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James Wisniewski Latest To Be Linked To Olympic Roster

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Since the NHL isn’t allowing players to go to the 2018 Winter Olympics, the rosters for both North American squads remain something of a mystery. While Team Canada has been preparing their group by playing in various international tournaments, USA Hockey is opting for a different approach that will likely make it tougher to project a roster until closer to the event.

This morning we heard about some of the top NCAA names that are being considered, and now Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that unsigned free agent defenseman James Wisniewski has also been in contact with the management team. This piece of information comes in an excellent profile of the former Columbus Blue Jackets defender (subscription needed, but well worth it), which also has him waiting for a training camp invite this summer.

Last year Wisniewski had to go play in the KHL after not earning an NHL contract in training camp with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and could have to play abroad once again. The 33-year old is just a few seasons removed from his career-high 51 point output and is right-handed, but still can’t seem to find work anywhere around the league. Perhaps he’ll be able to use the Olympics as a springboard for a return to the NHL.

Snapshots: Jagr, Keenan, Team USA

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Jaromir Jagr remains unsigned now deep into August, and though the second all-time leading NHL scorer wants to play again this year there hasn’t been a ton of interest just yet. Elliotte Friedman joined NHL Network yesterday and said that a few teams have reached out, including the Calgary Flames. The Flames are led by a former Jagr coach in Glen Gulutzan, but nothing sounds imminent with any team so far.

Jagr has joked about playing for his own Czech club to start the year, and that would allow him to play in the Olympics. The Czech Republic have several players in this situation, but could see some late-summer signings rob them of Olympic talent.

  • Kunlun Red Star of the KHL have fired their General Manager just a few months after installing him in March, and have given the reins to Mike Keenan who will remain on as head coach as well. Keenan is a legendary NHL and KHL coach who made big waves after going to China, and will now have full control of the organization.
  • Andy Strickland of Fox Sports reports that USA Hockey is considering Troy Terry, Jordan Greenway, Ryan Donato and Adam Fox for their Olympic team, which comes as little surprise. The quartet of college players are all outstanding options that could likely find great success on the international circuit. Greenway already represented the US at the recent World Championships, while Donato, Fox and Terry were among the best college players in the country last season.

Snapshots: Desjardins, Iginla, Dahlstrom, Blue Jackets

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Willie Desjardins won’t be in the NHL this year, but he’ll still be one of the more talked-about coached in hockey. He’ll be leading Team Canada on their journey to the Olympics, this time without the benefit of NHL-level players. Speaking with Rick Dhaliwal today of News 1130 in Vancouver, Desjardins spoke about several players including Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla.

Confirming that the pair are still looking for NHL contracts, Desjardins also said that it would be tough for them to jump into the Olympic speed if they weren’t playing anywhere come February. That might be the case for one or both of them though, as there doesn’t seem to be much interest around the league for the aging stars. Iginla had some redeeming qualities at the trade deadline and picked up his play for the Los Angeles Kings down the stretch, but both are now 40-years old and would need a team to really go out on a limb to give them an NHL deal.

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic goes in depth on Chicago Blackhawks prospect John Dahlstrom, who you can no longer call Mr. Irrelevant in the NHL. The very last pick of the 2015 draft, Dahlstrom will return to Sweden instead of playing in the USHL this season, and try to earn an entry-level contract next year. The 20-year old forward recorded 30 goals and 59 points for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL this year, and has legitimate prospect status despite his draft pedigree.
  • Aaron Portzline made his much-anticipated debut for The Athletic’s Cleveland chapter, bringing his usual insight into the Columbus Blue Jackets and explaining all the upcoming decisions for the team over the next month. He includes an interesting quote from GM Jarmo Kekalainen, saying that he’s willing to make a trade or do whatever is needed regardless of whether the season has started or not. This was in response to some questions about Matt Duchene, a deal that Portzline still sees as a perfect fit between the two clubs.

Czech Republic Could Have Olympic Edge With Unsigned Players

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The NHL’s decision to not allow their players to attend the Olympics (even those playing in the minors) has changed the playing field for many countries heading into the 2018 Games. While normally Canada and the United States are powerful teams, loaded with superstar NHL talent they’ll now be looking for former NHL players and college-aged stars to try and put together a roster that can compete. Russia, Sweden and Finland will all lose many NHL stars but have their own professional leagues filled with experienced international players that should make them medal favorites.

