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Kenny Agostino

New Jersey Devils Claim Kenny Agostino

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The New Jersey Devils have decided to claim forward Kenny Agostino off waivers, meaning the Montreal Canadiens have lost another forward to the process. Montreal has already watched teams claim Nikita Scherbak and Jacob de La Rose this season. The Devils have sent Ryan Murphy to the minor leagues to make room, while recently acquired forward Dale Weise has been recalled by the Canadiens.

Agostino, a New Jersey native, will be reunited with the GM that drafted him in 2010 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Ray Shero used a fifth-round selection on the undersized forward he knew there was a lot of offensive potential there, but perhaps could not have imagined just how well Agostino would fare in the minor leagues. A former AHL MVP, the 26-year old Agostino has recorded 246 points in 273 regular season minor league games. Unfortunately that minor league success hasn’t translated to NHL opportunity, with 36 of Agostino’s 58 career NHL games coming this season with the Canadiens.

Still, there is little risk in a pickup of this nature for the Devils. Agostino is on a two-way contract that pays just $700K in the NHL and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Either he can contribute a bit for New Jersey down the stretch, or potentially becomes a deadline trade asset for a team looking for some depth. Montreal obviously couldn’t move him for anything worthwhile, but perhaps a showcase in New Jersey could create a market for the talented forward. Otherwise, it gives Agostino a chance to get familiar with an organization who may want to bring him back next season. There’s little doubt that he can help a minor league club, but New Jersey might also experience quite a bit of turnover through the summer given that players like Marcus Johansson and Drew Stafford are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.

Montreal Canadiens Place Kenny Agostino On Waivers

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After placing Karl Alzner on waivers Saturday, the Montreal Canadiens were at it again as they have put forward Kenny Agostino on waivers Sunday, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. The team likely needs to free a roster spot with forward Paul Byron close to returning.

Agostino was initially placed on waivers and started the year with the Laval Rocket in the AHL after signing a one-year deal this summer. He played well there, posting four goals and 10 points in 12 games and was finally recalled on Nov. 8. Since joining the Canadiens, he’s played in 36 games, posting two goals and 11 points, while averaging 11:11 of ice time. However, he has struggled of late as he hasn’t scored a point since December and has seen his hit numbers decline in that time.

While there has been no confirmation on what corresponding move will be made, the team is likely close to getting back Byron from injured reserve or intend to bring in Dale Weise, who the Canadiens acquired Saturday in a deal with Philadelphia.

Kenny Agostino Will Not Face Further Discipline From Player Safety

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As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to take on the Detroit Red Wings tonight, they are fortunate to do so with forward Kenny Agostino in the lineup. Agostino, who has carved out a nice role for himself with the Habs this season, received a match penalty game misconduct in the first period of the team’s match-up with Minnesota last night for a late hit on the Wild’s Eric Fehr. Yet, missing most of the game and leaving his team shorthanded appears to have been a fitting punishment for Agostino in the league’s eyes. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that no further discipline will come from the Department of Player Safety and instead Agostino will take the ice this evening.

The incident in question occurred early in the first period of last night’s game in Montreal. Agostino hit Fehr with a late check along the boards, despite having enough time to slow up after Fehr had passed the puck away. Fehr fell against the boards in front of his own bench and hit his face on the way down (video). The veteran forward left the game and did not return. Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau told the media today that Fehr is out tonight against the Boston Bruins but due to soreness and not any long-term injury. Both Fehr and Agostino logged just 25 seconds of ice time apiece in the game due to their early collision. In addition to a game misconduct, Agostino earned a major penalty for interference, a penalty that was partially reduced by Minnesota defenseman Nick Seeler who came to the defense of his teammate and fought Agostino, but at the cost of an instigator penalty. Not long after Agostino’s exit, the Canadiens also lost Shea Weber, who was took a puck up high and left the game. Down two skaters for much of the game, Montreal somehow still held the Wild to one goal albeit in a 1-0 defeat.

In his defense, Agostino has no suspension history or past dealings with the Department of Player Safety. While his check on Fehr was certainly late, it was not a heavy or high hit with an intent to injure, but the unfortunate way that Fehr landed caused most of the damage. Although the league could have thrown the book at him for a late, careless hit that caused an injury, the decision not to further discipline Agostino with a fine or suspension seems fair.

