SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 7/17/2021 Anaheim Ducks Edmonton Oilers 1217417 Ducks GM Bob Murray faces new set of decisions ahead 1217446 OILERS NOTES: Leafs' Zack Hyman would be ideal fit at of expansion draft winger, but for how long? 1217418 Stephens: Gabriel Landeskog and the Ducks? It’s 1217447 What I’m hearing about the Oilers offseason 2.0: Adam tempting, but they should stay away Larsson and free agency? Who’s on the expansion list? 1217448 Source: Oilers talking to Zach Hyman’s camp; what he Boston Bruins might cost and how he could fit with Edmonton 1217419 Could Connor Clifton be heading West? 1217420 NHL Trade Rumors; Bruins Linked To Hyman, Landeskog Florida Panthers 1217421 Bruins depth chart 1.0: How the lineup looks after Brandon 1217449 Two NHL Drafts looming. A look at how they’re connected, Carlo’s extension what Panthers could opt to do 1217450 Seattle Expansion Draft II: Who do the Florida Panthers Buffalo Sabres keep? 1217422 Sabres drafting first overall in year in which 'scouting world got turned upside down' Los Angeles Kings 1217423 What to do with Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and the drafts: 1217451 Here’s why the Kings are well set up for the NHL If I were Sabres GM expansion draft 1217452 Viktor Arvidsson on his trade from the Predators: ‘I feel Calgary Flames like I didn’t get seen as the all-around player I wa 1217424 Could Giordano’s career as Flame end in expansion draft? 1217453 Kings Seasons In Review – Jaret Anderson-Dolan 1217425 Source: There’s mutual interest between the Flames and Zach Hyman. What would be the cost and the fit? Minnesota Wild 1217426 Flames draft board: Cole Sillinger, Chaz Lucius and other 1217454 Wild to submit protection list ahead of Seattle expansion top prospects Calgary might select at No. 12 draft 1217455 Projected Wild protection list Carolina Hurricanes 1217456 Why is the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame located in tiny 1217427 The Hurricanes signed another piece of the roster puzzle Eveleth, Minnesota? Friday 1217457 Avs? Blues? Blackhawks? Ryan Suter has options in free agency, while Zach Parise looks for familiarity Chicago Blackhawks 1217428 Keith trade opens door for Hawks to make big splash Montreal Canadiens 1217458 No rift with Canadiens, Joël Bouchard says of jump to Colorado Avalanche Ducks' AHL team 1217429 Avalanche 2021-2022 preseason schedule announced 1217459 Future is now for Canadiens' young guns 1217430 Pick 6: Odds Colorado Avalanche will win the Stanley Cup 1217460 By the numbers: Weber is the wild-card as GM plots in 2022 Canadiens' future 1217431 Ryan Graves Q&A: ‘Excited’ to help the Devils take next 1217461 How will Montreal address Shea Weber? Will Phillip step after proving himself with the Avalanche Danault or Jonathan Drouin return? Canadiens offseason 1217432 Avalanche release 2021 preseason schedule, will open at prim T-Mobile Arena on Sep. 28 Nashville Predators Columbus Blue Jackets 1217462 Viktor Arvidsson on his trade from the Predators: ‘I feel 1217433 NHL draft profile: Who is Matty Beniers? like I didn’t get seen as the all-around player I wa 1217434 Ryan Graves Q&A: ‘Excited’ to help the Devils take next step after proving himself with the Avalanche New Jersey Devils 1217463 Why NJ Devils trade for Ryan Graves is strong start to Dallas Stars important offseason 1217435 Missing hockey already? Check out who the Dallas Stars 1217464 Ryan Graves Q&A: ‘Excited’ to help the Devils take next will face this preseason step after proving himself with the Avalanche 1217436 Joe Trahan to take over for retiring Dale Hansen as 1217465 LeBrun: Thumbs up for Devils trade, latest on Zach WFAA’s weeknight sports anchor Hyman and Gabriel Landeskog 1217437 As expansion and free agency loom, it’s just a waiting game for Stars’ Jamie Oleksiak New York Islanders 1217466 Islanders trade Nick Leddy for Red Wings forward, pick Detroit Red Wings 1217467 Islanders trade defenseman Nick Leddy to Detroit Red 1217438 Detroit Red Wings acquire veteran defenseman Nick Wings in cap-clearing move Leddy in trade 1217468 Islanders trade Nick Leddy to Detroit. What’s next in Lou 1217439 Here's who Detroit Red Wings are best served protecting Lamoriello’s offseason plan? in Seattle expansion draft 1217469 A reunion for Zach Parise and Lou Lamoriello? What we’re 1217440 Red Wings acquire Nick Leddy from Islanders hearing about the Islanders ahead of the expansion dr 1217441 Red Wings prepared to submit protected list for expansion 1217470 Islanders, Zach Parise Seem Destined for One Another, draft Ryan Suter Too? 1217442 'Class of his own': Swedish goalie Jesper Wallstedt giving 1217471 Islanders Among Short List of Teams Gabriel Landeskog teams reason to be drafted high Would Sign with as a UFA 1217443 Ex-Red Wing Manny Legace at Matiss Kivlenieks memorial: ‘I love you; you were my son’ 1217444 Who Red Wings will protect in expansion draft; who they might lose 1217445 What acquiring Nick Leddy means for the Red Wings New York Rangers 1217472 Rangers re-signing Julien Gauthier has intriguing implications 1217473 Rangers re-sign restricted free agent Julien Gauthier Philadelphia Flyers 1217474 Will Wells Fargo Center renovations entice the 76ers to stay? 1217475 Flyers’ GM doesn’t want to overreact to team’s one bad season 1217476 Flyers have big decisions to make over next couple weeks 1217477 Kraken down on decisions, trade talk and more as Flyers' big offseason heats up 1217478 Carter Hart contract projection: Flyers goalie’s early-career ups and downs will make for a tricky negotiation Pittsburgh Penguins 1217479 Who will the Penguins protect in the expansion draft? 1217480 Penguins schedule community meetings on Hunt Armory rink and hockey diversity 1217481 Penguins A to Z: While hardly irrelevant, Will Reilly remains a long shot 1217482 Six questions to set the stage for Penguins' offseason 1217483 Penguins still have a goalie problem. Which free agents can fix it? San Jose Sharks 1217484 Sharks' pick slots revealed for upcoming 2021 NHL Draft 1217485 Does Kuemper Make Sense for Sharks? 1217486 Sheng’s Daily: Kuemper Available, Khudobin Off Board for Sharks? St Louis Blues 1217487 Blues must turn in list for expansion draft on Saturday Tampa Bay Lightning 1217488 Lightning offer ‘poignant’ moments in Quest for the Stanley Cup finale 1217489 Lightning’s Victor Hedman talks knee injury, Stanley Cup run in TSN interview Toronto Maple Leafs 1217490 Zach Hyman. Frederik Andersen. The Maple Leafs have quick decisions to make, but fans hoping for a major shake 1217491 KOSHAN: Losing Kerfoot in expansion draft would help Leafs financially, but create another depth hole 1217492 NHL Draft: Who could the Maple Leafs target with their first draft pick at No. 57 Vancouver Canucks 1217494 Canucks top 10 prospects: Jack Rathbone's got the wheels, looks the real deal 1217495 Canucks ‘trying to move some money’: GM Jim Benning 1217496 Canucks: Alex Edler ‘rolling the dice,’ will explore free agency 1217497 Canucks offseason: Alex Edler will hit the market, Mike Gillis joins the NHLPA and more 1217498 Braden Holtby, Brock Boeser and what we’re hearing about the Canucks’ plans ahead of the expansion draft Vegas Golden Knights 1217493 What can Kraken learn from Golden Knights’ expansion draft success? Websites 1217499 The Athletic / NHL Mock Draft 2021: From 1 to 224, Corey Pronman projects all seven rounds 1217500 The Athletic / ‘I can be a great goalie’: NHL Draft prospect Jesper Wallstedt believes he’s worthy of a high p 1217501 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' focus shifts to addressing forward depth and goalie tandem 1217502 TSN.CA / ‘Extremely competitive’ prospect L'Heureux aims to emulate Tkachuk, Marchand
SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1217417 Anaheim Ducks Fleury out of the hands of Seattle GM Ron Francis, who drafted Fleury while with the Carolina Hurricanes.
If so, Murray could protect forwards Max Jones, Isac Lundestrom, Ducks GM Bob Murray faces new set of decisions ahead of expansion Rickard Rakell and Troy Terry, leaving Francis with some interesting draft options, including Henrique, right wing Jakob Silfverberg and center Sam Unlike four years ago, Murray isn’t trying to maintain the team’s elite Steel. Protecting goalie John Gibson, a two-time All-Star, is a no-brainer. status, but is attempting to regain it Or it’s possible Murray protects seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie. He also could make another side deal in order to protect a player of value and hope it doesn’t come back to haunt him and anger Ducks By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] fans the way the last one did four years ago.
Orange County Register One thing is certain: All will be revealed soon enough.
PUBLISHED: July 16, 2021 at 9:43 a.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2021 at Orange County Register: LOADED: 07.17.2021 2:45 p.m.
Four years ago, if you drift back through the fog of time, the Ducks were in a far, far different place than today. They had just muscled their way through three rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, reaching the Western Conference final for the second time in a three-season span.
General manager Bob Murray wanted to continue the climb. The Ducks had lost to the Nashville Predators in six games, punishing them physically to the point that they were no match for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins won handily in six games.
So, what happened next made sense in the moment.
Murray wanted to keep his defense corps intact through the 2017 expansion draft. He wanted to keep Josh Manson protected, so he flipped promising youngster Shea Theodore to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for the promise that the NHL’s 31st team would pick someone else.
The rest, as they say, is history.
It’s a history Ducks fans would like to forget.
Nothing boils their blood quicker.
When healthy, Manson has continued to play his physical role as expected. Meanwhile, Theodore has blossomed into one of the league’s top young defensemen, a vital part of the unexpected success of the Golden Knights. The Ducks have slumped as the Golden Knights have soared.
Four years later, Murray faces another series of decisions as another expansion draft looms. He must submit his list of protected players – either seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie or eight skaters of either position and one goalie – to the NHL by Saturday.
On Sunday, each team’s protected list will be revealed.
On Wednesday, the Seattle Kraken will make their selections.
The Ducks, having nearly hit bottom by finishing in second-to-last place in the league’s overall standings this past season, are no longer Stanley Cup contenders. They are rebuilding their fortunes, or as Murray said earlier this week, “This is all about development.”
Murray spoke specifically Monday about the hiring of Joel Bouchard as the new coach of the Ducks’ AHL team, the San Diego Gulls, but the development theme runs throughout the organization. This will be a different expansion draft, with different goals in mind for Murray.
What is the same as four years ago is that the Ducks will lose one player.
He could come via a veteran core that includes centers Derek Grant and Adam Henrique and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. But it won’t be from a younger group that includes left wing Max Comtois, goalie Lukas Dostal, defenseman Jamie Drysdale and center Trevor Zegras.
The young’uns are exempt from selection.
Longtime captain Ryan Getzlaf, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent July 28, won’t require protection since he remains unsigned. Getzlaf is expected to re-sign with the Ducks at some point after Wednesday’s expansion draft and before the start of free agency.
Murray’s protected list could include his four top defensemen – Manson, Hayden Fleury, Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm – in order to keep 1217418 Anaheim Ducks But does a player of Landeskog’s stature and reputation being available change the blueprint?
There is no dispute over what kind of player the Swede has been to the Stephens: Gabriel Landeskog and the Ducks? It’s tempting, but they Avalanche. Landeskog, the second pick of the 2011 draft, was given the should stay away captaincy at age 19. He has been productive from Year 1, when he won the Calder Trophy. His numbers have been better in some years than others – his career-highs in goals (34), assists (41) and points (75) all By Eric Stephens came in 2018-19, the NHL’s last full season. But when looking at 82 games, Landeskog will give you approximately 26 goals and 61 points. Jul 17, 2021 It doesn’t make him the best left wing in the game. Landeskog isn’t even
the most skilled (that’s probably Taylor Hall) or the most accomplished When news broke this week that contract negotiations between the (that’s definitely Alex Ovechkin) in this UFA class. But there are few Colorado Avalanche and Gabriel Landeskog weren’t going as smoothly complementary wingers who are better. He’s been the perfect fit as many had simply assumed, it was natural that reactions were swift alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. He’ll win puck battles and numerous in the hockey sphere. and park himself in front of a goalie, where he’s shown that he can change a shot’s path and direct them in. And he’ll play a responsible Hockey fans started to ask questions, and two – perhaps the most game without sacrificing offense while doing it with a physical natural of them – stand out. component.
How could the Avalanche, arguably the most talented team in terms of There will be teams that feel he can flourish on their top line. Landeskog ability and depth, not re-sign their long-time captain right in the throes of put up numbers before MacKinnon became Nate the Great (or Nate their potential annual runs at the Stanley Cup? And how might that Dogg, as the hip-hop/rap-loving center might prefer). The Avs’ failure to respected leader and heartbeat of the Avalanche, who is a first-line play for the Cup as they have ascended to top-tier status isn’t because of winger, fit on our team? him. While their runs have ended in the second round the last two seasons, Landeskog has 26 points in those 24 playoff games. Yes, Landeskog might leave the Avs via free agency this summer after 10 seasons of deep lows and soaring highs, just as he breathes into a Looking at everything that he brings to the table, it stands to reason that wide-open championship window. It didn’t seem imaginable. Hell, it the Ducks should be among the teams driving up in a Brinks truck. doesn’t seem imaginable. Perhaps those fears in Denver might not be They’re not devoid of leadership but it doesn’t hurt to bring aboard a realized. There are still 12 days until the start of free agency. Deals have captain who is in his prime years. It also doesn’t hurt that Anaheim has gotten done late, even if some posturing and hurt feelings bubble up in employed several of his countrymen. Two of them, Hampus Lindholm the process. Smiles can still emerge if pen meets paper in Colorado’s and Rickard Rakell, are among the team’s most notable players and can team offices. use a rebound season ahead of their own entry into the UFA club.
But what if a deal doesn’t get done? It didn’t with Alex Pietrangelo and St. But with all that in mind, the Ducks need to stay away from Landeskog. Louis last offseason. The flames of fan bases are stoked at this time of the hockey calendar. Imagine how they are burning with the prospect of a Trust me, it is a bit painful to type. Landeskog would be the perfect fit. 28-year-old Landeskog coming onto the market when nobody thought it (I’m mindful of the fact that he’s delved into the dirt with the Ducks in the could happen. past, most notably his suspension-worthy high hit on Simon Despres.) His hard game would earn respect. He could allow Comtois to progress Now imagine that you’re a club with salary-cap space in a flat-cap world without the pressure of top-line duty. He wouldn’t displace Rakell – in which few teams have it. This is where the Ducks fit into this thought assuming he isn’t traded this offseason – because he’s already playing exercise. more on right wing. And Landeskog could do the grunt work that would allow Zegras more room to create, while Troy Terry played off both. If the What can a team that needs to improve in the worst way do with over Comtois-Zegras-Terry trio is kept together, there are worse things than $22 million available this summer? The Ducks are an offensively having Landeskog and Rakell as wingers for Ryan Getzlaf (or Adam challenged team that needs a long-term upgrade to its forward corps – a Henrique). group increasingly being powered by players in their early 20s – and no longer has one operating in the $6 million or above salary bracket. Yes, But there are things that get in the way of a marriage. there are young restricted free agents like Max Comtois, Isac Lundestrom and Max Jones (and Sam Steel, unless he’s exposed to The first glaring thing is the Ducks being a last-place team. There might Seattle and the Kraken grab him) to re-sign, but none have arbitration be a better path to winning again in what is already expected to be a rights, and the Ducks have the hammer to limit the cost in those deals if weak Pacific Division, but this would be a huge comedown for they wish to use it. Of course, they will throwing cash at Trevor Zegras Landeskog. It is no surprise that the teams Landeskog may be interested and Jamie Drysdale to lock them up for a long time, or pacify both with in, as St. Louis-based Bally Sports Midwest reporter Andy Strickland healthy bridge deals when they come up in 2023. recently pointed out, all made the playoffs this year. Even if it would take a ton of money for him to leave the Avs for a rebuilding team, it doesn’t But other than a big shake-it-up trade, the quickest way to show you mean Landeskog will. mean business in adding to the roster and keeping the fans’ faith in your product is to seriously go after a top free agent. Money is the only Speaking of money, here comes the second glaring thing. If it’s going to currency paid. No assets are given up. Headlines are made. take $9 million to $10 million per season to land him, as is being reported, if Colorado doesn’t bump up its offer, it doesn’t make sense for I know that’s a neighborhood the Ducks don’t like cruising through, much the Ducks to use up much of their remaining cap space for one piece, less settle in. The fan base knows this. There have been free-agent especially if that one piece isn’t a top-10 player and they need more in expenditures over the years, including some sizable outlays, but mostly order to rejoin the ranks of the contenders. Some salary can be cleared there have been mid-level amounts to veteran defensemen or bottom-six out with minimal return, but the Ducks already know how hard it is to forwards. The huge money in the Bob Murray era has gone to the Ducks’ move a high-paid forward with term left on his deal. own, those drafted who developed into franchise fixtures. Ryan Kesler is the exception. (Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg, currently their Landeskog, who just finished a seven-year deal that paid him $6.5 million highest-paid forwards, came from other organizations but are south of $6 last season, might take a hometown discount to stay with the only team million annually each.) he has ever known. But he isn’t going to take a big haircut on the open market. A $9 million to $10 million annual price tag might be thrown Development was the word tossed around by Murray when he recently around to hike up his value, but $7 million per season isn’t going to cut it. introduced his new AHL coach, Joël Bouchard. With a rebuilding It’s conceivable that he’ll also want a modified no-trade clause, if not a franchise leaning more on young players, making that the focus makes a full no-move. ton of sense. There’s no need to blow all the cap space just when they’ve finally got some and are lacking in multiple high-end pieces required to Maybe the Ducks could come at him with something in the range of six charge out of this… (affix your favorite re-word period here). years and $44 million, front-loaded at $9 million in the first two seasons to keep the AAV down. But that might not be enough. An overpay might be required, and even that won’t land him if he has his heart set on being in the best spot to win a Cup in the next two or three years. Which, in a lot of ways, is with Colorado.
The other reason not to dive into any potential Landeskog bonanza is the idea of throwing a lot of term at a power forward who could be well into his 30s at the end of his contract. Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler offer reminders that you only do that if you’re set on winning a Cup and have made peace with a big fall-off in usage and production on the back end of the contract.
The Ducks will not win the Cup next season. Or the year after. It might be some time before they even get back in the tournament. Without question, Landeskog would help a team hoping to start a transition into growth mode. He’d give the rebuild a good shove and help bring the Ducks back toward relevancy. But how much better would they be, especially as he started to age?
If they were to reel in a big fish like Landeskog, it would be a major coup and puncture the notion that Anaheim is not a desirable market to land notable free agents. But we know that won’t happen. And, in this sense, that’s a good thing. Judiciously using their cap room and upgrading through the trade market is the more sensible move at this time. Using much of it on one player – an excellent one but one who isn’t a superstar – can potentially impede what’s being built.
If only Landeskog were 25. But then he wouldn’t be headed to market and the Avs wouldn’t be thinking about life without him. There are more than a few reasons why the Ducks should go after him with full force if he becomes available. And there are better ones to show why they shouldn’t.
The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217419 Boston Bruins For the Seattle Kraken will have their pick of defensemen Connor Clifton, Jeremy Lauzon and Jakub Zboril. Jay Leach, their former coach in Providence, knows them all very well. Leach won’t be doing the Could Connor Clifton be heading West? choosing, but GM Ron Francis wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t pick Leach’s brain on the selection from the B’s. Seattle to have a Krake-n in the expansion draft And Cliffy Hockey, we presume, will be headed to the Pacific Northwest. Any expansion team benefits from adopting an upstart, Cinderella persona, as we saw with the Vegas Golden Knights. And the perpetual By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] chip on Clifton’s shoulder would seem to be tailor-made for the Kraken. Boston Herald Boston Herald LOADED: 07.17.2021 July 16, 2021 at 6:00 a.m.
The good news about the expansion draft is that it is almost here. Teams must submit their protected lists on Saturday, they will become public on Sunday and all the teeth-gnashing that has been going on in some sectors of the Bruin fandom about which players the club should protect can finally end.
More good news is that, despite some falling-sky prognostications from some ever-fretful folks, they will only lose one player.
The not so good news? Yeah, the B’s no doubt will be losing a player they’d prefer to keep, and it very well could be from an area — defense — that has already been depleted.
Let’s look at the options and whom we think the B’s should protect. Most of them are obvious.
Teams can go one of two routes. They can protect eight skaters regardless of position and one goalie or they can go the more popular 7- 3-1 route where they can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie. Expect them to take Option 2.
It seems pretty clear which defensemen they’ll protect — Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk and the freshly re-signed Brandon Carlo.
As for goalie, teams must make one netminder available and Callum Booth fits that bill. Tuukka Rask is an unrestricted free agent so he does not have to be protected, nor do they have to protect Jeremy Swayman, who is on an entry level deal and is exempt. That allows the Bruins to protect Daniel Vladar.
The most debate, meanwhile, revolves around which forwards the Bruins will protect. They’ve got five obvious ones right off the bat — Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith. Some fans have soured on Coyle, but at least some of his subpar performance last season can be tied to his knee injury that required surgery. And besides, the B’s are not in a position to be just giving away centers.
That leaves Jake DeBrusk, Nick Richie, Curtis Lazar, Ondrej Kase and Trent Frederic to fill two slots. Like Coyle, DeBrusk has found himself to be the object of many fans’ ire, and that’s understandable. He had a disastrous season in which he contracted COVID and found himself a healthy scratch at points, his production falling to just five goals and nine assists in 41 games. But he’s a 24-year-old player who has a 27-goal season under his belt and would have cracked 20 again in 2019-20 if the season wasn’t cut short by the pandemic. Leaving him unprotected would not make sense. At the very least he’d be a viable trade chip, at the best he could rebound and be a very good third line left wing should the B’s re-sign Taylor Hall, who does not have to be protected unless he’s extended before the expansion draft.
That leaves Ritchie, Lazar, Kase and Frederic, and the feeling here is Frederic is the one to protect, which would seem like the way the B’s will go after signing him to a two-year extension worth $1.05 million annually. Frederic’s rookie season did peter out and there is a real question as to what exactly his ceiling is, but these eyes saw enough in his edge, as well as his under-utilized shot, to think there’s more untapped potential.
That leaves Ritchie, Lazar and Kase. Ritchie is coming off a good 15- goal season in 56 games, though he’s yet to prove that he’s the power forward to help the B’s turn the corner and make it pat the second round. A restricted free agent, Ritchie’s price tag could be a little high as well. Losing Lazar might hurt the B’s even more, especially with his very reasonable $800,000 contract for one more year. But that would be mitigated by the presence of Frederic as well as Jack Studnicka.
With Kase’s concussion history, it’s highly unlikely he’d be picked. And the guess here is it won’t come to the B’s losing Ritchie or Lazar, either. 1217420 Boston Bruins San Jose: The San Jose Sharks signed Dylan Gambrell, but they really overpaid. Really overpaid–Sheng Peng explains why. (San Jose Hockey Now)
NHL Trade Rumors; Bruins Linked To Hyman, Landeskog NHL
IMHO, Patrik Laine will never reach his potential until he grows up and By Jimmy Murphy loses his ugly entitlement. (Columbus Post Dispatch)
Published 17 hours ago on July 16, 2021 After an amazing performance in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, could the Montreal Canadiens actually let Phillip Danault enter unrestricted free agency? (TSN)
The Boston Bruins have let it be known they will be active on the NHL A great breakdown of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft prospects from old friend trade market and in NHL free agency. Bruins GM Don Sweeney and Sam Cosentino. (Sportsnet) team President Cam Neely have been in lockstep when it comes to improving the top 4 defensive and bottom 6 forward groups. The question Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 07.17.2021 now is, do they swing for the fences and acquire star players and mega contracts or focus more on role players?
If reports of their free agent targets in the last 24 hours are any indication, the Bruins are willing to attack the NHL trade and free agent market and potentially spend a large portion of their $24.2 million in cap space (per PuckPedia). On Friday, Kevin McGran reported that the Bruins were one of a plethora of teams in on potential unrestricted free agent and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Zach Hyman. Hyman and his agent were recently given permission to negotiate a trade for his rights so the Bruins and other teams could snag him before free agency begins on July 28.