One nation that is often overlooked is the Czech Republic, who’ve won just a single bronze medal since Dominik Hasek and company beat the US, Canada and Russia in three straight matches to take home the gold, allowing just two goals in the process. This year could see a potential return to glory should they use the opportunity now apparent in NHL free agency.

Jaromir JagrNow heading into the middle of August, many experience NHL veterans remain unsigned. While all of the national teams will likely be contacting their aging stars for help, the Czechs have an excellent group to go after. Jaromir Jagr leads it, as he’s shown that he can still play at the very highest level in the world. He’d likely be one of the best players in the tournament should he start the season playing for his own Czech team. But it goes beyond the second all-time scoring leader in NHL history.

Milan Michalek, a former 30-goal man is now a free agent after being buried in the minors by the Maple Leafs and dealing with injury last season. Michalek never did fit in Toronto after being part of the Dion Phaneuf trade from the Ottawa Senators, but has experience at two Olympic Games and plenty of other international tournaments. At just 32, he likely still has enough left in the tank to be an effective option.

Even Milan’s older brother Zbynek Michalek could be an option after playing last season almost entirely in the AHL. The 34-year old defenseman has seen his career deteriorate quickly due to concussions, but has plenty of international experience including two World Championship medals.

Jiri HudlerJakub Kindl has never lived up to his billing as a first-round pick, but has been a positive possession defender for most of his career, and spent 39 games with the Florida Panthers last season. If he can’t find a role somewhere as a depth option around the league, the 30-year old will surely be on the short list for the Czechs.

Jiri Hudler doesn’t have a job yet, even though he’s just two seasons removed from a 76-point effort with the Calgary Flames. The 33-year old forward has 428 NHL points and has always been a fine two-way player capable of moving up and down a lineup. Though he dealt with both illness and injury this season, it’s still clear he has some fuel left in the tank and could help the Czech team. He scored 11 points in 32 games for the Dallas Stars this year, but logged fewer than 12 minutes a night.

Last, Roman Polak is still working his way back from a horrendous injury suffered in the playoffs last season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but could potentially be ready to play again by the February tournament. Should he remain unsigned, he could even showcase his gritty physical play style in the Olympics for a future role. He’s coming off a reasonably successful season with the Maple Leafs, in which he was a key to their penalty kill and played 75 games.

While there are many free agents still unsigned, the Czech Republic may have the most talent among any nation still on the open market. Should these players find themselves still without a job come September, signing a one-year deal in a European league may be more enticing, seeing as it may come with another chance to represent their country in the Winter Games.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Morning Notes: Rendulic, Sandstrom, Olympics

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Former Vancouver Canucks forward Borna Rendulic has signed with the Pelicans of the Finnish Liiga, returning to Europe after three seasons in North America. Rendulic spent most of last season with the Utica Comets of the AHL, getting into just a single game at the NHL level. Though he’s just 25, Rendulic became a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer and was able to go anywhere he wanted.

Ample size and strength led Rendulic to some early success in the AHL, but his NHL opportunities with both Vancouver and Colorado were less inspiring. In 15 NHL games he had just two points, and signed just a one-year deal in Finland to try and rebuild his value on the European stage.

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have arguably the best group of goaltending prospects in the league, and they won’t have to make a decision on playing time for at least one of them this season. That’s because according to Bill Meltzer of NHL.com, Felix Sandstrom will stay in Sweden for another season, a plan both sides are happy with. The team already has Alex Lyon as the starter in Lehigh Valley, Carter Hart heading back to junior and Anthony Stolarz coming off injury. There wouldn’t have been much room for Sandstrom in North America, even if his development there has warranted a closer look.
  • As the pre-Olympic schedule pushes on, and teams around the world start to put together their rosters, Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press examines the differences between how Team Canada and Team USA have decided to build. Tony Granato and the other US coaches will keep their “day jobs” at places like the University of Wisconsin, while Hockey Canada is all-in with Willie Desjardins taking the reins full-time.