Throughout most of his pro career, an absence by Agostino would not have mattered much to his teams. The former AHL standout struggled to earn play time in stops with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, and Boston Bruins, but has already set a career high in games played (28) and points (11) in Montreal. Agostino is still playing a limited bottom-six role, but improved physicality and extraordinary possession numbers have helped him lock up a spot in the Habs’ lineup. On a $700K two-way contract this season, the winger is a bargain for the Canadiens. However, the 26-year-old is surely looking forward to being a free agent again this summer following his current breakout campaign.

2018-19 Season Primer: Boston Bruins

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With the NHL season now just underway, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Next up is a look at the Boston Bruins.

Last Season: 50-20-12 record (112 points), second in the Atlantic Division (lost in second round to Tampa Bay Lightning)

Remaining Cap Space: $5,246,849 per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Martin Bakos (free agent, Liberec – Czech Rep.), G Jaroslav Halak (free agent, NY Islanders), D Steven Kampfer (trade, NY Rangers), D John Moore (free agent, New Jersey), F Joakim Nordstrom (free agent, Carolina), F Chris Wagner (free agent, NY Islanders)

Key Subtractions: F Kenny Agostino (free agent, Montreal), D Tommy Cross (free agent, Columbus), F Austin Czarnik (free agent, Calgary), F Brian Gionta (retirement), D Nick Holden (free agent, Vegas), G Anton Khudobin (free agent, Dallas), D Adam McQuaid (trade, NY Rangers), F Rick Nash (free agent, unsigned), F Riley Nash (free agent, Columbus), D Paul Postma (free agent, Kazan – KHL), F Tim Schaller (free agent, Vancouver), F Tommy Wingels (free agent, Geneve – NLA)

[Related: Bruins Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Ryan Donato – Rookie forward Donato made his NHL debut last year in the midst of a season most only dream of. Donato wrapped up a stellar collegiate career with Harvard University by leading the NCAA in goals per game with 26 tallies – and 43 points – in 29 games. The effort made Donato a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in college hockey. Donato also starred for his country, playing a major role for Team USA at the Winter Olympics where, again, he led the tournament in goals per game, potting five in six contests. He then stepped right into the NHL, notching five goals and four assists in 12 regular season games down the stretch and even skating in three playoff games. After such an impressive campaign, the question now is can he keep it up?

The ceiling for Donato is clear: as a supremely talented shooter and intelligent offensive player, Donato is able to seamlessly transition into a regular scoring role on a skilled Boston lineup. Donato is currently skating on the off-wing, something he did little of in college, on the Bruins’ second line with veteran center David Krejci and impressive sophomore winger Jake DeBrusk. He’s also been tasked with first unit power play work, getting to share the ice with the NHL’s best line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak. If he adjusts well to this role, Donato could be looking at 30+ goals and not only in the conversation for the Calder Trophy, but perhaps the favorite.

However, the floor for Donato is also apparent. The Bruins have recently seen what can happen when a talented offensive player with a knack for putting the puck in the net during his developmental years fails to transition that ability to the NHL. Frank Vatrano, traded late last year to the Florida Panthers, was a goal-scoring phenom in the AHL and was expected to take over a top-nine role last season, only to struggle with scoring, too often get exposed defensively, take too many bad penalties, and ultimately end up as an extra skater later jettisoned away. While Donato is a far superior prospect to Vatrano and is in no way at risk of being dealt, his rookie year could go similarly to Vatrano’s final season in Boston. The Bruins ask all of their forwards to play a responsible, two-way, forechecking game. Donato is still developing those skills and, if he isn’t scoring enough on the second line, could find it hard to get play time in the bottom-six. Danton Heinen and Anders Bjork already have a pro experience, and more importantly two-way IQ, to their credit and could push Donato for an opportunity in the top-six or even force him out of the lineup entirely. The Bruins also have their eye on a Stanley Cup this year and could seek to replace a disappointing Donato via trade if it comes to that down the line.

It says a lot that the Bruins let several middle-six free agent forwards walk without finding viable replacements this off-season, as they clearly trust Donato, as well as DeBrusk, Heinen, Bjork, and other options in the AHL, to be reliable NHL scorers. Already, through just three games, secondary scoring has been an issue for Boston and Donato needs to prove management right that he is ready to take on his current role. The Bruins’ season rests with the ability of their young forwards to continue improving and provide stable secondary scoring. Of that group, Donato is the most important, having been handed the second-line opening early on, and bears watching all season long.