Then in the latest 31 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman said he thinks the Bruins will also pursue Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog should he become a UFA. (More on Landeskog and his deteriorating relationship with the Avalanche below).
Numerous NHL insiders and even sources to Boston Hockey Now have indicated that both Hyman and Landeskog could command upwards of $6-7 million per season on a minimum five-year contract. Hyman is 29 and Landeskog will be 29 this November. Is a long-term deal like that at that age with it for a team that has notoriously been burnt (David Backes ring a bell?), over-paying for middle-six forwards?
Boston Bruins
Cue the Keith Yandle to the Boston Bruins rumors except instead of an NHL trade rumor, it’s an NHL free agent rumor this time. (Boston Hockey Now)
Imagine a Tampa Bay Lightning blue line of Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev, and. …SETH JONES? It could happen. An NHL executive told yours truly he wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Lightning GM Julien BriseBois shocked the NHL Trade market and somehow acquired the skilled defenseman. (Off The Record)
National Hockey Now
Per a source with direct knowledge of the Penguins’ communication, the Pittsburgh Penguins are indeed serious players for Hyman. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
Who are the favorites in the Hyman derby? Probably not the Detroit Red Wings. Venerable hockey scribe and colleague Kevin Allen handicaps the front runners. (Detroit Hockey Now)
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is frustrated with contract talks and not feeling valued by the Av’s. (Colorado Hockey Now)
Knowing they would lose steady defenseman Ryan Graves, the Colorado Avalanche hit the NHL Trade market and dealt him to New Jersey for Mikhail Maltsev and a second-round selection. The trade and what it means for the Avs going forward. (Colorado Hockey Now)
Note: Back on February 28, OTR tipped you off that Graves was available but that a trade may not occur until now. Just another reason you should subscribe to Boston Hockey Now. OTR has been forecasting trades and signings all season, weeks before the big media fish do!
The Philadelphia Flyers are one of the teams on the NHL trade market “In” on Vladimir Tarasenko. (Philly Hockey Now)
Who will the Florida Panthers protect in the NHL Expansion Draft? Will they follow the Avs’ lead and hit the NHL trade market not to lose a player they like for nothing? (Florida Hockey Now) 1217421 Boston Bruins There’s lots of uncertainty around Nick Ritchie. The left winger may be unprotected in the expansion draft. If Seattle picks someone else and Ritchie remains under the Bruins’ control, the 25-year-old may not Bruins depth chart 1.0: How the lineup looks after Brandon Carlo’s receive a qualifying offer, predicted one NHL source. This would extension eliminate Ritchie’s option of arbitration, where his production (15-11-26) would serve him well. Ritchie would become unrestricted if not qualified, but the Bruins would be interested in re-signing him at a lower salary than one shaped by arbitration. By Fluto Shinzawa The Bruins may protect Jake DeBrusk in expansion. But they could put Jul 16, 2021 him on the market afterward. DeBrusk will earn $4.85 million in salary in 2021-22, after which he’ll be restricted. “I’d be shocked if they’re not trying to trade him,” said one NHL source. The Bruins took their first steps toward constructing their 2021-22 roster on Wednesday. They signed Brandon Carlo, a restricted free agent, to a Defense six-year, $24.6 million extension. On the same day, Kevan Miller LD RD announced his retirement, reducing the Bruins’ right-side options. Matt Grzelcyk Many more steps remain. Charlie McAvoy The NHL is approaching its first offseason marker with the expansion draft. Protected lists are to be filed by Saturday. After that, the Bruins will Brandon Carlo be more eager to sign some of their pending unrestricted free agents. Jeremy Lauzon For now, here’s how the lineup looks: Connor Clifton Forwards Jakub Zboril LEFT WING CENTER RIGHT WING Unrestricted free agents: Mike Reilly, Jarred Tinordi Brad Marchand Restricted free agents: None Patrice Bergeron Competing for ice time: John Moore, Urho Vaakanainen, Jack Ahcan, David Pastrnak Brady Lyle
Craig Smith Reinforcing the left side with a 200-foot stopper is a priority. The Bruins’ options increased following Ryan Suter’s buyout from Minnesota. Suter, Jake DeBrusk 36, projects to be a top-four all-situations fixture in 2021-22. As such, it Charlie Coyle will likely require a multiyear offer to catch Suter’s attention. Other UFA options include Alec Martinez and Jamie Oleksiak. Jack Studnicka The Bruins are well acquainted with Mike Reilly. The ex-Senator was a Trent Frederic good puck-moving fit on Carlo’s left flank. This allowed Matt Grzelcyk to play with Charlie McAvoy. But Reilly’s game favors finesse over Curtis Lazar physicality. Also, Reilly’s market would expand if he proceeds to free Chris Wagner agency. “He’s going to want to get paid,” said one NHL source.
Karson Kuhlman Connor Clifton is under contract through 2023 at $1 million annually. This would make him an attractive option for Seattle, assuming he is left Unrestricted free agents: David Krejci, Taylor Hall, Sean Kuraly, Greg unprotected. It would leave the Bruins hunting for right-side depth behind McKegg McAvoy and Carlo, either via trade or free agency. Brady Lyle, 22, has never played an NHL game. Restricted free agents: Nick Ritchie, Ondrej Kase, Zach Senyshyn Goalies Competing for ice time: Anton Blidh, Oskar Steen, Cameron Hughes G Those are two big blank rectangles on the No. 2 line. The Bruins are still waiting on David Krejci’s decision on whether to re-sign or relocate his Jeremy Swayman family to the Czech Republic. The belief is that Krejci will stay with the only organization he’s known. The Bruins remain patient, but they need a Dan Vladar go or no-go soon to initiate the rest of their plan. Unrestricted free agents: Tuukka Rask, Jaroslav Halak A Krejci return would increase the odds of a Taylor Hall extension. The Restricted free agents: Callum Booth two played well together alongside Craig Smith. But as much as Hall has stated his preference to stay in Boston, an extension is no guarantee. As There is no rush to re-sign Tuukka Rask. If the Bruins want to do so, they of earlier this month, the sides were not close on common ground, could wait until after the 2021-22 season has begun and they have a according to a source familiar with the situation. clearer picture of Rask’s recovery from hip surgery. Rask would require waivers to be placed on the roster. But he has signaled it is Boston or A Krejci goodbye would set off a chain reaction, and not necessarily a nothing, which would discourage a waivers claim. good one. The Bruins would have to determine whether Charlie Coyle, muted as No. 3 center in 2020-21, could handle second-line Jaroslav Halak’s future is unknown. Allan Walsh, Halak’s agent, did not responsibilities. Coyle should be ready for training camp following left respond to an inquiry on the 36-year-old’s future preferences. knee surgery. Jack Studnicka would be another possibility. The 22-year- old is better served playing center, his natural position, than right wing. The Bruins will most likely chase an experienced goalie to pair with But the Bruins would have to be confident that Studnicka’s lukewarm Jeremy Swayman. Chris Driedger, 27, could be the UFA goalie in highest three points in 20 games output last year is a speck in his rearview demand. Driedger had a .927 save percentage for Florida in 2020-21 in mirror. 23 starts. As of earlier this week, the Bruins had not inquired with the Panthers about acquiring Driedger’s rights, according to a source familiar The wild card would be chasing Jack Eichel. The Bruins would have the with the situation. Other UFA options include Jonathan Bernier and Linus cap space to accommodate the North Chelmsford native’s $10 million Ullmark. annual average value. But Eichel’s cap hit and neck injury are significant obstacles for any team to overcome. The Bruins would first have to be By qualifying Callum Booth, the Bruins can protect Dan Vladar in certain about Eichel’s health. Then they would have to meet Buffalo’s expansion. The trick with Vladar could come this fall. The 25-year-old ask, which will be extensive. requires waivers to report to Providence. The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217422 Buffalo Sabres coaches to get a better idea how the player has developed since the OHL last played a game in March 2020.
“There's going to be so many misses this year,” predicted Josh Wrobel, a Sabres drafting first overall in year in which 'scouting world got turned Toronto-based skills coach whose clients include Sabres prospect Jack upside down' Quinn and former Buffalo defenseman Brandon Montour. “I've talked to a few NHL teams that have reached out to me saying, ‘Who are you seeing developing along the same process as someone like Jack Quinn?’ Lance Lysowski They're asking for my insight based on how these prospects have been practicing. They haven't been playing games. So, it's just crazy that I Jul 16, 2021 Updated 17 hrs ago never in a million years would think that I'm getting calls from scouts asking how guys are training. … I don't know if the process is working for them because I haven't been able to see them translate into games. I The ongoing draft debate inside the hockey operations offices at have a good idea, but I don’t know for sure without games. I think there's KeyBank Center revolves around the Buffalo Sabres’ selection at first going to be some late-round diamonds in the rough this year, for sure.” overall. The lack of an OHL season, and the Western Hockey League’s decision Owen Power, a 6-foot-6 defenseman from the University of Michigan, is to play a 24-game regular-season, impacted a prospect’s ability to make the consensus top prospect in this draft and the presumed No. 1 pick a meteoric leap the way Quinn did during his draft-eligible season. when Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams announces the selection July 23 on ESPN. Quinn, a 19-year-old winger, was projected by many scouts to go in the third or fourth round after he totaled only 12 goals during his first full Adams, along with Associate General Manager Jason Karmanos and the season with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s in 2018-19. A 40-goal improvement Sabres’ scouting staff, has scrutinized every area of Power’s game since allowed Quinn to skyrocket up draft boards, leading to his selection Buffalo was awarded the first pick through the draft lottery last month. eighth overall by the Sabres in October 2020.
The Sabres have the benefit of being able to rewatch Power’s shifts from A 16-month gap forces teams to do additional homework or make an each of his 26 games as a freshman with the Wolverines and the 10 he educated guess on how a specific prospect would have developed if this appeared in for Canada at the IIHF World Championship from May 13- was a normal year. 22. “Jack is the perfect example,” said Craig Button, TSN’s director of However, information is more scarce on many of the draft-eligible scouting and a former NHL general manager. “There are going to be prospects this year, particularly for those who will be considered by the players with the potential of Jack Quinn that are going to be selected in Sabres with their nine other selections in the seven-round, two-day this draft. They're just not going to be selected eighth overall because event. there's no way that teams would have had the opportunity or the players have the opportunity to show that improvement, that significant jump up. While Power was among the top young draft prospects to compete … (After watching Quinn before the shutdown in March 2020), I had against their own age group amid the Covid-19 pandemic, many were every confidence that he was a good, top young player. But without him limited to on- and off-ice training because the Ontario Hockey League showing you that and without you being able to watch, it's hard to make never launched a season. Others uprooted their lives to play against those leaps.” much older professionals in Europe. Video as a tool “The scouting world got turned upside down,” Dan Marr, director of NHL Central Scouting, told The Buffalo News. Fans cringed in June 2020 when Sabres owner Terry Pegula mentioned during the news conference following Botterill’s firing that the club’s The on-ice development of many prospects was impacted by restrictions scouting staff needed to use more video to supplement its evaluations of to combat the spread of the virus, as positive Covid-19 tests wreaked draft-eligible prospects. havoc on the schedules of every active league and players couldn’t train as they normally would. This has caused the NHL’s 32 teams to rethink After all, the Sabres’ foray into video scouting under former General how they evaluate talent in this unusual year, which likely will impact their Manager Darcy Regier led to some underwhelming selections. But every draft rankings. NHL team was forced to rely on more video during the Covid-19 pandemic, as scouts were unable to cross borders to attend games and “It’s challenging, but I equate it to bad ice for a hockey game,” Karmanos clubs halted travel out of an abundance of caution. told reporters in May. “Everyone is playing under the same conditions. It is very different than usual. I feel badly for the kids that haven’t been able This forced teams to rely on sometimes grainy, difficult-to-view footage to play this year. … It’s been a difficult situation for everybody to deal from arenas around the globe, as one Western Conference scout told with and, certainly from a scouting point of view, it presents challenges.” The Buffalo News.
Diamonds in the rough “I don’t care what anyone says, you can’t rely on video to prepare for the draft,” the scout said. “It’s too unpredictable from rink to rink. The camera The Sabres weren’t operating under the same conditions. Though Adams angles make it difficult to view the areas of the ice you need to see. And and his staff were forced to work around the lack of recent information on even the highest quality video doesn’t account for what you’re missing some prospects, the organization had fewer scouts than usual after the away from the puck. Some video feeds are completely unwatchable.” dismissal of former General Manager Jason Botterill and 21 other hockey operations employees in June 2020. Marr, who led central scouting's efforts to build its thorough prospect rankings, called video scouting “not consistent” because the quality of At the start of the 2020-21 season, Adams had 11 people on a scouting footage varies based on the league and rink. Marr explained that video staff that handled amateur and professional evaluations, compared to 22 was particularly useful when evaluating goaltenders because you get to working for Botterill, not including his two assistant general managers. see the play develop before there’s a shot on net, but it can be Under Adams this season, the Sabres did not have full-time scouts challenging for defensemen and forwards. The camera typically follows based in Ontario, the Western Hockey League, Finland or Russia. They the puck, which can eliminate important details. For example, scouts have since added two scouts – one in the United States and a part-timer don’t get to see if a defenseman is communicating with his partner before in Western Canada – and reconfigured the scouting staff, with Jerry either is near the puck or if a forward is backchecking. Forton ascending to director of amateur scouting. Karmanos, who owns Video was particularly essential for the Sabres when scouting European three Stanley Cup rings from his front office work with Carolina and players, as they only had two scouts – Frank Musil in Czech Republic Pittsburgh, joined the Sabres in April. The club recently hired Sam and Anders Forsberg in Sweden – based on the continent. Ventura to run its analytics department. “That does impact your evaluation, but again, it was the best tool that we While a scout wasn’t needed for live viewings of games in Ontario, it’s had available,” Marr said when asked about video scouting. “So, it was important to have someone in place who has connections with coaches maximized. Typically, I would tell you that you will go to the game live in the area and knowledge of a prospect from prior years. With the OHL and then you would go back and watch a certain player’s shifts, just to season canceled, teams evaluated some draft-eligible prospects based confirm that you saw what you were looking for or you didn't see what on games from the 2019-20 season. They also spoke to individual skill you were hoping to see. … This year was almost the opposite, where in Equipped with 10 draft choices, Adams needs to strengthen the prospect most cases, you need to watch the player on video before you ever got to pipeline for the Sabres, whose 10-year playoff drought is tied for the see him play live. Some of our guys never made it to the game. I would longest in NHL history. The first step is accurately projecting how say only maybe a third of our staff saw players live. It was difficult for us teenagers, many of whom haven’t competed against their peers in 16 and it was difficult for the club scouts.” months, will develop over the next five to 10 years.
Adjusting Even McTavish, Othmann and Clarke went 13 months between their last OHL game and the Under-18 world championships. When Ontario government officials refused to soften restrictions to allow junior hockey to be played, some of the OHL’s top draft-eligible prospects “That's 13 months of critical, critical development time, that the players had to pursue less-than-ideal options to continue their development. haven't been able to show you what they are capable of and have not been able to demonstrate their capabilities and potential,” Button said. Mason McTavish, a center ranked by central scouting as the draft’s No. 2 “And teams haven't been able to see it. So, now you go back in time, but North American skater, and Brennan Othmann, a talented winger there's still a gap there. That gap can't be closed.” projected to go in the top 10, joined EHC Olten in Switzerland’s top professional league. Defenseman Brandt Clarke, a training partner of Buffalo News LOADED: 07.17.2021 Quinn’s who is expected to be drafted high next week, joined HC Nove Zamky in Slovakia.
This wasn’t an option for less heralded prospects because of European clubs' limited amount of imports. Top-tier prospects also benefited from playing in the IIHF Under-18 World Championship, an event heavily attended by NHL scouting staffs, including the Sabres, because it was held in Frisco, Texas.
Power and his Michigan teammate, Matthew Beniers, competed at the IIHF World Championship in Latvia against NHL players, providing teams with a better idea of how close each prospect is to making an impact against professionals.
“Yeah, it hurt a lot,” said Othmann. “I was very fortunate to play in Switzerland and the Under-18s and be successful in both of those. But honestly, I feel bad for my peers around me. I had lots of buddies I played with and played against, and they can't showcase themselves. That's just disappointing for them and for me to hear that.”
With mid- to late-round prospects needing to solidify their draft stock, a showcase event not sanctioned by the NHL was held at the end of May in Erie, Pa. Though scouts surveyed by The News were impressed by the sponsor-driven effort to organize the event, industry sources said the quality of hockey was average because it was the first peer-against-peer competition in months for many of the players.
It remains to be seen how teams will view OHL prospects who aren’t as highly regarded as McTavish, Othmann or Clarke. It’s possible scouting staffs will rank NCAA or United States Hockey League prospects higher because, aside from Covid-19 pauses or shutdowns, those prospects had uninterrupted seasons that provided either live viewings or better video. There’s also questions about prospects from the Western Hockey League because someone like Dylan Guenther, the No. 5 North American skater, played only 12 regular-season games for the Edmonton Oil Kings.
“I was sitting at home for a long period of time where other countries and other players were able to play and kind of continue to get better through a normal season,” said Guenther, who stayed sharp by playing games in the Alberta Junior Hockey League last fall. “I was unable to do that and I had to find ways to continue to get better and work on my game that even sometimes weren’t on the ice. The rinks closed probably in November, December, right before the WHL season started. Those were definitely tough times, and I had to continue to just kind of push and find ways to do stuff off the ice that would translate to on-ice play."
Guenther, though, benefited from representing Canada at the Under-18 championships, an event that Button said will hold more weight than it would in a typical year.
“You don't have a choice but to weigh it more greatly,” Button said. “If you don't, then what are you basing it on? It was a significant tournament. It was a competitive tournament. Lots of good players were there.”
Every NHL team is working to strengthen the confidence they have in their respective prospect rankings. The process is impacted by a second consecutive year without the NHL Scouting Combine, which was held annually in Buffalo from 2015-19. The event – which includes medical and fitness testing, and in-person interviews – will return to Western New York when the league can safely hold the event in the future, said Marr.
Without the combine, NHL Central Scouting, with the assistance of former team trainers and doctors, assisted clubs in gathering a complete medical history on prospects. In-person interviews were replaced by chats over videoconference call. 1217423 Buffalo Sabres There may be deals out there with Minnesota, the Rangers and others, but our goal is to get something done with L.A.
Where to trade Sam Reinhart What to do with Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and the drafts: If I were Sabres GM Eichel’s running mate is 11 1/2 months from unrestricted free agency. There’s little to no reason to believe he’d agree to a long-term deal in Buffalo. Moving on now, when his trade value is higher than during the By John Vogl season, makes sense.
Jul 16, 2021 The most likely suitors are in win-now mode. The acquiring team is guaranteed to have Reinhart for only one year, so that rules out middling and rebuilding clubs.
The Sabres’ next decade lies squarely in Kevyn Adams’ hands. The offers: Reinhart to Colorado for goaltender Justus Annunen, the No. 28 pick and a 2023 conditional first-round pick, or Reinhart to Calgary for No pressure. forward Sean Monahan and goalie Dustin Wolf. On one hand, Adams is in an unenviable position. Buffalo’s general When The Athletic’s Corey Pronman picked the Sabres’ biggest long- manager has to undo 10 years of dysfunction. He needs to trade the face term need, he chose goaltender. He noted that Ukko-Pekko Luukkonen of the franchise and find the next one. He owns the No. 1 pick in a draft and Erik Portillo have a reasonable chance to play, but neither are true without an unquestioned game changer. He has to find a home for his top-tier prospects. Buffalo has learned that subpar goaltending is a killer, leading scorer. He will determine how much and how long to pay his top so adding more prospect talent should make the 2020s better than the defenseman. He needs two goalies because he has none. 2010s. And those are just the major items. The Avalanche would loathe to cough up Annunen. He’s their goalie of But on the other hand, Adams has a glorious opportunity. He can the future. But Colorado is a Stanley Cup contender eager to escape the reshape the franchise in his vision. He can be the guy who creates a new second round. Andre Burakovsky and Nazem Kadri are entering the final generation of fans and brings back the old ones. He can turn a year of their contracts. Nathan MacKinnon has two years left. Adding laughingstock into a serious contender. Reinhart to that forward trio along with Mikko Rantanen, Joonas Donskoi and, if re-signed, Gabriel Landeskog could give the Avs a top-six to bring And he can do nearly all of it this month. home the title.
Adams’ to-do list is not only long, it will shape the Sabres for the The 21-year-old Annunen would give Buffalo a highly intriguing crease foreseeable future. If he succeeds, he’ll become a local hockey hero. combo. He’s one year younger than Luukkonen and has steadily followed One wrong move could doom the franchise to repeat the past. No one his Finnish countryman as the national team goalie. Annunen was even wants to repeat the past 10 years. better than Luukkonen in the Finnish league. They should push each other. Unlike last summer, when Adams walked the hallways with little help, the GM has lieutenants. Jason Karmanos and his two decades of front office Annunen, a 2018 third-round pick, has played just two games in North experience have arrived as associate general manager. Sam Ventura, America, so he remains a question mark. But The Athletic’s Scott one of the more respected analytics experts in the game, is vice Wheeler tabbed Annunen as the No. 7 goalie prospect around — one president of hockey strategy and research. spot higher than Luukkonen.
