Snapshots: Laxdal, Clune, Klinkhammer
The OHL’s Oshawa Generals today named Derek Laxdal the 35th head coach in team history via a press release. Laxdal, 56, had spent the last eight seasons in the Dallas Stars organization. Before he was promoted midseason to the Stars’ NHL bench as an assistant coach in 2019-20, Laxdal was the head coach of the AHL’s Texas Stars from 2014-15 to 2019.
The news means that Dallas will indeed undergo a complete overhaul of their core coaching staff from last season. The organization replaced a pair of other assistants this offseason, hiring Alain Nasreddine and Steve Spott to replace Todd Nelson and John Stevens. For Laxdal, the news marks a return to the CHL after eight years, last serving there as the head coach of the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings from 2010 to 2014. His resume includes an ECHL Kelly Cup win in 2007 and ECHL Coach of the Year award in 2010 as the head coach of the Idaho Steelheads, a pair of WHL championships with the Oil Kings in 2012 and 2014, and a Memorial Cup championship in 2014.
- The AHL’s Toronto Marlies announced via Twitter today that captain and former NHLer Rich Clune has announced his retirement from professional hockey after 16 seasons, moving to a player development role with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Clune hadn’t played in the NHL since 2015-16 saw him play 19 games with the Maple Leafs, but since then, he’d been an alternate captain or captain for the Marlies, providing an important leadership voice and mentoring the Leafs’ prospects. Clune joins Toronto’s player development department headed by Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser.
- Former NHLer Rob Klinkhammer is returning to the Chicago Blackhawks organization as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, per a team release. The news marks Klinkhammer’s retirement after he spent the last six seasons playing in the KHL. Klinkhammer, an undrafted free agent, played for Rockford from 2008-09 through 2011-12 and made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in the 2010-11 season.
Snapshots: Blackhawks, Barberio, Lappin
With the Chicago Blackhawks announcing their preseason schedule today, NHL hockey will officially be coming to Milwaukee in a couple of months. The Blackhawks’ third and final preseason “home” game will see them host the Minnesota Wild at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, home of the NBA’s Bucks, on October 2.
Milwaukee has been thrown around in many circles in recent years as a potential destination for an NHL team, usually via relocation. The story was first reported by Milwaukee local news reporter Dario Melendez back in May, where he noted that it will be the first NHL action in Milwaukee since the early 1990s. The timing of the game is beneficial to getting fans in seats and generating interest in the game, as teams tend to dress rosters closer to their opening night lines later in the preseason.
- Lausanne HC of the Swiss National League has mutually terminated the contract of defenseman Mark Barberio, an NHL veteran of eight seasons and 272 games. Barberio left for the Swiss league after hitting unrestricted free agency in 2020, where he had a successful first season but a tough second year. Serving as Lausanne’s captain for a season and a half, Barberio played just 14 games with them this year before they loaned him to Ak Bars Kazan (KHL) for six games. Barberio then played five games for Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics, his last hockey of the season.
- After signing with Italian club HC Bolzano in the ICEHL, former New Jersey Devils forward Nick Lappin‘s career may be in jeopardy. The team posted on Facebook today that Lappin suffered a severe back injury while training this offseason, forcing him out indefinitely. They note that the severity of the injury has Lappin, unfortunately, considering retirement, ending his first season overseas before it began. Lappin, who joined the Devils as an undrafted free agent from Brown University, played 60 NHL games for them between 2016 and 2019, registering eight points.
San Jose Sharks To Retire Patrick Marleau’s No. 12
No player for the San Jose Sharks will ever wear No. 12 again. The team will retire Patrick Marleau‘s number this season, raising his sweater to the rafters of SAP Center on February 25, 2023. He will become the first player in franchise history to receive that honor. Sharks’ president Jonathan Becher released the following statement:
It is only fitting that the first San Jose Sharks player to receive the ultimate franchise recognition of having his number retired is Mr. San Jose Shark himself, Patrick Marleau. Patty symbolizes the Sharks franchise as much as our famous jersey crest and the color teal. We look forward to celebrating his amazing NHL legacy with Patrick’s family, friends and his legions of fans, many of whom were in the arena when Patrick first stepped on the ice in San Jose in 1997.
