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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.

USA Olympic Team Announces Management, Coaching Staff

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The 2018 Winter Olympics will be another chance for amateur hockey players from throughout North America to create some magic (some may even call it a Miracle) and show that they can compete at the highest level. The NHL will not be going, meaning players from the NCAA, junior and European leagues will make up the teams for the United States and Canada.

Today, USA Hockey announced the management and coaching staff for the upcoming Olympics:

This group has a ton of international experience, led by Granato who has coached and played in the Olympics before. Now the head coach of the University of Wisconsin, Granato has long been considered one of the brightest hockey minds ever developed in the US. It is interesting that an NCAA coach has been selected, as he’ll have much more first hand experience with many of the players the team will have to rely on.

Johannson said in the press conference that the team will also look at some semi-retired NHL players to suit up for the team. Possibilities include Brian Gionta, Matt Cullen or even Drew Stafford if he can’t find a job around the NHL before the start of the season.

Most of the team though will come from the NCAA ranks, where players like Jordan Greenway could be asked to play big minutes. Greenway was part of the World Championship squad earlier this spring along with fellow college players Daniel Brickley and Cal Petersen. Petersen has since signed with the Los Angels Kings and will be ineligible, while Brickley may have a substantial role after heading back to Minnesota State University.

Luke Kunin, Granato’s star player last year at Wisconsin will be unable to play after signing with the Iowa Wild this spring following his sophomore year. Granato is surely going to pull from his own roster for other options.

Potential 2018 Olympic Roster for Team Canada

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Hockey Canada released its roster for two upcoming international tournaments, and stated that the 2018 Men’s Canadian olympic hockey team roster will draw primarily from these two teams. The roster announcement comes on the heels of the announcement that Sean Burke and Willie Desjardins will serve as the team’s General Manager and Head Coach, respectively.

Those tournaments—the 2017 Sochi Hockey Open and the 2017 Tournament of Nikolai Puchkov—will be the stage for informal Team Canada olympic tryouts. Hockey Canada is using these tournaments as an opportunity to scout 46 different players it considers having a chance to join Team Canada in South Korea.

The full rosters are below, but notably standouts include former NHLers Derek Roy, Carlo Colaiacovo, Maxime Talbot, Mason Raymond, Kevin Klein, and Ben Scrivens. Most players listed currently play hockey in Europe.

Sochi Hockey Open Roster

Forwards
Justin Azevedo, Gilbert Brulé, Brandon Buck, Kevin Clark, Andrew Ebbett, Bud Holloway, Rob Klinkhammer, Brandon Kozun, Ben Maxwell, Brandon McMillan, Eric O’Dell, Daniel Paille, Mason Raymond, Maxime Talbot, Linden Vey

Defense
Chay Genoway, Geoff Kinrade, Patrick McNeill, Maxim Noreau, Mat Robinson, Jonathan Sigalet, Karl Stollery

Goaltenders
Justin Peters, Kevin Poulin

Tournament of Nikolai Puchkov Roster

Forwards
Taylor Beck, Sean Collins, Cory Emmerton, Ryan Garbutt, Andrew Gordon, David McIntyre, Jacob Micflikier, Trevor Parkes, Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Derek Roy, Greg Scott, Paul Szczechura, James Wright

Defense
Cam Barker, Carlo Colaiacovo, Stefan Elliott, Marc-Andre Gragnani, Kevin Klein, Shawn Lalonde, Craig Schira

Goaltenders
Kevin Poulin, Ben Scrivens

It is likely that the majority of Team Canada will draw from these two rosters, but Hockey Canada has indicated that it is looking at all options. That included potential non-signing UFAs like Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla, as well as standout junior players if the situation warrants. It also includes players on AHL-only contracts.

Drew Stafford Could Be This Year’s Kris Versteeg

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Last summer, Kris Versteeg didn’t get much action on the free agent market. He was 30, coming off a 38 point season in which he was traded at the deadline—basically a tradition in the NHL at this point—and ended up signing in Switzerland because he couldn’t find a contract around the league. A one-year deal with SC Bern of the NLA and Versteeg could try to rebuild his value while enjoying the sights of Europe. It was surely a bit disappointing, but it was at least a contract with a professional team. Only the disappointment wouldn’t end there. "<strong

Much later in the summer, Versteeg and Bern would end up terminating his contract because of some mixture of a failed medical and inability to gain insurance due to his previous hip injury, putting him back on the market after some NHL training camps had already begun. Again he was without a contract, and now without the ability to play in Europe (or at least for Bern) would have to slightly alter his plans. So Versteeg, the four-time 20-goal scorer and veteran of 550 NHL games, would sign a professional tryout with the (at that time) lowly Edmonton Oilers. With it came no guarantee of an NHL contract, but why not try out for a team close to home that has an up-and-coming core.

He’d stay with the Oilers for the next month, before abruptly signing with the rival Calgary Flames just a day before the two teams were set to kick off their seasons against each other. Versteeg’s deal would be for just $950K, and he’d pull on a Flames sweater on October 12th to open the year, playing 13:47 against the team he’d been practicing with for most of training camp. That $950K would go on to be quite a bargain, as Versteeg would put up 37 points in just 69 games and do enough to earn another contract—this time worth $1.75MM—with the Flames this spring.