There are also armchair GMs everywhere. It’s time to add another. We’ll Admittedly, the Avs’ first-round pick is a crapshoot. The No. 28 selection lay out how we’d tackle the top items on Adams’ agenda, starting with the has yielded Corey Perry, Nick Foligno and Justin Williams while also big one. landing Morgan Klimchuk, Nick Petrecki and Kristian Kudroc. The conditional 2023 pick could bring added value and would be contingent What to do with Jack Eichel on Reinhart re-signing with the Avs next summer. If not, the pick would The Sabres and their captain are breaking up. It’s difficult in any drop to the second round. scenario. It’s especially tough for those who believed Eichel would be the PIC.TWITTER.COM/BOS5DRSLPA savior following his much-heralded arrival in 2015. — JOHN VOGL (@BUFFALOVOGL) MAY 10, 2021 But a trade is coming. Adams has been listening to offers for a full year since the Rangers (and others) inquired last summer. The GM knows A Reinhart deal with Calgary would bring a proven player. Monahan’s what he can and can’t get for the 24-year-old center. He knows which offensive numbers have dipped the past two seasons, but the 26-year- prospects are off-limits and which teams are serious contenders. old is a three-time 30-goal scorer. He’s signed for two more seasons at $6.375 million. In our world, Los Angeles is the ideal trade partner. The offer: Eichel to the Kings for Quinton Byfield and the No. 8 draft pick. Wolf was No. 5 on Wheeler’s goalie list. The Flames are high on Wolf, who went 18-3 with .940 save percentage in the Western Hockey League I can already hear fans on both coasts dueling with, “That’s not enough,” this year, but they have goalie Jacob Markstrom signed for $6 million per and “That’s too much.” Those comments are coming whenever Adams season through 2025-26. The 20-year-old Wolf would join Luukkonen makes his deal, too. This will not be a universally accepted blockbuster and Portillo in the race for Buffalo’s crease in 2022-23 and beyond. because Eichel is a polarizing figure. He’s a point-per-game player who is among the world’s top two-way centers. He’s also injured and has Calgary is eager to shake up an underachieving core. Johnny Gaudreau never won in the NHL. is a UFA next summer. Matthew Tkachuk will be a restricted free agent. The Pacific Division won’t be strong with San Jose, Anaheim and Seattle But the Kings get one of the top one-two center punches with Eichel in building or rebuilding mode, so putting Reinhart with Gaudreau, joining Anze Kopitar. The Kings become immediate contenders in the Tkachuk, Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund would get the Flames to Pacific Division. They acquire a marketable star who’s under contract for the playoffs. five years. Reinhart would likely relish the opportunity. He wears No. 23 in honor of The Sabres get two chances to find Eichel’s replacement. Byfield, the his father, Paul. A deal would allow him to wear the uniform of his dad, No. 2 pick in 2020, looks like a can’t-miss prospect. But there’s no who played defense for the Flames for nine seasons. guarantee he’ll match or come close to Eichel, so we’ll hedge our bet by acquiring the eighth selection. Trading Rasmus Ristolainen
If the Kings insist Byfield is untouchable, it should be a three-for-one Like Reinhart, Ristolainen seems destined for a win-now team with only deal. Eichel for the No. 8 pick, center Alex Turcotte and winger Arthur one year on his contract. After five years of rumors, it’s past time for them Kaliyev. Turcotte, the No. 5 selection in 2019, is a playmaker. Kaliyev is a to end. finisher who landed in the top 15 in goals and points during his first AHL season this year. The offer: Ristolainen to Carolina for defenseman Joey Keane and a third-round pick. The NHL has learned that Ristolainen is not a No. 1 defenseman. With Linus Ullmark, Petr Mrazek and Antti Raanta head our list. The first one the Hurricanes, he wouldn’t have to be. Carolina boasts right-handed to accept two years at $5 million per season, which would put him in a tie shutdown D-man Brett Pesce and left-handers Jaccob Slavin and Brady for 12th on the goalie salary chart, gets the job. Skjei. The Canes also need someone to replace the offense of departing Dougie Hamilton. The Sabres also need a backup. Laurent Brossoit has performed that role admirably in Winnipeg, but he figures to be in high demand. The past It’s a fit for Ristolainen, who could face lesser matchups on the second four years for Aaron Dell have been up, down, up, down. A league pair and put up power-play points. minimum contract would hope he follows with an up, but he can swap jobs with Tokarski if it’s another down year. Keane is a 22-year-old righty who was on the AHL’s All-Rookie team in 2019-20 after totaling nine goals and 37 points in 58 games. He recorded The result 13 assists in 24 AHL games this year while appearing in one game with the Hurricanes. After a busy, busy run, our Sabres depth chart for the 2021-22 season would look like this. The third-round pick is No. 91, which would give the Sabres Nos. 88, 91, 95 and 97. They could package those to move up if they wanted. LEFT WING CENTER RIGHT WING
Expansion draft Jeff Skinner
Adams and Jeff Skinner have already teamed up to make the expansion Casey Mittelstadt draft a success for Buffalo. When Skinner agreed to waive his no-move Victor Olofsson clause to avoid the protection list, it essentially allowed the Sabres to keep an eighth forward. Instead of exposing Anders Bjork, Tage Anders Bjork Thompson or Rasmus Asplund, Buffalo can keep all three. Dylan Cozens We’ve already projected our protection list with the hope that Seattle Tage Thompson claims defenseman Colin Miller. Rasmus Asplund NHL Draft Quinton Byfield Throughout the scouting world, the Owen Power train has gained speed. He’s the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 pick, which is owned by the Arttu Ruotsalainen Sabres. Zemgus Girgensons While acknowledging William Eklund’s talent and Matthew Beniers’ drive, Power would be our selection at No. 1. The towering, fleet-footed Cody Eakin defenseman would join 2018 top pick Rasmus Dahlin as a blueline Kyle Okposo cornerstone. Since both play the left side, they could conceivably eat up 45 to 50 minutes of a 60-minute game. Opposing forwards (and LEFT DEFENSE RIGHT DEFENSE defensemen) would rarely get a break with the blueliners alternating over the boards. Rasmus Dahlin
The 18-year-old Power is not a finished product, which has created Henri Jokiharju hesitation among some fans. But a full season at the University of Jacob Bryson Michigan as the go-to guy should smooth out some rough spots, bringing him closer to a complete player by the time he arrives in Buffalo in 2022. Will Borgen
We’re certainly willing to listen to offers for the No. 1 pick. If Seattle wants Mattias Samuelsson to move up from No. 2 or Anaheim hopes to jump two spots, I’d entertain their proposals knowing Eklund or Beniers would be available. I wouldn’t Joey Keane fall further than No. 3, though, because that trio is at the top of the list. GOALIES
Re-signing Rasmus Dahlin Linus Ullmark/Petr Mrazek/Antti Raanta
It’s hard to believe, but Dahlin’s three-year entry-level deal is over and Aaron Dell he’s four seasons away from unrestricted free agency. He just turned 21. It’s a young, young team. The only players older than 24 are Skinner, We’ve already taken a deep look at Dahlin’s contract comparables. The Olofsson, Girgensons, Eakin, Okposo and the goalies. But the Sabres’ Sabres can sign the defenseman for up to eight seasons, but Eichel’s objective is to build a core that can grow together, and this accomplishes saga has us wary of max deals. The Reinhart situation shows that teams that. Plus, we’d have Power, another goalie prospect and at least two shouldn’t do more than one bridge deal or they risk alienating and losing more first-round picks on the way. the player. Now it’s Adams’ turn. His moves count. They’ll determine the next But one — one — bridge deal for Dahlin will be our option. Boston’s decade of hockey in Buffalo. Charlie McAvoy and Tampa Bay’s Mikhail Sergachev are in three-year contracts that pay $4.9 million and $4.8 million, respectively. We’d prefer No pressure. a two-year deal for Dahlin because a three-year contract brings him one summer away from being a UFA. Less security for the player equates to The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 more cash from the team, so we’ll offer a two-year deal at $6 million per season.
Signing a goalie
The Sabres need a bridge to Luukkonen, Portillo and our acquired goalie. The only netminder under contract is Dustin Tokarski, who would ideally mentor Luukkonen in Rochester while Annunen or Wolf starts for Cincinnati of the ECHL.
We’ve looked at 15 UFA goalies and eight expansion draft casualties, a number that has dropped to seven with Ben Bishop waiving his no-move clause to allow Dallas to protect Anton Khudobin. The clock is ticking on Washington’s Vitek Vanecek and Montreal’s Jake Allen, who will be exposed Saturday, so we’ll turn our attention to the UFAs. 1217424 Calgary Flames That sort of loyalty matters to the brass and should matter to the masses, but this can’t be a sentimental decision.
In the 31-year-old Tanev, who remains under contract for three more Could Giordano’s career as Flame end in expansion draft? seasons, the Flames will still have a rock-solid veteran on their back-end.
Hanifin, 24, was being mentioned as trade bait a year ago but looked Wes Gilbertson every bit a core building block during a breakout campaign.
Publishing date:Jul 16, 2021 • 9 hours ago With his poise and competitive streak, the 24-year-old Andersson will soon enough be a staple on the top pair.
(In case you’re wondering about youngster Juuso Valimaki, he’s exempt With so much speculation, so much sudden uncertainty, about Mark from the expansion draft due to his lack of experience.) Giordano’s future with the Calgary Flames, this conversation sticks out. The rest of the Flames’ protected list should look like this — forwards Before the start of the condensed campaign, before this conundrum was Mikael Backlund, Dillon Dube, Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm, clear, I asked Giordano about the significance of potentially skating his Andrew Mangiapane, Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk, plus puck- entire NHL career in one uniform. stopper Jacob Markstrom. The other option is to declare only eight skaters off-limits, which could include four defencemen, but then you’re “I think of Steve Yzerman in Detroit, Shane Doan in Arizona … ” he said gifting an established centre or a young winger to a Pacific Division rival. during that interview last fall. “That’s the cool thing is you can’t think of too many, right? Usually, it doesn’t happen. I have been blessed, The Flames would love to keep Giordano, too, but at what cost? obviously, to be here my entire career and to meet so many great people. Word is, Kraken general manager Ron Francis is currently setting an “That’s one thing I take a lot of pride in. I know there’s been a lot of ups exorbitant price for any sort of side-deal. If he’s asking for the Flames’ and downs in Calgary, but I really want to be here until the end of my first-round selection, or even their second, those should be short career and help this team.” conversations. Uh, no.
Among the gents that you’d consider Flames icons, nobody has gone Thing is, there are not a lot of appealing options among Calgary’s other wire-to-wire from rookie to retirement in Calgary’s colours. Not yet could-be castaways. anyway. Milan Lucic can be an effective bottom-six winger, brings championship Jarome Iginla set a schwack of club records during his run as the net- know-how and is still the toughest dude in the NHL, but there’s a lot of filling face-of-the-franchise, but he was eventually traded away and made loot left on his deal. several other stops as he tried to add a Stanley Cup triumph to a resume that has since landed him in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Perhaps Seattle’s scouting staff sees some untapped upside in Oliver Kylington or Glenn Gawdin, who combined for just 15 big-league Theo Fleury, who delighted the crowd at the Saddledome with his unique appearances this past season. blend of talent and tenacity and his refusal to shy away from any much taller opponent, would later wear three other sweaters. It’s a definite possibility, though, that Francis has Giordano pencilled in as his first captain. At worst, the Kraken could flip the wily workhorse at Al MacInnis, Joe Nieuwendyk and Mike Vernon, all Conn Smythe Trophy the trade deadline. candidates when the Flames raised their only championship banner in 1989, were all gone by the mid-90s. Giordano is on track to join the NHL’s silver-stick club — that is the standard keepsake for 1,000 regular-season loggings — this coming And Lanny McDonald had, of course, starred in two other markets before winter. returning to his roots in Alberta. (One of Lanny’s co-captains in 1989, Jim Peplinksi, is arguably the most notable name to spend his entire career in He has, to date, played all 949 in the Flaming C. He’s also been a the Flaming C crest.) charitable force — his wife, Lauren, deserves a ton of credit there, too — and become a fixture in the community, as Calgarian as a Peace Bridge Which brings us back to Giordano. photo opp or a Peter’s milkshake on a hot summer day.
Saturday marks the deadline for NHL teams to submit their protected lists In that same conversation last fall, back before the expansion draft was for the upcoming expansion draft. top-of-mind, Giordano admitted: “To picture myself playing somewhere else would be pretty tough.” Calgary’s slate of untouchables seems pretty straightforward, except that their longtime captain — and inaugural winner of the Clayton H. Riddell Indeed, it would. Award, a new in-house nod to their best defenceman — is expected to be among those available when the Seattle Kraken stock their roster But later this week, that might be reality. Wednesday. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2021 Two things are true …
1) It’s only sensible for the Flames to expose Giordano, who turns 38 in October. The departure of No. 5 would leave a massive void, but they simply can’t risk losing any of these younger or cheaper options on the blue-line — Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin or Chris Tanev. Coming off a playoff miss, they also can’t afford to mortgage the future in a side- deal that would guarantee they could keep their captain around for the final year of his current contract, which carries a cap-hit of US$6.75 million.
2) It would be a shame if Giordano’s stay at the Saddledome, where he’s made his heartwarming rise from undrafted underdog to heart-and-soul sort and Norris Trophy winner, ends this way.
You can bet that Flames general manager Brad Treliving has been agonizing over this one. During his end-of-season presser, he characterized Giordano as one of the best leaders he’s ever been around.
“He’s been the conscience of this team for a long time,” Treliving said then. 1217425 Calgary Flames work among the Flames’ top six, which is something we know Sutter values, given that he attempted to play Brett Ritchie on the top-line with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan before shuffling the lines toward Source: There’s mutual interest between the Flames and Zach Hyman. the end of the season. What would be the cost and the fit? While it may be true that Hyman benefited from playing with Toronto’s star players, Dom’s model still gives Hyman plenty of credit for his ability to bury the high-danger chances he was given by the likes of Mitch By Hailey Salvian Marner or the chances he created for Auston Matthews by digging into the corners. Jul 16, 2021 In 2019-20, Hyman scored at a 34-goal, 59-point pace and followed that
up with a 29-goal, 63-point pace, while getting minimal power-play time The Calgary Flames appear to be interested in Toronto Maple Leafs over those two seasons. He also was one of Toronto’s best forecheckers forward Zach Hyman, who is set to be an unrestricted free agent on July last season, and developed some decent puck skills in zone and in 28, and the feeling is mutual. transition.
A source confirmed to The Athletic on Friday that “Calgary is of interest What about the case against signing him? to Zach Hyman,” and that his representatives at Uptown Hockey have Hyman has had multiple knee injuries, and a long-term deal would bring “talked with the club.” Reports of interest first came from the Toronto Hyman to his late 30s. That type of commitment in free agency seldom Star’s Kevin McGran. works out for the entire length of the deal. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Leafs have granted permission Flames fans don’t need to be reminded of the five-year, $28.75 million for Hyman’s agent, Todd Reynolds, to talk to teams now, rather than deal James Neal signed in 2018-19, when he was 30. Although it was a waiting for free agency to open. smaller deal in terms of the cost, things did not work out on either side, Hyman would be a natural fit in Calgary and would fill a sizeable hole on and Neal got traded to Edmonton for Milan Lucic and his similarly poor right wing (he has played on both sides). He’s a gritty, blue-collar type seven-year, $42 million contract. player who has transformed himself into a top-six talent, someone who Still, Dom’s model rates Hyman much more favourably. In fact, he’s Toronto’s skilled players wanted to play with. He could be the perfect ranked as one of the top UFAs available this offseason. Darryl Sutter player, on a top line with Johnny Gaudreau. Hyman’s fit with Matthews and Marner last season would bode well for But it remains unclear just how much it would cost to acquire him. the Flames, considering he could play on the Flames’ top line with either Hyman is expected to hit the open market with considerable interest Gaudreau or Matthew Tkachuk on his opposite wing, and Elias Lindholm around the league. And after scoring at a 29-goal, 63-point pace during up the middle. this past regular season, his value is quite high. In fact, signing Hyman would give the Flames plenty of options among As our James Mirtle wrote last month, teams and agents believe that their top six. Hyman could command close to $6 million per season on a long-term They could keep Gaudreau with Lindholm and add Hyman to the right deal, and that Josh Anderson’s massive seven-year, $38.5 million deal wing. In this case, the Flames could reunite the “3M” line with Tkachuk, signed in Montreal last fall is a common comparable. Andrew Mangiapane and Mikael Backlund, and shield Sean Monahan as Anderson is two years younger than Hyman, but he’s only produced 82 a third-line centre. goals and 139 points in 319 NHL games. Hyman, a late bloomer who Or, the Flames could use a top-line of Gaudreau, Hyman and Monahan spent four years in college at Michigan, has 86 goals and 185 points in in an attempt to recoup some of Monahan’s value as a 1C. With 345 career games. Gaudreau as the playmaker, Monahan (if healthy) as the trigger man, And based on his statistical profile, Hyman falls into the same category and Hyman as the workhorse, it could prove to be a good top line. That as veteran UFA wingers like Nick Foligno, Alexander Radulov, Anders would be followed by a second line of Tkachuk, Lindholm and Lee and Cam Atkinson, who all signed for approximately eight percent of Mangiapane, with Backlund adding value as a third-line centre with Dillon the cap at the time of their respective deals. Dube on his wing.
Under the current $81.5 million cap, that’s approximately $6.5 million per It’s easy to feel better about this top nine, than last year’s group. But, season. again, how would the money work?
This is where the Flames’ interest in Hyman could get tested. He is a Here’s how the roster and cap situation could look, with no other moves good player, but he’s also 29 years old. And the Flames, while not cap- made this offseason other than signing Hyman, conservatively, to a six- strapped to the same extent as Toronto, won’t want to commit to an year, $6 million deal. overly lucrative long-term deal that could sour in future years. This roster commits $73.15 million to 14 players, leaving $8.35 million in Nailing down his value is going to be the key here. cap space to re-sign notable RFAs in Dube and Juuso Valimaki, as well as adding a capable backup goalie, and up to six more skaters to fill out Our analytics expert Dom Luszczyszyn projects Hyman to be worth the 23-man roster. (All cap info is courtesy of Cap Friendly.) approximately $6 million per year on his next contract. That would peak at a value of $8.9 million next year and stay above $6.5 million for the Of course, there also are low-cost internal options such as Jakob next four years. Pelletier and Connor Mackey potentially pushing for spots. And, if the Flames lose Mark Giordano to Seattle in the expansion draft, they will There’s age-related regression, but Dom’s model forecasts that Hyman have an extra $6.75 million to reallocate to players like Hyman in free can offer contributions as a first-line winger for three more years, a top- agency. six winger for three campaigns after and would be a fourth-liner by Year 7. Looking ahead to next summer, the Flames will need to keep in mind that Tkachuk and Mangiapane are due for new deals … and raises. And if All that indicates that a four-year contract would be the sweet spot for they decide to re-sign Gaudreau between now and 2022, he could earn Hyman, although there are reports that he could be looking for a long- approximately $7.5 million on a new deal. term deal, perhaps as long as seven years. That term is the maximum permissible under the collective-bargaining agreement. The only way It could get tight, but it’s doable. Hyman could get eight years with the Flames is if he signed with the We know that the Flames want to change the makeup of their roster and Leafs first and then was traded to Calgary. remain (or get back to being) competitive. Adding someone who can do The exact term aside, Hyman could fit nicely in Calgary. The Flames all that Hyman does to their top six could achieve that. need more options to play on the right side — he is a natural right-shot Whether or not the Flames can make the money work and potentially get winger — and at least one more top-six forward this offseason. Hyman Hyman on a value deal remains to be seen. But, we’ll certainly find out would bring strong five-on-five scoring and a willingness to do the dirty soon with free agency opening in less than two weeks. The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217426 Calgary Flames It’s no secret that Calgary struggled to score consistently this season, averaging 2.77 goals per game. Sillinger, 18, wouldn’t fix that right away, but he would inject a level of goal-scoring acumen to the system that Flames draft board: Cole Sillinger, Chaz Lucius and other top prospects prospects Zary and Pelletier lack. To be clear, both are excellent Calgary might select at No. 12 prospects, but finishing is not their top attribute.
Sillinger, on the other hand, could check that box, among others.
By Hailey Salvian “The hardest thing to do in hockey is score goals,” Sioux Falls assistant coach Brett Skinner said. “And he has a really good natural ability to put Jul 16, 2021 the puck in the net in multiple ways. He’s the type of kid who’s going to find a way to get the puck in the wherever you put him.”
Sillinger can use his strong wrist shot or one-timer to beat goalies from We’re one week away from the start of the 2021 NHL Draft, and while our the perimeter but also can get to the front of the net using his size and prospects analysts have been pumping out content for weeks, it’s time strength on the puck. He’s also a smart player, with great hands and the for a Calgary-specific look into the first round. And the Flames are in an creativity to make plays. Sillinger doesn’t shy away from the physical side interesting position with the 12th pick. of the game and has shown he can win puck battles and make it difficult Most analysts would tell you that the top of this year’s class looks a little for defenders to push him off the puck. bit softer than in previous years, when prospects like Jack Hughes and With Sioux Falls, Sillinger was used in all situations, including on the Alexis Lafreniere distinguished themselves as the consensus No. 1 pick. penalty kill toward the end of the season. And while he was mostly relied The Athletic’s Corey Pronman said that the 2021 class has a “below- upon for offence this season, Skinner said that whenever they put average top of the draft with the rest looking rather standard.” Sillinger in a defensive situation, “He was really good.” There is an industry-consensus list of top-nine skaters this year — Owen “We just plugged him into as many situations as we could to get as much Power, Matthew Beniers, Dylan Guenther, Luke Hughes, Simon out of him as we could. He’s definitely a real well-rounded player,” he Edvinsson, Mason McTavish, William Eklund, Brandt Clarke and Kent said. “There’s no concerns about him being one-dimensional.” Johnson. Things open up after that, with seven to 10 players who realistically could work for the Flames at No. 12. That said, there was a The biggest area of concern with Sillinger is his skating, as he has a consensus last year and then Jack Quinn jumped to the eighth slot, while heavy stride. To that, Skinner points to the fact that Sillinger led the team Cole Perfetti and Marco Rossi slipped. You never really know what will in controlled zone entries this season and averaged approximately two happen on draft night. breakaways per game.
Still, while Calgary is outside of the top tier of this draft, there should be “I think the power is there. … It just doesn’t look very good to the eye,” he plenty of solid options available when general manager Brad Treliving is said. “But, if you give him the resources to improve it, he’s the type of kid on the clock next Friday. that’s going to find a way to get better.”
But, who is the best player? Or rather, who would be the best fit in Chaz Lucius, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL Calgary? Born: May 2, 2003 | 6-foot-1 | 185 pounds Pronman recently wrote that a goaltender is the Flames’ biggest need, while prospect analyst Scott Wheeler and I believe the Flames would do The basics well to add more top-end skill to their forward group, though the Flames Lucius is a right-shot centre who is committed to play for the University of have checked that box the last two years with Connor Zary and Jakob Minnesota next season. He is one of the best goal scorers in the 2021 Pelletier. There’s also the option of drafting a defenceman in the first draft, and according to Pronman is one of the “most purely skilled round for the first time since Juuso Valimaki in 2017. players” in this year’s prospect class.
What follows is a draft board featuring some of the Flames’ most likely Lucius missed most of the 2020-21 season due to injury and an illness, options at No. 12, from all three positions, with insight from coaches and but when healthy he showed why he’s one of the best goal scorers in this with the knowledge that things could drastically change depending on the draft. 11 selections made ahead of Calgary. Last season, Lucius scored a team-high 31 goals and 50 points in 46 The Athletic‘s Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler have contributed to this games with the U.S. Development Team Program, while also adding report. You can find their draft lists here and here, as well as their full seven goals and 10 points in six games to lead the Under-17 World guide to the 2021 NHL Draft here. Championships in both categories en route to a silver medal.
Cole Sillinger, C, Sioux Falls-USHL He missed the first 30 games of the 2020-21 season after undergoing Born: May 16, 2003 | 6 foot | 197 pounds surgery to repair a bone lesion in his knee and returned to the NTDP in February, scoring 13 goals in 13 games with the Under-18 team. He The basics missed the U-18 worlds after catching a fever just before the deadline to go to Texas. Sillinger is a dynamic centre who spent this season in the USHL because of the WHL’s delayed start due to COVID-19. According to Pronman, Lucius projects to be a strong top-six NHL forward who can play on a team’s top power-play unit. He was a well-rounded player on left wing with Medicine Hat last season and at centre with Sioux Falls this year. He has an elite shot, a high Chaz Lucius (Rena Laverty / U.S. NTDP) compete level and the ability to play a reliable 200-foot game. The organizational fit This season, Sillinger was one of the top forwards in the USHL. And despite missing the first 17 games, he quickly took over the Sioux Falls Similar to Sillinger, Lucius would check a lot of boxes for the Flames. His scoring lead after a 14-game point streak in February and March. strongest selling point, as mentioned above, is his goal scoring. Sillinger finished with 24 goals and 46 points in 31 games. His 1.48 “He’s got a tremendous shot,” U.S. NTDP coach Dan Muse said in a points per game ranked fourth overall in the league. He was named the recent interview with The Athletic. “I haven’t seen a lot of guys at this age 2020-21 USHL Rookie of the Year. that can shoot the puck like him. … That’s something that really According to Wheeler, Sillinger would become the Flames’ No. 1 separates him from other players.” prospect and likely eventually offer their group of top-six forwards Lucius has elite skill and excellent timing around the net, which is where something it sorely needs — goal scoring. he generates a lot of his offence. Muse said Lucius also has versatility to The organizational fit his shooting.
If the Flames decide to address a specific need with the 12th pick, there “He can score goals from distance, he can score goals off the rush, he is a fair argument to be made that they should home in on goal scoring. can score goals in-zone. From further out, he can beat a goalie on his shot,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of guys in this player pool that could beat a goalie clean from where he shoots it from. But he can also get to “For me is he is undeniable,” Sheahan said. “He just makes it so you the side and score from there, too.” have to play him. And I feel like he’s going to be undeniable in his career. He’s going to continue to push and continue to get better. For all the talk of Lucius’ goal scoring, Muse said he isn’t a one- dimensional player. He has the ability to create space for himself. He is “I think whatever organization picks him is going to get a person that is an underrated passer, can make plays under pressure and has elite one- going to work, is going to get better and is going to be an impactful player on-one skills. for their organization for a long time.”
Like with Sillinger, Lucius’ skating is a concern. And one source told Corson Ceulemans, RHD, Brooks-AJHL Pronman in his recent “Draft Confidential” that he sees Lucius as a winger in the NHL because of his average foot speed, which will need to Born: May 5, 2003 | 6-foot-2 | 198 pounds improve. He also does not have the same physicality or defensive value The basics as someone like Sillinger, which could make the latter a more attractive option for a Darryl Sutter-led Flames team. Ceulemans is a “complete” defenceman set to play at the University of Wisconsin after three years with the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Still, Sillinger is among the highest skilled players in this draft, and the Hockey League. Flames need skill at the top of their lineup. Of course, Lucius would need to be available at No. 12. Lucius is often ranked just outside the He is viewed by our analysts as a complete package. He’s a right- consensus top-nine skaters and may not make it past Ottawa at No. 10 handed defender who is mobile, hard to play against and has shown because the Senators need a scoring forward at the top of this draft. some offensive ability at the AJHL level.
