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Bob McKenzie

Snapshots: Callahan, Makar, Hamilton, Johansson

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With the loss of star forward and likely Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov for Game 3 on Sunday due to a one-game suspension handed down today, The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) writes that the team will bring in veteran Ryan Callahan to fill in the roster spot for a team that both its games at home and now must rebound with a pair of away games in Columbus. Of course, other players will likely move up the team’s lineup with Callahan staying in the bottom six. Callahan has last played a week ago, but only played 4:13 in that game and has only played more than 13 minutes once in the last month.

  • TSN’s Bob McKenzie suggests that the Colorado Avalanche may have a tougher decision on what it wants to do with NCAA star Cale Makar, who the team is rumored to be signing within the next 24 hours. McKenzie writes that if Makar signs a contract, he will automatically burn the first year of his entry-level deal. However, and possibly more important, McKenzie adds that if Makar plays even one playoff game this season, he would need to be protected in the Seattle expansion draft. If the team opted not to play him in the playoffs this year, he wouldn’t be available to be taken by Seattle.
  • The Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan reports that she has heard from a source that Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton will hear from the Department of Player Safety Sunday after elbowing Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov during the second period.
  • While many people were worried that Boston Bruins forward Marcus Johansson was hurt when he didn’t appear during warm-ups, the Bruins announced not long afterwards that the veteran forward was expected to miss Saturday’s game due to the flu. The 28-year-old trade deadline acquisition didn’t record a point in Game 1, but still played 16:20 of ice time for the Bruins. David Backes took Johansson’s spot.

Todd McLellan No Longer In Consideration For Buffalo Sabres

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The Buffalo Sabres conducted interviews with Todd McLellan this week as the coach was in town for the Frozen Four, but will not be hiring him to be their next head coach. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that McLellan is no longer in consideration for the position and that the team never did formalize an offer for him. Instead, McLellan is expected to be hired by the Los Angeles Kings, though that has not been formally announced either. The Sabres will continue their search for a new head coach.

If McLellan does end up with Los Angeles, it would be his third Pacific Division team in five years after previously coaching with the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers. The Kings are looking for a coach to help turn around their franchise after a dreadful season, and informed interim coach Willie Desjardins that he would not be getting the job. The 51-year old McLellan was fired by Edmonton after going 9-10-1 through the first 20 games of this season, but has an overall coaching record of 434-282-90.

The Sabres meanwhile are looking to replace Phil Housley after just two seasons on the job. The Hall of Fame defenseman was considered an outstanding assistant coach with the Nashville Predators but failed to put together much success in his time in Buffalo. The Sabres rode a winning streak all the way to first place in the NHL early in the 2018-19 season, but ended up with an overall record of 33-39-10, a huge disappointment for GM Jason Botterill and his staff.

While Buffalo hasn’t had much success over the last several years, there are definitely parts of the roster that should appeal to any prospective head coach. Captain Jack Eichel set a career high with 82 points in 77 games this season while first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin was as advertised and stepped into a top-pairing role almost immediately. The 18-year old defenseman—he’ll turn 19 tomorrow—recorded 44 points in 82 games while logging more than 21 minutes a night and should be in consideration for the Calder Trophy.

Still, there will be immense pressure on whoever the Sabres do bring in to replace Housley as the team hasn’t experienced a winning season since 2011-12 and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010-11.

Snapshots: Sather, Miller, Gardiner

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The New York Rangers may be led by a new face at some point in the near future, as Bob McKenzie of TSN tweeted last night that Glen Sather could be stepping down as president. It apparently is Sather’s decision, and not one that is confirmed in any manner by the team so far. John Shannon of Sportsnet has also heard that the move will happen at the end of the year, and that Sather will stay on as an advisor.

Sather stepped down from the general manager role in 2015 when Jeff Gorton took over, but has still had an active say in the organization. It’s unclear how involved he would be after stepping down once again. Sather has been with the Rangers since 2000, three years after he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

  • Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Colin Miller has been fined $2,000 for diving/embellishment. First given a warning following an incident on November 23rd, Miller was caught again embellishing a hook against the San Jose Sharks on March 30. While $2,000 doesn’t seem like a lot to fine an established NHL player, the punishment only goes up for more incidents, eventually affecting the wallet of the player’s head coach as well. Earning your coach a fine isn’t a very good way to get on the ice, something Miller will have to avoid in the future.
  • The Toronto maple Leafs will have a familiar face back in the lineup tonight as Jake Gardiner is expected to return after an 18-game absence. Gardiner took part in the morning skate and is technically a game-time decision, though was excited about his potential return. The veteran defenseman is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and has shown how important he is to the Maple Leafs just by missing time. The team has struggled in his absence and will hope he can get back up to speed quickly before their first round playoff series against the Boston Bruins next week.

