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Eric Staal, Owen Power Headline Team Canada 2022 Olympic Roster

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Jan 25: The roster below has been confirmed, and Chris Johnston of TSN also has the full group of alternates. Justin Pogge, Morgan Ellis, John Gilmour, Chris DiDomenico, Kent Johnson, and Max Veronneau will all be traveling to Beijing and could see action depending on injuries and illnesses.

Jan 24: While the official announcement from Hockey Canada isn’t until tomorrow, the IIHF mistakenly tweeted out the roster for the upcoming 2022 Olympics this afternoon. The tweet has since been deleted, but not before it was seen by many including PHR. Canada’s roster is filled with names familiar to NHL fans, including Stanley Cup champion and veteran of nearly 1,300 games Eric Staal.

The full roster:

G Devon Levi
G Eddie Pasquale
G Matt Tomkins

D Brandon Gormley
D Alex Grant
D Owen Power
D Tyler Wotherspoon
D Mat Robinson
D Mark Barberio
D Jason Demers
D Maxim Noreau

F Daniel Carr
F Corban Knight
F Ben Street
F Jack McBain
F Eric Staal
F Adam Tambellini
F Eric O’Dell
F Daniel Winnik
F Adam Cracknell
F Mason McTavish
F Landon Ferraro
F David Desharnais
F Jordan Weal
F Joshua Ho-Sang

Of note, the announcement did not come with the six-man alternate group that Darren Dreger of TSN reported on this morning. Olympic teams will get to bring a handful of extra skaters that would be eligible to play in case of injury or COVID-related issues. Kent Johnson, who didn’t appear on the final roster, is expected to be among Canada’s alternates.

Hockey Canada Announces Roster For Channel One Cup

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The Channel One Cup, an international tournament played in mid-December in Russia, certainly doesn’t usually draw much attention from North American hockey fans. It has been absolutely dominated by Russian teams throughout its history, as it is made up of players from club teams from outside the NHL. This year though there is a bit more intrigue, as the roster announced today by Hockey Canada likely includes many of the same players that will suit up for the 2022 Beijing Olympics should the NHL and NHLPA decide against participation.

The group that was announced today includes many familiar NHL names and is as follows:

F Josh Currie
F Taylor Beck
F Ben Street
F Jordan Weal
F Adam Tambellini
F Ryan Spooner
F Daniel Audette
F Eric Fehr
F Corban Knight
F Eric O’Dell
F Tyler Graovac
F Landon Ferraro
F Philippe Maillet
F Cody Kunyk

D Brandon Gormley
D John Gilmour
D Morgan Ellis
D Jason Demers
D Mat Robinson
D Chay Genoway
D Reece Scarlett
D Trevor Murphy

G Eddie Pasquale
G Justin Pogge

The coaching staff and management group are also quite familiar to NHL fans, led by general manager Shane Doan. Claude Julien will serve as the team’s head coach, but after Bruce Boudreau and Scott Walker–originally pegged as assistants–moved on to the Vancouver Canucks, he’ll now be joined behind the bench by Doan and Tyler Dietrich.

Interestingly enough, the Spengler Cup coaching staff will now also have Nolan Baumgartner and Jeremy Colliton, two men that were recently let go by their NHL organizations. That tournament kicks off on December 26 and will be another pre-Olympics tune-up for players that may end up in Beijing in a few months.

Minor Transactions: 01/13/21

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While many players spent the day preparing to finally return to play, some for the first time in close to a year, while some awaited the final cuts of training camp and assignments to the minors or taxi squad, others still were involved in different transactions. The NHL season getting started is the dominant headline, but  other pro and junior leagues are already underway and  there were plenty of moves to be made involving former and current NHL players and prospects alike:

  • While oldest brother Jamie has seemingly called it a career after more than 600 NHL games and youngest brother Brock was a lock to make the Carolina Hurricanes roster for a sixth consecutive year, middle child Tye McGinn is of course the odd man out. While the 30-year-old forward has not played on an NHL contract since  2017-18, he has remained a force in the minors on AHL contracts. However, whether he was unable to find another minor league deal or simply unsatisfied with doing so yet again, McGinn is on the move overseas. McGinn has signed a one-year deal with the Fischtown Pinguins of Germany’s DEL, the team announced. Fischtown was a playoff team last year and is off to a good start through six games, but the roster is largely devoid of North American experience and McGinn should step into a core role right away.
  • Fellow former NHL forward Landon Ferraro is also on the move in Germany. After suiting up for the DEL’s Eisbaren Berlin last year, Ferraro has been playing for the second-tier Lowen Frankfurt so far this season. However, with the top level back in action, Ferraro has secured a new contract with Kolner Haie, the club announced. The Cologne-based team includes a number of NHL veterans and should be a top contender in the DEL this year.
  • Back across the Atlantic, the AHL’s Binghamton Devils have signed AHL veteran Cameron Darcy to a one-year deal. The former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect spent last season with the San Antonio Rampage, recording 18 points in 45 games. The two-way center is entering his sixth pro campaign and will play in his 250th AHL game in his season debut.
  • Jack and Nick Poehling, the twin brothers of Montreal Canadiens top prospect Ryan Poehling, are on their way to AHL training camp after being recalled by the Ontario Reign. The duo left St. Cloud State University last spring after four seasons, one year after Ryan’s early departure, and signed a one-year deal with the Reign, AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. However, given the AHL’s delayed start, they got their pro careers started on loan to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits. While the Poehling brothers are no Sedin twins, they were top scorers for a strong St. Cloud program in their senior year and could make an impact for Ontario this season.

Landon Ferraro Signs In Germany

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The European adventure will continue for Landon Ferraro, who has signed a short-term deal with Frankfurt of the German second league. The contract only covers the next two months as the team deals with an injury to Stephen MacAuley, one of their most important offensive players. Ferraro spent last season in the DEL with Berlin as he tried to get his career back on track.

Now 29, the Detroit Red Wings second-round pick has had a long and winding professional career. He has played in 84 career NHL games, including two in the 2017-18 season for the Minnesota Wild. He was with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in 2018 when he needed multiple surgeries and ended up playing just 12 games during the 2018-19 season. A professional tryout with the Vancouver Canucks didn’t result in a contract last year, meaning it was off to Europe for a new chapter.

Despite his NHL career not quite living up to expectations, there are few in the game who would speak an ill word about the forward. Ferraro was named the Iowa Wild’s Man of the Year for the 2018-19 season even despite his few games played and he ended up taking home the AHL’s Yanick Dupre Memorial Award that year for community involvement.

After scoring just 21 points in 40 games last season for Berlin, it seems unlikely that Ferraro will ever return as an impact player in the NHL. That doesn’t, however, mean you won’t see his name pop up at some point on an AHL roster. This two-month contract would leave him enough time to jump into AHL training camp if the league does move forward with their plans for a February start.

Landon Ferraro Signs In Germany

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It must have been a frustrating offseason for Landon Ferraro, after his two-year contract expired with the Minnesota Wild and he became an unrestricted free agent. Contracts were rare for veteran depth players looking for work, given the tight salary cap system and limit of 50 contracts per team. Ferraro would eventually sign a professional tryout with the Vancouver Canucks, but failed to crack the roster or even earn an NHL deal. Now, he’ll take his talents overseas and sign with Berlin of the German DEL.

Ferraro, 28, was the 32nd overall pick in 2009 thanks to his goal scoring ability and famous last name—his father is Ray Ferraro, who scored 408 NHL goals over a long career—but had trouble catching on at the highest level. Though he has performed admirably in the AHL, the younger Ferraro has only been given 77 games at the NHL level. The vast majority of those games came in 2015-16 with the Boston Bruins when he suited up 58 times, recording ten points in the process.

A career marred by injury recently, playing in Germany will not only give him some financial stability but also allow him to showcase the upside he has left in his game. If Ferraro can prove he is able to compete at a high level still, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be an option for an AHL or even perhaps an NHL team down the road.

Landon Ferraro To Attend Vancouver Canucks Training Camp

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According to Jeff Patterson of TSN, Landon Ferraro will be attending Vancouver Canucks training camp on a professional tryout. Ferraro last played in the NHL during the 2017-18 season and missed much of last year due to injury.