If Lucius is available, Muse has very few concerns about his ability to Ceulemans did not play much in 2020-21 (eight games) due to the translate his game to the NHL level. AJHL’s shortened season, but he put on a strong display at the U-18 world championships, where he led defenceman in scoring with eight “This wasn’t a guy who put up big numbers in just the one year,” he said. points in six games. “For Chaz, it’s going to be about continuing to have that game translate and make the adjustments so it can translate from one level to the next. A source told Pronman there is a lot that Ceulemans does that projects … And he has a track record of being able to do it.” well to the NHL, saying, “If he gets past (No.) 15, he’s going to make a team look really smart.” Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago-USHL The organizational fit Born: Nov. 14, 2002 | 5-foot-10 | 183 pounds As mentioned, the Flames have not selected a defenceman in the first The basics round since 2017. And while goaltending and scoring may be higher on Coronato is a right-shot winger and was one of the most dominant my priority list, perhaps the Flames will want to attempt to internally offensive players in the USHL this season. At 5-10, he is an undersized address the right-side D. forward but is highly skilled with above-average skating, compete level At the NHL level, the Flames have Rasmus Andersson, Chris Tanev and and shot, according to Pronman’s rankings. Michael Stone as their trio of natural right-shot defenceman. The farm In his rookie year in the USHL, Coronato scored a solid 18 goals and 40 system is similarly thin on the right side, and Ceulemans would almost points in 45 games, which ranked sixth among the U-18 skaters in the certainly be the Flames’ top prospect at the position. league. With the Bandits, Ceulemans showed good one-on-one skill, a hard shot This season, however, Coronato more than doubled those figures and from the point and the ability to move the puck. He put that on display at put himself firmly in the conversation to be a top-20 pick. His 48 regular- the U-18 tournament, too. season goals led the league, while his 85 points ranked second behind “Some guys aren’t comfortable with the puck. He is,” Team Canada his teammate and 2020 draft pick Sean Farrell (Montreal, fourth round). coach Dan Barr said. “He wants the puck. He loves to skate the puck. He Coronato scored a combined total of 57 goals in 59 regular-season and really impressed me.” playoff games. The Chicago Steel won this year’s USHL championship, and Coronato was named the league’s forward of the year. On the defensive side, Ceulemans defends well against the rush with his skating and physicality and picks off a lot of passes. According to Pronman, Coronato projects as a versatile second-line winger in the NHL. “We played him more and more as the tournament went along,” Barr said, “because we could trust him defensively, and he could skate pucks The organizational fit out of trouble a lot, and he made it look rather easy. So, he looks like Like Sillinger and Lucius, Coronato would add top-end skill to the Flames’ he’s going to have a chance to be a very good NHL defenceman.” pool of forwards. And although he scored nearly one goal per game this Pronman has questioned whether Ceulemans’ offence would translate to season, according to Steel coach Brock Sheahan, Coronato’s separating the NHL level, but said, “I see enough good things in his puck-moving to trait is his consistently high compete level. think he can be a good NHL player.”
“I can’t think of a night where he didn’t show up on the scoresheet, which Truthfully, I don’t know that the Flames would opt for a defender, and is rare, but (also) did not have an impact on the game,” Sheahan said. none of them really fit into the range Calgary will be selecting. By No. 12, “He always has an impact in the game, and that’s both on the puck or off the big four defencemen will be gone, and according to Wheeler, there is the puck.” a decent gap between the best available forwards that will be around and As Wheeler wrote in his draft rankings, “There’s no questioning the second tier of this draft’s defencemen. But if the Flames do opt for a Coronato’s effort level or his ability to make something happen in the blueliner, Ceulemans has a good chance at being their guy. home-plate area.” He is a highly determined player, coupled with a ton of Goalies skill. Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton-WHL Coronato is a strong skater, can make plays with pace and does well to create controlled entries with his speed and skill. And he has a hard, Born: Nov. 21, 2002 | 6-foot-6 | 210 pounds quick release that made him a quality goal scorer with Chicago. Sheahan Cossa is one of the two goalies projected to go in the first round and has said Coronato worked hard to add a variety of ways he can score: From been dominant in the WHL the past two seasons as a 17- and 18-year- the rush, which he’s always had in his toolkit, to goals off the catch, to a old. strong one-timer, which Sheahan said, with a laugh, that Coronato wasn’t always great at. He’s an intriguing goalie in that he covers a lot of the net with his 6-6 frame but also moves very well. Cossa’s size, positioning and reads are One of the evaluators canvassed by Pronman said Coronato is a quite strong. “complete hockey player except for his height.” And while Sheahan acknowledged that his player is “not the biggest guy,” he said Coronato is Cossa quickly took over the starter’s crease in his rookie year in the WHL “extremely strong” and has a willingness to play inside of contact. and followed it up with a strong sophomore year with the best goals- against average (1.57) and save percentage (.941) in the WHL. According to Pronman, Cossa projects as a quality NHL starting goaltender with the potential to become an upper-echelon goalie. Interestingly, Craig Button, the former Flames GM and current TSN Director of Scouting, said Cossa’s NHL comparable is Jacob Markstrom.
Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea-SHL
Born: Nov. 14, 2002 | 6-foot-3 | 214 pounds
Wallstedt is a rare first-year draft-eligible goalie who spent the 2020-21 season excelling in the SHL.
Wallstedt isn’t quite as athletic as Cossa, but what makes him such a good goalie is his intelligence and his puck-tracking ability. As Wheeler wrote: “He fills the net, he plays sharp angles, he swallows his rebounds, his movement is compact, and he reads a shooter and his options so well that he rarely has to scramble.”
In the SHL this year, as an 18-year-old rookie, Wallstedt had a strong start but fell off in the back half of the season, allowing 13 goals on the 70 shots he faced across his final four appearances (a .814 save percentage). However, his body of work from the junior, pro and international levels is quite solid. According to Pronman, Wallstedt projects as a quality NHL starting goaltender.
The organizational fit
This week, Pronman chose goaltending as the Flames’ biggest need at the draft, which may raise some eyebrows considering the Flames have five more years of Markstrom along with 2019-20 CHL goalie of the year (and two-time WHL goalie of the year) Dustin Wolf in the system.
However, as he wrote, “Wolf is a good young goalie, but you won’t find many NHL scouts who say he’s a no-doubter due to his size at 6 feet, 157 pounds.” Further, Wheeler said, “If you were to survey a group of NHL scouts, Wolf would probably rank behind Wallstedt and Cossa.”
If one or both of the goalies is still available at No. 12, they realistically could be the “best player available” while also filling a need for the Flames. Because both players project to be NHL starters, they could develop, back up Markstrom and ultimately become the succession plan for when Markstrom’s contract expires in 2026.
Which goalie that could be, and whether that’s the route the Flames go, is difficult to predict. Wallstedt has the pedigree of a teenager playing well in a top professional league and commonly is ranked higher than Cossa on draft boards.
As one NHL evaluator said, “There is something special about him. His hockey sense is among the best I’ve ever seen in a draft-eligible goaltender.”
That said, in his final rankings, Pronman slotted Cossa at No. 8, ahead of Wallstedt at No. 9.
In an interview with The Athletic, Oil Kings coach Brad Laur pointed to the Stanley Cup Final matchup between Montreal’s Carey Price and Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy as the reason Calgary should opt for a goalie in the first round.
“These guys win you rounds, these guys get you to the finals, these guys win you championships,” Laur said. “And I think the pedigree that (Cossa) has is the way he works and the size he is, how athletic he is, how focused he is.
“And, you know, this isn’t just luck what we’re seeing. This is going to happen as he matures, as he gets older and develops more, and I can only see his game getting better and better every year.”
The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217427 Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes signed another piece of the roster puzzle Friday
BY JUSTIN PELLETIER
JULY 16, 2021 03:47 PM
With Saturday’s deadline to submit a list of protected players looming, the Carolina Hurricanes secured a bit more depth Friday afternoon, agreeing to terms with restricted free agent Morgan Geekie.
Geekie, who played in 36 regular-season games with the Canes this past season and three more in the team’s playoff run, signed a one-year, two- way deal and will make $750,000 at the NHL level and $75,000 at the American Hockey League level with a $125,000 guarantee.
“Morgan played well in his first full NHL season this year,” Canes President and GM Don Waddell said in a news release. “We’re excited for him to take the next steps in his development.”
Geekie had nine points during the regular season for the Canes, slotting in most of the time on the fourth line.
In the AHL this past season, Geekie played in only two games, but made the most of it, scoring four goals and adding an assist to be named the AHL Player of the Week.
Last year with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, then the Canes’ affiliate, Geekie had 22 goals and 20 assists in 55 games. He made his NHL debut last year, as well, and in just two games, had three goals and an assist.
Carolina originally drafted Geekie in the third round, 67th overall, in the 2017 NHL Draft.
News Observer LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217428 Chicago Blackhawks
Keith trade opens door for Hawks to make big splash
BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS
PRESENTED BY NATIONWIDE INSURANCE AGENT JEFF VUKOVICH
The Blackhawks' offseason is in full swing after the organization parted ways with three-time Stanley Cup champion Duncan Keith, who waived his full no-movement clause to be traded to the Edmonton Oilers. The trade was, respectfully, requested by the 37-year-old defenseman so he can be closer to his son in Western Canada and the Blackhawks honored that wish.
"We were happy to work something out that was mutually beneficial for Duncan’s family and the future of the Blackhawks," President/GM Stan Bowman said in a statement. "We appreciate all he has contributed to our team and the City of Chicago and his legacy will always be celebrated."
In return for Keith, the Blackhawks acquired 24-year-old defenseman Caleb Jones and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2022. The deal also included forward prospect Tim Soderlund, who was sent to Edmonton.
Perhaps the most notable part of the trade: Chicago did not retain any of Keith's salary, which had been a hang-up between the two sides for more than a week. Keith's cap hit is at $5.538 million for the next two seasons, but his actual cash is only $3.6 million total.
The move opened up $4.7 million in cap space for the Blackhawks, who are now in a position to make a big splash this summer. And you can expect them to be relatively aggressive.
With Brent Seabrook ($6.875 million cap hit) and Andrew Shaw ($3.9 million cap hit) on long-term injured reserve and newfound cap space available from the Keith trade, the Blackhawks are likely to target All-Star defenseman Seth Jones — the older brother of Caleb — via trade or six- time 40-point scoring defenseman Dougie Hamilton via free agency.
Earlier this offseason, Seth Jones informed the Columbus Blue Jackets that he does not plan on signing a contract extension and intends to become a free agent when his contract expires after the 2021-22 season.
Now, let's be clear: Chicago isn't going to trade for only one year of Jones and risk letting him walk for nothing. They're still in a rebuilding phase and not in Stanley Cup-or-bust mode.
But if both Jones and the Blackhawks are serious about a potential long- term extension, it's certainly worth considering. Jones is only 26 years old and would immediately become the No. 1 defenseman, which would check a huge box for a rebuilding team looking to take the next step.
The real question is whether it's worth giving up assets to acquire Jones or if the Blackhawks are better off going after Hamilton instead and trying their luck on Jones if/when he hits the open market next summer. Realistically, they'd have the room to fit both into the equation.
The good news? The Blackhawks certainly have options. And even if they don't land a big fish this offseason, they're well-positioned financially to be big-game hunters in the future.
Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217429 Colorado Avalanche
Avalanche 2021-2022 preseason schedule announced
The Avs will face the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars twice apiece
By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected]
The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: July 16, 2021 at 10:33 a.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2021 at 2:14 p.m.
The Avalanche’s six-game preseason schedule was announced Friday, and it will face the same three opponents for the fourth consecutive time (there was no preseason in 2021). The Avs will face the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars twice apiece.
2021 Avalanche preseason schedule
Date Opponent Time (MT)
Tue, Sept. 28 at Vegas 8 p.m.
Thu, Sept. 30 Minnesota 7 p.m.
Mon, Oct. 4 at Minnesota 6 p.m.
Tue, Oct. 5 Vegas 7 p.m.
Thu, Oct. 7 at Dallas 6 p.m.
Sat, Oct. 9 Dallas 5 p.m.
Denver Post: LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217430 Colorado Avalanche
Pick 6: Odds Colorado Avalanche will win the Stanley Cup in 2022
By JOE NGUYEN | [email protected]
The Denver Post
July 16, 2021 at 5:45 a.m.
The Avalanche entered the 2020-21 NHL season as the oddsmakers’ favorites to win the Stanley Cup. But the team failed to live up to the hype, falling in the second round to Vegas.
However, that hasn’t deterred the sports betting community from putting Colorado as the favorite to win the championship in 2022.
As of Thursday, the Avs are listed at +500 odds — meaning a $100 bet would win $500 — to win it all, according to a number of sportsbooks, including BetMGM, DraftKings, Fox Bet and William Hill. Sportsbetting.com has them tied with the defending two-time champion Tampa Bay Lightning at +450, while FanDuel has Colorado at +650.
Covers.com noted that “the Avs were a trendy pick to win this year and should be a force again next season.”
Vegas and Tampa Bay also have odds that are better than +1,000 across the board.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Red Wings and Sabres have the worst odds to win the title, ranging from +15,000 to +20,000.
Here’s a look at some of the current odds in the world of sports.
+450
The odds the Avalanche will win the 2022 Stanley Cup, according to sportsbetting.com. Colorado is tied as the favorite with Tampa Bay, and ahead of Vegas (+600), Toronto (+1,100) and Carolina (+1,100).
+450
The odds Jordan Spieth and Louis Oosthuizen each have to win The Open Championship, according to BetMGM. They are tied as favorites, ahead of Justin Thomas (+1,800) and Dustin Johnson (+2,200).
68.5
The over-under for total number of wins the Rockies will finish with in 2021, according to BetMGM.
+220
The odds a quarterback other than Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater or Brett Rypien will be the Broncos’ starter in Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season, according to Fanduel Sportsbook. Lock and Bridgewater are tied at +145 and Rypien is a longshot at +1,600.
+5,000
The odds Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton will lead the NFL in yards receiving in the 2021 regular season, according to Fox Bet. Sutton is tied for the 25th-best odds. Stefon Diggs of the Bills is the favorite at +800, followed by the Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill (+900). Other Broncos on the list include Jerry Jeudy (+6,600), Tim Patrick (+40,000) and KJ Hamler (+40,000).
+2,000
The odds the Nuggets will win the 2021-22 NBA championship, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. They are tied for eighth with the Clippers. The Nets (+210) are favored, ahead of the Lakers (+450) and Bucks (+800).
Denver Post: LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217431 Colorado Avalanche What do you think you can bring to them?
Probably a lot of the same of what I brought to the Avs: reliable defensively against top lines, penalty kill, trying to be a consistent Ryan Graves Q&A: ‘Excited’ to help the Devils take next step after influence on the back end and continually trying to grow my game. Just proving himself with the Avalanche try to be a part of it and fit in where I can.
Did many of your Avs teammates reach out?
By Peter Baugh I talked to quite a few of the guys. It’s natural: You have a lot of friends Jul 16, 2021 that were close, and I talked to quite a few of them.
What are your emotions toward the Avalanche organization and what it’s meant to you the last few years? Back in February 2018, the Avalanche swapped minor leaguers with the New York Rangers, sending Chris Bigras east for a 22-year-old former The first thought that comes to mind is I really enjoyed my time there. I fourth-rounder named Ryan Graves. Over the next three years, that deal was really close with the entire team. A lot of good friends that I’ll keep emerged as a steal for Colorado. Graves developed into a top-four for my whole life. I’m thankful for the opportunity. Nothing but good things defenseman, leading the NHL in plus-minus in 2019-2020 and serving as to say. one of the team’s top penalty killers. It was a success story for both It always takes someone to give you a chance, and I’ll forever be thankful Graves and the Avalanche front office, one of quality decision-making for that. They had some staff there that really helped me take my game and good player development. to the next level. I was very thankful to have (AHL coach) Greg Cronin But this month’s Seattle Kraken expansion draft is forcing teams around with the Eagles, and he kind of helped me take that next step. Joe and C- the league to make difficult decisions, and the Avalanche are no Mac gave me the chance to be called up and play, and (coach Jared) exception. General manager Joe Sakic opted to trade Graves on Bednar and (assistant) Nolan Pratt gave me the chance to really play, to Thursday rather than leave him unprotected and risk losing him for play minutes and to get a role that allowed me to develop and allowed nothing to Seattle, sending the defenseman to the New Jersey Devils for me to work through the hiccups and the growing pains. As a whole, I’m Mikhail Maltsev and a 2021 second-round pick. just thankful.
“Obviously I knew it was a possibility,” Graves told The Athletic on Friday Is there anything you’re most proud of yourself for in the last few years in morning. the organization?
Speaking from his offseason home on Prince Edward Island, Graves Just as a whole, being able to prove to myself and prove to everybody went over the trade, his time with the Avalanche and his excitement for a else that I’m able to play at this level and to show I’m able to be an new opportunity in New Jersey. effective player and to show I belong in the league. I worked hard for a long time to get that opportunity, and they gave it to me. I’m thankful for This interview was edited for length and clarity. it, and that’s probably the thing I’m most proud of: getting that chance and running with it. When did you find out a move might be a possibility? The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 As we talked about earlier, I knew with the Seattle draft looming that there was a chance I wouldn’t wear the Avs jersey next year. I found out about five minutes before the trade was announced. It’s something I didn’t think was out of the question, but obviously when you get the news that’s actually happening, you’re surprised, and you don’t expect that to happen to you. You never go into any situation expecting to get traded. It’s all part of the business. Unfortunately, the business side of things has come out a lot in the last year and a half, two years with the pandemic, the flat cap and Seattle now. It’s all a part of it, and obviously I’ll be sad to leave the guys in Denver, but I’m also excited for a new opportunity.
Did you talk to Joe Sakic about the trade?
Joe called me, and I talked to (assistant general manager) Chris MacFarland as well, and they told me what happened and why they did it. I understand. It’s part of the business. And then I talked to Tom Fitzgerald, the general manager of the Devils, and he was excited. And that makes you excited as well. Someone wants you and they’re excited to have you on their team, and that part of it was great. It’s a surprise, but you just have to let it sink in and you have to think about what’s going to happen next year and you get a little bit excited.
What did Joe say the reasoning was behind it?
That’s probably their business, but you can kind of put it together with the expansion draft and what they’re dealing with there. It is what it is. You keep moving forward, and I’m honestly pretty excited for the new opportunity.
Do you know anyone on the Devils?
The only one I know well is A.J. Greer because he was (with the Colorado Eagles). But other than that I don’t know any of their players.
I know you’re a fan of the sport. Is there anyone you’re particularly excited to play with?
The ones that stick out are Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. Those guys are obviously their top-end talent, but they’ve got some guys on the back end, too. They’ve got Damon Severson and Ty Smith, and goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is good. They’ve got some good core pieces there. I think they’re kind of at the point where they’re ready to take that next step as individuals and as a team. That aspect is pretty fun to be part of. 1217432 Colorado Avalanche
Avalanche release 2021 preseason schedule, will open at T-Mobile Arena on Sep. 28
By Aarif Deen
July 16, 2021
The Avalanche announced their six-game preseason schedule Friday, starting with a matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on Sep. 28.
Colorado will play each of the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Golden Knights twice to round out its preseason campaign. All three teams will return with the Avs to the Central Division after a one-year realignment in 2021.
Further announcements to come regarding dates for the opening of training camp and the regular season.
2021-22 AVALANCHE PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Day Date Opponent Time (MT) Location
Tue Sept. 28 at Vegas 8 p.m. Las Vegas (T-Mobile Arena)
Thu Sept. 30 Minnesota 7 p.m. Denver (Ball Arena)
Mon Oct. 4 at Minnesota 6 p.m. St. Paul (Xcel Energy Center)
Tue Oct. 5 Vegas 7 p.m. Denver (Ball Arena)
Thu Oct. 7 at Dallas 6 p.m. Dallas (A.A. Center)
Sat Oct. 9 Dallas 5 p.m. Denver (Ball Arena) milehighsports.com LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217433 Columbus Blue Jackets roster meant he didn't see much ice time at the men's tournament, he valued working alongside professionals. Beniers was the only member of Team USA whose most recent playing experience was in college hockey.
NHL draft profile: Who is Matty Beniers? "It was definitely a different experience for me playing with older guys, especially like older, older guys," Beniers said. "Never really done that before with NHL players. That was a lot of fun, talking to them off the ice Bailey Johnson about their experiences, how they got there, what they had to do, a lot of different stuff. I talked to a lot of them about their experience and kind of The Columbus Dispatch took bits and pieces from each of them.
"... In the beginning, it was definitely a bit more tough, but once you start Editor's note: This is second in a nine-part a series of profiles analyzing playing with them a little bit more, for me (I started) to get some potential draft prospects for the Blue Jackets. Columbus holds three first- confidence and feel like, ‘Hey, I can play with these guys. This isn’t so round picks: No. 5, No. 24 and No. 31 overall. different.’ "
In a draft full of uncertainty, Matty Beniers is about as close to a sure Beniers suffered a high ankle sprain in the quarterfinal game June 3 and thing as it gets. is taking his time returning to the ice, but he said in early July that he feels good and had always planned to take extended time off the ice this Michigan coach Mel Pearson describes Beniers as someone who always summer to focus on adding muscle. plays the same way, regardless if it's a home game or an away game, or if his team is winning or losing. You always know what you're going to Although Pearson feels Beniers' offensive skills tend to be underrated, get, and it's hard to overstate that value in such an unpredictable draft shooting and faceoffs are still the two biggest areas Pearson wants to class. see Beniers continue to develop, particularly if he returns for a second year at Michigan. "Doesn’t matter where you play, he’s gonna bring it," Pearson told The Dispatch. "He’s a hockey player. He’s gonna bring it each and every "(I want him) to just use his shot," Pearson said. "He wants to get to the night and give you his best effort. He’s gonna leave it all on the rink. It’s perfect spot and then release it. With his shot, he can beat guys from a just the way he plays." lot of different places, so (I want him) just to shoot the puck more and have confidence in his shooting ability and scoring ability." Here's what to know about the center from the University of Michigan, who ranks sixth on NHL Central Scouting's list of North American Though some analysts believe he could be drafted as high as first skaters: overall, Beniers said he's leaning toward returning for a second year with the Wolverines. Having a true college experience is important to him, and Position: Center he feels an additional year of physical and mental development would serve him well before he makes the jump to professional hockey. Height/weight: 6-2, 175. And that wouldn't elicit any complaints from Pearson. Shoots: Left "He’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be," Pearson said. Birthdate: Nov. 5, 2002 "We always put it to players, come back and be the best player in this Hometown: Hingham, Mass. league before you make the next step.
Team: University of Michigan Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2021
2020-21 point totals: 10 goals, 14 assists in 24 games
Beniers grew up just outside Boston as a big fan of Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, and it doesn't take long to see that influence in his game. A relentle two-way center, Beniers recorded a plus-minus last year of plu.
"Ever since I was really young, my dad always set the foundation of playing the game the right way and (playing) defense, making sure you’re behind the puck and playing the right way," Beniers said. "Growing up watching Bergeron, he does all those things. He’s one of the best in the league at playing that two-way center game.
"It was how I grew up, how I played when I was younger, and I’ve continued that on year after year, making sure I was good in the (defensive) zone before offense. Play defense before you get to the fun stuff, so that’s how it’s been my whole life, and I’ve just kinda continued that on."
From his first games at Michigan, it was clear Beniers earned Pearson's trust. Pearson didn't feel the need to shelter Beniers and give him easier defensive assignments. Beniers regularly matched up against the other team's top line and was a key member of the penalty kill right from the beginning.
Though he isn't the fastest skater in a straight line, Beniers' ability to use his edges enables him to escape danger and make plays. He's highly effective in transition, which fits his profile as a two-way player.
According to data tracked by Madeline Campbell, Beniers led Michigan in both possession exits, exiting the defensive zone with possession of the puck 88.3% of the time, and controlled entries, entering the offensive zone with possession 82.4% of the time.
"I think the game pretty well, so I think that helps a lot," Beniers said. "I haven’t always been the fastest guy, but I think my edges and the way I turn on pucks, things like that, I think that’s helped a lot too."