Marleau, 42, announced his retirement in May after playing 1,779 regular season games in the NHL, the most in league history. More than 1,600 of those came in a Sharks uniform, starting in 1997 just a few days after his 18th birthday, and finishing in 2021 just a few months shy of his 42nd. During that career, he scored 566 goals and 1,197 points, received votes for the Hart Trophy, Lady Byng and Selke on many occasions, and was a franchise icon of the Sharks’ organization.
Interestingly enough, when he hit the ice for his first game as a Shark, it wasn’t wearing No. 12. That number belonged to Ron Sutter at the time, meaning Marleau would be wearing 14 for his first few years in the league.
Despite not winning any individual awards or the Stanley Cup, Marleau’s longevity, games-played record, and two Olympic gold medals will likely get him into the Hall of Fame one day. The absolute pinnacle of durability and consistency, he missed just a handful of games over his entire career while scoring at least 19 goals in 17 different seasons.
Los Angeles Kings To Retire Dustin Brown’s Number
The Los Angeles Kings are poised to add a seventh member to their list of retired numbers. On February 11, 2023, the team will retire winger Dustin Brown‘s no. 23, unveiling a statue of him as well prior to a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, per the team.
He’ll be the team’s third winger to have his number retired, joining Dave Taylor (18) and Luc Robitaille (20). Defenseman Rob Blake (4), center Marcel Dionne (16), goalie Rogie Vachon (30), and Wayne Gretzky‘s no. 99, which the team had a separate ceremony for in addition to its league-wide retirement.
Brown announced his retirement late in the 2021-22 season, saying he’d retire after the culmination of the Kings’ playoff run, which ended in seven games against the Edmonton Oilers in the First Round. He finished his career as the team’s all-time leader in games played with 1,296, although Anze Kopitar is set to surpass that mark shortly as well. Captaining the team to two Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014, he’s remembered as one of, if not the best, power forwards the team’s had in their history.
While his production dipped mid-career, Brown never gave up on playing meaningful minutes, and his work ethic led to a late-career resurgence that included 61-point and 51-point seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Brown will be just the third individual to have a statue in his honor in LA, joining Robitaille and Gretzky.
Snapshots: PHF, McLeod, Nesterov
This morning, the PHF officially announced they are expanding into Montreal for the 2022-23 season, adding a seventh franchise to the women’s league. The new team will be led by Kevin Raphael and Emmanual Anderson. Through a partnership with Center 21.02–a sports complex in Verdun, a Montreal borough–will be the training home for the new club, games for the upcoming season will be played in communities across Quebec in an attempt to showcase women’s hockey to greater audiences.
The schedule for the upcoming season has yet to be announced, while the official team name and logo are expected within the next few weeks. The new Montreal club joins the Buffalo Beauts, Boston Pride, Metropolitan Riveters, Toronto Six, Connecticut Whale, and Minnesota Whitecaps in the growing league.
- The Minnesota Wild have hired Cody McLeod as a player development coach, effectively announcing his retirement as a player. The 38-year-old tough guy played in 59 games for the Iowa Wild last season and will now make the transition to coaching, along with Matt Harder, who was hired as strength and conditioning coach, and David MacLean, who was named a pro scout. In 776 NHL games, McLeod racked up 72 goals, 127 points, and 1,630 penalty minutes.
- You won’t be seeing Nikita Nesterov in the NHL anytime soon. The veteran defenseman has signed a new four-year deal with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, keeping him at home in Russia instead of attempting any kind of return to North America. The 29-year-old defenseman played in 38 games for the Calgary Flames during the 2020-21 season but never did find much success on this side of the pond. In the KHL, he was one of the most dynamic players in the league this season, logging more than 25 minutes a night and scoring 33 points in 41 regular season games, good enough for third on the entire CSKA roster.
Matt Moulson Joins Maple Leafs Front Office, Signaling Retirement
Longtime NHL and AHL forward Matt Moulson has joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as a pro scout, per the team’s website. The move to scouting signals that Moulson has retired from hockey after a 16-year professional career that included 605 NHL games.
