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Brad Lambert

Snapshots: Zuccarello, Hedman, Lambert

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The Minnesota Wild will be without a member of their top line this weekend. Dane Mizutani of The Pioneer Press reports that right wing Mats Zuccarello is out with an upper-body injury and won’t play in their games against the Buffalo Sabres and St. Louis Blues this weekend.

Zuccarello, now 35, is second on the Wild in scoring and is again producing at over a point-per-game pace after doing so for the first time in his career last season. His 16 goals, 24 assists, and 40 points are all second on the team behind linemate Kirill Kaprizov, who is heading to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in South Florida, as announced last night.

However, Mizutani also reports that the Wild will get gritty winger Brandon Duhaime back in the lineup, who hasn’t played since American Thanksgiving. It doesn’t appear to be a long-term absence for Zuccarello, who Mizutani says hopes to re-join the team for next week’s road trip to New York.

  • Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman is out tonight against the Winnipeg Jets, although it’s for a positive reason. Lightning beat writer Chris Krenn notes that Hedman has returned to Tampa and is expecting the birth of his family’s second child over the next few days. Mikhail Sergachev, who actually leads all Lightning blueliners in points, steps up to the top pairing in Hedman’s absence.
  • After playing the first half of the season in the AHL, Winnipeg Jets 2022 first-round pick Brad Lambert could head to junior hockey for the first time in North America. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek expects Lambert to end up with the top-ranked Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL “at some point” this weekend. Lambert has struggled somewhat in his post-draft season after seeing his stock fall heavily out of the top five, as he posted just one point in five games at the 2023 World Junior Championship and managed three points in 14 games with Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

Finland Announces Preliminary 2023 World Juniors Roster

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One of the most consistent teams in recent years at the World Junior Championships has announced its preliminary roster for the 2023 edition of the tournament. Finland released its preliminary 25-player roster of three goalies, eight defensemen, and 14 forwards.

Finland will need to cut two players from this list to get down to the maximum roster size of 23 players, which should be announced in the coming days. The tournament begins in 12 days on December 26. Finland’s full roster is as follows:

F Niko Huuhtanen (TBL 224th overall, 2021)
F Lenni Hämeenaho (2023 eligible)
F Konsta Kapanen (undrafted)
F Oliver Kapanen (MTL 64th overall, 2021)
F Aleksanteri Kaskimäki (STL 73rd overall, 2022)
F Joakim Kemell (NSH 17th overall, 2022)
F Ville Koivunen (CAR 51st overall, 2021)
F Brad Lambert (WPG 30th overall, 2022)
F Jere Lassila (undrafted)
F Verner Miettinen (undrafted)
F Jani Nyman (SEA 49th overall, 2022)
F Sami Päivärinta (undrafted)
F Topi Rönni (CGY 59th overall, 2022)
F Kalle Väisänen (NYR 106th overall, 2021)

D Kalle Ervasti (undrafted)
D Aleksi Heimosalmi (CAR 44th overall, 2021)
D Aron Kiviharju (2024 eligible)
D Aleksi Malinen (NYI 189th overall, 2021)
D Ville Ruotsalainen (undrafted)
D Otto Salin (LAK 148th overall, 2022)
D Jimi Suomi (undrafted)
D Topias Vilén (NJD 129th overall, 2021)

G Niklas Kokko (SEA 58th overall, 2022)
G Aku Koskenvuo (VAN 137th overall, 2021)
G Jani Lampinen (undrafted)

Kiviharju, who is still just 16 and not draft-eligible until 2024, will be a name to watch. Considering Finland will likely only cut one skater from this current roster, he stands a decent chance to make the team and show what he can do on the biggest junior international stage. He notched six assists in six games at last year’s under-18 tournament for Finland.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Brad Lambert To Entry-Level Deal

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The Winnipeg Jets announced this evening that they’ve signed prospect Brad Lambert to a three-year, entry-level deal. Lambert, the 30th overall selection of the 2022 draft, had a very impressive training camp before being sent to the AHL late last week. The deal will carry an AAV of $1.2MM the team says, though his cap hit will be only $950K.