Ferraro, 28, was once a top prospect of the Detroit Red Wings, selected 32nd overall in 2009 thanks to a solid year in junior and a famous last name—he is the son of Ray Ferraro, who scored 408 goals in the NHL. Unfortunately things took a slight downward turn almost immediately, as his goal scoring dried up in junior and he spent several years in the minor leagues trying to find his game.

There is offensive talent there, as proven by his multiple 20-goal seasons in the AHL, but Ferraro has never been able to find much consistency at the NHL level. He’ll try to earn himself another two-way contract at training camp to see if he can resurrect his career. The Trail, British Columbia native should feel right at home with the Canucks, and perhaps he can use that familiarity to finally break through and be a nice depth piece for the team. In 77 NHL games, he has 12 points.

Free Agent Focus: Minnesota Wild

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Free agency opens a week from today and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market, while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. The Wild have  few UFA’s to worry about, but there are a number of young RFA’s in need of new deals with little experience in Minnesota to go off of. Here’s a closer look at their free agent situation:

Key Restricted Free Agents: F Kevin Fiala – The lone return for center Mikael Granlund at the trade deadline, Fiala arrived in Minnesota with high expectations. Will the terms of his extension reflect that? Or will the team push for a short-term “show me” deal? That’s the question facing the former Nashville Predators top prospect, the No. 11 overall pick in 2014. Although he has 223 NHL games to his credit, Fiala played in only 19 games with the Wild and contributed just seven points. With that said, he still totaled 39 points on the year and had 48 points the season prior. Fiala is not eligible for salary arbitration yet, so does not have that added leverage, but on a long-term extension he could make a fair case for an AAV of $5MM+. A bridge deal would keep that number lower until Fiala can prove that his numbers in Nashville can be replicated in Minnesota.

F Ryan Donato – Like Fiala, Donato landed in Minnesota with much fan fare, both as the core return for Charlie Coyle and as a decorated and talked-about rookie. While Donato had struggled early on in the season with the Boston Bruins, recording nine points in 34 games and frequently being exposed defensively, he excelled right away with the Wild, adding 16 points in 22 games. While that level of production might be a lofty expectation moving forward, the team is certainly excited to have Donato and could be looking into a long-term deal. With only 68 career games played though, Donato’s value is not as high as it would be after a full NHL season and his camp will probably settle for a one- or two-year deal with a low salary number to allow him to prove his worth in time for a new contract. Donato does have arbitration rights, but it would be a surprise if he files.

F Joel Eriksson Ek – While Eriksson Ek played in 17 fewer games this season than last, he scored at a higher per-game clip, saw more ice time, and improved his defensive play. At 22, Eriksson Ek is still growing, but his production thus far leaves a lot to be desired from a recent first-round pick. Through 148 NHL games over three seasons with the Wild, Eriksson Ek has just 37 points and still has yet to really carve out an identifiable role. Minnesota won’t quit on him just yet, but they may try to sign him to his one-year, $874K qualifying offer to see if one more year helps to clarify his long-term fit and potential.

Other RFAs: F Pontus Aberg, D Louie Belpedio, D Michael Kapla, F Chase Lang, F Dante Salituro, D Carson Soucy, F Nico Sturm, D Hunter Warner

Key Unrestricted Free Agents: F Eric Fehr – The veteran Fehr did well for himself last season, returning to relevance after many had written him off following uninspiring stops in Pittsburgh, Toronto, and San Jose over the few years prior. Fehr signed a one-year, $1MM contract with the Wild last summer and proved to be a good value, recording 15 points and playing an important defensive role up front. The 33-year-old played in 72 games and, despite pedestrian minutes, still managed to finish second among all Minnesota forwards in blocked shots and sixth in takeaways. Fehr was a reliable penalty killer and an asset at the face-off dot, especially considering his team-leading 68% defensive zone starts. Age hasn’t affected Fehr’s size and defensive instincts, so he will be valued as a veteran fourth line option on the market. Still, after other recent stints did not work out so well, one has to think that Fehr may be willing to stick at or near his current price point to remain in Minnesota, where he has the best chance of continuing to play his game at the highest level.