Key Storyline: For much of last season, the Boston Bruins were neck-and-neck with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the top spot in both the division and the conference and at times even the league’s best record. Boston ended up only one point behind the Bolts in the final standings and then fell to their foes in the second round of the playoffs. Part of the reason that Tampa was able to relatively easily dispatch the Bruins: their trade deadline additions of Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller, both of whom remain on the team moving forward. The Bruins added Rick Nash, who was a good fit while healthy but a bust overall, as well as several depth pieces. None of those players are donning the black and gold this year.

Then, this off-season the Toronto Maple Leafs, who finished third behind the Bruins in the division last season and proved to be a difficult first round opponent, landed the biggest fish in free agency, superstar center John Tavares. The Bruins were in on Tavares as well, but after they missed out, opted not to pursue any other prominent free agent scorers.

The Atlantic Division has improved right before the Bruins’ eyes, with many calling the Lightning and Leafs favorites not only to win the division, but the Stanley Cup. And that isn’t even considering the improvements made by the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres as well. Meanwhile, Boston continues to rely on their current core and the young players they have shuffled into the lineup. Without many noticeable external improvements – outside of a top backup goaltender in Jaroslav Halak and a reliable, versatile defenseman in John Moore – can the Bruins keep up? Is this team as good as the patient front office thinks they are?

Overall Outlook: The answer, of course, is yes. This Bruins team is great. Ignore an ugly opening night loss to the banner ceremony-fueled Washington Capitals and Boston still enters the season with some of the highest expectations in the NHL. The best line in the league is supported by young, exciting scoring forwards, dependable veterans like Krejci and David Backes, and several capable fourth line options. The defense is anchored by a legend in Zdeno Chara and a wunderkind in Charlie McAvoy, not to mention offensive dynamo Torey Krug and young Brandon Carlo. Tuukka Rask and Halak could also prove to be the best goalie tandem in the league and not a stretch as Jennings Trophy favorites behind a possession-dominant, defensively responsible lineup. Not to mention, the Bruins have ample cap space and will almost assuredly be a top suitor come trade deadline time. Yes, the Bruins are great. But is “great” enough in a division that is stacked at the top with arguably three of the NHL’s top five teams? Or to make it out of the Eastern Conference, which features the past three Cup winners in the Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins?

Sixteen Players Placed On Waivers

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With the rosters coming into shape, some bigger names are starting to make their way to the waiver wire, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. Today, 16 players were placed on waivers. After everyone cleared from Saturday’s list, will someone get claimed from today’s group?

F Pontus Aberg (Edmonton)
F Kenny Agostino (Montreal)
F Michael Chaput (Montreal)
F Adam Cracknell (Toronto)
F Josh Jooris (Toronto)
D Brett Kulak (Calgary)
F Curtis Lazar (Calgary)
D Vincent LoVerde (Toronto)
D Kurtis MacDermid (Los Angeles)
D Dylan McIlrath (Detroit)
G Mike McKenna (Ottawa)
F Chris Mueller (Toronto)
F Anthony Peluso (Calgary)
F Matt Puempel (Detroit)
D Jordan Subban (Toronto)
D Luke Witkowski (Detroit)

Kulak could be one of the more interesting players who could get claimed as the 24-year-old defenseman played 71 games for the Flames last season and has proven to be a solid third-line pairing defenseman for a team that might need some depth at that position. He was made expendable with the emergency of rookies Rasmus Andersson and Juuso Valimaki in Calgary.

Aberg was also an interesting player, who never gained any trust with management in Edmonton after the Oilers acquired him from Nashville at the trade deadline. One big problem for the scoring winger is that he doesn’t really play on any special teams positions, which keeps him from being a quality role player.

The 23-year-old Lazar is another interesting option if a team needs a depth winger. Unfortunately for the Flames, they never saw significant progression after the team traded a second-round pick (which turned out to be Alex Formenton) for Lazar, who only produced two goals and 12 points in 65 games last season. With their forward depth evident in training camp this year with players like Dillon Dube and Andrew Mangiapane playing well, Lazar was expendable.