Lambert’s signing doesn’t necessarily point to the young forward being recalled imminently or even any time soon, but it does allow him to play in the AHL outside of a tryout. Impressive as he was in training camp, Lambert did struggle to produce offensively during his time in the Finnish Liiga, recording just 27 points in 99 games over the previous four seasons split between three teams. His production also did not take the step forward one would hope for in his draft year either, registering just four points in 25 games for his hometown Lahti Pelicans.

This lack of production was likely a key factor in Lambert slipping all the way down to number 30 in this year’s draft. Though Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright was the closest the 2022 draft class had to a consensus number one pick (and ultimately, that did not go as expected anyways), Lambert was at times thought to be able to go near that number one slot. After his strong camp, it appears a good deal of Lambert’s stock has been rebuilt, but now it will be up to him to prove he can produce at the professional level and now in North America.

For the specific financial picture, PuckPedia breaks down the contract as follows: a $950,000 base salary and a $95,000 signing bonus for all three seasons. The second and third seasons will include up to $375,000 in performance bonuses in each year. The contract also includes an $82,500 minors salary.

Snapshots: Golden Knights Goalie Competition, Lambert, Bozak

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Ever since it was announced that incumbent starting goalie Robin Lehner would be out for the entirety of the 2022-23 season following hip surgeries, it was clear to many that the Vegas Golden Knights’ situation in their crease would be relatively wide-open. The team is intent on returning to the playoffs after their first playoff miss in franchise history, and they now have a trio of netminders competing for the chance to lead them back to the postseason. Among that trio, it appears we have a frontrunner.

As relayed by SinBin.vegas, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy told the media that Logan Thompson, an undrafted netminder whose heroics nearly saved the team’s playoff hopes last spring, is “ahead” of both offseason additions Michael Hutchinson and Adin Hill in the team’s goaltending competition. While both Hutchinson and Hill are vastly more experienced than Thompson, Thompson, 25, presumably provides the team with the most upside at that position. As mentioned, Thompson excelled last spring and finished his debut NHL campaign with a .914 save percentage in 19 games. While relying on a goalie with just 20 games of NHL experience is a major risk for a team desperate to resume Stanley Cup contention, it seems that the Golden Knights have faith that Thompson can be the person to lead them back to success.

Now, for some other notes from across the NHL:

  • While forward Brad Lambert was one of the most divisive players of the 2022 entry draft cycle, it seems that such debates over his merit are over in Winnipeg. Per Murat Ates of The Athletic, Lambert’s agent, Rick Curran, and the Winnipeg Jets have had “positive” contract talks regarding an entry-level deal, and Curran is confident that a deal will be reached before the start of the season. While Lambert might have a hard time breaking into one of the Jets’ scoring lines to start this season, his impressive play this preseason could force the Jets into a more aggressive timeline regarding his transition to North American professional hockey.
  • With over 800 NHL games and a Stanley Cup ring on his resume, former St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak has had an accomplished NHL career, and an especially accomplished career given his status as an undrafted player. Per The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, Bozak is in no rush to add to that resume. In a recent mailbag article, (subscription link) Rutherford writes that Bozak is only interested in playing in a “few select situations,” and is “content” hanging up his skates if such an opportunity fails to materialize. Bozak skated in 50 regular-season games for the Blues last season to go along with 12 of their playoff contests, and he scored a combined 14 points in that time frame.

Central Notes: Blues Hall of Fame, Coyotes Hires, Lambert

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This morning, the St. Louis Blues took a big step in honoring their storied franchise history. The team announced the establishment of the Blues Hall of Fame, created to “recognize franchise legends.” The inaugural class will be announced on Opening Night for the team; which is October 15, hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The release notes that the Blues Hall of Fame won’t just be limited to players. The franchise’s internal upper echelon will also be open to coaches, managers, and broadcasters “that have made a profound impact on the franchise,” per the team. Members will be added to the Hall of Fame each season, with voting occurring during the offseason. Members of the Blues Hall of Fame committee, current and former members of the Blues organization, Blues alumni members, media members, and Blues fans will be able to nominate people for consideration each year. Eight players will be inducted automatically as their numbers have been retired by the team – Al MacInnis, Bob Gassoff, Bob Plager, Barclay Plager, Brian Sutter, Brett Hull, Bernie Federko, and Chris Pronger. Original owner Sid Salomon Jr. and broadcaster Dan Kelly will also be inaugural members.

  • Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong announced today that the team is adding Kurtis Foster and Jeff Shantz to the team’s player development department as coaches. The duo of former NHLers will work under another former NHLer in Lee Stempniak, who remains the team’s director of player development. Foster played in 405 NHL games from 2002 to 2013 and served as an associate coach for the OHL’s Oshawa Generals last year. Shantz, 48, has only had coaching experience in U15 leagues and last played NHL hockey in 2003, with a career in Europe that extended to 2011.
  • As reported by TSN’s John Lu, Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness today commented on 2022 first-round pick Brad Lambert, whose opening night spot “has yet to be determined.” He went on to say that Lambert’s skating and speed are NHL-ready, but is unsure about his ability to elevate his intensity and decision-making to NHL standards at this time. Lambert, who’s still just 18, slipped to the Jets at 30th overall after scoring 10 points in 49 Liiga games last season.

Central Notes: Stastny, Lambert, Khudobin

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With Nazem Kadri now off the market, Paul Stastny is the top center of note that’s still available.  Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe reports that while a reunion with the Jets hasn’t been ruled out yet, it’s unlikely he returns to Winnipeg next season.  The 36-year-old is coming off a bit of a bounce-back year in 2021-22 where he scored 21 goals along with recording 24 assists in 71 games while winning over 56% of his faceoffs.  The Jets certainly have the cap space to bring him back but Wiebe believes he’ll ultimately take less than his market value with an eye on going to a contender in the hopes of competing for a Stanley Cup title.  Speculatively, he fits as a short-term replacement for Kadri in Colorado, a team where Stastny spent the first eight years of his career so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him linked to them over the coming days.

More from the Central:

  • Still with the Jets, prospect Brad Lambert’s absence from Friday’s World Junior semifinal against Sweden raised some eyebrows. Head coach Antti Pennanen confirmed to reporters including Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (Twitter link) postgame that the 18-year-old first-rounder isn’t injured but was rather a healthy scratch.  Lambert, the 31st pick last month, has been a bit of a polarizing prospect over the last year and has somewhat surprisingly had a limited role in this tournament so far, averaging only 12:24 per game.
  • After undergoing hip surgery back in March, goaltender Anton Khudobin is expected to be ready to participate in training camp, Mike Heika notes on the Stars’ team website. Last year was a tough one for the 36-year-old as he posted a 3.63 GAA and a .879 SV% in nine appearances with Dallas, eventually resulting in him clearing waivers.  He has one year left on his contract at $3.33MM and while they would prefer to move that deal out, he’ll also serve as insurance with the team still needing to re-sign RFA goaltender Jake Oettinger.

West Notes: McLeod, Jets, Lambert

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The Oilers have one remaining restricted free agent to re-sign in Ryan McLeod.  Speaking with 630 CHED (audio link), GM Ken Holland indicated that they expect to have the center signed by training camp on either a one-year or two-year deal.  The 22-year-old spent most of last season with Edmonton, picking up 21 points in 71 games plus four more in 16 playoff contests.  McLeod didn’t have salary arbitration rights so these talks could drag out closer to training camp.  With the Oilers being pretty tight to the cap even after factoring in their LTIR-eligible players, getting McLeod signed for cheap will be critical so it wouldn’t be surprising if he ultimately settles for a one-year pact to keep the AAV as low as possible next season.