Chase Priskie To Become Unrestricted Free Agent

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The Washington Capitals are set to lose one of their draft picks, as Chase Priskie has informed the team that he will not sign with them before the August 15th deadline. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that Priskie will wait until the summer to become an unrestricted free agent, and will likely be “highly sought after.” Priskie recently finished his senior season with Quinnipiac University.

The 23-year old Priskie will have to sign a two-year entry-level contract when he eventually does find a team, but will be able to pick from what should be a long list of suitors. A real factor in this decision also could have been the fact that Washington couldn’t sign him this season and allow him to burn a year off the deal right away. The team is already at the 50-contract limit, meaning any deal with Priskie would have had to start in 2019-20 anyway. If he isn’t burning a year it makes sense for him to wait a few months and be able to control his destiny.

An excellent offensive defenseman, Priskie recorded 39 points in 36 games this season for Quinnipiac including a whopping 17 goals. That was enough to make him a Hobey Baker finalist, and should lead to plenty of teams to take interest in his free agency. The Florida native was selected in the sixth round by the Capitals back in 2016 after bursting onto NHL scouting radars, as he had already gone undrafted twice.

Jimmy Schuldt Narrowing List Of Potential Destinations

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Tuesday: Along with the Wild and Golden Knights are the St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders according to Russo’s new article on The Athletic (subscription required). Colleague Marc Antoine Godin tweets that Montreal is not among the finalists, despite Poehling’s attempts to convince Schuldt to join the Canadiens.

Monday: One of the biggest college free agents decided to head to the Minnesota Wild today when Nico Sturm signed his entry-level deal, and he may not be the only top name headed to the Wild. Jimmy Schuldt has narrowed his list of teams from more than twenty to just five according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, who lists Minnesota and the Vegas Golden Knights as part of that final group. Michael Russo of The Athletic has heard the same, and expected the list to be reduced even further at some point today.

Schuldt, 23, finished his four year career at St. Cloud State recently with another outstanding season and is a Hobey Baker finalist. The undrafted free agent defenseman recorded 35 points in 39 games while serving as captain for the third consecutive season. He has previously had ties with various NHL clubs including attending development camp with the Montreal Canadiens, who recently signed teammate Ryan Poehling.

There is obviously a strong connection between Schuldt and the Wild, but almost every team in the league has expressed interest in him at some point. He’ll almost certainly be able to leverage that widespread interest into a contract that starts this season, burning his entry-level deal right away and allowing him to become a restricted free agent this summer.

Luke Philp Signs With Calgary Flames

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While the NCAA ranks are picked clean each year, the Canadian college scene rarely produces high end NHL prospects. That’s because most Canadian players are either snapped up in junior hockey or head south of the border to take advantage of the scholarship system. This year though there is a name that’s trying to change all that. Luke Philp, who recorded 45 points in 24 games for the University of Alberta, has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames. The deal will kick in for the 2019-20 season, despite what the press release says. Philp is currently injured.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been success stories from Canadian universities before. In fact, Philp will have an example to look up to on the Flames as new teammate Derek Ryan also attended the University of Alberta for four years before jumping into professional hockey. Ryan wasn’t as fortunate though, as he had to grind through several years overseas before proving he deserved a contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. He now carries a $3.125MM cap hit on a three-year deal with the Flames.

It’s not like Philp came out of nowhere to overwhelm the USports ranks. A former star for the Kootenay Ice of the WHL, Philp actually recorded 82 points in 71 games for the team in 2014-15 leading to a ranking on the NHL’s Central Scouting list. He wouldn’t end up being picked, but teams have kept an eye on him over the years. Previously attending development camp with the Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs, Philp was also obviously on the radar of the two Alberta teams in Edmonton and Calgary.

Extension Negotiations Expected For Jeff Blashill

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The Detroit Red Wings haven’t found a ton of success this season, but they’re not blaming the coaching staff. The rebuilding team is expected to begin extension negotiations with head coach Jeff Blashill at some point according to Bob McKenzie of TSN, as the front office is happy with the job he has done during the rebuilding year.

Blashill took over the Red Wings for the 2015-16 after former head coach Mike Babcock left for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and took them to a playoff appearance in his first year. After being eliminated in the first round in 2016, the team has now missed for three straight seasons while saying goodbye to franchise icons like Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. With those legendary forwards out of the picture this season, the team has turned to a youth movement led by 22-year old Dylan Larkin. Larkin has taken over as the face of the Detroit franchise and is in the midst of a career season at both ends of the rink. His 62 points in 65 games easily leads the club, with second place Gustav Nyquist sold off at the trade deadline.

In fact, the Red Wings were active once again at the deadline as they look towards the future. Nyquist and Nick Jensen were both flipped for substantial assets, giving the Red Wings a loaded basket of draft picks and young players to build around. Blashill will be credited for getting the best out of Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi, and will be tasked with the same shepherding of prospects like Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina and eventually Joe Veleno.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been bumps along the road. The Red Wings currently sit 30th in the league and have gone 1-9-3 in their last 13 games. While that may give them a better chance at the draft lottery next month, it certainly doesn’t inspire much confidence in this group for next season. While Blashill may be credited with getting the best out of his young players in losing seasons, there will come a point where he must get some success in the standings as well.

