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Spengler Cup

Kris Versteeg Announces Retirement

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Though it was clear there wasn’t a lot left on the table for Kris Versteeg after he decided to part ways with the Rockford IceHogs earlier this season, today the veteran forward has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey.

What a run it was. A kid from North Lethbridge who played on the streets every day, dreaming of playing in the NHL. I took a lot for granted in my time in the NHL. But the one thing I never took for granted were the relationships I made with my teammates and staff of the hockey clubs I played for.

A bunch of people have made huge impacts on my life. There was one guy who took a kid with a different personality and a massive chip on his shoulder and helped give him hope, and that was Scott Gordon. Dale Tallon also took a chance on me and gave me multiple opportunities throughout my career. I know I wasn’t always the easiest to deal with. Without people like Scott and Dale, the road to today would not be what it was.

Versteeg did have a chance to win one last time after he left the IceHogs, winning the Spengler Cup with Team Canada. His NHL career finished in 2017-18 with the Calgary Flames, after 643 regular season games. Versteeg recorded 358 points during those contests and added another 48 in 93 playoff appearances. The feisty forward won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks twice, once as a high-scoring youngster in 2010, and again as a more subdued veteran role player in 2015.

Technically Versteeg’s professional hockey career ended in Slovakia, where he played a handful of games with HK Nitra alongside his brother Mitch Versteeg. Pulling on another sweater was surely nothing new for the journeyman forward, who played at least one game with seven different NHL franchises.

Team Canada Wins 2019 Spengler Cup

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In a 4-0 shutout of HC Ocelari Trinec, Team Canada has won the Spengler Cup for the 16th time. The Canadian contingent was filled with former NHL players including Dustin Jeffrey, who scored twice and added an assist in the title game.

Canada destroyed the competition this time around with one of the deepest teams they’ve entered, a good sign for the potential 2022 Olympics if the NHL decides not to go again. While some of these players may be too removed from action to participate at that point—Kris Versteeg for instance hinted that he was retiring when he left the Rockford IceHogs earlier this season—others will still be right in their prime and ready to compete.

Perhaps the most interesting player to watch from this Canadian group however is Ian Mitchell, who scored the second goal of today’s final on the powerplay. The 20-year old defenseman is a junior at the University of Denver whose rights are owned by the Chicago Blackhawks after they selected him 57th overall in 2017. Winning on the international stage is just another strong step in his development, one that should only help him down the line when he’s trying to crack an NHL roster filled with professional hockey players.

Canada Announces 2019 Spengler Cup Roster

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Dec 23: Canada has added Mathew Maione and Blair Riley to the club, two more players with plenty of international experience.

Dec 19: While most fans of international hockey are paying attention to the upcoming World Junior Championship, there is actually another high-level tournament that starts at the same time. The Spengler Cup, where several club teams from around the world gather to compete is held every year just after Christmas. Canada also submits a team in the tournament, and this year’s edition has quite a few names that should be familiar to NHL fans.

The full roster:

G Brendan Burke
G Zach Fucale
G Matt Tomkins

D Paul Postma
D Ian Mitchell
D Alex Grant
D Patrick Wiercioch
D Andrew MacDonald
D Maxim Noreau

F Adam Tambellini
F Kris Versteeg
F Dustin Jeffrey
F Eric Fehr
F Justin Danforth
F Scottie Upshall
F Cory Emmerton
F Daniel Winnik
F Kevin Clark
F Ben Maxwell
F David Desharnais
F Josh Jooris
F Chris DiDomenico

Mitchell immediately stands out in the group, given that unlike many of the other former NHLers, he hasn’t even had his chance at the highest level so far. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick is still just 20 years old and in his junior year at the University of Denver.

Obviously the Spengler Cup doesn’t come with a whole lot of name recognition, but some of these players could be considered at the next Olympics should the NHL decide not to attend in 2022.

The tournament kicks off on December 26th in Davos, Switzerland.

Prospect Notes: Mitchell, Gallagher, Mercer

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University of Denver defenseman Ian Mitchell has outgrown the World Junior ranks, but he still plans to take part in an upcoming international competition. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Hockey Canada is close to finalizing its roster for the Spengler Cup, an invitational tournament held in Davos, Switzerland every December, and he lists Mitchell as the team’s standout amatuer participant. The Chicago prospect has been considered pro-ready for a couple of years now and the Blackhawks have tried unsuccessfully to convince him to leave school. Now a junior at Denver, it seems likely that Mitchell will finally end his NCAA career after this season and a competition against mature adult talent will be telling as to how he may perform for Chicago next year. Mitchell is expected to join a Team Canada roster with considerable NHL experience, another developmental benefit for Mitchell. Dreger lists Kris Versteeg, Scottie Upshall, Daniel Winnik, Eric Fehr, and Paul Postma as other participants.