More from the Western Conference:

  • The Jets showed interest in forward Calle Jarnkrok earlier this summer, even offering him more money than he ultimately accepted from Toronto, reports Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe. The 30-year-old is coming off a quiet finish to his season with Calgary but his track record of being a capable and versatile third-liner would have helped him fit in quite well with Winnipeg.  The Jets are one of the few teams that still have some money to spend this offseason – they have over $6MM in cap space per CapFriendly – so while they didn’t add Jarnkrok, they will certainly be adding a player or two in the coming weeks.
  • Still with the Jets, after missing pre-tournament games for Finland, prospect Brad Lambert will be available for the start of the World Juniors, reports Corey Pronman of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 18-year-old slipped to 30th overall in the draft last month after being touted as a likely top-ten selection not all that long ago.  Meanwhile, Lambert told Petteri Ikonen of Helsingin Sanomat that a decision on where he will play next season will be made next month during training camp.  His contract with Pelicans in Finland is now up although he could sign a new one there.  Alternatively, the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL hold his major junior rights while Lambert is eligible to play in the minors as well.

CHL Notes: End-Of-Season Awards, Post-Moratorium Trades

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Prior to the conclusion of the Memorial Cup, the CHL announced their end-of-season award winners with several NHL prospects taking home hardware.  Those include Stars forward Logan Stankoven who was named Player of the Year after putting up 45 goals and 59 assists in just 59 games with WHL Kamloops.  The 47th pick from the 2021 draft also averaged a goal per game in 17 playoff contests.  Still just 19, Stankoven won’t be eligible to play in the AHL next season.  Meanwhile, Rangers prospect Dylan Garand was named as Goalie of the Year following a strong showing with Kamloops that saw him post a 32-9-3 record in 45 games with a 2.16 GAA and a .925 SV%.  The 20-year-old will turn pro next season.

Meanwhile, with the Memorial Cup now completed, a very narrow trade window opened up on Thursday.  A few moves of note were made before the window closes later today following the annual Import Draft.  Here’s a rundown of those transactions:

  • Coyotes goaltender prospect Anson Thornton was traded from OHL Sarnia to Barrie. Arizona signed the 19-year-old as an undrafted free agent in October following a strong showing in rookie camp but he struggled, posting a 4.06 GAA along with an .883 SV% in 26 games with the Sting.  Thornton is a year away from being eligible to play in the AHL and his three-year, entry-level contract will slide again next season.
  • Blues goalie prospect Will Cranley was dealt from OHL Ottawa to Flint. The 20-year-old had a tough season, his first as a starter, as he had a 3.81 GAA along with an .873 SV% in 41 games with the 67s.  Cranley is eligible to turn pro next season and is already signed.  He can be returned to junior to play for the Firebirds but will still burn the first year of his contract in that scenario.
  • One player that isn’t an NHL prospect just yet (but will be next week) was also on the move as the CHL rights to Brad Lambert were moved from WHL Saskatoon to Seattle. The projected first-round pick isn’t under contract in Finland next season and the fact the Thunderbirds moved four draft picks (only two conditional) to secure his rights suggests that they think they can get him to North America next season.  He’d likely secure a significant role there compared to playing in Finland which could be appealing to teams considering drafting him.

Finland Announces Preliminary Rosters For 2022 WJC

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While the focus is on the Stanley Cup Final right now, fans will have some more hockey to watch later this summer, when the rescheduled World Junior Championship takes place in August. The event, which was postponed from its normal late-December timeslot because of a COVID-19 outbreak, will kick off on August 9 in Edmonton, Alberta.

All of the same players are eligible for the event, even if they have since turned 20, meaning there is a much bigger pool of talent to pick from this year. That’s led to Finland naming a preliminary roster and a challenger roster, which will battle at a camp this summer according to Lassi Alanen of Elite Prospects.

The main roster:

G Leevi Merilainen
G Rasmus Korhonen
G Juha Jatkola

D Matias Rajaniemi
D Ruben Rafkin
D Ville Ottavainen
D Joni Jurmo
D Eemil Viro
D Topi Niemela
D Kasper Puutio
D Petteri Nurmi
D Aleksi Heimosalmi
D Rami Maatta

F Samuel Helenius
F Roni Hirvonen
F Oliver Kapanen
F Ville Koivunen
F Juuso Maenpaa
F Aatu Raty
F Joakim Kemell
F Kalle Vaisanen
F Brad Lambert
F Kasper Simontaival
F Joel Maatta
F Roby Jarventie
F Elias Koponen
F Eetu Liukas
F Roni Karvinen

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