Beniers played for the U.S. at both the U20 World Junior Championships and the men's World Championships this year, winning a gold and bronze medal, respectively. Though being the youngest player on the 1217434 Columbus Blue Jackets What do you think you can bring to them?
Probably a lot of the same of what I brought to the Avs: reliable defensively against top lines, penalty kill, trying to be a consistent Ryan Graves Q&A: ‘Excited’ to help the Devils take next step after influence on the back end and continually trying to grow my game. Just proving himself with the Avalanche try to be a part of it and fit in where I can.
Did many of your Avs teammates reach out?
By Peter Baugh I talked to quite a few of the guys. It’s natural: You have a lot of friends Jul 16, 2021 that were close, and I talked to quite a few of them.
What are your emotions toward the Avalanche organization and what it’s meant to you the last few years? Back in February 2018, the Avalanche swapped minor leaguers with the New York Rangers, sending Chris Bigras east for a 22-year-old former The first thought that comes to mind is I really enjoyed my time there. I fourth-rounder named Ryan Graves. Over the next three years, that deal was really close with the entire team. A lot of good friends that I’ll keep emerged as a steal for Colorado. Graves developed into a top-four for my whole life. I’m thankful for the opportunity. Nothing but good things defenseman, leading the NHL in plus-minus in 2019-2020 and serving as to say. one of the team’s top penalty killers. It was a success story for both It always takes someone to give you a chance, and I’ll forever be thankful Graves and the Avalanche front office, one of quality decision-making for that. They had some staff there that really helped me take my game and good player development. to the next level. I was very thankful to have (AHL coach) Greg Cronin But this month’s Seattle Kraken expansion draft is forcing teams around with the Eagles, and he kind of helped me take that next step. Joe and C- the league to make difficult decisions, and the Avalanche are no Mac gave me the chance to be called up and play, and (coach Jared) exception. General manager Joe Sakic opted to trade Graves on Bednar and (assistant) Nolan Pratt gave me the chance to really play, to Thursday rather than leave him unprotected and risk losing him for play minutes and to get a role that allowed me to develop and allowed nothing to Seattle, sending the defenseman to the New Jersey Devils for me to work through the hiccups and the growing pains. As a whole, I’m Mikhail Maltsev and a 2021 second-round pick. just thankful.
“Obviously I knew it was a possibility,” Graves told The Athletic on Friday Is there anything you’re most proud of yourself for in the last few years in morning. the organization?
Speaking from his offseason home on Prince Edward Island, Graves Just as a whole, being able to prove to myself and prove to everybody went over the trade, his time with the Avalanche and his excitement for a else that I’m able to play at this level and to show I’m able to be an new opportunity in New Jersey. effective player and to show I belong in the league. I worked hard for a long time to get that opportunity, and they gave it to me. I’m thankful for This interview was edited for length and clarity. it, and that’s probably the thing I’m most proud of: getting that chance and running with it. When did you find out a move might be a possibility? The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 As we talked about earlier, I knew with the Seattle draft looming that there was a chance I wouldn’t wear the Avs jersey next year. I found out about five minutes before the trade was announced. It’s something I didn’t think was out of the question, but obviously when you get the news that’s actually happening, you’re surprised, and you don’t expect that to happen to you. You never go into any situation expecting to get traded. It’s all part of the business. Unfortunately, the business side of things has come out a lot in the last year and a half, two years with the pandemic, the flat cap and Seattle now. It’s all a part of it, and obviously I’ll be sad to leave the guys in Denver, but I’m also excited for a new opportunity.
Did you talk to Joe Sakic about the trade?
Joe called me, and I talked to (assistant general manager) Chris MacFarland as well, and they told me what happened and why they did it. I understand. It’s part of the business. And then I talked to Tom Fitzgerald, the general manager of the Devils, and he was excited. And that makes you excited as well. Someone wants you and they’re excited to have you on their team, and that part of it was great. It’s a surprise, but you just have to let it sink in and you have to think about what’s going to happen next year and you get a little bit excited.
What did Joe say the reasoning was behind it?
That’s probably their business, but you can kind of put it together with the expansion draft and what they’re dealing with there. It is what it is. You keep moving forward, and I’m honestly pretty excited for the new opportunity.
Do you know anyone on the Devils?
The only one I know well is A.J. Greer because he was (with the Colorado Eagles). But other than that I don’t know any of their players.
I know you’re a fan of the sport. Is there anyone you’re particularly excited to play with?
The ones that stick out are Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. Those guys are obviously their top-end talent, but they’ve got some guys on the back end, too. They’ve got Damon Severson and Ty Smith, and goalie Mackenzie Blackwood is good. They’ve got some good core pieces there. I think they’re kind of at the point where they’re ready to take that next step as individuals and as a team. That aspect is pretty fun to be part of. 1217435 Dallas Stars
Missing hockey already? Check out who the Dallas Stars will face this preseason
By SportsDay Staff
6:35 PM on Jul 16, 2021 CDT
Hockey will be back before you know it — and there are only 73 days until the Dallas Stars return to the ice.
For the preseason, that is.
The Stars will open their six-game exhibition schedule on September 27 in St. Louis at the Enterprise Center.
The schedule consists of three home-and-home series against the Blues, the Florida Panthers and the Colorado Avalanche, respectively.
Before the preseason begins, Dallas will conduct training camp from Sept. 23-26 at Comerica Center, the team’s practice facility in Frisco.
Tickets for home preseason games go on sale July 27.
The schedule:
Monday, Sept. 27 at St. Louis, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 29 vs. Florida, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 1 at Florida, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 5 vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 7 vs. Colorado, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 9 at Colorado, 6 p.m.
Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217436 Dallas Stars
Joe Trahan to take over for retiring Dale Hansen as WFAA’s weeknight sports anchor
By SportsDay Staff
12:29 PM on Jul 16, 2021 CDT
Sports anchor Joe Trahan will be taking over as weeknight sports anchor at WFAA-TV (Channel 8) following the retirement of Dale Hansen, the station announced on Friday.
Hansen, who for 38 years was a fixture at WFAA, where his tenure includes award-winning exposés and outspoken commentaries that gave him a national profile, announced in May that he will be leaving the station in early September.
“No one is more well liked or more respected, by both our team and by the DFW sports community than Joe Trahan,” said WFAA president and general manager Brad Ramsey in a statement.
“His deep connections with the community and with key sports figures throughout North Texas, along with his vision for innovative sports storytelling, make for a very exciting future.”
Trahan, a member of the WFAA sports team for 18 years, will join Cynthia Izaguirre, Chris Lawrence and Pete Delkus on WFAA’s weeknight 10 p.m. newscast beginning Sept. 3.
“I’m thrilled with this opportunity. The bar is set high and I’m looking forward to elevating what we do and continuing the great legacy of WFAA Sports,” Trahan said.
“This is home for me and my family and I know firsthand sports means a lot to people of North Texas. When I’m at the hardware store or coffee shop the conversations are passionate and I know people care. I’ll do my best to inform, entertain and have some fun along the away while being of service to our community.”
Trahan joined WFAA as weekend sports anchor and reporter in 2003, and has since won 15 Lone Star Emmy Awards, receiving the honor for six consecutive years in the sports reporter category. He has also won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for sports reporting in 2008 and 2014.
Trahan continues the legacy of two legendary sportscasters, Hansen and Verne Lundquist, who led WFAA’s sports coverage for a combined 50 years.
Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217437 Dallas Stars Weber, Chiarot, Edmundson, those are big guys that can play some big minutes and obviously had a lot of success.”
Oleksiak said things have been quiet with Dallas as the Stars wait to As expansion and free agency loom, it’s just a waiting game for Stars’ navigate the expansion draft. Jamie Oleksiak “I’ve always enjoyed my time in Dallas,” Oleksiak said. “I love what the team offers. I think we’ve got a great group of guys, and we’re a team By Matthew DeFranks that can compete.
11:42 AM on Jul 16, 2021 CDT “These situations can change pretty quickly, but I’ve always loved Dallas. I love playing with Miro, he’s a special player. I think Dallas is going to have an opportunity to compete for a Cup once we get healthy. I wish I could offer you more, but it’s just a waiting game right now.” Entering a fortnight that will impact his career’s trajectory immensely, Jamie Oleksiak is focused on the little things, and not so much on the big Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.17.2021 picture.
He’s back to skating in Toronto. He’s looking for a short-term offseason home. He’s spending time with his parents for the first time since Christmas. He’s prepping to watch from a distance as his sister competes in the Olympics later this month.
For Oleksiak — who has turned from a first-round pick to a top-four defenseman in Dallas — those things are at the forefront of his mind, not becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 28 or next week’s expansion draft.
“There’s only certain things I can control,” Oleksiak said in a phone interview. “This is what you have an agent for. He does all the dealings and lets me know my options, and then I have to make the decision.
“It’s interesting just to see the updates, all the buyouts and the trade talks and whatnot. It’s definitely a good time to be a fan and following everything. But personally, when my agent gives me an update, I deal with it then and there, think on things.”
Oleksiak, 28, is entering the summer as a UFA for the first time after spending nearly his entire nine-year career with the Stars. He played every game on the Dallas blue line the last two seasons, including alongside Miro Heiskanen last year, averaging a career-high 20:29 of ice time per game and scoring a career-high six goals.
At the moment, Oleksiak is in a holding pattern because of the expansion draft.
The Stars can protect only three defensemen, and those figure to be Heiskanen, John Klingberg and Esa Lindell when the list is submitted Saturday afternoon. Oleksiak will be exposed, and it doesn’t make sense for the Stars to sign him to a contract just so Seattle can pluck him away during the expansion draft Wednesday.
The Kraken can still select Oleksiak during the draft and will have a negotiating window with unprotected UFAs from Sunday until Wednesday. How much has Oleksiak thought about the possibility of playing in Seattle?
“I’m just putting my nose to the grindstone right now,” Oleksiak said. “I don’t want to think too hard about one situation or another. Unless something comes up and then I have to think about it, right now, I’m just putting in the work. Whatever happens, I’ll be ready for that situation. You can drive yourself crazy overthinking things, but nothing can happen right away.”
The Stars view Oleksiak as a strong partner for Heiskanen, and it’s part of the reason Dallas held on to Oleksiak at the trade deadline last season. As always, the numbers will help decide what happens between Oleksiak and the Stars.
Oleksiak’s market figures to be somewhere between a $3.5 million and $4.5 million cap hit, given recent contracts for Ben Chiarot, Joel Edmundson, Brenden Dillon and Chris Tanev. Every dollar matters for the Stars, who still have to re-sign Heiskanen as well, and could use any unattached money to add depth to their forward group.
Even given recent contracts to similar defensemen, Oleksiak’s value may be higher because of the 2021 playoffs, when big defensemen in Tampa, Montreal, New York and Vegas were storylines as those teams advanced.
“Come playoff time, having some physicality and having some presence is huge,” Oleksiak said. “It wears down other teams, and there’s not a lot of room to move. Tampa obviously has some big d-men, but I was looking at Montreal, too. I think they have an underrated D corps: [Shea] 1217438 Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings acquire veteran defenseman Nick Leddy in trade
Helene St. James
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Red Wings have acquired veteran defenseman Nick Leddy, who could serve both as a partner for Moritz Seider and a trade chip at next season's deadline. But the deal may also cost the Wings a young defenseman in the expansion draft.
In exchange for Leddy, the Wings sent forward Richard Panik and the No. 52 pick in the 2021 draft to the New York Islanders. Panik was a throw-in in April’s Anthony Mantha-Jakub Vrana trade-deadline deal, and the pick was one general manager Steve Yzerman acquired at the 2020 deadline in the Andreas Athanasiou deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Panik had a goal and three assists in 12 games with the Wings, who retained 50% of his salary. Panik is signed through 2022-23.
Leddy, 30, has one year left on his contract with a $5.5 million cap hit. He’s regarded as an offensive defenseman, having recorded 336 career points (65 goals, 271 assists) in 776 games.
Leddy had 31 points in 56 games this season. Eleven of those came during power plays, which is an area in which the Wings especially have struggled. He was drafted at No. 16 in 2009 by the Minnesota Wild. Leddy could end up being partnered with Seider, the Wings' promising defense prospect from the 2019 draft. He's earmarked to join the Wings next season, and he's been vocal about how much it helped his development in Sweden this past season to be paired with veteran Eric Gelinas.
And if the Wings are sellers again at the 2022 trade deadline, which they likely will be, Leddy may attract an offer or two.
The Wings' list for the Seattle expansion draft is due Saturday. Teams have to make available two forwards who are under contract in 2021-22 and who played in at least 40 games this past season, or 70 the past two seasons. Panik fit those parameters, but the Wings are still OK because Frans Nielsen and Vladislav Namestnikov do as well.
Unless Yzerman makes another move, the Wings will have to use one of three spots to protect Leddy, which would mean either Dennis Cholowski or Gustav Lindstrom will be exposed, as Filip Hronek is a lock to be protected.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217439 Detroit Red Wings 40 games this past season, or 70 the past two seasons: Namestnikov, Frans Nielsen and Richard Panik meet those requirements. One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22: Kaden Fulcher checks that box.
Here's who Detroit Red Wings are best served protecting in Seattle The last time expansion draft In 2017, the Wings’ list of exposed players included goaltender Petr Mrazek and forwards Riley Sheahan, Darren Helm and Glendening. All had sizable NHL experience. The Knights went with a guy who was HELENE ST. JAMES never drafted and who had 17 NHL games to his credit, selecting 6-feet- 2, 205-pound forward Tomas Nosek. Nosek, 24 at the time, was coming
off a standout Calder Cup-winning season with the Grand Rapids The last time the Detroit Red Wings were involved in an expansion draft, Griffins. Nosek has appeared in 240 games for Vegas, recording 31 they lost a solid young forward who is still in the NHL. This time around, goals and 34 assists. it’s likely to be a somewhat-experienced defenseman. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 07.17.2021 Saturday is the due date for the Seattle expansion draft protection list, with the Kraken’s choices to be revealed Wednesday. Teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender, or eight skaters of any type and a goalie.
Kraken general manager Ron Francis must choose at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders. The remaining four players can be from any position. Each team can lose only one player, and Vegas — the previous expansion squad — is exempt from the draft.
First- and second-year professionals and unsigned draft choices are exempt, so the Wings don’t have to worry about Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno or Moritz Seider. The Kraken have an exclusive window from July 18-21 to sign pending unrestricted free agents who were left unprotected (for the Wings, that includes Luke Glendening and Jonathan Bernier). If a player is signed in that window, it counts as the Kraken’s pick from that player’s former team.
It makes the most sense for general manager Steve Yzerman to go with the 7-3-1 format. Here is a look at how the Wings’ rebuild is best served:
Forwards
Protect Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jakub Vrana, Robby Fabbri, Adam Erne, Michael Rasmussen and Givani Smith. That does leave Vladislav Namestnikov exposed, but he had a disappointing season, with 17 points in 53 games. Smith didn’t play much (16 games) but he’s a gritty, physical forward who is willing to drop the gloves, and that’s a dimension the Wings lack.
GET HIM ON THE ICE: Wings must consider a larger role for Givani Smith. Here's why
Defensemen
Protect Filip Hronek, Gustav Lindstrom and Dennis Cholowski. That would leave Troy Stecher exposed, and he would be the obvious choice for the Kraken. Stecher, 27, would help the Wings more in the present, but Lindstrom, 22, and Cholowski, 23, figure to have more impact long term. Cholowski has yet to live up to being a first-round pick (No. 20, 2016) but he’s an NHL-caliber skater and passer. It takes some players longer than others to figure out how hard they have to work every game to make it in the NHL.
WHY CHOLOWSKI WAS CHOSEN: How a deal at the 2016 draft impacted the Wings
If the Wings give up on Cholowski and lose him for nothing, they might regret it. Lindstrom doesn’t have the offensive skills Cholowski has, but Lindstrom is a safe, smart player who could be a solid third-pairing guy. Stecher, signed last October for two years with a $1.7 million annual salary cap hit, played well at times but he was also a healthy scratch at times. Besides, with Seider coming in, the Wings have an internal candidate to fill that spot.
Goaltender
This one is easy — protect Thomas Greiss. He’s under contract for another season, and after struggling early, he played well down the stretch.
Required players
Teams have to meet minimum requirements in the players left unprotected. One defenseman who is under contract in 2021-22 and who has played in at least 40 games this past season, or 70 the past two seasons: Stecher and Danny DeKeyser meet those requirements. Two forwards who are under contract in 2021-22 and who played in at least 1217440 Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings acquire Nick Leddy from Islanders
TED KULFAN
The Detroit News
Detroit — The moves are beginning to happen.
The Red Wings acquired defenseman Nick Leddy from the New York Islanders on Friday in exchange for forward Richard Panik and a second- round draft choice (originally Edmonton's), the 52nd overall, in next week's NHL Entry Draft.
Leddy, 30, has one year left on his contract at a $5.5 million cap hit.
In 56 games this season, Leddy had two goals and 29 assists for 31 points, with a minus-3 rating. Leddy played in 19 playoff games, with six assists.
In 776 career games, Leddy has 65 goals and 271 assists.
Leddy (6-foot, 205-pounds) is an elite skater with mobility and acceleration. He is a fine passer and playmaker off the rush. His strength is, and always has been, on the offensive end or playing with the puck.
It's on the defensive end where Leddy has struggled, in one season with the Islanders posting a minus-42 rating.
Still, with his mobility and experience, Leddy could be an adequate partner for rooikie Moritz Seider, whose defensive, physical style could mesh with Leddy.
In Leddy, the Wings will have also have an attractive chip at the trade deadline if the Wings are sellers again, given he's in the final year of his contract.
With Leddy aboard, the Wings may choose to not re-sign a veteran defenseman such as Marc Staal, who can be an unrestricted free agent, or pursue someone such as Jon Merrill, who the Wings traded at the deadline last season to Montreal and were expected to circle back to later this month.
Leddy's acquisition also complicates the protected expansion list to be submitted Saturday, ahead of Wednesday's expansion draft stocking the Seattle Kraken.
The Wings are likely to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender.
On defense, they'll protect Filip Hronek and likely Leddy. That leaves one spot available between Troy Stecher, Danny DeKeyser, Dennis Cholowski and Gustav Lindstrom.
Panik, 30, was acquired from Washington along with Jakub Vrana in the deal for Anthony Mantha at the trade deadline, along with two draft picks.
The Red Wings will retain half of Panik's $2.7 million salary ($1.375 million) and salary cap hit.
Panik had one goal and three assists (four points) in 12 games with the Wings, after coming over with Vrana. He had three goals and six assists (nine points) in 36 games with the Capitals last season.
With Leddy on the roster, and retaining 50% of Panik's contract, the Red Wings now have $37,474,723 of committed to 10 players. They have $44,025,277 of cap space, per capfriendly.com, available, with restricted free agents Vrana, Hronek and Tyler Bertuzzi still needing to be signed along with UFA's Luke Glendening and Jonathan Bernier, who are expected to be brought back.
Detroit News LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217441 Detroit Red Wings That would leave one of a group including Danny DeKeyser, Dennis Cholowski, Troy Stecher and Gustav Lindstrom to be protected — and three of them not.
Red Wings prepared to submit protected list for expansion draft One of Cholowski (23) and Lindstrom (22), because of their ages and potential, would likely to be kept. DeKeyser, 31, has one year left on his contract at $5 million, while Stecher has one year at $1.7 million.
TED KULFAN If the Wings' protected — and unprotected — list is close to this one, it's a good chance Stecher would be Seattle's choice. At 27, Stecher is in his The Detroit News prime, is coming off a good showing for gold-medal winning Team Canada at the recent world championships, and is from nearby Vancouver. Detroit — The first domino is about to fall in what could be a busy period of personnel moves for the Red Wings. But Cholowski is also from Vancouver and is a former first-round pick who has yet to show the consistency to stay in the NHL. Lindstrom is a The Wings must submit their protected list for Wednesday’s NHL safe, sound defensive defenseman. Expansion Draft — stocking the roster of the new Seattle Kraken — by Saturday at 5 p.m. (EST). The NHL is expected to publicly release the Detroit News LOADED: 07.17.2021 lists Sunday.
After the expansion draft, there is the NHL Entry Draft July 23-24 and the start of unrestricted free agency on July 28. That could bring a flurry of activity surrounding all 32 teams.
General manager Steve Yzerman talked about this whirlwind stretch at his season-ending news conference.
"Things will happen really quickly once you get close to that expansion draft,” Yzerman said. “We have to be really prepared for the draft, then free agency — to get ourselves organized to make sure we have identified any targets in free agency and be prepared to go.
"Because once we get the expansion draft, the NHL Draft and the free agency period, that will all happen very quickly."
Friday's acquisition of defenseman Nick Leddy for forward Richard Panik and a second-round draft pick in next week's entry draft does make compiling the protected list a bit more interesting.
The Wings have some decisions to make while formulating their protected list.
Teams have the option of protecting either seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (non-goalies) and one goalie.
The 7-3-1 option is the preferred option by most teams, and the one the Wings are likely to choose.
For a player to be eligible for the expansion draft, they must have played more than two professional seasons at the conclusion of the 2020-21 campaign. That makes young players such as the Wings' Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno and Moritz Seider ineligible because they have yet to play the required number of games.
Unrestricted free agents, such as Luke Glendening, Jonathan Bernier and Marc Staal, don't need to be protected.
Seattle must select at least 14 forwards, a minimum of nine defensemen and at least three goalies. The total salary cap hit of the players Seattle takes must be between 60 to 100% of the 2020-21 cap hit (minimum $49.8 million, ceiling $81.5 million).
Using the 7-3-1 format, the Wings appear to have a choice to make regarding the seventh forward, and, likely, at least one of their eligible defensemen.
Goaltender Thomas Greiss will be the goaltender protected.
Among the forwards Dylan Larkin, Jakub Vrana, Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi, Adam Erne and Michael Rasmussen appear locks to be protected.
That leaves Givani Smith, Vladislav Namestnikov, Frans Nielsen, Evgeny Svechnikov and Richard Panik as notable players to be left unprotected.
Of that group, Smith, because of his age (23), potential, and the fact he's under team control for several more years, appears to be the choice to be the seventh forward.
On defense, Filip Hronek is a lock to be protected, along with Leddy, who has one year left on his contract at $5.5 million and is a dangerous offensive defenseman. 1217442 Detroit Red Wings Wallstedt will likely be gone, but Sebastian Cossa is a goaltender who will likely be looming, and available, in that part of the draft.
Cossa isn't projected to be a top-10 pick, maybe not even top 15. But in 'Class of his own': Swedish goalie Jesper Wallstedt giving teams reason the latter half of the first round, scouts generally feel Cossa is worth a to be drafted high consideration.
Cossa is a big goalie (6-foot-6, 210 pounds) and had an exceptional season for Edmonton in the Western Hockey League. Cossa was 17-1-1 TED KULFAN with a 1.57 GAA and .941 SVS.
The Detroit News NHL Central Scouting ranks Cossa as its No. 1 North American goalie.
"He battles hard and never gives up on plays," Al Jensen, NHL Central Scouting's goalie scout, said. "You look at his positional play and it's Editor's note: This is the third of a three-part series, as The Detroit News good with his typical butterfly style and great net coverage, whether it's breaks down the NHL Entry Draft by position heading into the July 23-24 flaring out his pads for the low corners. He also keeps his body upright in event. Today: Goaltenders. case there's a deflection so he can use his shoulders or glove. Detroit — Few positions in sports are as intricate and unpredictable as "When he does his movements in the crease, it's generally controlled. the hockey goaltender. There's just a huge upside with him as well as Jesper. The two of them The position involves so much mentally, confidence is utterly important, are head and shoulders above the rest of the draft class goalies right and dominance in the junior level doesn’t always carry over to the NHL. now."
So, drafting a goaltender early in any NHL Entry Draft doesn’t happen Here are other goaltending prospects who'll likely be selected often. Normally, a team will wait until the later rounds and hope they mine somewhere in the middle rounds: a gem that way. ► Benjamin Gaudreau: The 6-2, 175-pounder was the best goalie in the But that could change next week. under-18 world championship, backstopping Canada to the gold medal. Playing for Sarnia in the Ontario Hockey League, scouts are impressed Swedish goalie Jesper Wallstedt is being viewed by many scouts as the with Gaudreau's quickness and ability to read plays. type of goaltender who teams feel confident can take over their netminding position, soon, for a decade. ► Tristan Lennox: While playing for Saginaw in the OHL, Lennox was 20-8-3 during the 2019-20 season (COVID-19 shut down the OHL this "He's been the best goalie prospect from Sweden for many years," Goran past season). At 6-4 and 190 pounds, Lennox has the size and plays well Stubb, NHL Central Scouting's director of European scouting, said. "He is positionally. a great competitor, is quick, he reads the game very well, and despite being young, already has a lot of experience. Detroit News LOADED: 07.17.2021
“(Wallstedt is in) a class of his own among European goalies."