"<strongThis summer, there seems to be a similar player left out in the cold after all the free agent shopping has been done. Drew Stafford has had very little written about him since the free agent period began, other than some thought that Boston had quickly moved on from the idea of bringing him back. Like Versteeg, Stafford had been traded mid-season, where he found some success with the Bruins down the stretch by registering eight points in 18 games. Though not a top-line player anymore, he still can provide some secondary scoring in the right situation.

Stafford, less than a year older than Versteeg will turn 32 this October and could still help an NHL team even if he’s not the 30-goal scorer of his youth. He’s just a year removed from registering 21 goals, but looks like he may have to take a PTO of his own in order to showcase that he still has some game left in him. He can still be an effective penalty killer, and won’t hurt you defensively if deployed in a bottom-six role, but has the offensive chops to move up on a short-term basis to fill in for injury. He’s a worthwhile experiment on a no-risk PTO, especially with the upside of an almost-free 20-goal man.

If he can’t find work this year in the NHL, there is also the opportunity that the Olympics present as he could easily make a US squad that will be made up of mostly college-aged players. Stafford would instantly provide some international experience, as he won World Junior gold back in 2004 and has suited up for Team USA in the World Championships three times. And, iff not the Olympics, there’s always Bern* (*pending medical evaluation).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Fisher, Team Canada, Larkin

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Mike Fisher is still considering a return to Nashville next season, and GM David Poile told Adam Vignan of the Tennessean that they’ll know more next week. Fisher has been open about his pending decision between playing one more season for Nashville or retiring, and it seems the team would be happy to have him. After scoring 18 goals and 42 points he would likely be returning in a lesser role now that the club has brought in Nick Bonino to solidify their center depth.

With Ryan Johansen and Calle Jarnkrok returning, the position could quickly turn from a weakness into a considerable strength for the Stanley Cup finalists, with Fisher grading out as one of the best fourth line players in the league. He should come back at a reasonable price, but the Predators still have to get Johansen under contract and make sure they don’t put themselves in too tight a position heading into the season.

  • Team Canada has announced their management and coaching staff for the upcoming Olympic preparation, naming Sean Burke and Martin Brodeur as general manager and “management group member” respectively. The coaching staff will be led by former Vancouver Canucks’ head coach Willie Desjardins along with Dave King, Scott Walker and Craig Woodcroft. Interestingly, the team will play in at least seven tournaments prior to the Olympics, in a sort of season that national programs used to do before NHL participation in the Winter Games. Players on AHL contracts will be considered for the team, along with those playing overseas or in the college and junior ranks.
  • There was a new Larkin in town for the Detroit Red Wings’ development camp, and as Dana Wakiji of NHL.com writes he’ll try to make a return visit in the future. Adam Larkin, the cousin of Red Wings’ star Dylan Larkin, will be a senior at Yale this season and has steadily improved his game since going undrafted out of the USHL. He’ll work even harder this year to try and impress Red Wings scouts and those from other organizations that he’s deserved of a professional contract next spring when he becomes a free agent. Detroit would surely have the inside track, but Larkin will need a big senior season to show that he is ready for the next level.

Snapshots: Okposo, Langhamer, Olympics

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Kyle Okposo’s season ended abruptly last year after a March 27th game, with the Buffalo Sabres’ prized offseason acquisition ending up in a hospital ICU just a few days later. It was a scary time for Buffalo fans and teammates alike, but Okposo is on the road to recovery and played in a game for Da Beauty League last week—his first game action in almost four months.

Now Okposo wants to explain exactly what happened and thank his fans for the outpouring of support that came his way. Okposo pens a letter for NHL.com outlining the negative reaction he had to medicine meant to help him sleep, and a drastic weight loss that followed—he was down under 200 lbs for the first time since he was 17. He says he’s healthy now and will be back playing for the Sabres next season, excited to get started under new GM Jason Botterill and coach Phil Housley.

  • The Arizona Coyotes have signed Marek Langhamer to a one-year two-way contract according to Craig Morgan of AZ Sports. Langhamer made his NHL debut last season in relief of Mike Smith after the Arizona starter had to come out of the game following the league’s new concussion protocol. He made seven of eight saves at the end of the game but is still a long way away from making an NHL impact. The Coyotes, with Antti Raanta set to take over as the lead goaltender and Louis Domingue coming back in a secondary role, will see what they have with that duo before making a decision long-term on where their future in net lies. With Langhamer signed, only Anthony Duclair remains as a restricted free agent for the Coyotes.
  • According to Arpon Basu of NHL.com, Hockey Canada has a press conference scheduled for tomorrow to announce “its plan for the 2017-18 Canada National Men’s Team.” That would presumably be an announcement of how it will select the roster for the upcoming Olympics, which will not feature NHL players for the first time since 1994. In that tournament a Peter Forsberg-led Swedish team took home gold (on one of the most famous shootout dekes of all-time), just before the young star would enter the league. That tournament would also introduce the world to Paul Kariya, who had starred at the University of Maine, but used a season with the Canadian National Team as a springboard for his hall of fame NHL career.