D Nate Prosser – After Prosser failed to find a role in Minnesota last year, heading down to AHL Iowa with just 15 games and no points to show for his season to date, some wondered if he would ever end up back in the NHL. Yet, Prosser took full advantage of his minor league opportunity, recording eight points in 31 games but more importantly playing a shutdown role and showing leadership on the ice en route to a deep playoff run. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that the showing has done Prosser some good, as the 33-year-old has drawn “lots of attention” from prospective suitors. The only time in his career that Prosser strayed from Minnesota – a brief and failed stint with the St. Louis Blues – he wound up back with the Wild that same year. It’s fair to assume that he’ll entertain other offers this off-season though, as Minnesota already has seven defenders signed to one-way deals next season and Prosser’s opportunity to make an impact will likely be greater elsewhere.

Other UFAs: D Anthony Bitetto, F Landon Ferraro, G Andrew Hammond, F Cal O’Reilly, F Matt Read

Projected Cap Space: The Wild are in good shape financially, close to $20MM below the salary cap ceiling of $81.5MM and only Fiala among the free agents listed who could command a salary that will eat into that total very much. With that said, GM Paul Fenton and company will still need to be wise with their extensions to maximize the space they can use to explore the market and improve a roster that is going through a major overhaul.

Minor Transactions: 11/5/17

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As the first full week in November begins, teams are evaluating their first month’s performance and making tweaks to the roster to address both short-term needs and more long-term issues. Here are today’s minor moves:

  • The Vancouver Canucks announced (via twitter) that they have assigned Jayson Megna to the Utica Comets of the AHL today. Megna has been with the team since he was recalled on Oct. 29. The 27-year-old center, who was called up for depth purposes, played in just one game and didn’t score any points. He filled in last week after Brock Boeser missed a game due to injury.
  • The Minnesota Wild announced they have sent forward Landon Ferraro to the Iowa Wild of the AHL. He had been recalled back on Oct. 18 and recorded a goal in two games with the Wild, but the 26-year-old suffered a hip flexor injury in his second game on Oct. 20 and has been out for the last seven games. As reports have surfaced that he’s close to returning to the ice, a little time in Iowa might be just what he needs to get back into game shape. He has two assists in three games for Iowa this year.
  • With veteran defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson out for a few days with an upper body injury, the Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled defenseman Joel Hanley from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL to fill in for at least the first of the team’s three-game road trip. The 26-year-old has had four assists in nine games with Tucson. Signed away from the Montreal Canadiens this summer, Hanley has played in 17 NHL games for Montreal and has tallied six assists.
  • The injury-plagued blue line of the Philadelphia Flyers is hopefully on its way back to full strength, so – for the time being – Will O’Neill has been returned to their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, per a team release. The long-time AHL veteran, who turns 30 in April, made his NHL debut Thursday in a limited bottom pair role for Philly. However, it was a symbol of hard work paid off more than anything for the Boston native, a 2006 seventh-round pick and former UMaine star who has had to work his way through the minors for the better part of this decade. With nearly 200 points in close to 350 AHL games, on top of an impressive NCAA resume, an NHL experience was the last thing left on O’Neill’s checklist. Now he just needs to stay motivated and earn a second call-up for the Flyers.
  • The AHL’s Toronto Marlies have signed former New York Rangers goaltender Mackenzie Skapski to a one-year AHL contract, however he’ll likely be spending much of his time on the other side of North America from Toronto. Skapski has already been assigned to the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, the Leafs’ and Marlies’ “AA” affiliate. Orlando recently lost veteran keeper Matt Hackett, who left the team to pursue other opportunities, and were hurting for depth in net. While the Marlies have arguably the best goalie group in the AHL – Garret Sparks, Calvin Pickard, and Kasimir Kaskisuo (currently on loan) – the team took it as an opportunity to add another goalie they were comfortable with to the mix. Skapski had been in camp with the Marlies for an extended period this fall, but left without a contract. Having seen him in action, the Marlies clearly felt they could add a reliable fall back to their impressive depth and help out their affiliate in one fell swoop. Skapski started two games for the Rangers back in 2014-15 at just 20 years old and performed admirably, but overall he has struggled in the pros and has settled into an ECHL role. Nevertheless, he presents a solid, experienced option for Orlando in 2017-18.
  • The Boston Bruins have returned Zane McIntyre to the minor leagues, following the team’s loss against the Washington Capitals last night. McIntyre’s return likely means Anton Khudobin will be ready to dress in tomorrow’s matchup. McIntyre has been up several times this season, filling in for both Tuukka Rask and Khudobin as they nursed injuries, but hasn’t actually played a game. The sixth-round pick will have to wait for his next opportunity.
  • The Calgary Flames will be without Travis Hamonic after the defenseman was injured in practice yesterday. Rasmus Andersson has been recalled as an insurance policy, but according to Roger Millions of Sportsnet Matt Bartkowski will be the replacement for Hamonic in the lineup. The Flames take on the New Jersey Devils tonight.