Wallstedt played for Lulea in Sweden last season and was superb. In 22 games, he was 11-8-3 with a 2.23 goals-against average and .907 save percentage with two shutouts. He also starred in two world junior championship games for Sweden.
Most evaluators feel it will not take long for Wallstedt to reach the NHL.
"Jesper Wallstedt is closer to being able to play rather than further away," TSN draft analyst Craig Button said.
Scouts love the athleticism and intangibles. It’s fairly certain Wallstedt will go somewhere in the first round.
But where? And could the Red Wings be the team to take the plunge?
The last goalie to be selected in the top five picks was Montreal’s Carey Price, who went fifth in 2005 to the Canadiens. Price's selection turned out to be accurate and fruitful for Montreal.
The Wings have only once drafted a goalie in the first round of the Entry Draft — Tom McCollum, with the 30th overall pick, in 2008.
McCollum only played three games with the Wings (won once), last played in the organization in 2018, and last season played in Europe in Innsbruck.
But general manager Steve Yzerman has shown in his front office career he isn't shy about taking a goaltender early in the draft.
In fact, Yzerman has done it in Tampa and been extremely successful doing so, selecting Andrei Vasilevskiy with a first-round pick in 2012 (19th overall). Ironically, the Lightning received the pick from the Wings in a trade for Kyle Quincey.
All Vasilevskiy has done lately is lead Tampa to two consecutive Stanley Cups, and this season turned in a playoff Most Valuable Player (Conn Smythe Trophy) performance.
The Wings have the No. 6 pick and also have a pick at No. 22 next week, which is Washington's first-round pick that was sent to Detroit in the trade deadline deal involving Anthony Mantha.
Would it easier for the Wings to take a goaltender in that later spot?
If it is, there's another viable option at that juncture. 1217443 Detroit Red Wings forwarded their findings to the Oakland County prosecutor’s office for further review.
Michigan Live LOADED: 07.17.2021 Ex-Red Wing Manny Legace at Matiss Kivlenieks memorial: ‘I love you; you were my son’
By Ansar Khan | [email protected]
Former Detroit Red Wings goaltender Manny Legace paid tribute to Matiss Kivlenieks Thursday during an emotional memorial service in Columbus.
Kivlenieks, a 24-year-old goalie for the Columbus Blue Jackets, died on July 4 when struck in the chest with a fireworks mortar that inadvertently tipped over.
Kivlenieks was at Legace’s Novi home, attending the wedding of Legace’s daughter.
“I love you; I always will love you,” Legace said. “You were my son, and you were a great friend to everybody here.”
Legace, the Blue Jackets’ goaltending coach, developed a close bond with Kivlenieks ever since Columbus signed the Latvia native in 2017 as an undrafted free agent.
“Ever since Kivvy joined our organization he would come up and live with my wife and I every summer,” Legace said at the service. “He became a son to us. He lived with us through the pandemic. I got to play golf with him every day in the summer, got to hang out with him, play cards. There’s a reason he had that joker on his mask, he had that smile that he was going to get you.
“He got to become one of my family. He got to be a brother to my daughter and my son, a great friend to our nephew. He wanted to come to that wedding on July 4.”
This was the first time Legace, who played for Detroit from 1999-2006, has spoken publicly since Kivlenieks’ death.
Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins said Kivlenieks prevented the mortar from hitting him and his pregnant wife as well as many others at the gathering.
“He saved not just many lives, but when it happened, I was standing 20, 30 feet back of him and I was hugging my wife,” Merzlikins said. “He saved my (unborn) son, he saved my wife and he saved me. My son’s second name is going to be Matiss. He died as hero.”
Kivlenieks also lived with Merzlikins for a time, too.
“He was helping more my wife than I am doing,” Merzlikins said. “He was doing everything. He was doing dishes, he was cleaning the house. Who does that? I’m not doing that. Lately, my wife was worried about our marriage because she was saying that me and Matiss had our bromance.”
Legace noted many friends from Michigan drove down for the ceremony.
“You made Kivvy feel it at home; Michigan was his second home,” Legace said.
The service included many moments of levity, particularly when Legace noted that former Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was in attendance.
“(Kivlenieks) made us so proud. Look at how many lives he touched,” Legace said. “Torts even flew in, and he hates goalies.”
Merzlikins, standing next to Legace, chimed in with, “That’s the funniest thing that you ever said.”
Legace thanked the Kivlenieks family and the Blue Jackets organization for organizing the memorial and said, “He’d be mad. He wouldn’t want this. He’d want everyone to just have a beer and go on their way.
“He made us so proud, on and off the ice, the way he greeted people with a smile, never wanted to be the front of attention.
“I want to thank Matiss’ mom and dad for raising a beautiful child.”
Novi Police competed its investigation into the case and is not actively seeking charges, ruling the death to be accidental. But police have 1217444 Detroit Red Wings The Kraken could choose him with the intention of trading him for a draft pick at the deadline. Or they might be interested in re-signing him. The Vancouver native and former Canuck might be receptive to playing near home for the long-term. Who Red Wings will protect in expansion draft; who they might lose Goaltenders
Protected: Thomas Greiss By Ansar Khan | [email protected] Notable available players: Kaden Fulcher
Notable exemptions: Filip Larsson, everyone drafted in 2018 or later. Being deep into a rebuild and short on skill and depth has at least one advantage for the Detroit Red Wings: They don’t face any significant Analysis: This is simple. Greiss, the only NHL goalie they have under protection problems in the expansion draft and won’t part with a player contract for 2021-22, will be protected and Fulcher fulfills their obligation they will regret losing. of exposing an eligible goalie who is under contract.
Protection lists for the 2021 Seattle Kraken expansion draft must be Notable unrestricted free agents: Riley Barber, Jonathan Bernier, Kyle submitted on Saturday. They will be revealed on Sunday. The draft is on Criscuolo, Valtteri Filppula, Sam Gagner, Luke Glendening, Darren Helm, Wednesday (8 p.m., ESPN2). Joe Hicketts, Taro Hirose, Dylan McIlrath, Calvin Pickard, Bobby Ryan, Marc Staal, Dominic Turgeon. Seattle will select one player from each club except Vegas, the 2017 expansion team that is exempt from the draft. Seattle can select an unrestricted free agent if for some reason it wanted exclusive negotiating rights for a few days and he would count as the Most teams, if not all, are expected to choose the option of protecting player the team loses, even if the Kraken are unable to sign him. But it seven forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender (instead of eight doesn’t make much sense because that player can still sign with his skaters regardless of position and a goalie). This is the route the Red former club or anyone else on July 28 when free agency begins. Wings will take. Michigan Live LOADED: 07.17.2021 Players with two or fewer years of pro experience are exempt.
The Red Wings’ protection list is fairly straightforward, or so it seems. Here is look at who Detroit is expected to protect and who will be available to Seattle:
Forwards
Protected: Tyler Bertuzzi, Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri, Dylan Larkin, Michael Rasmussen, Givani Smith, Jakub Vrana.
Notable available players: Mathias Brome, Frans Nielsen, Vladislav Namestnikov, Richard Panik, Evgeny Svechnikov.
Notable exemptions: Joe Veleno, Filip Zadina, everyone drafted in 2018 or later.
Analysis: Six protection slots were obvious, and really, even the seventh spot, Smith, was a no-brainer. Smith is young (23) and under club control for several more years. He is big (6-2, 210), physical, forechecks hard, goes to the net and fights, providing a different dimension.
Svechnikov, their first-round pick in 2015, was waived twice last season and might not even be qualified, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The Kraken aren’t taking Nielsen, 37, who figures to be bought out of the final year of his contract after the expansion draft.
Panik is a serviceable fourth-line forward but has two years remaining at a $2.75 million cap hit.
The Red Wings probably hope the Kraken take Namestnikov, who had a disappointing season and has one year remaining at $2 million. But it’s unlikely he’ll be selected.
Brome signed with HC Davos in Switzerland.
Defensemen
Protected: Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek, Gustav Lindstrom.
Notable available players: Danny DeKeyser, Christian Djoos, Troy Stecher.
Notable exemptions: Moritz Seider, everyone drafted in 2018 or later.
Analysis: Hronek is an easy call. The Red Wings surely will protect younger players Cholowski and Lindstrom over veterans DeKeyser and Stecher.
DeKeyser has one year remaining at $5 million. The Kraken aren’t likely to take him. Djoos signed with EV Zug in Switzerland.
This leaves Stecher, a good-skating defender who helped Canada win the gold medal at this year’s World Championship, as the most likely candidate to be selected by Seattle. He is fairly young at 27 and has one year remaining at a team-friendly $1.7 million cap hit. 1217445 Detroit Red Wings Part of the key, though, might be Panik. Thinking back to the way the Red Wings acquired Panik — as part of the
Anthony Mantha trade in addition to Jakub Vrana and a 2021 first- and What acquiring Nick Leddy means for the Red Wings 2022 second-round pick — it’s possible to view the 2022 second-round pick in that trade as the payment for taking on Panik’s contract. In that sense, the pick the Red Wings are sending New York (albeit a year earlier) is sort of following Panik from Detroit to the Islanders. The Red By Max Bultman Wings are retaining half of Panik’s salary (and cap hit) in this trade, so it’s Jul 17, 2021 not identical, but the Red Wings do free up space at forward while filling out their defense corps with a player who can play a much bigger role than Panik would have.
The Red Wings got started on their offseason wheeling and dealing Either way, though, seeing the rebuilding Red Wings part with a second- Friday night just ahead of Saturday’s expansion-draft trade freeze by round pick for a 30-year-old looks like a departure from past Yzerman acquiring Nick Leddy from the New York Islanders for Richard Panik and moves. a second-round pick. Detroit will retain half of Panik’s salary in the deal. The expansion draft It’s a different kind of trade than Steve Yzerman has made thus far as general manager in Detroit — before Friday, the only time he had traded This is a strong bit of business from the Islanders for a couple of reasons. a draft pick (outside of draft-day moves up and down the board) was his First, they were facing a cap crunch, with high-profile pending restricted first player trade as Red Wings GM when he flipped a fourth-round pick free agents Anthony Beauvillier and Adam Pelech in need of new for Adam Erne in August 2019. contracts. But more immediately pressing was the looming expansion draft, where Leddy was part of a tough decision for GM Lou Lamoriello, That he did so for Leddy, a 30-year-old defenseman with one year and a risk to be lost for nothing to Seattle if left unprotected. remaining on his contract, leaves plenty to unpack, so let’s dive in. Losing him in the expansion draft would have cleared his salary and cap The fit hit just the same, but this way, the Islanders are getting something back for their top-scoring defenseman. Leddy fills an obvious need on the left side of Detroit’s blue line, where only Danny DeKeyser and Dennis Cholowski are under contract for next Meanwhile, the Red Wings won’t have any trouble protecting Leddy — season, as well as on the power play. Leddy is coming off a season in he would appear to join Filip Hronek as a lock for the protected list, which he played a major role for the semifinalist Islanders, logging more leaving one spot for Detroit to decide between Cholowski, Troy Stecher than 21 minutes, 30 seconds per game (second highest on the team) and and Gustav Lindstrom. Obviously, the Red Wings would have been able scoring 31 points to lead all Islanders defensemen. to protect two of those three prior to Leddy’s acquisition, and now can shelter only one, but realistically, they can afford to lose any of them in That scoring total would have led all Red Wings players last season, and the big picture. that kind of workload on a team that took the Stanley Cup champion Lightning to seven games in the semifinals is an indicator that his points With Leddy in the fold, does that open the door to leave Cholowski don’t come at a costly even-strength price. The Islanders did give up unprotected, considering he also would have projected as a left-shot nearly 54 percent of shot attempts with Leddy on the ice last season at power-play QB? Or is it the opposite — does Detroit protect Cholowski five-on-five, according to Evolving Hockey, but in terms of actual shot as well, filling out the left side with Leddy and DeKeyser and letting quality, he fared much better: His expected goals for percentage clocked Seattle have its pick of right-shot defenders Stecher and Lindstrom, in at 51.2 percent. That’s below the Islanders’ team xGF percentage, but knowing they’ll be guaranteed to keep one? a solid number nonetheless, considering his workload. It’s not clear what the dominant strategy is there. Protected lists are due On the power play, Leddy gives the Red Wings an experienced left- Saturday, so the Red Wings don’t have long to make that call. hander to run things up top, something they lacked last season. Possible future trade? It’s early in the offseason, with signings (and possibly more trades) still to come but as it stands, Leddy could be a natural veteran fit next to right- Finally, there’s the prospect of eventually trading Leddy as well — handed defenseman Moritz Seider — Detroit’s top prospect who is whether it’s at the coming trade deadline or sooner. expected to debut next season. Leddy has 11 years of NHL experience, If Detroit retains half of Leddy’s salary, he could look even more with much of that experience coming on winning teams, including a appealing to a contender at a lower cap hit. That could be one way to championship with the Blackhawks in 2012-13. recoup some of the draft capital down the road after a partial season of Leddy was listed on The Athletic’s trade board earlier this week, with Leddy playing in Detroit’s top four. The Red Wings weren’t exactly an Dom Luszczyszyn’s GSVA model projecting him to deliver a top-four ideal environment for offense last season, but with new assistant coach caliber impact for next season. Alex Tanguay coming in, perhaps Detroit takes some strides and Leddy reaps the benefits. That said, retaining money on Leddy in such a deal Chart via Dom Luszczyszyn would count as another retained salary transaction, leaving just one more for Detroit. The cost It’s tough to immediately think “future trade candidate” just hours after a While the short-term fit makes clear sense here, the cost is what stands player is acquired, but given the reality of the Red Wings’ timeline, it’s out. Leddy is a good player who will help Detroit next season, but it’s unavoidable. unusual to see a rebuilding team trading a draft pick (and a relatively early one, at that) for a 30-year-old on a one-year contract. Again: All told, this is a trade that requires some processing. The short-term fit is Yzerman simply has not previously made a move like this in Detroit. obvious as a likely heavily relied-upon defenseman with power-play deployment fills a big need for the Red Wings. But the cost — in terms of In the process, the Red Wings are unloading Panik, who carried a $2.75 both the second-round pick and using one of the limited number of million cap hit for both this season and next — but the Red Wings are retention spots — seems high considering the position the Islanders were retaining half of that, something they can do only three times per season. in (which is all about their situation, not about Leddy as a player). So, instead of using their cap space to add to their stockpile of picks (by For those reasons, the best word to describe the trade, given what we taking on other teams’ undesirable contracts, as with Marc Staal’s last know right now, might be “weird.” Not necessarily bad. But definitely offseason), Detroit is trading one away and using one of its few retained weird. salary transactions, in addition to paying Leddy’s $7 million salary (which is higher than his $5.5 million cap hit, per CapFriendly). The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 That doesn’t mean Leddy isn’t or can’t be worth that cost — again, he’d have led the team in scoring last year and should help a power play that badly needs it — but there’s no question it’s a different flavor than the rest of Yzerman’s trades in Detroit until now. 1217446 Edmonton Oilers “It’s term for a guy who’s 29. Ideally, a four-year deal for Zach, maybe five years to get him,” said Button. Say, $6 million a year for four years or five years at $5.25 million.
OILERS NOTES: Leafs' Zack Hyman would be ideal fit at winger, but for Hyman played with Matthews and Tavares, a very nice complimentary how long? piece. He’s a dog on a bone with the puck in the corners, trying to get it to the net. Playing with McDavid or Draisaitl would be right up his alley, 'If the Oilers want Zach, and there are a lot of teams that do, I would be too. They need that kind of player. It’s an even better opportunity if the making sure Connor is making some phone calls' Leafs don’t have enough cap room to bring him back and it doesn’t appear they do.
“I know Zach really, really well. Winning matters to him. He’s a driven Jim Matheson guy. He will take less to go to a team with an opportunity to win,” said Edmonton Journal Button, probably with a caveat.
Publishing date:Jul 16, 2021 • 9 hours ago With the Oilers in the hunt for Hyman, Holland also has to have a backup plan if he can’t get him. He has to be talking to St. Louis Blues winger Jaden Schwartz’s agent, too.
There’s a reason why the Edmonton Oilers want Zach Hyman. He’s fast, hard to play against. Or winger Brandon Saad, who always does his best work in the playoffs. But that’s a harder negotiation slog He was the most noticeable player every game for the Toronto Maple because American-born guys often don’t want to play in a Canadian Leafs when they took the Oilers to the woodshed in their three-game market. romp at Rogers Place this season. He would also provide some bite to their top six, something sorely missing. “Ken Holland has something he didn’t have a week ago. He’s got Duncan Keith. He can call up his old (Chicago) teammate and say, ‘This is a good He is 29 years old, plays a hard style and has had knee issues, so a free- setup, get your butt up here.’ Sign for only one year, if you want,” said agent term longer than four or five years makes little sense for Hyman, Button. even if he’s played with Auston Matthews, John Tavares or anywhere else in the top nine in Toronto. He is a hot item, like a nice house in a This ‘n’ that: It looks like Oilers unrestricted free agent defenceman Adam great neighbourhood. But do you pay above list to get it, if it might need Larsson will go to market and see what’s out there as a first-time free- some work later? agent. Maybe he can get a fifth year from another team (Philadelphia definitely wants him) … Seattle will likely choose between forwards “I showed four clips in that series where Hyman had closed off Connor Jujhar Khaira and Tyler Benson, if unprotected and, as of now, the Oilers McDavid and his defenceman only had a small space to defend against haven’t decided whether to qualify restricted free agent Khaira at his $1.2 Connor. He pushed Connor into that black hole,” said TSN commentator million to keep his rights, so he doesn’t become unrestricted July 28. Craig Button, the former Calgary Flames general manager. They would like him on a cheaper deal … Restricted free-agent winger “Zach is a smart player. Low maintenance, plays the same every shift, Dominik Kahun might be a one-and-done experiment after the expected doesn’t complain. I’ve compared him to Jere Lehtinen. Very similar chemistry with Draisaitl didn’t work last season. Chances of qualifying personalities,” said Button, who was in Dallas working for the Stars when Kahun are less than 50-50. Lehtinen was there. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2021 “If the Oilers want Zach, and there are a lot of teams that do, I would be making sure Connor is making some phone calls.”
But, at what price and for how long for the left-winger who plays a hard, intelligent game, when the free-agent doors swing open July 28? Hyman might have 10 teams looking at him.
“Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Gabriel Landeskog walked out of Colorado, Zach Hyman would walk in,” said Button, indicating a contract of four years at $5.5 million.
So, do the Oilers offer Hyman more per year than they just paid Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on average ($5.125 million) over eight years? After all, Nugent-Hopkins is the longest-serving Oilers player, drafted in 2011.
Oilers GM Ken Holland, doing his due diligence has probably called Mike Babcock, the old Leafs coach, for a scouting report on Hyman. That said, the Oilers need Hyman’s grit, but can’t go overboard because they also need a third-line centre. Maybe another bottom six winger, like Joel Armia. Maybe a goalie.
“I think you would have to sit with Ryan and tell him what you’re trying to do with Zach and say it’s more than you’re making, are you OK with this?’’’ said Button.
“I remember when we were in Dallas, we wanted to sign Brett Hull and we went to Mike Modano and asked Mike if that would be a problem. Mike said he was happy with that.”
Button is a big Hyman fan but says the Oilers have to be wary of a couple of things with the forward.
“When players move from the Eastern Conference to the West, there’s recovery time on their bodies, more wear and tear. The travel and not the same time to recover,” he said.
So, what do the Oilers offer Hyman to play with either McDavid or Leon Draisaitl? You tend to overpay. So, is it term or dollars? In most cases term is the killer. 1217447 Edmonton Oilers “In Detroit, we put a list in and (Vegas) took Tomas Nosek. He’s been a good fourth-line player for them, but he wasn’t a key piece (for the Red Wings). I think it’s going to be a similar situation here.”
What I’m hearing about the Oilers offseason 2.0: Adam Larsson and free Qualifying decisions on RFAs agency? Who’s on the expansion list? Naturally, Skinner will be extended a qualifying offer by the Oilers before the deadline for teams to do so on July 26. Fellow pending RFAs Yamamoto and Benson will, too, although the latter could be expansion By Daniel Nugent-Bowman draft fodder.
Jul 16, 2021 That leaves four possible RFAs — Jujhar Khaira, Dominik Kahun, Cooper Marody, and Theodor Lennstrom. These are the answers I got
from a team source on those players: Khaira, undecided; Kahun, The chances of pending unrestricted free agent Adam Larsson returning probably not; Marody, yes; Lennstrom, no. to the Oilers appear to be diminishing with every passing day. In the case of two big-leaguers, Khaira and Kahun, any decision made On Friday, those prospects got gloomier. not to qualify them is said to be cap-related. The Oilers might be willing to bring them back on cheaper deals. But walking away from them would “As we speak today, there’s a real possibility that Larsson wants to make sense considering No. 3 centre and top-six wing were spots explore the market,” Oilers GM Ken Holland said. occupied by those two, respectively, and are areas where the Oilers are trying to improve. Larsson’s agent, J.P. Barry, didn’t reply to a request for comment. The decision to qualify Marody is a little surprising only because it Holland reiterated what he’s said all along — that he wants to re-sign the doesn’t appear as though there’s a clear path for him to reach the NHL veteran defenceman. It’s expected Larsson would anchor a second pair team and centre-turned-winger turns 25 in December. However, Marody with Duncan Keith, the team’s high-priced acquisition from Monday. had an impressive 2018-19 AHL season (which saw him appear in his Holland has been negotiating with Barry since February and there have first six NHL games) and he rebounded nicely from an injury-plagued been countless conversations since then. A new contract was looking campaign in 2019-20. This past season, Marody recorded 36 points in 39 promising as recently as the first week of this month. AHL games and earned a spot on the year-end Pacific Division all-star team. However, Larsson is expected to be a hot commodity in free agency — should he make it there. As noted, I’m told a team is willing to offer the Lennstrom spent his first year with the organization in the AHL — save defensive blueliner a five-year deal with at least a $5 million AAV in free for a brief recall amid defence injuries in Edmonton — after signing a agency. The Oilers theoretically could make such a deal work under their one-year, entry-level contract last April. He was well-liked in Bakersfield, budget, but it might limit improvements to the roster in other areas. but those in the organization see his ceiling as a No. 8 NHL blueliner. Lennstrom turns 27 next month and the Oilers have a slew of younger Even if Larsson becomes a free agent, there could still be an opportunity left-shot defencemen — Philip Broberg, Dmitri Samorukov, Markus for him to re-sign in Edmonton. Nielemainen, and William Lagesson — who are more highly valued.
“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t come back,” Holland said. The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 Obviously, the odds diminish.
Expansion draft list
Again, Larsson might re-sign with the Oilers before free agency. But there’s next to no chance it happens before expansion draft lists are due Saturday at 3 p.m. MT.
As a result, the Oilers will protect Keith (a must because of his no- movement clause), Darnell Nurse, and Ethan Bear on the blue line.
The locks for protection up front are Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kailer Yamamoto, and Jesse Puljujarvi. That just leaves two forward spots and the goaltending position to be determined.
Holland said he’s finalized his protection list — barring a late trade — but wouldn’t reveal those last three spots.
The understanding here is that Josh Archibald is expected to get one of the forward slots and the final one will come down to Zack Kassian and Tyler Benson. Kassian is likely to get the nod. Keith mentioning him by name, unprompted, in his introductory media availability on Monday seemed like a tip-off.
With Mike Smith unsigned and the Oilers considered to be trying to move the final year of Mikko Koskinen’s $4.5 million AAV contract, Stuart Skinner is expected to be the goaltender blocked off. (Holland said talks with Smith’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, remain ongoing.)
Skinner played his first NHL game this past season and had an excellent year in the AHL, backstopping the Bakersfield Condors to a Pacific Division title. He doesn’t turn 23 until November and, although a restricted free agent, has one more year of being exempt from waivers. The Oilers are said to value that team control.