Eastern Notes: Carlo, Tkachuk, Dobson, Chaput

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The Boston Bruins dealt with numerous injuries over the course of the 2017-18 season, but that didn’t stop the team from getting into the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. One injury that truly crippled the team was the loss of defenseman Brandon Carlo right at the end of the season with a broken fibula. While the team is solid on defense, the presence of the 6-foot-5 blueliner has been critical to their team.

Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont writes that Carlo injury is fully healed as x-rays were clean and the 21-year-old has already been skating for more than a month. Not an offensive defenseman, Carlo has had trouble adjusting to the NHL physical game, having spent his rookie campaign next to Zdeno Chara and then being teamed up as the defensive presence to offensive sparkplug Torey Krug. However, Carlo said he’s added close to 10 pounds of muscle to his frame this offseason and is ready to take the bulk of another full campaign in Boston.

“I think last year was good for me in an aspect,” Carlo said, “to learn so much about myself and my game. Coming into this third year, I have really high expectations for myself. I expect to be back on track with helping out in every aspect that I can. I think overall I have to come in with a little bit of a chip on my shoulder and have a little more confidence in myself and my overall game.”

  • While there are many people who feel that winger Brady Tkachuk, who announced his intention of going pro Saturday, might be better served playing with the OHL London Knights or the AHL’s Belleville Senators next year to continue his development, Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun writes that Tkachuk actually has as good a shot of anyone on the roster to make the NHL squad out of training camp. The team isn’t deep at the left wing position, which includes players such as Ryan Dzingel, Mikkel Boedker, Max McCormick, Magnus Paajarvi, Tom Pyatt and Zack Smith. Not exactly top of the line. Considering that Smith is likely to move to center next year and Pyatt could move to the right side, if needed, there is plenty of space for Tkachuk if he impresses in training camp.
  • Historically, players picked at No. 12 in the NHL Draft usually don’t end up with their NHL time right away in their first season, but that could be a possibility when it comes to New York Islanders 2018 first-round pick Noah Dobson. The 18-year-old prospect showed off his skills with a dominant performance at the World Junior Showcase for Canada by posting five goals in three games. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required) writes another impressive showing at training camp in front of coach Barry Trotz could force the team’s hand to keep him, considering the team’s lack of depth on defense.
  • While the Montreal Canadiens didn’t make too many waves this offseason, the team did sign several smaller names, including Michael Peca, Xavier Ouellet, Kenny Agostino and Michael Chaput. The 26-year-old Chaput is an interesting case as he’s played 135 NHL games already in his career, but with the exception of a 68-games season back in 2016-17, the center has spent most of his career in the AHL. Now, with many openings potentially available in Montreal, Chaput feels he’s got a great shot a full-time role with Montreal this year, according to NHL.com’s Matt Cudzinowski. “My mindset is to try and make this team. I want to play for the Canadiens. That’s my main goal. That’s what I’m working towards,” said Chaput.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Xavier Ouellet, Kenny Agostino, Michael Chaput

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The Montreal Canadiens have committed to making their AHL team better this season, and have signed three players who could easily contribute to that. Xavier Ouellet, Kenny Agostino and Michael Chaput have all agreed to join the Montreal organization on two-way contracts, with the former two signing for one season and the latter signing for two. All three will carry a $700K cap hit in the NHL. The team also signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi to his three-year entry-level contract.

Ouellet was in the news recently as the 24-year-old was bought out by the Detroit Red Wings earlier this week. The blueliner was on the roster all season long for Detroit, but only saw action in 45 games and averaged just 13:51 of ATOI. With a large group of unmovable contracts on defense and some younger options to choose from, Ouellet became expendable and since he was just 24 years of age, a buyout would only pay him one-third of his salary. With Montreal on a two-way deal, he can provide both depth for the Canadiens, but also have a big role with the AHL Laval Rockets if he can’t make the team.

For the third straight year, Agostino has signed a one-year deal with a new team only to look for a new job the following year. The 26-year-old forward has had trouble breaking into an NHL lineup after failed tenures in Calgary, St. Louis and now Boston. Agostino has only appeared in 22 NHL games since the 2013-14 season. However, he has been a solid AHL player over the past few years, which is likely what Montreal wants from him. He has scored 63 goals in the past three years in the AHL.