  • A young defenseman hoping to follow in the footsteps of a top collegiate prospect like Mitchell is just beginning the process. 16-year-old Ty Gallagher has made his own college commitment, announcing that he will play at the University of Notre Dame. Gallagher is currently playing for the U-17 team for the US. National Team Development Program, leading the program’s defensemen with nine goals,  and is already catching the eye of NHL scouts. The 2021 prospect is expected to be highly sought-after by the time his draft roles around, although he will have to compete against his own teammates like Luke Hughes (Michigan), Aidan Hreschuk (Boston College), and Sean Behrens (Denver) for the billing of top American defenseman in the class.
  • A 2020 prospect who has drawn interest from NHL teams is also drawing interest from his QMJHL competitors. Winger Dawson Mercer of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, expected to be a first-round pick (at the very least) in June, finds himself having an excellent season with 42 points in 26 games. However, Mercer is arguably the lone standout on a Drummondville team without much star power. The Voltigeurs are holding their own in the QMJHL standings, but are extremely lacking in top young assets.  As such, Mercer has been linked to not one but two different trade rumors in the past week. In one hypothetical move, which would see Mercer head to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, Drummondville would be getting back another forward, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks, which would certainly help the Voltigeurs rebuild. It seems that a Mercer trade is a question of when and to whom rather than if, followed by the issue of whether the change in scenery affects his production ahead of the draft.

Snapshots: MacTavish, Brouwer, Forbort, Avalanche

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Craig MacTavish’s tenure with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL was certainly short-lived as he was let go after eight games with the team.  However, he’ll be back behind the bench next month as TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that he will be Canada’s head coach at next month’s Spengler Cup.  The position had initially been offered to Wayne Gretzky but was declined.  Among those that are expected to be named to MacTavish’s staff is Misha Donskov, the Director of Hockey Operations for the Golden Knights.

More from around the hockey world:

  • While Troy Brouwer has been with the Blues for more than a week and recently signed a one-year deal, he hasn’t been given clearance to play just yet. Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the winger is still awaiting his work visa and he can’t suit up until he gets that.  Brouwer was expected to play on Thursday and is hopeful that the issue will be resolved in time for their next game on Saturday.
  • Kings defenseman Derek Forbort recently took part in a full skate with AHL Ontario, mentions Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. He has missed the entire season as he continues to work his way back from a back injury.  It’s a contract year for the 27-year-old who will enter unrestricted free agency for the first time in July so getting back is of particular importance for him.  As for Los Angeles, if Forbort returns to form, he could be one of the more intriguing trade candidates closer to the trade deadline.
  • It appears the Avalanche are getting close to getting at least one of their top forwards back. Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that winger Mikko Rantanen could rejoin the team soon as he continues to ramp up his skating while working his way back from a lower-body injury.  The news isn’t as good for Gabriel Landeskog though.  He has yet to start skating after suffering a foot injury last month and will be going to be re-evaluated later this week.

Snapshots: Crosby, Gretzky, Kovalchuk

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The Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby are weighing a decision of whether or not the superstar should get surgery to fix a sport hernia, according to Rob Rossi of The Athletic. Crosby has dealing with it since training camp and aggravated it on Saturday night.

Surgery would take the Penguins’ captain out for at least a month, but that’s a tough proposition given the injuries that the team has already fought through to even keep their head above water. Without Crosby, Pittsburgh certainly wouldn’t have a 10-6-2 through the first part of the season.

  • Wayne Gretzky was offered the head coaching position for Canada at the upcoming Spengler Cup, but has turned it down according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Team Canada, led by Sean Burke, will look at other options that include Craig MacTavish according to Darren Dreger of TSN.
  • Ilya Kovalchuk was at Los Angeles Kings practice today but things remain “fluid” as several reporters have termed the situation. The Kings have looked at trading him in the past, as Jon Rosen points out, but there are several complications including his bonus money due on December 15th.