More to come throughout the day…

Central Notes: Zadorov, Berglund, Ferraro

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Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadorov has not had a great year so far.  His contract talks dragged out to the beginning of training camp and he has been a healthy scratch in three consecutive games.  Accordingly, Adrian Dater of BSN Denver wonders if the time might be right to include him in trade discussions involving Matt Duchene although he adds that he has not heard that this is something the team is willing to do.

Colorado GM Joe Sakic has been insistent on a high-quality defensive prospect or established blueliner as part of any return for Duchene.  Including someone like Zadorov might serve as an enticement for another team to part with that piece knowing they’ll also be acquiring a 22-year-old who was a first-round pick just four years ago.  For something like that to work, it wouldn’t be surprising if teams asked the Avalanche to get Zadorov back in the lineup first but doing something like that would certainly help Sakic as he continues to seek the right return after a potential three-way deal with Nashville and Ottawa reportedly fell through recently.

More from the Central:

  • Blues center Patrik Berglund has resumed skating with the team and is taking part in select drills, notes Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He has yet to play this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in June but this is certainly a step in the right direction.  The original timeline for his return to the lineup was December and it appears he’s at least on track to be able to return sometime close to that.
  • Wild forward Landon Ferraro is nearing a return to the lineup following a hip injury, head coach Bruce Boudreau told Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. He was one of the recalls for Minnesota’s rash of injuries a couple of weeks ago until he wound up being injured himself.  Considering their tight cap situation, it will be interesting to see if he is sent down as soon as he’s activated or if they’ll keep him around to carry 13 forwards on the active roster.

West Notes: Mironov, Kerdiles, Coyotes, Wild

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Although it’s generally not viewed as a good idea for teams to keep waiver-exempt young players as healthy scratches for long periods of time, that is what’s happening with the Avalanche and defenseman Andrei Mironov who has sat for six straight.  Mike Chambers of the Denver Post notes that the team is okay with that arrangement for now as the rookie, who speaks very little English, gets to be around a trio of fellow Russians who are helping him adapt to the North American game.  Despite this, head coach Jared Bednar acknowledged they will have to get him into some more games in the near future as sitting a 23-year-old is not an ideal long-term strategy.

Elsewhere out West:

  • The Ducks announced that they have returned winger Nicolas Kerdiles to San Diego of the AHL. He has played in two games with Anaheim this season but has failed to play four minutes in either of them.  This marks the third time already this year that the 23-year-old has been sent down after he cleared waivers in late September.
  • Coyotes winger Brendan Perlini will miss his fourth straight game on Thursday with an upper-body injury, reports Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan (Twitter link). However, he did skate with the team on Wednesday and appears to be nearly ready to return to the lineup.  As for center Brad Richardson who missed Tuesday’s game with a lower-body issue, Morgan adds that he will be a game-time decision on Thursday.
  • As expected, the Wild announced that they have made several recalls from Iowa of the AHL. Forwards Zack Mitchell, Landon Ferraro, and Luke Kunin were all recalled and should be in uniform on Friday night.  The team waited until 4:00 PM CST to announce the call-ups, meaning that they will not count on Minnesota’s salary cap until Thursday.

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