The one thing Holland made clear is he won’t be making any type of side deal with the Kraken. He said he doesn’t want to pay a future asset or assets to alleviate any salary cap quandary.
“We’re going to lose a player regardless,” Holland said. “You never want to lose a player. 1217448 Edmonton Oilers But there are a few things to be wary about with Hyman. One is his age. He’s 29, so a long-term contract could put him into his
late 30s. That type of commitment in free agency seldom works out for Source: Oilers talking to Zach Hyman’s camp; what he might cost and the entire length of the deal, especially for someone of Hyman’s hard- how he could fit with Edmonton nosed style.
Oilers fans don’t need to be reminded of Milan Lucic, whose seven-year, $42 million deal signed in 2016 looked poor by the second season and By Daniel Nugent-Bowman terrible by the third. And Lucic was 28 when he became an Oiler, albeit with 647 games on his resume. Jul 16, 2021 The Oilers still have $750,000 in retained salary from Lucic’s contract on
the books for two more seasons. The player for whom he was traded, The Oilers appear to be interested in Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach James Neal, is expected to be moved out this offseason — likely in the Hyman, a pending unrestricted free agent. form of a buyout, meaning more dead money.
An industry source confirmed Thursday evening that the Oilers are one of Again, Luszczyszyn’s model rates Hyman much more favourably, but the teams Hyman’s camp is speaking with about the possible acquisition there could be a turn for worst around the fifth year. of the winger’s rights. This was first reported by the Toronto Star’s Kevin Another is Hyman’s recent injury history. He’s missed 43 games over the McGran. last three seasons, multiple knee injuries being the key culprit. That could The Leafs granted permission for Hyman’s agent, Todd Reynolds, to be cause for pause. start checking in with other teams around the league since it looks like If not, and Hyman ends up in Edmonton, here’s how the roster and cap the player has priced himself out of Toronto. This was first reported by situation could look: TSN’s Darren Dreger. This just shows how tricky it would be to work Hyman onto the Oilers It’s unclear what it would cost to acquire Hyman before free agency roster on a contract of more than $5 million per year after the Duncan begins on July 28. Keith trade. Granted there are some assumptions made. (One, which Many teams are expected to make a pitch for Hyman, not surprisingly seems like a safe one, is Oscar Klefbom and his $4.167 million contract since our Dom Luszczyszyn ranked him as the fourth-best player set to is on LTIR.) hit the open market. Luszczyszyn projects Hyman as a top-line forward It assumes veteran defenceman Adam Larsson re-signs after the for two more seasons, a top-sixer for three campaigns after, and a fourth- expansion draft, which seems more likely than not at this point but not a liner by Year 6. He slotted Hyman’s next contract to be at a $5.8 million sure thing after Keith’s acquisition. Larsson might not get a raise on the AAV between four and five seasons. $4,166,666 cap hit from his previous contract with the Oilers. He gets A second industry source believes the Oilers are willing to offer Hyman one here since he’s expected to be highly sought after if he hits the open that average salary on a long-term deal, and maybe more, perhaps as market. I’m told a team is willing to offer Larsson a five-year deal with at long as seven years. That term is the maximum permissible under the least a $5 million AAV in free agency. collective bargaining agreement. The only way Hyman could get eight It assumes Mike Smith also foregoes free agency and returns to years with the Oilers is if he signed with the Leafs first and then was Edmonton. Smith had a $1.5 million cap hit, plus bonuses, in 2021. He’ll traded to Edmonton. Teams can exceed the $81.5 million salary cap by command more after finishing seventh in Vezina Trophy voting. 10 percent during the offseason, giving the Leafs the flexibility to do that. It assumes RFA Kailer Yamamoto is re-signed on a $2 million AAV Regardless of the exact term, such a deal would be a massive contract bridge deal. for the 29-year-old Hyman in Edmonton — especially when considering Ryan Nugent-Hopkins passed on free agency to sign an eight-year, Mikko Koskinen isn’t likely to be back, but it’s hard to predict the way he’d $5.125 million AAV deal last month. exit. A buyout opens $3 million in cap space (a $1.5 million cap hit) for next season. Trading him, while retaining half his salary (for this Nugent-Hopkins, the first pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, is the franchise’s exercise), results in a $2.25 million savings (and the same cap hit). longest-serving player and is a year younger than Hyman. RNH has 185 However, he has a 15-team no-trade clause. goals and 478 points in 656 games. He had 16 goals and 35 points in 52 games this past season. Hyman, a late bloomer, has 86 goals and 185 Taking that bigger savings in the form of a buyout here, the Oilers would points in 345 NHL games. He had 15 goals and 33 points in 43 games have almost $9.3 million in space under the $81.5 million salary cap. (To this past season. think, they could have had more cap space if they got Chicago to retain some money in the Keith deal.) With Hyman at first-line left wing, they’d There are potential rewards and risks for the Oilers should they sign still need to add a 1A/B goalie to support Smith, a No. 3 centre, a bottom- Hyman. As Luszczyszyn points out, it could be a case of short-term gain six winger, and possibly another depth forward or two and a defenceman. for pain in the longer term. Tight, but potentially doable. Does that make sense for the Oilers, who are in win-now mode with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl piling up points in the It’s worth noting that GM Ken Holland wants Dylan Holloway to take primes of their careers? someone’s job, so it’s likely he’ll be battling a veteran on a cheap contract for that third-line spot. He said Holloway will only be on the team Hyman could fit in nicely in the immediacy in Edmonton. The Oilers need if he’s in the top nine. at least one more top-six forward and Hyman has many skills the team is seeking, starting with five-on-five offence. These are the penalties in the dead money section:
He contributed at a 60-point pace in each of the last two seasons with Kyle Turris is sent to the AHL, resulting in a $525,000 cap charge; $1.125 minimal time on the power play. That type of production would be most million of a contract can be buried in the minors next season welcome, especially since PP minutes would likely be in short supply with the Oilers. The last four years of Neal’s contract are bought out, resulting in a $1,916,667 cap hit in 2021-22 He fit in nicely with superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in 2021, which bodes well because McDavid would probably be his centre Lucic’s $750,000 salary retention in the Alberta capital with someone like Jesse Puljujarvi possibly on the Andrej Sekera’s 1.5 million buyout other wing. Overage penalties of $669,339 from the 2021 season A tenacious forechecker and effective two-way player, Hyman has never finished with any of his five full NHL seasons with a goals-for percentage Tyler Benson, Jujhar Khaira, and Dominik Kahun are all RFAs but would or expected goals for a percentage below 50 percent. In 2021, he likely be exposed in the expansion draft — along with one of Josh managed a 52.3 CF%, a 66.7 GF%, and a 60 xGF%. Archibald or Zack Kassian — if Hyman were to sign before the roster freeze kicks in Saturday. Benson could be the most desirable asset to the Kraken whether or not a hasty Hyman trade and signing came to fruition. He’s has played just seven NHL games in three pro years but has had two excellent AHL seasons.
The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217449 Florida Panthers Duclair and Wennberg were such important pieces of good lines last season it could also make sense to protect either of them, preventing the Kraken from getting exclusive rights to negotiate with them ahead of the NHL Expansion Draft. Two NHL Drafts looming. A look at how they’re connected, what Panthers could opt to do Duclair, in this prediction, gets the nod because he’s a restricted free agent, while Wennberg is unrestricted.
Ultimately, the unprotected forwards might not matter because Florida, BY DAVID WILSON unless it buys out Yandle this week, will have to leave Gustav Forsling unprotected after he emerged as an unlikely first-pairing defenseman in JULY 16, 2021 06:00 AM the wake of Ekblad’s injury.
This is where the 2021 Entry Draft comes into play. Bill Zito has gone nonstop since he took over as general manager of the PANTHERS’ DRAFT-PICK TRADE POSSIBILITY Florida Panthers less than 11 months ago. He guided the Panthers through the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and free agency, and to their best Florida is officially in win-now mode after finishing the 2020-21 NHL regular season in franchise history before a first-round exit from the 2021 season with the fourth most points in the league. Stanley Cup playoffs. The Panthers also still have a nice cache of young talent with Barkov, Zito has had a little less than two months to regroup since Florida bowed Verhaeghe, Duclair, Bennett and Tippett all still 25 or younger, and out in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs to the eventual- Knight, left wing Grigori Denisenko and center Anton Lundell all ranking champion Tampa Bay Lightning and now his calendar is about to be as among the top 30 prospects in the NHL, according to ESPN.com. busy as ever. Florida’s first-round pick in the Entry Draft — No. 23 overall — is as The NHL will hold two drafts next week, then open up free agency the expendable as ever and the Panthers could dangle it to try to improve its following week. After a breakthrough season for the Panthers, the rest of current roster. One way they can do so is to leverage for the Expansion July will be crucial for them to finally win their first playoff series since Draft. 1996 and it starts next Wednesday with the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. All the teams are faced with their own individual set of hurdles every “That’s been the topic of discussion for months and months. I think summer,” Zito said. “[Columbus Blue Jackets president of hockey [director of hockey operations and salary cap management] Braden Birch operations] John Davidson always used to say in Columbus, ‘Curveballs! is a little mock-drafted out, we’ve done it so many times, the poor guy,” curveballs! You never know what’s around the corner. Isn’t that always Zito said last month, “but we’re prepared. The schedule is a little the case? compacted this summer, but we’re actually looking forward to it to continue to grow and get better.” “There’s always going to be something that presents itself and there’s always a trade that’s around the corner that you hadn’t anticipated.” Unless it gets creative, Florida will almost certainly lose a good player to the expansion Seattle Kraken next week. One option for Florida could be to send the 23rd pick to Seattle as part of an agreement for the Kraken to take a player of the Panthers’ choice. NHL teams are allowed to protect as many as 11 players, so long as the breakdown is seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender, For example: If Seattle wants to take Forsling and Florida is set on and the Panthers will likely use this formulation because of how many keeping him, the Panthers could could offer the Kraken their first-round defensemen they want to protect. pick in exchange for Seattle taking a lesser player. Anton Stralman, who is entering the final year of his contract and owed $5.5 million next year, Protection lists are due to the league Saturday. could be one option, as could fellow defenseman Radko Gudas, who is still a useful player and is under contract through 2023. Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle (3) skates as Tampa Bay Lightning center Blake Coleman (20) is congratulated by teammates after This probably only makes sense, though, to keep Forsling. Florida’s scoring during the first period of game 1 of their first round NHL Stanley defense is still thin and Forsling, 25, is a potential foundational piece. Up Cup series at the BB&T Center on Sunday, May 16, 2021 in Sunrise, Fl. front, the Panthers are deep enough and young enough to withstand David Santiago [email protected] losing a forward.
PANTHERS’ EXPANSION DRAFT PROTECTION PREDICTION Of course, an Expansion Draft trade has backfired for Florida before. In the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, the Panthers traded Reilly Smith to the Certain players don’t have to be protected — all first- and second-year Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Golden Knights picking Jonathan players, including goaltender Spencer Knight and right wing Owen Marchessault. The two forwards now rank among the top three in Vegas Tippett. Certain players must be protected — those with no-move history in points. clauses, including star left wing Jonathan Huberdeau. Another group of players are just no-brainers to protect — stars like center Aleksander Miami Herald LOADED: 07.17.2021 Barkov and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar.
Florida did not ask defenseman Keith Yandle to waive his no-move clause, Sportsnet reported, which means there’s essentially no debate about which goaltenders and defensemen will be protected.
▪ Goaltenders: Sergei Bobrovsky, who has a no-move clause.
▪ Defensemen: Weegar, Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad, who was having a star-type season before a season-ending injury in March.
The forwards to protect are mostly straightforward, although the last few spots are up for debate.
▪ Forwards: Barkov, Huberdeau, Patric Hornqvist, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett, Frank Vatrano and Anthony Duclair.
Those first five are obvious, even though Bennett is a restricted free agent. For the final two spots, the Panthers will have to choose between Vatrano, Duclair, and wingers Alex Wennberg, Noel Acciari and Mason Marchment.
Vatrano is under contract through 2022 and scored 18 goals last season, so he’s a safe bet to be protected. Acciari and Marchment are also locked up through next year, so they could be safe choices, too, but 1217450 Florida Panthers Does that mean he wouldn’t be protected? Probably not. It sounds like the Panthers continue to work on getting
something done. Seattle Expansion Draft II: Who do the Florida Panthers keep? Whether that happens before Saturday, well, we shall see.
Forwards (7): Jonathan Huberdeau (NMC), Sasha Barkov (NMC), Sam By George Richards Bennett (RFA), Carter Verhaeghe, Patric Hornqvist, Mason Marchment, Anthony Duclair. Published 20 hours ago on July 16, 2021 Defensemen (3): Aaron Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar, Forsling.
Goalie (1): Sergei Bobrovsky (NMC). The Florida Panthers, and the rest of the NHL (save for the Vegas Golden Knights), have to provide their protected list for the Seattle Looking at this list, there could be some questions. Kraken’s expansion draft by Saturday afternoon. Well, at least one. On Thursday, the Panthers not only bought out the remainder of Keith Why protect Mason Marchment? He may not be protected come Yandle’s contract but extended both Anthony Duclair and Gus Forsling. Saturday based on his past history. By doing that, general manager Bill Zito not only took care of some But the Panthers did extend his contract and coach Joel Quenneville did pressing offseason business, but offered some clarity as to how the put him in some pretty good situations as the 2021 season wore on. Panthers are thinking going into the expansion draft. Just going with a gut feeling here. Certainly there could be some unknown, hidden moves to come. Obviously Noel Acciari or Frank Vatrano could be protected instead. For know, however, we will take Thursday’s moves on the surface. Now, let’s look at who would be left unprotected under these projections We won’t entertain Seattle signing pending free agent goalie Chris and why we went with who we did. Driedger early (and thereby using him as its selection from Florida) or any other sweetened deals. THE UNPROTECTED PANTHERS
For good reason, any special deals are being held closely to the vest by Forwards: Vatrano, Acciari, Ryan Lomberg, Juho Lammikko. all sides. Defensemen: Anton Stralman, Markus Nutivaara, Radko Gudas. For now, we will look at who we think the Panthers will have on their protection list Saturday evening. Goalie: Sam Montembeault.
Zito is expected to go the 7-3-1 protection route and not the 4-4-1 way WHY THESE GUYS? that his predecessor Dale Tallon did in 2017. The obvious questions surround Vatrano and Acciari. As we wrote about That year, the Panthers sent Jonathan Marchessault to Vegas in a couple of weeks ago, perhaps the Panthers leave them exposed due to exchange for the Knights taking Riley Smith (and his five-year, $25 their contracts. million contract with the no-movement clause that was kicking in). Both players are entering the final years of their deals and, based on It’s a deal that has worked out well for Vegas. their production since signing their contracts, are likely due for a raise.
Anyway, here are the basic rules of the expansion draft: Florida may either not want to pony up when the bill comes due in 2022 or feels safe enough that Seattle won’t, either. — Seattle GM Ron Francis will select at least one player from each team save for the Golden Knights. This will give them a total of 30 (at least 14 As far as the defensemen go, Florida’s top three look pretty solid. There forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies) players. is no room for others.
— Seattle must choose a minimum of 20 players under contract for the While Seattle may now get Yandle on the cheap, they could reunite him 2021-22 regular season. The value of these players must be between 60- with Gudas or Nutivaara. 100 percent of the prior season’s salary cap upper limit. Stralman, who has one year left on his contract, is likely to return to — The Kraken cannot buyout the contract of a player chosen in the Florida. expansion draft until next summer. Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 07.17.2021 — Each team, aside for Vegas, can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie — or eight skaters and a goalie.
— The Kraken will also have an exclusive window from Sunday until Wednesday’s draft to interview and potentially sign pending free agents (Driedger) who were left unprotected in the expansion draft.
If Seattle signs a player before the draft, he counts as their pick from that players’ former team.
— All players who do not waive no-movement clauses must be protected.
With all of that said, here is who we think the Panthers will protect:
THE PROTECTED PANTHERS
Now that Yandle has been bought out and Forsling signed a three-year extension, who Florida protects on the defensive side is pretty easy.
It’s a little tougher as far as forwards go although it is not hard to connect the dots.
One of the big question marks going in is what happens with Sam Bennett.
While the Panthers locked in Duclair, they have not come to an agreement with Bennett. 1217451 Los Angeles Kings forward, may be another possibility. Yet the Kings seem to have little chance of losing a forward if they opt for the 7-3-1 configuration.
Goalies have long been the backbone of expansion teams. Quick’s Here’s why the Kings are well set up for the NHL expansion draft experience could get him a look, but there are other veterans with more recent success and smaller financial commitments potentially available. Trading for Victor Arvidsson gives a glimpse into who the Kings might protect and who they might lose to the Kraken The Kings’ most likely loss in the expansion draft is defenseman Kale Clague. Prior to the acquisition of Arvidsson, he would have been the primary reason the Kings went with the 8-1 option. But now the Kings would face leaving three useful forwards unprotected to hang onto By ANDREW KNOLL | Clague, who at 23 has yet to materialize as a full-time NHL player PUBLISHED: July 16, 2021 at 12:27 p.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2021 at despite the Kings’ paper-thin group on their blue line last season. Clague 2:45 p.m. was an offensive star in juniors, but still needs seasoning at the top level.
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Few teams are as comfortably situated as the Kings for Wednesday’s NHL expansion draft. Though they will lose a player to the Seattle Kraken, the Kings have options as far as their protection structure and seem unlikely to have to sacrifice assets in a side deal to preserve a player they would be unable to protect.
Every team except the Vegas Golden Knights, who are exempted due to their recent expansion status, will lose a player to Seattle. While the Kings have one of the most intriguing assemblies of prospects, draft picks and players on active entry-level contracts who are exempt, most of their most-coveted assets are ineligible to be selected.
The Kraken may take a different approach to that of Vegas, which has been a contender since its inception, despite having essentially identical parameters for their entry into the league. Seattle general manager Ron Francis favored a measured approach that leaned on player development in his previous gig with Carolina. Thus, veteran players and higher salaries may not be all that attractive to Seattle.
The Kings can opt to protect seven forwards, three defenseman and a goalie, or they can protect any eight skaters (regardless of position) and a goalie. The recent acquisition of right winger Viktor Arvidsson from Nashville has given Kings general manager Rob Blake greater impetus to lean toward the 7-3-1 setup.
LIKELY PROTECTION LIST
Goalies: Cal Petersen. Not only is he the goalie of the future, he’s the goalie of the present for the Kings. Veteran Jonathan Quick has two years left on his contract with a $5.8 million annual cap hit. He is pricey for a backup or No. 1B goalie, meaning exposing him carries limited risk for the Kings.
Defensemen: With exemptions for Mikey Anderson and Tobias Bjornfot, the Kings can comfortably protect the right side of their defense. Drew Doughty, Matt Roy and Sean Walker seem like locks to be protected. Veteran Olli Maatta would be unprotected after a disappointing first year as a King.
Forwards: Center Anze Kopitar, winger Alex Iafallo and forward Adrian Kempe appear certain to join Arvidsson on the protected list. The Kings could protect three more forwards among a group that includes Andreas Athanasiou, Trevor Moore, Lias Andersson, Brendan Lemieux, Carl Grundstrom, Blake Lizotte and Dustin Brown.
Moore provided energy and consistency last season, making a solid case for himself to be kept as an anchor of the Kings’ bottom-six forwards, perhaps over Grundstrom and similarly styled Lizotte. Athanasiou is a restricted free agent, but the Kings can ill afford to get thinner, slower and less talented on the wings; the two sides have expressed mutual interest in a new contract. Andersson and Lemieux came from the New York Rangers in separate deals for draft picks last season, but Andersson, a former No. 7 overall pick, may have the upside to earn protection over Lemieux.
Brown recaptured the fitness and production of his youth in the first half of last season before injuries hindered his stretch run. The former captain was left exposed in the 2017 expansion draft, and the Kings’ career leader in games played may see the same fate here. His $5.875 million price tag for next season and age – he’ll be 37 in November – may not entice Seattle anyway.
MOST LIKELY DEPARTURES
Andersson’s unprotected, buy-low potential and meager cap hit might pique the Kraken’s interest. Lemieux, a physical and antagonistic 1217452 Los Angeles Kings the end, and unfortunately, the end wasn’t great. I was not happy with the situation, for sure. That’s all I can say.
The cross-check you took from St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Viktor Arvidsson on his trade from the Predators: ‘I feel like I didn’t get Bortuzzo in November 2019 is often cited as the moment when things seen as the all-around player I was’ turned in the wrong direction for you from a production standpoint. How much did the injury you suffered as a result affect your play?
I blew both my MCLs out on both legs. I had double MCL sprains, on By Adam Vingan both (my) left and right knees. I came back from that after five weeks, I think, right before the (2020) Winter Classic, I believe. Jul 16, 2021 The team at the time, we had a tough time, tough go. Things (weren’t
going) well. I wanted to help the team so much, and I think I pushed my It has been more than two weeks since the Predators traded forward comeback a little too much and (came back) too early. My conditioning Viktor Arvidsson to the Los Angeles Kings for two draft picks. wasn’t right. My game wasn’t there, so my confidence got really bad. I think that really had a tough go on me. From his offseason home in Sweden on Friday, Arvidsson spoke to The Athletic about his reaction to being moved after spending parts of seven I think in the bubble, when we went to Edmonton, I was back to my seasons in Nashville. game, and I think in the beginning of the season this year, I was good as I can be. I played really well. I created chances for the team. Every time I This is what Predators general manager David Poile said after the July 1 was on the ice, I had scoring chances. I don’t see me declining in any trade: “The playoffs didn’t go our way or his way. He didn’t play in all the way. I just had some really bad luck. The puck didn’t go my way. I missed games, and he wasn’t 100 percent healthy. At our end-of-the-year some really good chances. When you put those in the net, you get meeting, he was not happy with where he was at. I think it’s fair to say we confident and you score the next game and two the (game after that). weren’t happy. In my conversation with him (on the day of the trade), I Hockey is a lot about confidence, I think. think we both acknowledged that. I believe Viktor is very appreciative and thankful for everything that happened here in Nashville, and I think he What was your reaction to your teammates’ reaction to the trade, needs a fresh start. … I think he’s OK with this. He needed something specifically Filip Forsberg’s thumbs down on Instagram? different. It just felt in talking to him, and I think he would acknowledge Me and Fil have known each other for a long time. Since junior age, we this, that he just didn’t think it was going to work here anymore for a played with each other. I probably would have reacted the same if I was variety of reasons.” in his position. I said this before, I would hate to part ways with him if he What were those reasons? were to go to another team. I understand his reaction. I think it’s normal. We’ve been with each other for so long and played with each other night I think both me and Moa, my wife, we love Nashville. I wouldn’t say I out and night in and had so much fun together. I appreciate it. He wanted to leave. If that’s what the quote is about, it’s not true. We love showed his emotions, and that’s normal. Nashville. We lived in Nashville more than we have lived in Sweden. We lived there for seven years, and we loved it there and we loved the team What do you consider to be your career highlight with the Predators? and we loved the city and the fans. Probably my single-season record in goals (34 in 2018-19). It worked out for a lot of years. This year, I think I played good. I think I What is your favorite memory of playing with Pekka Rinne? was unlucky. I didn’t score on the chances I had. In the beginning of the season, I was the highest guy on the team in scoring chances and stuff My favorite memory (was) probably this year, that last (regular-season) like that, and I just didn’t put the puck in the net. game. It was unbelievable how he got treated. That game was unbelievable. He had a shutout. That was just great. That’s what I will I feel like I didn’t get seen as the all-around player I was, at the end of the remember. It was emotional. I didn’t play that game, but I was on the day. That’s my honest truth about it. I feel like I need to get that off my sideline. I just felt how heartwarming that was for him and his family. That chest. I didn’t play the PK. I didn’t play in all situations, which I did for the was probably my favorite memory from playing with him, for sure. last six years, and I didn’t for this year. I didn’t play the PK. I didn’t play 5- on-6 and so on. I think I can contribute in all those areas. What are you most looking forward to as a member of the Kings?
Me (being) OK leaving, I don’t know. I feel like I wanted to stay. But I am I proved many people wrong in my life. I had to. I feel like I have to again. looking forward to the challenge I have ahead in L.A., and I think I can be I’m going to do it. I’m going to go in there with a fresh mindset and really a huge contributor to their team and have a huge impact on their roster. do my part. I lead with my actions. I’m looking forward to (proving) That’s my opinion of it. everybody that doesn’t believe in me wrong.