Chaput was just recently dealt from the Vancouver Canucks to the Chicago Blackhawks for Tanner Kero, but Chaput who was a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, was not given a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. With a two-year deal, the Canadiens plan to use the forward for depth purposes, but also to augment their AHL team as Chaput picked up 17 goals and 25 assists for the Utica Comets last year. However, he managed just nine games for Vancouver, although he did play in 68 game for the Canucks in 2016-17.

As for Kotkaniemi, the third-overall pick in the 2018 draft signed his three-year entry-level deal with the Canadiens. The center will earn $832K with a $92K signing bonus, making his deal worth a total of $925K, according to Dan Braverman of NHL.com. The team selected Kotkaniemi over several other more highly regarded prospects including Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk, but the team was more interested in adding centremen to their franchise. He tallied 10 goals and 29 points in Finland’s top SM-Liiga league.

Bruins Notes: Free Agents, Czarnik, Injuries, Draft

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Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney spoke with the media today from the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo and was very up front about the team’s plans this off-season. The Bruins exceeded expectations this season with a young team that finished with one of the best records in the NHL. Sweeney has previously stated that he would like to return many of the team’s impending unrestricted free agents – Anton Khudobin, Riley Nash, Rick Nash, Tommy Wingels, Tim Schaller, Nick Holden, and Austin Czarnik – but due to salary cap restraints and a promising prospect crop in the AHL in need of opportunity, he did not expect that all would be back. Today, Sweeney went in a different direction, confirming that the team would not offer new contracts to several other free agents: Brian Gionta, Kenny Agostino, and Paul Postma. The announcement should come as no surprise, as the trio all underwhelmed in Boston this season. A late addition to the team for the stretch run and postseason, Gionta looked as if he would have been better off retiring after the Olympics. The veteran forward contributed only seven points in 20 regular season games and played in just one playoff game, in which he was a liability against the fast-paced Tampa Bay Lightning. Gionta is likely to call it quits for good this off-season. Agostino, the 2017 AHL MVP, not only made little difference in Boston with just one point in five games, but finished the minor league season in Providence with 30 points less than his MVP campaign in only one less game. Agostino will need to search for a new home for the third straight summer. Postma, while not necessarily a disappointment in Boston, ended up being of little use to the team. The relative health of the Bruins’ four right-handed defenseman and the emergence of rookie Matt Grzelcyk on the left side made Postma the #8 option for much of the year. He was unable to even retain that role after the Bruins acquired Holden at the trade deadline. Overall, Postma played in 14 games in Boston, recording just one point, before clearing waivers and being assigned to the AHL, where he played another 17 games with Providence in the regular season and postseason. The long-time Winnipeg Jets defender will be on the hunt for a more regular NHL role next year, if he can find one.

  • Sweeney briefly touched on the situation with Czarnik, which has put the Bruins in somewhat of a pickle. Czarnik, 25, played in 49 games as a rookie with Boston in 2016-17, but lost out on a roster spot this year to the likes of fellow youngsters Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Anders Bjork, and Sean Kuraly. Czarnik managed to play in ten games for the Bruins, and looked good doing so with four points, but roster restrictions forced him back to the AHL each time. In the minors, Czarnik was unstoppable with 69 points in 64 games – good enough for third in the AHL scoring race. It was an impressive performance, but still not good enough to vault Czarnik back to the top of a Bruins’ prospect pipeline that is very deep, especially at center. Ideally, the Bruins would have liked to deal Czarnik as a restricted free agent with his value at its highest. However, as a 25-year-old with three pro seasons under his belt but less than 80 NHL games played, Czarnik instead qualifies for Group 6 unrestricted free agency per the NHL CBA and is free to sign with any team. Sweeney expressed that both the team and Czarnik have not closed the door on an extension, but that he feels Czarnik is “intrigued by what may exist elsewhere”. There will surely be a market for the swift, play-making forward and a return to Boston seems unlikely.
  • Sweeney also updated the injury status of his team, revealing that banged-up checkers Schaller and Noel Acciari both underwent surgery following the season. The Bruins’ fourth line, while not much of an offensive threat, was one of the best defensively this season. However, their play began to tail off in the postseason and the major injuries for Schaller and Acciari certainly lend some explanation to that trend. The duo were just two of myriad injuries for Boston, but join only Brandon Carlo in going under the knife. Sweeney stated that the rest of the injured – Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Backes, DeBrusk, Nash, and Nash –  will all avoid surgery for now.
  • Finally, Sweeney responded to a question about whether or not he would try to trade back into the first round of the NHL Draft next month. The Bruins sent their first-rounder to the New York Rangers in the Rick Nash deal and do not own any other team’s pick. Sweeney seemed hesitant to promise anything, saying that it is “hard” to trade back in, but did add that “you never know what some team may want to do”. In a draft class that many feels runs out of elite prospects after the first  15 or so selections, Boston may not be scrambling to trade current or future assets for a first-round pick anyway. With a late second and an early third from the Florida Panthers, the Bruins should be able to add two players with similar career projections to some late first-round picks. Even if they don’t get a future star, the Boston system is one of the best in the league with more than enough talent pushing for play time in the NHL as it is.