CapFriendly lists Blashill as earning just $800K this season, the final of a four-year deal he signed in the summer of 2015. While he’ll likely get a raise from that if the Red Wings do reach an extension, it will be interesting to see just how long of a leash they give him this time around.

New York Rangers Sign Jake Elmer

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Friday: The Rangers have announced that they have agreed to terms with Elmer on an entry-level contract.

Thursday: The New York Rangers are “closing in” on an interesting junior player, reports TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The Rangers are expected to sign forward Jake Elmer of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes to an entry-level contract. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks adds that it will be a three-year deal beginning next season. Elmer has 38 goals and 78 points in 66 games this season.

While it has been a breakout season for Elmer, it hasn’t always been so easy for the 20-year-old winger. Elmer struggled to stick in the WHL early on, playing just 20 games over two seasons with the Regina Pats while spending more time in the junior-A AJHL. A trade moved him to the Kootenay Ice ahead of the 2016-17 season where he finally found consistent play time, but still lacking production. A second deal sent him to Lethbridge last year, where he has finally grown into a consistent scorer. However, after recording just 37 points last season, no one could have predicted that he would more than double that total this year. Playing next to presumptive 2019 top-ten pick Dylan Cozens, Elmer’s game has taken on a whole new level, as he leads the Hurricanes in goals and is third in points.

Yet, Elmer is still a player with a chip on his shoulder. He will undoubtedly again face doubts as he enters the pro level, but the hard-working right wing has defied expectations to this point and will look to continue that trend. Elmer is highly likely to spend time in the minors with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, but there is certainly an avenue for him to see action in New York sooner rather than later. Currently, Jesper Fast is the only right-handed winger on the Rangers’ roster and none of the right-shot wings in the pipeline were drafted any higher than the fifth round besides 25-year-old Steven Fogarty. There’s an argument to be made that upon signing his ELC, Elmer will immediately become the Rangers’ top right wing prospect with the only real competition coming from another undrafted free agent, Ville Meskanen. It’s a great fit for Elmer and New York can only hope that the available opportunity only further advances his competitive nature and the upward trajectory of his development.

NCAA Notes: Duszak, Hirose, Teves, Snively

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As college seasons came to an end in recent days, interest in undrafted free agents has increased. Here’s the latest on several of the top names:

  • Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs have shown interest in right-handed defenseman Joseph Duszak from Mercyhurst University. Duszak fits in perfectly with the kind of selections GM Kyle Dubas has made over the last few years, and plays with an incredible amount of puck skill. Duszak led his team with 47 points in 37 games this season and is still just 21 years old.
  • Bob McKenzie of TSN already reported this morning that Max Veronneau was being pursued by nearly the entire league, but also notes that Ryan Kuffner from Princeton and Taro Hirose from Michigan State could make their decisions today or tomorrow. Hirose, a Calgary native, led the entire NCAA with 50 points this season and is sure to draw interest from all around the league.
  • Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet reports that the Vancouver Canucks have shown interested in Josh Teves from Princeton, another right-handed defenseman that experienced a lot of success at the collegiate level. Teves has recorded 78 points across his final three years at Princeton, but is already 24 and would be signing a one-year entry-level deal with whoever he chooses.
  • Frank Seravalli of TSN reports that even though Yale is still in the ECAC playoffs, Joe Snively has received interest from at least 20 NHL teams. Snively has long been an excellent offensive producer at the NCAA level, recording at least 28 points in each of his four years at Yale.

Senators, Oilers Making “Major Push” To Sign Max Veronneau

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It’s college free agent season and one of the top names available is Princeton’s Max Veronneau. The 23-year old forward recorded 37 points in 31 games this year and has apparently attracted teams from all around the NHL. Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that at least 25 teams had expressed interest in Veronneau, who is an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere he wants.

According to McKenzie, both the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers are teams making a “major push” to sign Veronneau, who enters the market as one of the most dynamic free agents available. The Ottawa native recorded 144 points in 130 games during his Princeton career, including a whopping 55 last season to trail only Adam Gaudette for the leading scorer in the nation. Adding that kind of offensive presence for nothing more than a contract slot is exactly what teams like the Senators and Oilers have to do in order to fill their ranks and build a successful program.

Veronneau has previously spent time with the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings in various development camps, but it is not clear if those teams have made an effort to sign him.

Because Veronneau is already 23, the maximum contract he can sign is a two-year entry-level deal. Teams could potentially offer up the chance to burn the first year of that deal by signing it for this season, a negotiating tactic top college players often take. That would mean Veronneau would become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2020, though we’ll have to wait and see what he secures in the coming days.

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