Moulson hasn’t played in the NHL since 2017-18 with the Buffalo Sabres, but he’s been floating around the AHL with the Ontario Reign and Hershey Bears since then, maintaining a solid professional career, although falling short of a Calder Cup. A three-time 30-goal scorer, Moulson did his best work with the New York Islanders alongside current Maple Leafs captain John Tavares.
The point production burnt out quickly after turning 30, though, notching no more than 14 goals or 41 points in a season during his four NHL seasons spent in Buffalo after departing the Islanders during the 2013-14 season. Waived and loaned to Ontario in 2017-18, Moulson made a home for himself tutoring youngsters in the minors, aiding both Los Angeles’ and Washington’s development systems along the way.
Moulson finished a strong AHL career with 424 games played, 159 goals, and 350 points, including a trio of seasons spent with the Manchester Monarchs early in his career, back when he was the property of the Kings in the mid-2000s. Now 38, Moulson will make a swift transition to scouting with the Leafs.
Pavel Datsyuk Plans To Retire From Hockey
Six years after leaving NHL ice, legendary Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk has announced his plans to retire from professional hockey at age 43. Datsyuk informed the media of his decision while attending the retirement game of another former NHLer, Alexander Semin.
Datsyuk, while not a member of the original “Russian Five” that helped to spearhead the success of elite Russian talent in the NHL, still remains one of the best not only from his country but all time. He’s a member of the rare Triple Gold Club, winning Stanley Cups in 2002 and 2008, a World Championship gold medal in 2012, and an Olympic gold medal in 2018. Add in a variety of silver and bronze medals internationally, a 2005 Russian Super League championships and 2017 Gagarin Cup championship in the KHL, four Lady Byng trophies, and three Selke trophies, and you have one of the most dominant and well-respected two-way centers in hockey history.
One of the most memorable puck handlers in recent memory, Datsyuk wrapped up his 14-year NHL career (all spent with Detroit) in 2016 with 314 goals, 604 assists, and 918 points in 953 games. The team’s 171st overall selection in 1998 will retire seventh on the all-time points list in Detroit, trailing Russian counterpart Sergei Fedorov by a handful.
After returning to the KHL, Datsyuk played five more years of professional hockey before not suiting up for the 2021-22 season. After spending three productive years as the captain of SKA St. Petersburg, Datsyuk returned to his hometown to play the final two seasons of his career with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Including the first half of 2012-13 spent with CSKA Moscow due to the NHL lockout, he also finishes with 60 goals, 144 assists, and 204 points in 260 KHL games.
Carter Hutton Retires From NHL
A journeyman netminder has hung up his skates today. Veteran Carter Hutton announced his retirement from the NHL today, talking with Tom Annelin of the Chronicle Journal.
Speaking with Annelin today, Hutton had the following to say on his decision:
Honestly, I’ve been preparing myself for hockey to be over in some aspect for a while… The NHL has evolved into a young man’s league. The average age is now in the early 20s, so I know that this job wouldn’t be a lifelong one for me. Ultimately, I suffered an ankle injury in early 2021, which made the decision a lot easier for me. It restricted a lot of the mobility I needed to be as effective as I once was. This, compiled with a few other things helped me decide on retirement.
The news isn’t surprising in any aspect. Hutton appeared in just three games at the beginning of the season with the Arizona Coyotes, earning a 0-2-0 record and .741 save percentage. He spent the majority of the rest of the season injured before he was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the trade deadline for injury insurance there, but the team loaned him back to the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. He did spend a few days at Leafs practice, however.
An undrafted free agent, Hutton had a long and arduous path to NHL success. Hutton spent four years developing at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell before signing an entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks for 2010-11. Hutton was the backup for the AHL affiliate in Worcester that season, posting a .902 save percentage. A restricted free agent, he was left unqualified and settled for an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs in 2011-12.