Predators Notes: Sissons, Burakovsky, Fabbro

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The Nashville Predators have taken another hit up front, announcing today that forward Colton Sissons has been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. While it’s unclear when Sissons suffered the injury, he was not in  the lineup when the Predators faced the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. The team did not give any timeline for Sissons’ return, but any extended absence will hurt Nashville, who are also still without Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. Sissons has been a key contributor while those two have been sidelined, recording seven goals and nine assists in 35 games, tied for eighth on the team in scoring. Sissons also has a tremendous +17 rating and is an invaluable defensive presence among the forward corps. For the Predators’ sake, hopefully Sissons will return after the minimum ten days on the IR.

  • With yet another starting forward out of commission, Predators GM David Poile may feel even more pressure to land some help via trade. Nashville was already expected to pursue scoring help before the trade deadline to help out their middling offense and was one of the teams speculated to have interest in Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky, who hit the trade block last week. The Capitals are reportedly looking to make a deal that would bring back a player that can help them immediately this season, of which the Predators have options. Pressed into regular action due to the rash of injuries, Miikka Salomaki and Frederick Gaudreau have both played well at times this season and could be of interest to Washington. The team could even be willing to dangle Calle Jarnkrok if they’re high on Burakovsky. The two teams would seemingly be a good fit for a deal, although there still could be lingering feelings from the last time the Capitals traded a young winger to the Predators (see Forsberg-for-Martin Erat).
  • Speaking of reinforcements, Predators fans should be excited to see defensive prospect Dante Fabbro listed on the Team Canada roster for the upcoming Spengler Cup. The team’s first-round pick in 2016, Fabbro has been a productive member of the Boston University blue line for three seasons now and has even evolved into the Terriers’ captain. However, playing alongside pros at the Spengler Cup is the next step for Fabbro and could give the young defenseman the experience needed to step in to the Predators’ lineup later this season. Although Fabbro has another season of NCAA eligibility remaining, he is heavily expected to leave school when BU’s season is over. A strong showing in Switzerland could convince Poile and company that Fabbro is worth signing and playing immediately this year. The young puck-mover could be a nice depth addition for a Nashville team that is looking to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final this year.

NHL Experience Fills Canada’s Spengler Cup Roster

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While most hockey fans are focused on the upcoming World Junior tournament that features some of the best young players from around the world, there is another international tournament scheduled for the end of the month. That’s the Spengler Cup, where high level players that are outside of the NHL come together to show their talents. This year, the Canadian Spengler roster is filled with former NHL players including some who played just last season.

The roster also notably includes Dante Fabbro, a Nashville Predators first-round pick who remains unsigned and playing at Boston University. Fabbro, 20, is used to competing internationally as he suited up in the past two World Junior Championships for Canada, taking home gold and silver medals. The young defenseman could potentially sign with the Predators after his college season ends.

The full roster is as follows:

F Colt Conrad
F Dion Knelsen
F Aaron Gagnon
F Jacob Micflikier
F Torrey Mitchell
F Zac Dalpe
F Andrew Ebbett
F Zach Boychuk
F Adam Cracknell
F Cory Emmerton
F Daniel Winnik
F Dominic Moore
F Matt D’Agostini
F Maxim Lapierre
F Chris DiDomenico

D Simon Despres
D Kevin Bieksa
D Kodie Curran
D Dante Fabbro
D Kyle Quincey
D Patrick Wiercioch
D Daniel Vukovic
D Maxim Noreau

G Zach Fucale
G Jared Coreau

Snapshots: Blues, Bieksa, Bakos

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For fans of the Blues, hoping that the team can turn the season around, as well as fans of other teams hoping for a chance at acquiring their top players, today’s news comes as a welcome change to the status quo in St. Louis. The Blues announced that three players were back at practice today and looking healthy and ready for game action. Alex Pietrangelo, Carl Gunnarsson, and Robby Fabbri all took the ice today and are expected to return to the lineup as early as tonight, when St. Louis takes on the Edmonton Oilers on the road. “Obviously we missed those guys tremendously”, said teammate Patrick Maroon, one of a number of Blues players who spoke about their excitement to have three difference-makers back at practice. Pietrangelo is clearly the greatest addition to the lineup, but Gunnarsson is also a regular on the Blues blue line and Fabbri has struggled with constant injurie issues for parts of three seasons and St. Louis would like to see him stay healthy for the rest of the campaign. At full strength, the Blues do have plenty of talent on paper and could put together a comeback of sorts this season. However, if that doesn’t happen, the team will continue to take calls on nearly anyone on the roster. GM Doug Armstrong won’t trade anyone whose value has dipped, so getting Pietrangelo and company back to health also improves his asking price should he decide to make some moves down the stretch.