Some AHL Players Allowed To Go To Olympics

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The Associated Press reports that players on AHL-only contracts will be allowed to play in the 2018 Winter Olympics. According to the report, the AHL sent a memo to all of its clubs articulating that players may be loaned to Olympic teams from February 5-26. The men’s ice hockey tourney runs from February 9-25.

What the memo doesn’t say, however, is whether players on NHL two-way contracts, or those players loaned to the AHL, will be eligible for the Olympics. Most signs point to no, however, as that would open up a loophole allowing teams to send its young, waiver-exempt players to the AHL for the purposes of playing in the Olympics. It would also be inconsistent with the league’s mandate that all players with NHL contracts are barred from the Olympics.

The AHL does not have a designated break during the two-week Olympic period, but the league is used to teams losing its best players as a matter of course. Players leaving for the Olympics is no different then players being recalled for two weeks. Unfortunately for national teams, however, the crop of AHL-only players may be only marginally better than those in the NCAA or Europe.

Snapshots: Yakupov, Olympics, Meier

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When Nail Yakupov didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the St. Louis Blues this spring, many people around the league believed it may take a move overseas to find new life in his career. We even wrote on the subject here on PHR, saying that a move back to the KHL seemed like his best option. Yakupov was clear that wasn’t his goal, and instead he secured a one-year, $875K contract from the Colorado Avalanche who may prove to be an even better fit.

Andi Duroux of BSN Denver takes an incredibly thorough—and extremely insightful—look into the career of the 2012 first-overall pick, and how that career can get back on track with last year’s last place team. Yakupov should have every opportunity in Colorado to show he can still produce offensively, but will need to show he can play in both ends of the rink to take advantage of his immense potential. If he does, he could be in for a big raise next summer.

  • While rumors of the NHL having a backup plan to still possibly go to the 2018 Olympics seem far-fetched, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet does bring us some news on that front. It looks like players that are on AHL-only contracts will be allowed to represent their country in the games, but not those on two-way deals currently playing in the AHL. It will be interesting to see if a player who has signed his entry-level contract but is playing in the junior ranks would be included in this, but either way that leaves some interesting names for the potential squad. While Team USA may be made up of many collegiate players, other more veteran options with international experience like Peter Mueller, who was playing on an AHL deal with the Providence Bruins last year could be considered. For Team Canada, recent CHL free agents like Darren Raddysh and Stefan LeBlanc could join the veterans playing internationally.
  • A question that has come up several times in our Live Chats is that of a potential replacement for Patrick Marleau in San Jose. After the long-time Shark signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency, fans of the team were looking around hoping someone would be brought in to replace his spot in the top six. Kevin Kurz of CSN was asked a similar question about how the lines will shake out, and he projected Timo Meier to take the left wing spot beside Logan Couture on the second line. That would be a big responsibility for the 20-year old Meier, after making his NHL debut this season with just six points in 34 games. The ninth-overall selection in 2015, he has all the makings of a top-line power forward but has yet to put it all together and find any consistency in his game.

Friedman’s Latest: McDavid, Duchene, Kuznetsov

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In his final “30 Thoughts” column for the summer, the venerable Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet left us with some interesting tidbits from around the league. First off, he launches into a long explanation of how Connor McDavid’s eight-year, $100MM contract will affect the rest of the league. It’s clear that the shockwaves of the deal will make future deals with stars like Erik Karlsson, Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel even more expensive, but by just how much is still yet to be seen.

Friedman confirms a report that McDavid himself was the one who went after less money after an original verbal agreement put his deal at $13.25MM per season, saying he felt “skittish about the reaction to the original number” before settling on $12.5MM. Though that $750K per season won’t have a huge effect on the Edmonton Oilers salary cap, it’s a substantial amount ($6MM over the course of the contract) to leave on the table. It will be interesting to see if other superstars will be willing to take a similar cut.

  • Matt Duchene is still on the market, but Friedman is clear that it’s now possible he starts the year in Colorado. That would be an unsatisfying ending to a saga that has been burning on the hot stove for months now, with seemingly half the league connected at one point or another to the Avalanche center. While obviously Duchene doesn’t lose all his value the day the season opens, the Avalanche do need to be careful here. Though he has two years left on his deal, a serious injury or another disappointing season could drastically lower his value and leave them trying to find any deal available before losing him in the summer or 2019. Duchene scored just 41 points last season, and Colorado looks like one of the worst teams in the league once again.
  • Evgeny Kuznetsov was locked into a huge contract by the Washington Capitals, and part of it is because of the real threat the KHL posed. Even without the attraction of playing for Russia at the Olympics, Friedman writes that there were rumors of a $10MM per season contract for Kuznetsov a huge number to turn down. Losing Kuznetsov in a year when Kevin Shattenkirk, Karl Alzner, Justin Williams and Nate Schmidt have all found new homes would have been one of the hardest offseasons imaginable for the Capitals.

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