Morning Notes: Jagr, Morin, Samsonov

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Jaromir Jagr didn’t think he’d be left out in the cold this summer, waiting for an NHL contract long into the offseason. The 45-year old spoke with NHL.com correspondent Micheal Langr and discussed the challenges he’s faced so far and what he wants to do going forward. Joking that he could play for Kladno in the Czech Republic, a team that he owns, he still has his sights set on 2,000 points in the NHL.

Jagr is actually coming off another fine season even though his goal total dropped to 16. His possession play is still elite, and despite his lack of foot speed and reputation doesn’t hurt you defensively. He could still be an extremely effective option for teams looking to round out their top six and get some help on the powerplay.

  • According to our friends at Roster Resource, Jeremy Morin has signed in the KHL for this season, leaving the North American system after several unsuccessful years. Morin was drafted 45th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, but has found little success in the professional ranks. Heading to the KHL will allow him to re-invent his game and potentially compete for a chance on the US Olympic team if he gets off to a fast start.
  • Ilya Samsonov is one of the best goaltending prospects in the world, and Washington Capitals fans will be happy to hear that he’s willing to play in the AHL if he comes across to North America next year. In a new interview with Daria Tuboltseva of Championat, Samsonov speaks about the constant communication he has with the Washington front office, and how it would be a dream to eventually play with Russian superstars like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov. Samsonov is still only 20, but has an outside chance at going to the Olympics with Team Russia because of his outstanding first two seasons in the KHL. Last year he posted a .936 save percentage and was nearly unbeatable.

Team USA Contacts Olympic Candidates

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Last week when USA Hockey announced its management and coaching staffs for the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics, there was much speculation that the team would be made up mostly from the college ranks. After all, Tony Granato the head coach of the squad is also the head coach at the University of Wisconsin, and there had already been several college names playing on the international stage at this spring’s World Championship.

In another wonderful profile by Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated, Team USA GM Jim Johannson admitted that he’d already reached out to somewhere between 85 and 90 potential players, 60 percent of whom are currently playing in Europe. The rest are “evenly split between the AHL and NCAA ranks” according to Prewitt. That would seem to suggest that the US team will have a more professional atmosphere, with players like Chad Rau being likely targets. Rau has found success in both the Finnish Liiga and Russian KHL over the past few seasons, and could lend a level of experience to the team.

Johannson also said that currently unsigned NHL players are on his radar, but he’ll have to wait to see what their future in the league is before trying to bring them in. Any player on an NHL contract is ineligible to play, even if they are currently in the minor leagues. Players signed to AHL-only contracts can be taken.

Morning Notes: Ovechkin, Hlinka, Werenski

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Alex Ovechkin still won’t give up his dream of playing in the 2018 Olympics, even in the face of a possible suspension. He told Sport-Express in Russia that there is “always a chance” and that he hopes the NHL will change their stance on letting him play.

When it came out yesterday that the NHL would not allow minor league players on two-way deals to attend, much speculation came along that any Olympic squad who broke this rule would be disqualified from competition. The IIHF has been clear that they will honor the NHL’s wishes for the 2018 Games, likely with hopes that the relationship can be mended for 2022.

  • The Ivan Hlinka U18 tournament started yesterday, and with it FanRag’s resident prospect guru Hannah Stuart took a look at some of the most interesting names in the tournament. Joe Veleno tops the list, a name which we’ve discussed before in relation to the top pick in next year’s draft. Veleno will be at the top of any scout’s list when watching the QMJHL this year, as the 17-year old has almost no limit on his upside going forward.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets’ super rookie Zach Werenski sat down with Rob Mixer of The Athletic for a one-on-one interview, discussing his decision to turn pro and the struggles he had on opening night. He ends the discussion with a mention of how easy playing with Seth Jones was for him, something that Columbus fans can look forward to for a long time. Jones is locked up long-term at a reasonable cap hit, and Werenski should earn an extension next summer to see his prime years covered in Columbus. With those two locked in as a top pair for the next half-decade, it’s hard to project anything but success for the Blue Jackets.

Two-Way Contracts Not Allowed To Participate In Olympics

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Confirming what had been expected for weeks now, the NHL made clear to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press that players signed to NHL contracts will not be allowed to play in the upcoming Winter Olympics even if they are currently in the minors. Players can go if signed to AHL-only contracts (or AHL/ECHL two-way contracts), but any deal with an NHL portion will not be allowed.