  • On a recent appearance on the “31 Thoughts” podcast with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, veteran defenseman Kevin Bieksa made it clear that he is not retired. In fact, Bieksa has already committed to play with Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland later this month. A strong performance from the 37-year-old could earn him a contract from a contender for the second half of the NHL season. Brian Gionta and Chris Kelly accomplished similar feats after the Olympics last year and Bieksa has the experience and claims to still have the physical conditioning to follow suit. The long-time Vancouver Canuck and Anaheim Duck was unwilling to sign long-term with any team far from his family in California this off-season, but on a half-season deal he will likely be more open to taking the offer that gives him the best chance at an elusive Stanley Cup title.
  • After his time with the Boston Bruins didn’t go according to plan due to an early-season injury and a lack of opportunity, Martin Bakos had his contract terminated last week after clearing unconditional waivers. He’s now on to a new opportunity, as HK Sochi of the KHL announced that they have inked Bakos to a contract for the remainder of the season. Bakos has several seasons of KHL experience on his resume, but this is first time playing for one of the league’s many Russian squads after previous stints with HC Bratislava in his native country of Slovakia, as well as a year in China with the Kunlun Red Star. Bakos only managed to record four points in 16 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins, a skilled minor league squad, so it will be interesting to see how he performs on a Sochi roster that lacks much talent up front. Bakos joins recent NHLers Jyrki Jokipakka and Yohann Auvitu in Sochi, hoping to push for a playoff spot with the team this season.

Prospect Notes: Demko, Makar, Laaksonen

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After the Vancouver Canucks used a second-round draft pick on Thatcher Demko in 2014, following a breakout freshman campaign at Boston College, and he proceeded to improve over his next two seasons with the Eagles, many expected that it wouldn’t take long for him to take over as the starter for Vancouver. Now in his third pro season, Demko has suited up for only one game with the Canucks and continues to sit behind the likes of Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson, who have been far from spectacular in that time. With the Vancouver duo currently combining for a save percentage below .900 and a goals against average over 3.00, this season would seem to be a prime opportunity for Demko to finally break through as an option at the NHL level. However, a concussion in training camp derailed the beginning of the season for the young keeper and he has only recently returned to the net for the AHL’s Utica Comets. The Athletic’s Jason Brough recently caught up with Demko to get an update on how his return from the “scary” injury has gone so far. Demko stated that he really wanted to take his time and ensure he was 100% before returning from the concussion, but feels good now. Demko continued that he has been working closely with the Canucks’ new goalie coach, Ian Clark, and is anxious to get his chance in Vancouver this season. Six games into his season in the AHL, Demko’s numbers aren’t as stellar as they were last season, but as he grows healthier and more comfortable in net, he’s likely to return to that high-level performance. Assuming he does, Demko should have far more than one NHL start on his resume by the end of this season.

  • Colorado Avalanche top prospect and college hockey superstar Cale Makar was invited to play for Team Canada at the Olympics last year, but declined the opportunity. History has repeated itself this year, as The Athletic’s Julie Robenhymer reports that Makar was offered a spot on Canada’s entry into the Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland later this month, but has again passed up the international experience. Robenhymer writes that Makar has opted to work on getting back to full health before the second half of the NCAA season begins in January. With UMass ranked as the top team in the country, they need their top defenseman ready to go as they chase a national championship this season. While the Avs may have liked to have seen Makar in a different context at the Spengler Cup, they won’t hesitate to sign him as soon as his college season is over regardless.
  • One defenseman who may not be so eager to make the jump to the NHL is Buffalo Sabres prospect Oskari Laaksonen. Laaksonen, 19, was a third-round selection by the Sabres in 2017 and is a well-regarded young puck-mover. However, Laaksonen is comfortable staying in his native Finland for the time being, as Ilves has announced a two-year extension with their young stalwart. While the press release included a quote from Laaksonen that he is happy to stay with the team until something happens in the NHL, Buffalo certainly wouldn’t mind if he wanted to log some time in the AHL beforehand and it would help Laaksonen reach to top level much sooner. With Rasmus Dahlin, Lawrence Pilut, and Rasmus Ristolainen all relatively young and seemingly locked in to long-term starting roles, Laaksonen likely sees a lack of opportunity right now in Buffalo. However, he does seem willing to make the move once the blue line opens up somewhat with the Sabres.

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