Strong play there got him an NHL contract later in the season and again with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012-13, when he made his NHL debut at age 27. As an unrestricted free agent in 2013, the Nashville Predators snapped up Hutton in free agency, where he broke into the NHL and never looked back. After stops with the Predators, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Coyotes, Hutton retires with a career 94-90-27 record in 235 games played (207 starts), .908 save percentage, and 2.76 goals-against average, and 13 shutouts. For an undrafted free agent who wasn’t a full-time NHLer until 28, it’s an improbable and impressive resumé.
Jason Spezza Announces Retirement
Maple Leafs forward Jason Spezza has announced his retirement today, ending an NHL career that lasted over 1,200 games. As part of the announcement, it was revealed that Spezza will be joining Toronto’s front office as special assistant to GM Kyle Dubas. Spezza gave a statement regarding his decision, saying:
Hockey has been my life’s work and to be able to come home to Toronto and bookend my playing career where it started was incredible. To the fans – in Ottawa, Dallas, Toronto and across the league – your impact on the game is immeasurable. I’ll never be able to replicate that feeling of stepping onto the ice to the roar of the crowd, but it is something I’ll always remember. Thank you.
Spezza’s full statement can be read as part of the Maple Leafs’ announcement. While Spezza ends his career without any major NHL awards or his name on the Stanley Cup, he hangs up his skates with something arguably far more valuable: the respect and adoration of the entire hockey world.
Dubas spoke to that as part of the Maple Leafs’ announcement, stating: “It is difficult to describe just how much of a lasting and positive impact that Jason Spezza made in his three seasons with the Maple Leafs.” Similar comments have begun flowing in from across the hockey world. TSN’s Chris Johnston spoke to Spezza’s unwavering professionalism despite declining ice time and production, TSN’s James Duthie called him a “pure class guy from start to finish,” and Sportsnet’s Eric Engels put it simply: “great guy, great player.”
Engels’ statement is one that best describes the impact Spezza has had on hockey throughout his 20-year professional career. He could do it all on the ice: he led the Ottawa Senators to some of the best seasons in their franchise’s history and was among the NHL’s most talented scorers for that stretch. He dazzled with his offense and helped the NHL game transition to the more skill-based brand of hockey we are now accustomed to.
But even beyond Spezza’s incredible impact on the ice has been the things he’s done off it. Spezza has been involved in numerous philanthropic causes over the course of his career and has often led the charge in those efforts, using the valuable platform his skills gave him to do good. Whether it was in Ottawa, Dallas, or Toronto, Spezza always went above and beyond to be a player his city could be proud of, regardless of how he was performing on the ice.
In terms of his new role, Dubas said Spezza will begin immediately, starting with this year’s NHL Entry draft and free agency, and will primarily be observing and learning at this point (link). Dubas added that Spezza will be given the next year or so to experience the entire front office picture before determining where he is best suited in his management career (link). Of course not sure yet, Dubas predicted player evaluation and management would be where his former player would end up.
While a potential Hall of Fame debate and heated discussions about his ultimate on-ice legacy are sure to come, the impact Spezza leaves on this era of hockey and the teams he played for is undeniable. If Spezza’s career as a Maple Leafs executive is anything like his playing career, fans in Toronto should be extremely excited.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 05/25/22
While the North American focus on hockey remains starkly on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, most European seasons have wrapped up by now. That means a lot of players with NHL pedigrees are involved in some foreign transactions. We’ll keep track of those here today:
- Defenseman Andrey Pedan, a 2011 third-round pick of the New York Islanders and 13-game NHL veteran with the Vancouver Canucks, is on the move in the KHL. SKA St. Petersburg acquired him via trade today from Dynamo Moskva, meaning Pedan will suit up for his third different KHL team since returning to Russia in 2018. Born in Lithuania, Pedan has Russian citizenship but underwent the majority of his development in North America. He came to join the OHL in 2010 and played professionally exclusively in North America through 2018.
- Former Minnesota Wild and Washington Capital Casey Wellman announced his retirement today via Instagram. The California native was never drafted but made the jump to the NHL after the Wild picked him as a free agent from UMass in 2010. Before beginning a professional career in Europe in 2015, Wellman appeared in 54 NHL games, scoring six goals, 10 assists and 16 points.