AHL Calder Cup Playoff Matchups

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Yesterday, the AHL season came to a close and 16 teams advanced to the Calder Cup Playoffs. Though it’s not exactly like a Stanley Cup pursuit, the AHL playoffs are a battleground created specifically to test the mettle of young players, while providing a chance for glory to veterans who may not get another opportunity in the NHL.

Below are the eight matchups, with some interesting storylines to watch in each one:

All times CST

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) vs Providence Bruins (Boston)

Game 1 – Fri. Apr 20, 2018 – 7:05PM | LV @ PRO
Game 2 – Sat. Apr 21, 2018 – 7:05PM | LV @ PRO
Game 3 – Fri. Apr 27, 2018 – 7:05PM | PRO @ LV
Game 4 – Sat. Apr 28, 2018 – 7:05PM | PRO @ LV
Game 5 – Mon. Apr 30, 2018 – 7:05PM | PRO @ LV

While the Flyers and Bruins do battle in their respective NHL playoff series, their AHL affiliates will take each other on in the first round. Phil Varone, fresh off winning league MVP, will try to lead the Phantoms all the way to the Calder Cup finals. He’ll have to go through the previous MVP to do it, as Kenny Agostino heads a diverse Bruins attack.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) vs Charlotte Checkers (Carolina)

Game 1 – Fri. Apr 20, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  WBS  @  CHA
Game 2 – Sat. Apr 21, 2018 – 5:00PM  |  WBS  @  CHA
Game 3 – Thu. Apr 26, 2018 – 6:05PM  |  CHA  @  WBS
Game 4 – Sat. Apr 28, 2018 – 6:05PM  |  CHA  @  WBS
Game 5 – Sun. Apr 29, 2018 – 2:05PM  |  CHA  @  WBS

Daniel Sprong was the top scorer for the WBS Penguins this season, recording 65 points in 65 games. That kind of production is excellent from anyone, but Sprong is in just his first full season of professional hockey and looks poised to make the jump to the NHL before long. Charlotte has their own talented offensive piece though in Lucas Wallmark, who had 55 points in just 45 AHL contests between NHL call-ups.

Toronto Marlies (Toronto) vs Utica Comets (Vancouver)

Game 1 – Sat. Apr 21, 2018 – 3:00PM  |  UTI  @  TOR
Game 2 – Sun. Apr 22, 2018 – 3:00PM  |  UTI  @  TOR
Game 3 – Wed. Apr 25, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  TOR  @  UTI
Game 4 – Fri. Apr 27, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  TOR  @  UTI
Game 5 – Sun. Apr 29, 2018 – 3:00PM  |  UTI  @  TOR

Toronto had the best goaltending in the league en route to a historically dominant season, but if there was a team that could match them in net it would be Utica. Thatcher Demko put up a .922 save percentage as the absolute MVP of a relatively average Comets team, and could end up stealing a series if the Marlies aren’t careful.

Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay) vs Rochester Americans (Buffalo)

Game 1 – Fri. Apr 20, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  RCH  @  SYR
Game 2 – Sat. Apr 21, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  RCH  @  SYR
Game 3 – Wed. Apr 25, 2018 – 6:05PM  |  SYR  @  RCH
Game 4 – Fri. Apr 27, 2018 – 6:05PM  |  SYR  @  RCH
Game 5 – Sat. Apr 28, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  RCH  @  SYR

Though the Buffalo Sabres didn’t have much fun this season, but their affiliate is headed back to the playoffs for the first time in four years. If the Sabres want to build a different culture for their organization and expose their young players to the idea of winning, having Rochester go deep in the playoffs is the first start. They’ll have to topple one of the league’s best teams to do it, as Syracuse is still loaded with future NHL talent.