This drastically reduces the Olympic drawing pool, but it was already expected with Team Canada going with a squad almost entirely made up of European league players and USA Hockey admitting that they’d look mostly to the NCAA ranks for their team. Whyno adds another interesting detail that players under contract but loaned to European teams are eligible, since they wouldn’t be able to play in the NHL this season anyway. It would be tough to see players like Lias Andersson or Miro Heiskanen make the Olympic team, but this would make them eligible even though they’ve already signed entry-level contracts with their respective teams. Both are expected (for now) to return to their native countries for development this season.

That exemption also extends to players in the Canadian junior leagues according to Whyno, meaning other first-round talents who are headed back to the CHL after signing ELCs could be of interest to their various countries. Though Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier are expected to break camp with the Flyers and Devils, other young players could be included in Pyeongchang.

It will be interesting to see how many players under AHL-only contracts are considered, with someone like Darren Raddysh coming to mind as a potential option. Raddysh signed an AHL contract after a huge season in the OHL, and could be among those considered for the Olympic team. While many believed the 21-year old defenseman would find an entry-level contract somewhere after putting up 81 points in his final year for the Erie Otters, he instead settled for a minor league deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. Perhaps maintaining Olympic eligibility was a factor, as he would have to be seriously considered, especially if he gets off to a hot start with the Rockford team.

Snapshots: Alexander Nylander, Jon Gillies, Max Talbot

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19-year old winger Alexander Nylander may get his shot in Buffalo this season, according to Ian McLaren of the Score, who spoke with Nylander’s Swedish coach. Nylander was selected 8th overall in last year’s draft, and had a strong season in the AHL with Rochester. He saw action in 4 games for the Sabres, but tallied only one assist. He theoretically has the option to return to the Swedish Hockey League, for AIK, but there has been no indication he will do so. Nylander will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to crack the roster, however. The Sabres filled out their forward depth relatively well this off-season, adding Jason Pominville (right-winger) via trade and Jacob Josefson (right-winger) via free agency. He could likely find a home on the fourth-line, but he would likely benefit from more seasoning if he can’t force a decision outright. His older brother, William Nylander, did need parts of two seasons with the Marlies before he stuck with the Leafs. Alex Nylander’s dynamic offensive skillset is badly needed in Buffalo this season, however, especially when one considers the lean defense they will be trotting out.

  • When Flames’ goalie Jon Gillies was signed to a two-way contract a few weeks ago, many wondered how much that would impact the team’s future plans in net. Gillies had a solid win in his first NHL start last season, but struggled slightly in Stockton. The 6’6 goalie is a third-round pick from 2012, but was solid in Providence and has shown flashes of brilliance at only 23. Gillies will need to string together a solid performance at the AHL level and hope for either Mike Smith or Eddie Lack to falter or fall to injury, as the two acquisitions by GM Brad Treliving put him in an unenviable position. The possibility of a goaltending carousel in Calgary seems more possible than many are willing to admit, especially if Gillies or Tyler Parsons push the issue from the minors with stellar performance. This will only be Gillies’ second pro season, after all, and he has the talent to make things interesting.
  • With the certainty of NHL non-participation in the 2018 Olympics, it opens quite a few doors for players who have left the league for Europe or elsewhere. “Busts” and “has-beens” could make up a large portion of the U.S. and Canadian rosters, it seems. Today in Sochi, numerous ex-NHLers displayed their skills in hopes of impressing those who will choose the 2018 Olympic roster. A miniature tournament is essentially the beginning of the audition to be considered for the selection process. Canada faced off against Russia, and the teams will have friendly contests against one another later in August. According to Tim Wharnsby of CBS Sports, some of those hopefuls for Canada include Max Talbot, Gilbert Brule, and Rob Klinkhammer. Talbot was a gritty winger who clutched two goals against Detroit in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals for Pittsburgh. Brule is a former top pick of CBJ who floated from team to team without much success, and Klinkhammer was a fringe bottom-sixer who never truly found a home. Many players of this ilk could claim roster spots, and fans of the sport may have some names from the past resurface to prominence as we approach Pyeongchang.

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