnia was stuck behind a very talented Erie Otters forward group but still managed to put up strong production. Still, even once he was traded to Niagara and given more offensive minutes, his scoring never really exploded to a level that would draw a ton of notice from NHL fans. There’s plenty of time for him to figure out how to be a successful pro, given he turned 22 just a few months ago and he’ll now take on that challenge in Chicago.

Hurricanes’ Eric Gelinas, Wild’s Ivan Lodnia Clear Unconditional Waivers

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Nov 23: After both players cleared waivers, they are now able to have their contracts terminated and sign overseas. Gelinas technically was recalled to the NHL before terminating it but is headed back to Rogle where he played last season. As for Lodnia, Michael Russo of The Athletic understood that a few weeks ago the young forward was linked to Finland, but nothing has yet surfaced regarding his next destination.

Nov 21: Two NHL seasons and contracts (and possibly careers) could soon be coming to an end. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that a pair of names have been placed on unconditional waivers today for the purpose of contract termination. They are veteran defenseman Eric Gelinas of the Carolina Hurricanes and young forward Ivan Lodnia of the Minnesota Wild.

Gelinas, a name that should be familiar to NHL fans, is an experienced defender in the league with nearly 200 games to his credit with the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche. However, he spent the past three seasons in Europe before returning with a one-year contract with the Hurricanes this off-season. Given the defensive depth in Carolina though, Gelinas has yet to see a return to the NHL level and very well might not have played for anyone other than the AHL’s Chicago Wolves this season. As a result, he is seeking a contract termination so that he can pursue greater opportunities elsewhere. One of the best offensive defensemen in Sweden last year, Gelinas is likely to head back to the SHL if he clears waivers.

Lodnia, 22, is a different case. The young forward is in his first pro season in North America after playing in the KHL on loan last year. A 2017 third-round pick and long-time OHL standout, Lodnia is considered a good prospect and likely expected to be treated as such by the Wild. Instead, Minnesota’s depth forced them to assign Lodnia to the ECHL to begin the year. When he opted not to report, Lodnia was suspended and as a result, has not played a single game this season. Enough is enough apparently, as the two sides are moving toward a contract termination. It is unclear if the Wild have tried to trade Lodnia and, if so, if his refusal to report has been a turn-off to potential suitors. An interested club could still grab Lodnia on waivers, but typically unconditional placements go untouched. He could potentially sign with another NHL team, or AHL team, but there is also the chance that he returns to Europe instead. It’s a strange twist to what once seemed like a budding NHL career that now may never be.

Jared Spurgeon Out Week-To-Week

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The Minnesota Wild are still sitting in first place in the Central Division, but they’re going to have to hold onto that spot without their captain for a while. Jared Spurgeon is considered week-to-week according to head coach Dean Evason, who spoke with reporters including Sarah McLellan of the Star Tribune.

Spurgeon left the team’s game against the Florida Panthers early with a lower-body injury and missed Sunday’s contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Wild lost both of those games (the latter in a shootout) and are now just one point ahead of both the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets in the Central race.

The 31-year-old Spurgeon meanwhile was having another strong season, with eight points through his first 16 games while averaging more than 21 minutes a game. He left the match against the Panthers after just three minutes of ice time and now appears to be on the shelf for the next little while.

In his place, the team has young Calen Addison back up with the NHL group, but put Jordie Benn into the lineup for just the second time this season. Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin ended up carrying a huge load, each playing more than 25 minutes (with Dumba eclipsing 28!) in the loss to Tampa Bay.

Minnesota Wild Targeting J.T. Miller

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Things are not alright in Vancouver amidst another disappointing start. The Canucks sit seventh in the Pacific Division with just three wins in their past ten games. While the front office and ownership have promised (at least publicly) to stay the course and not overreact to their current turmoil, NHL competitors are taking notice and lining up for a piece of a potential fire sale.

At the front of the line are the Minnesota Wild. The Central Division leaders are enjoying a strong start, but are not without holes in the lineup, one of them being another top-six scorer. While The Province’s Ben Kuzma notes that Minnesota native Brock Boeser would seem to be the ideal acquisition, he reports that the Wild have in fact called on J.T. Miller. While Miller has flashed ability at every stop, including New York and Tampa, he has been at his best since landing with the Canucks. Miller can do it all from the center position; a balanced scorer, fierce checker, and face-off ace, Miller has developed into a well-rounded top-six pivot. He even plays big minutes for the Canucks, too. The Wild have taken notice and clearly feel that he could be an asset, perhaps even on the top line.

Kicking the tires is far from finalizing a deal though and the Canucks won’t let Miller go easily. Miller is signed through next season and at a $5.25MM AAV that is very palatable for a player who has scored at a near point-per-game pace since arriving in Vancouver. Kuzma suspects that a package from Minnesota would likely include Kevin Fiala, which could be attractive to the Canucks. Fiala and the Wild seem to be at odds about his role on the team following a difficult negotiation this summer and the 25-year-old forward could benefit from a change of scenery. The Canucks would get younger by swapping Miller for Fiala, but will also maintain their goal of avoiding a rebuild by adding another talented, proven forward in return. That won’t be it either, as the Canucks will be able to command some building blocks as well. Their first-round pick and top prospects Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy are likely off the board, but a second-round and/or an exciting young name like Calen Addison or Adam Beckman could be floated instead.

Again, a deal is nowhere close but when interest is able to be confirmed like this, there is typically more than just smoke. The Canucks and Wild seem like good trade partners, the question is whether Vancouver is willing and if so whether Minnesota can meet their demands. Miller could be a game-changer for a Wild team in position to make a deep run this season.

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