Chicago Wolves (Vegas) vs Rockford IceHogs (Chicago)

Game 1 – Sat. Apr 21, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  RFD  @  CHI
Game 2 – Sun. Apr 22, 2018 – 3:00PM  |  CHI  @  RFD
Game 3 – Thu. Apr 26, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  RFD  @  CHI
Game 4 – Sun. Apr 29, 2018 – 3:00PM  |  CHI  @  RFD
Game 5 – Mon. Apr 30, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  RFD  @  CHI

You could call this this All-Chicago series, as Blackhawks prospects will take on the Wolves in a series that spans only about 75 miles. Though technically the Vegas Golden Knights’ affiliate, the Wolves still house several players from the St. Louis Blues including Beau Bennett, who put up 57 points in 60 games this year.

Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit) vs Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg)

Game 1 – Sat. Apr 21, 2018 – 1:00PM  |  GR  @  MB
Game 2 – Sun. Apr 22, 2018 – 1:00PM  |  GR  @  MB
Game 3 – Wed. Apr 25, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  MB  @  GR
Game 4 – Thu. Apr 26, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  MB  @  GR
Game 5 – Mon. Apr 30, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  MB  @  GR

If you think the Winnipeg Jets are good, just wait until the next wave of talent comes up from Manitoba. Sami Niku was named the league’s top defenseman, while Mason Appleton earned Rookie of the Year honors. Both will be on full display when they take on the reigning Calder Cup Champion Griffins.

Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona) vs San Jose Barracuda (San Jose)

Game 1 – Thu. Apr 19, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  TUC  @  SJ
Game 2 – Sat. Apr 21, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  TUC  @  SJ
Game 3 – Wed. Apr 25, 2018 – 6:05PM  |  SJ  @  TUC
Game 4 – Fri. Apr 27, 2018 – 6:05PM  |  SJ  @  TUC
Game 5 – Sat. Apr 28, 2018 – 6:05PM  |  SJ  @  TUC

Like the Americans, the Roadrunners will try to make up for their NHL parent team’s failures this season. The Coyotes minor league team got a huge boost when Dylan Strome was returned, perhaps for the last time in his professional career. Strome is expected to make the jump to the NHL next season, and could put a stamp on what has been a solid year with a long playoff run.

Texas Stars (Dallas) vs Ontario Reign (Los Angeles) 

Game 1 – Thu. Apr 19, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  ONT  @  TEX
Game 2 – Fri. Apr 20, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  ONT  @  TEX
Game 3 – Sun. Apr 22, 2018 – 2:00PM  |  TEX  @  ONT
Game 4 – Tue. Apr 24, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  TEX  @  ONT
Game 5 – Mon. Apr 30, 2018 – 6:00PM  |  ONT  @  TEX

If the Los Angeles Kings bow out quickly enough we could see the Reign get a boost for their playoff chances, as Michael Amadio, Paul Ladue, Jonny Brodzinski and Oscar Fantenberg are all eligible for the AHL playoffs. The Kings could be eliminated as soon as tomorrow night, meaning the Reign could welcome back several key names for Game 1.

Complete List Of Potential Group VI Unrestricted Free Agents

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Back in November, we took a look at some of the potential Group VI free agents that could hit unrestricted free agency early this offseason. Of that group, Josh Leivo was extended and Stefan Noesen eclipsed the number of games played needed to stay with the New Jersey Devils organization. Now, CapFriendly has compiled a complete list of players still at risk of becoming free agents early, including how many games they need. To refresh your memory on how a player qualifies for Group VI free agency, they must meet three requirements:

  1. The player is 25 years or older (as of June 30th of the calendar year the contract is expiring).
  2. The player has completed 3 or more professional seasons – qualified by 11 or more professional games (for an 18/19 year old player), or 1 or more professional games (for a player aged 20 or older). This can include NHL, minor league, and European professional league seasons played while under an SPC.
  3. The player has played less than 80 NHL games, or 28 NHL games of 30 minutes or greater for a goaltender.

The entire list of players at risk can be found below, but make sure you check out CapFriendly for more detailed information on how they could avoid the designation this summer.

*Indicates that the player could still play in enough games this season to become ineligible for Group VI free agency

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