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Dominik Kubalik

Ryan Carpenter Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Blackhawks have added a depth forward, signing Ryan Carpenter to a three-year deal. The contract carries just a $1MM average annual value, giving the team an inexpensive center to plug into the bottom-six.

Carpenter signed with the San Jose Sharks after three years at Bowling Green State University and had trouble cracking the San Jose Sharks’ lineup, playing just 27 NHL games for them over three seasons before the Sharks opted to place him on waivers. He was claimed back in 2017 by the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural season and his physicality and offensive ability earned him a spot on the team’s bottom six as he scored nine goals in 36 games and returned for a full season last year. Carpenter played in a career-high 68 games, but found himself often scratched late in the season as Vegas was rotating him and a number of other forwards in and out of their third line, including Brandon Pirri, Tomas Nosek and Valentin Zykov, although Carpenter also was able to fill in on the team’s fourth line as well. With the addition of Nikita Gusev, Carpenter was expendable.

In Chicago, the 28-year-old should find a more permanent home on the Blackhawks’ fourth line. The team just added forward Andrew Shaw, who will likely center that line. Carpenter should add that combination of physical play with some offensive ability. Regardless, he’ll have to hold off a number of players who will be looking for playing time, including John Quenneville, Dylan Sikura, Dominik Kubalik, Anton Wedin.

Dominik Kubalik Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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As expected, the Chicago Blackhawks have signed Czech forward Dominik Kubalik to a one-year entry-level contract. Kubalik most recently suited up for the Czech Republic at the IIHF World Championship where he recorded 12 points in 10 games.

Kubalik, 23, was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings back in 2013 but saw his rights traded to the Blackhawks in January. Perhaps the Kings knew they wouldn’t be able to sign him, but it is still surprising that they would give up on a player performing as well as he was overseas. Kubalik destroyed the competition in Switzerland this season, recording 57 points in 50 games for Ambri-Piotta to lead the NLA in scoring and was named both the league’s best forward and most valuable player.

It’s not the first time that Kubalik had found success in a European league, as he had previously dominated in the Czech Republic recording seasons of 25 and 29 goals despite playing only 48 and 51 games in those respective seasons. His performance at the World Championship shouldn’t shock anyone, as he performed well there and at the Olympics last year as well.

The 6’2″ winger will immediately compete for a spot on the Blackhawks next season, but it won’t be the first time he’s suiting up in North America. Kubalik played parts of two seasons in the OHL after being selected 27th overall in the 2012 CHL Import Draft, but didn’t find enough success to really cement himself as a potential NHL prospect.

Kubalik will be a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 season.

West Notes: Kubalik, Heat, Predators

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If you’ve been watching the IIHF World Championship closely, you may have noticed a young winger lighting the lamp for the Czech Republic whose name has never been uttered in an NHL game. 23-year old Dominik Kubalik has nine points in six games for the Czechs, and is tied for the team lead in shots with 19. The young forward’s NHL rights were traded in January to the Chicago Blackhawks, who according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express have now agreed to terms with Kubalik.

Kubalik played with Blackhawks forward Dominik Kahun in the OHL several years ago, but returned home after two seasons in junior. Selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Kings, the talented winger put up 57 points in 50 games in the Swiss NLA last season and could be a potential NHL option as soon as 2019-20 for the Blackhawks. The will of course need to get him under contract, but perhaps they are close to doing just that after his excellent tournament.

  • The Stockton Heat have signed Mason Morelli to an AHL contract for 2019-20, getting another impressive young player to agree to a minor league deal. Morelli recorded 34 points in 36 games as a senior with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and then jumped right into the AHL with three goals and four points in nine games down the stretch. The 23-year old was undrafted but will try to take the next step in his development for the Heat and earn himself an NHL contract down the road.
  • The Nashville Predators are dealing with a disappointing exit from the playoffs this season and know they have work to do in order to get themselves back to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. GM David Poile spoke with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) about his priorities this offseason, and secondary scoring came up as a big need. Outside of the top line of Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson, the Predators didn’t have a single forward crack the 40-point threshold this season while deadline additions like Wayne Simmonds (3 points in 17 games) and Mikael Granlund (5 points in 16 games) never seemed to find their footing. Kyle Turris, who was extended immediately upon his arrival in Nashville during the 2017-18 season, also experienced one of his worst seasons as a professional, recording just 23 points in 55 games. Nashville will be a team to watch in the free agent and trade market over the next few months as they try to find an answer to those secondary scoring woes.

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