I couldn’t be more happy with what happened in Nashville for me and my The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 family, how they saw me. Like, how Lucas (Bergman), the European scout, drafted me and really put in a word for me that I was a good player. I appreciate everything with (former coach) Peter Laviolette and (former associate coach) Kevin McCarthy. They treated me so good. They really brought me into the league as the player I am today. I have nothing bad to say about that. I loved it for a lot of years.
Of course, when production doesn’t go your way, it’s frustrating, and you don’t like it. I think any player could (relate) to that. It’s hard when you’re supposed to produce, and things don’t go your way. I really appreciate the time I had and how they treated me. When (Poile) said the playoffs didn’t go my way, or I had a little bit of injuries, for sure that’s true. I agree. I wasn’t happy, and I wanted to play more at the end. But unfortunately, I couldn’t.
Were you healthy enough to play in more than two playoff games?
Yeah, I think I was.
It sounds like there might have been a difference of opinion between you and Predators coach John Hynes. How would you describe your relationship with Hynes?
No, it was good. We talked a lot and whatever. I had a nagging injury, but I did everything in my power to get back from it. I felt like I was good enough to play, for sure. Maybe they didn’t see it that way. I didn’t play at 1217453 Los Angeles Kings Anderson-Dolan’s role was predominantly on the fourth line this season, and his possession metrics were generally on the lower end compared to his teammates, a trend that was emphasized when playing away from Grundstrom and Moore, as was also the case with Grundstrom as well. Kings Seasons In Review – Jaret Anderson-Dolan Not necessarily unexpected for a young forward, but certainly an area where you’d like to see progress.
For a player who could craft a role as an effective defensive player, you’d By Zach Dooley also like to see his faceoff percentages jump a bit. Anderson-Dolan’s 14 hours ago faceoffs-won percentage at just under 44 percent was the lowest amongst regular centers, a number you want to see go up for a player you might trust to be on the ice late in games, defending a lead.
At last we’ve reached the end of our Seasons in Review series, finishing 2021-22 Status – Anderson-Dolan has one season remaining on his up with another rookie down the middle in Jaret Anderson-Dolan. entry-level contract. His 2020-21 season was a good introduction to the NHL, and now he figures to battle for a bottom-six center position with Jaret Anderson-Dolan the Kings during training camp. NHL Statline – 34 games played, 7 goals, 4 assists, -9 rating, 6 penalty Anderson-Dolan slots into a group alongside Vilardi, Quinton Byfield and minutes Blake Lizotte vying for icetime down the middle behind Anze Kopitar. Possession Metrics (Relative To Without) – CF% – 41.6% (-7.7%), SCF While he’s played almost exclusively in the middle as a professional, – 39.6% (-7.4%), HDCF – 40.5% (-9.3%) Anderson-Dolan has the versatility to play on the wing as well, though not at the professional level. After looking at Gabriel Vilardi on Wednesday, it’s only fitting to pivot to Anderson-Dolan today. The two Canadian-born forwards have come up With many positives from the season that was, and still being early in his together through the ranks, after being selected as the Kings’ top two development process, Anderson-Dolan figures to currently sit on the picks in the 2017 NHL Draft. Both were important pieces of the 2019-20 inside track for a roster spot come September, though as always, Ontario Reign, both began to establish themselves in the NHL this performance during training camp will help to shape and control that season and both won gold medals with Team Canada at this season’s narrative. World Championships in Latvia. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 07.17.2021 Anderson-Dolan began the season on the outside looking in, as a member of the taxi squad as opposed to the active roster. Once he got his shot though, in early-February, he never looked back, as he provided an energetic, hard-working option in the bottom six throughout the season.
Trending Up – 7 goals from 34 games played translates to roughly 17 goals over the course of an 82-game season, which would be more than sufficient for a bottom-six center. On a per/60 basis, no Kings player produced more goals at 5-on-5 this season, with JAD’s 0.93 mark topping the charts. Among first-year forwards across the NHL, Anderson- Dolan ranked eighth in the league in that category.
Anderson-Dolan also impressed with his energy, work ethic and forechecking ability, traits and qualities which shined through when skating on a line with Carl Grundstrom and Trevor Moore. With those two on his line, Anderson-Dolan saw both his raw production and possession metrics shoot up, similar to how it boosted Grundstrom’s numbers. That trio was effective for the Kings in a variety of different stints together, as a buzzing, forechecking unit, using their own style to create offensive opportunities off of the forecheck.
“We can all skate, we all know that, we know that’s what’s going to give us success,” Anderson-Dolan said of the line. “I think that physicality, that comes with being on the forecheck, can turn the tide of the hockey game pretty quick.”
Though he wasn’t the first player over the boards on the penalty kill, Anderson-Dolan did log just about a minute per game with the Kings a man down. No Kings player posted a lower GA/60 while on the penalty kill than Anderson-Dolan did, while he also posted the best figures for scoring chances and high-danger chances allowed on the penalty kill among LA forwards.
There are also those buzzwords that get thrown around, that you can’t measure with statistics, that seem to stick with Anderson-Dolan. Character, leadership, intangibles, all of those other hockey guy terms that you like to hear – those words have consistently been applied to Anderson-Dolan something that only grew during his rookie season.
Trending Down – In a lot of ways, we got a good glimpse into what Jaret Anderson-Dolan can be, and a lot of the traits that he possesses. But we still leave the 2020-21 season wondering exactly what his end result is. Is he a player who can produce enough to center a second line one day? Can he up his possession metrics, produce well enough offensively while being a standout player defensively and become an ideal third-line center? Or does he project more as an energy player, someone best suited for the fourth line?
All questions that remain outstanding. 1217454 Minnesota Wild On defense, the Wild can protect Spurgeon, Brodin and Dumba; Soucy fills the exposure condition. Ian Cole and Brad Hunt are soon-to-be free agents.
Wild to submit protection list ahead of Seattle expansion draft At goalie, Cam Talbot as the team's starter could get the security over Kahkonen even though Kahkonen's been progressing as a future No.1 The Wild has until Saturday to send in the list of players it wants to candidate for the Wild. protect from Seattle in the upcoming expansion draft. Although the team cut a deal with the Golden Knights in 2017, sending them Alex Tuch so they would sign Erik Haula and avoid the players the Wild couldn't protect, the Wild probably doesn't need to do the same By Sarah McLellan maneuvering this go-around. Star Tribune Because of the flexibility it gained with the Parise and Suter buyouts, the JULY 16, 2021 — 10:33PM team has space to protect a key player like Dumba – whom the Wild kept from Vegas with the Tuch trade.
Still, Seattle will subtract someone from the Wild's orbit. The Wild cut two players from its roster earlier this week, and the team is soon going to lose another option. And that loss could determine the Wild's next move this offseason.
Seattle will debut next season as the NHL's 32nd franchise, and the "We're going to do what we have to do to protect everybody we want to Kraken will select its team on Wednesday during a televised expansion and can and are able to," Guerin said. draft. Star Tribune LOADED: 07.17.2021 Before then, the other teams around the league except Vegas will decide which players to protect from Seattle. Those lists are due Saturday, and they're expected to be made public on Sunday.
"There's a lot of planning involved and a lot of strategizing," Wild General Manager Bill Guerin said.
After the team revealed it was buying out the remaining contracts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter on Tuesday, the decision created two openings on the Wild's protection list.
Players with no-movement clauses in their contracts have to be protected unless they agreed to waive them, and Parise and Suter had those clauses in their deals. Their spots can now be devoted to the likes of Matt Dumba and Nico Sturm, two players who were probably on the outside looking in with Parise and Suter in the mix.
But the Wild could still be in danger of losing a defenseman, possibly Carson Soucy, or maybe goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen.
Like in 2017 when the Golden Knights were introduced, teams have two possibilities for protecting players from the expansion draft.
They can shield seven forwards, three defenseman and a goalie or eight skaters and a goalie. First- and second-year pros along with unsigned draft picks are exempt from the process.
Teams must expose a goalie signed for next season (or one who's a restricted free agent) and at least one defenseman and two forwards under contract who played in at least 27 games last season or a minimum of 54 games the previous two seasons combined.
If the Kraken signs a team's free agent, that will count as that team's selection. Seattle will have an exclusive opportunity starting Sunday to negotiate with unprotected free agents.
The Kraken will draft 30 players, a group that must include at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies; a minimum of 20 players must be under contract for a combined value that equals at least 60 percent of last season's $81.5 million salary cap. Vegas, as part of its expansion agreement, won't participate in the Seattle draft.
Last time, the Wild went the 7-3-1 route with its protection list and that setup makes sense once again.
Captain Jared Spurgeon, defenseman Jonas Brodin and forward Mats Zuccarello have no-movement clauses, but the Wild has room to protect them and most of its other roster regulars.
With its seven forward spots, the Wild can put Zuccarello, Sturm, Joel Eriksson Ek, Kevin Fiala, Marcus Foligno, Jordan Greenway and Ryan Hartman on its protection list. Remember, a player coming off his first season like Kirill Kaprizov is exempt and doesn't need to be protected.
That would leave Nick Bjugstad, whom the Wild re-signed earlier this month, and Victor Rask vulnerable, and both meet the exposure requirements. Nick Bonino and Marcus Johansson are pending free agents. 1217455 Minnesota Wild
Projected Wild protection list
A look at which players the Wild could look to protect heading into next Wednesday's expansion draft.
By Sarah McLellan
JULY 16, 2021 — 10:17PM
Projected protection list
Seven forwards: Joel Eriksson Ek, Kevin Fiala, Marcus Foligno, Jordan Greenway, Ryan Hartman, Nico Sturm and Mats Zuccarello.
Three defensemen: Jonas Brodin, Matt Dumba and Jared Spurgeon.
One goalie: Cam Talbot.
Possible Seattle targets
Carson Soucy, defense
Losing Soucy would create another hole on a Wild blue line already in need of attention.
Kaapo Kahkonen, goaltender
The Wild could use free agency to bring in a new backup if Kahkonen leaves.
Star Tribune LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217456 Minnesota Wild Olympic hockey team and one of the first Zambonis ever made, among other exhibits.
Sixteen Eveleth players and coaches are enshrined in the museum's Why is the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame located in tiny Eveleth, Minnesota? "Great Wall of Fame," including Sam LoPresti, Frank "Mr. Zero" Brimsek, Mike Karakas, Mayasich, Mariucci, Cliff Thompson, Connie Pleban and The Iron Range attraction is one of two hockey halls of fame in North Mark Pavelich. Pavelich, who died in March, was inducted as a member America. of that 1980 Olympic team.
The Eveleth museum typically receives between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors a year, compared with the more than 279,000 people who visited By Jana Hollingsworth the Toronto hall in 2019. Low attendance forced the Minnesota facility to Star Tribune close for a period in the mid-2000s.
JULY 16, 2021 — 9:16AM The hall is a nonprofit funded through admissions, donations, public funding and grants — including those from USA Hockey.
Godin said this week that the museum remains significant today as the DULUTH — The small Iron Range city of Eveleth is home to an outsized U.S. produces a larger share of players in the NHL, while remaining a number of pilgrimage-worthy destinations for hockey fans. It boasts a minority in the league overall. Roughly a quarter of the players in the 110-foot-long hockey stick, a famous Hippodrome ice rink and the U.S. NHL are American. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum. "It's important that our role in the sport be emphasized," he said. Lifelong hockey fan Mike Ethen wanted to know how the Hall of Fame — located on Hat Trick Avenue — ended up in Eveleth of all places. It is Star Tribune LOADED: 07.17.2021 "out of the way and in a small town," Ethen said, similar to New York's Cooperstown National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
"When compared to the regal [Hockey Hall of Fame] in Toronto, it just seems like an unusual choice," Ethen said, referring to the home of the Stanley Cup. He sought answers from Curious Minnesota, the Star Tribune's community reporting project fueled by great reader questions.
Despite its modest population, Eveleth produced a disproportionate number of hockey stars during the 20th century. As Minneapolis Star columnist Jim Klobuchar once wrote, "If U.S. hockey didn't begin in Eveleth, this is where it got its flavor and some of its broken teeth."
No one symbolized Eveleth's long-ago dominance more than John Mariucci and John Mayasich, who remain hockey legends for their achievements ranging from college hockey to the Olympic Games. The Eveleth High School Golden Bears team won four state titles in a row during its heyday — a rare feat. Many Eveleth players went on to the NHL.
"Nobody produced them like Eveleth in the day," said Hall of Fame director Doug Palazzari. "It's a storied history."
The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto was established in the 1940s and moved into its first building in 1961. It focuses on the athletes globally who have contributed to the sport.
Eveleth mining executive D. Kelly Campbell proposed building a U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth in the late 1960s. The Eveleth Civic Association then formally applied to the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States — now known as USA Hockey — which approved the proposal at a meeting in Boston in 1968.
The building became a reality in 1973 with the help of a sizable federal grant stemming from legislation sponsored by the area's congressman at the time, U.S. Rep. John Blatnik.
So why have two hockey hall of fames? The Eveleth facility's first director, Roger Godin, told the Minneapolis Tribune in 1977 that the Toronto hall mostly honors Canadian players.
"This Hockey Hall of Fame is set up for the United States," Godin, who is now team curator for the Minnesota Wild, said at the time. "I don't want to build a Hall of Fame on the exploits of Canadian players. I want to bring the Americans in."
The Eveleth facility struggled to attract enough visitors to break even in its early years, based on newspaper accounts. There were discussions in the mid-1980s of moving it to the Met Center in Bloomington to help boost attendance, but they ultimately fizzled.
"Would they move baseball's Hall of Fame from Cooperstown, N.Y. to Manhattan? Or transfer pro football's from the NFL's Canton, Ohio birthplace to Cleveland? Of course not!" the Star Tribune editorial board wrote in 1985, opposing the move.
The museum is dedicated to American hockey players and those who helped develop the sport, from youth hockey to the NHL. It dedicates space to NHL coach and St. Paul native Herb Brooks, the 1980 U.S. 1217457 Minnesota Wild Jersey Devils GM, manages the Islanders. The two remain close, have a great mutual respect and have likely already connected.
There’s also the Vegas Golden Knights, who are coached by one of his Avs? Blues? Blackhawks? Ryan Suter has options in free agency, while all-time favorite coaches, Pete DeBoer. Parise captained DeBoer’s Devils Zach Parise looks for familiarity to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final.
Parise, who like Suter earned $88 million of his $98 million contract with the Wild and will still receive $6.7 million from Minnesota spread over the By Michael Russo next eight years, isn’t looking to break the bank either. He would consider agreeing to a bonus-laden one-year deal, something permissible for Jul 16, 2021 players 35 and older.
Sheehy made crystal clear, “Ryan won’t be doing that.” It was late afternoon on July 3, 2012, when Wild owner Craig Leipold’s The only NHL player to log more ice time than Suter since 2012 is the plane landed at St. Paul’s private downtown airport with Leipold and Los Angeles Kings’ Drew Doughty, and that’s by 31 minutes. then-Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher, then-coach Mike Yeo, Ryan Suter’s friend and business partner Tom Sagissor and Suter’s agent, Neil “The only thing that’s gone down for Ryan is his ice time to 22 to 23 Sheehy, on board. minutes, but if you look around the league, what do the top defensemen get? They’re playing 22 to 23 minutes,” Sheehy said. “So it’s not as if his I had caught wind that Leipold’s plane had been in Madison, Wis., so of game has really declined. He’s a top-four defenseman and still has that course I assumed the Wild were there to meet with Suter in an attempt to steadiness factor.” finalize a blockbuster Suter-Zach Parise twin free-agent signing for the next day. MAJORITY OF SUTER'S COMPS PLAYED TWO YEARS AFTER THEIR PROJECTION, BUT ONLY 12 PERCENT MADE IT TO YEAR 4 But I wanted to see who was on the plane with my own eyes. So, in an WHICH IS WHEN HIS DEAL WOULD'VE EXPIRED. old-school journalism move, I staked out the airport and literally hid in the PIC.TWITTER.COM/4GHEG2KXWM bushes next to a fence alongside the tarmac to see who’d get off Leipold’s plane. — DOM AT THE ATHLETIC (@DOMLUSZCZYSZYN) JULY 13, 2021
“Chuck and Craig kept saying, ‘Russo knows something. He’s on the Suter, who like Parise is 36, will be looking for a multiyear contract and scent,’ because you texted a few of us, ‘How’s Madison?’” Sheehy Sheehy indicated that the majority of teams that have expressed interest recalled Friday. “I said, ‘When we land, I’m staying on the plane because in Suter at this juncture would be deemed contenders. I know Russo’s going to be here.’ They go, ‘No chance he’s here.’ They then get off, see you come out of a bush and immediately go, ‘Shit, “Ryan’s objective is to win a Stanley Cup,” Sheehy said. there’s Russo.’” Sheehy said the contract offers for Suter are expected to run the gamut “So, here’s the deal,” Sheehy added, with a hearty laugh, regarding the based on each team’s situation and the available cap space they can first day of free agency on July 28. afford to offer.
“I now have a cabin (in northern Minnesota). You’re going to need In other words, Suter will have lots of choices and opportunities and binoculars this time, bud. I live on the end of an island, so I have water understands he may have to choose a team that’s offering him less on three sides. I can see any boat coming for a mile on three sides of me money and/or years than others. now. You might have to be G.I. Joe coming up the backside to hide in the Basically, what Sheehy has told interested teams is, “Make your pitch” trees this time. That’s the only way I’m not going to see ya!” based on opportunity, role and, of course, money and term. Nine years and two weeks after Sheehy played a major role in the Wild “Contract terms are a part of it and Ryan wants to win a Stanley Cup, but landing the Suter half of the tag-team 13-year, $196 million signings ($98 he also has a wife and four children,” Sheehy said. “So he can’t just pick million apiece), the veteran agent is fielding scores of phone calls from up and go anywhere. He’s not going to just say, ‘OK, I’m gonna go try interested parties yet again on a veteran defenseman who unexpectedly and win a Cup for a year,’ because he has a family to look after. And as became a free agent earlier this week when Parise and Suter left much as a player wants to win, you also need your family to be in the Minnesota the way they came: together. right situation. “It’s a new sweepstake,” Sheehy said with a chuckle a few days after “Those two things go hand in hand. If your family’s set, then you’re going Parise and Suter were bought out of the final four years of their contracts. to play better.’” “Lots of teams are interested in Ryan. Lots. I was talking to somebody yesterday that said, ‘There’s not a single team in the league that could Suter was obviously stunned when he got that unexpected phone call have gone through all of their offseason scenarios and exercises and from Wild GM Bill Guerin informing him that not only was Parise being ever thought that Ryan Suter would be available. bought out, but so was he.
“Now, he is.” But Sheehy said he quickly got Suter refocused on the situation ahead.
Parise’s in a bit of a different situation. “It all hit him hard, but now he’s got to change gears and say, ‘What are the options?’” Sheehy said. “I think it makes the most sense for us to wait Teams are interested in him as well, but it’d be surprising if he doesn’t till Wednesday night and see what happens in the expansion draft sign somewhere he feels most comfortable and where he has a previous because that’ll open things up for various teams. And it’ll give us a more relationship with members of the brass. clear picture of what the landscape looks like. Now it doesn’t mean we’re ZACH PARISE STILL HAS A REALLY HIGH PROJECTION PER MY not going to be talking, but no decisions are going to be made certainly MODEL, BUT IT COMES WITH A TON OF DOWNSIDE AS A before Wednesday. But things will maybe get more serious after we MAJORITY OF HIS COMPS DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THEIR OWN know the landscape. PROJECTIONS. THEY FELL OFF QUICKLY WITH ONLY 32 PERCENT “The first day was hard for him. I just said, ‘Look, just sit back, be with EVEN PLAYING A SECOND YEAR. your wife and kids and take it all in right now. We’re not making any PIC.TWITTER.COM/RRQC1S4OCE decisions yet, so just sit tight because we have time.’ They talked, he — DOM AT THE ATHLETIC (@DOMLUSZCZYSZYN) JULY 13, 2021 wrapped his head around it, and now he’s excited about the future.”
And he’s long had a soft spot for the New York Islanders, where his late Sheehy said Suter naturally has his wish list, one he of course wouldn’t father, J.P. Parise, played. divulge.
OK, more than a soft spot. Remember, he was willing to waive his no- But Suter’s a Midwestern guy. He’s a proud American who has donned move clause in the summer of 2019 and again at the 2020 trade deadline the red, white and blue at numerous international tournaments. So, it in order to spur a deal to the Islanders. Lou Lamoriello, his former New would be shocking if he’d consider teams in Canada, like perhaps the Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets. A couple of teams that he’d probably love to play for in part because of their proximity to Minnesota and his Wisconsin offseason home are the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks.
It’s believed the Blues have interest.
But likely the ideal spot for Suter, if he wants to play for a Cup contender, is the Colorado Avalanche.
Sources say Suter is intrigued by the Avs, and they’re expected to have significant interest now that they’ve traded Ryan Graves to the Devils. But they also probably can’t afford to offer Suter as much as others because Colorado still hopes to re-sign pending free agent and captain Gabriel Landeskog, superstar defenseman Cale Makar needs a new contract and they need to save a boatload of money in order to extend Nathan MacKinnon’s contract next summer.
It’s believed Suter would also like to play for a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning, but as hockey fans are likely well aware of by now, the reigning two-time Cup champs have major cap challenges ahead of them.
The Pittsburgh Penguins may have interest in Parise and Suter with former Team USA 2010 Olympic GM Brian Burke in their front office, while other teams potentially interested in Suter include the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers — who have former Wild GM and Nashville Predators assistant GM Paul Fenton in their front office — and the Islanders, who are coached by his former Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz.
It’s also worth noting that Sheehy has a great relationship with Lamoriello, who has a couple of Sheehy’s clients — Isles captain Anders Lee and defenseman Nick Leddy.
“The only thing I’ll say is players can come up with their wish lists, but when a team’s like a dog on a bone coming after you, do you really want to try to sell yourself to a team you’d rather be on or do you go with the team coming after you like a dog on a bone?” Sheehy said. “What normally works best is to go with the team that really wants you rather than to choose a team you had to sell yourself to. … Right now we are just gathering info, but I did talk to a team and said honestly, ‘I don’t think you guys are going to be in the mix.’”
Sheehy says Suter’s in a much better mental space today than he was earlier in the week.
“Here’s the thing, with Minnesota, he was planning on being there forever. It wasn’t his choice to leave,” Sheehy said. “But you have to get over it because the rules were followed by Billy (Guerin), and everybody’s done what they have to do. Billy had his reasons. Now Ryan’s got to move on.”
As much as Suter was stung earlier in the week, this is definitely going to work out for him.
He’s already been humbled by the number of teams that have contacted Sheehy. He’s going to end up making more money than he would have his final years in Minnesota because he gets $6.7 million of the $10 million the Wild still owed him, plus whatever he gets on his next contract or contracts beyond this next one.
Plus, let’s be blunt: He conceivably could end up closer to a Stanley Cup elsewhere than he would have been in Minnesota.
“As what happens with most people, sometimes the biggest curse in your life turns out to be the biggest blessing,” Sheehy said. “You can be down and out over the plight that happened to you or you can be excited about all the new possibilities. When you immediately hear it, you’re stunned and think about your kids and you think about your wife and how difficult it’s going to be.
“But when you get out of that mode, Ryan’s excited and looking for the next opportunity. As he said to me, ‘Neil, I’ve got a lot of hockey left in me,’ so we’ll see what happens July 28.”
I’m dusting off my binoculars … and G.I. Joe camouflage.
The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2021 1217458 Montreal Canadiens If Bouchard was swayed by money, he isn’t saying. While there’s no doubt he felt wanted by the Ducks, he made it clear he didn’t feel unwanted by the Canadiens. And while Ducharme was just signed to a three-year contract extension, Bouchard probably believes he’s closer to No rift with Canadiens, Joël Bouchard says of jump to Ducks' AHL team becoming an NHL head coach with his new organization, where he’ll be looking over the shoulder of Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins. "There's no animosity. I didn't make this decision because I was unhappy," former Laval Rocket head coach says of move to San Diego Eakins, hired by the Ducks in 2019, has an overall record of 46-63-18, Gulls. while failing to lead the team to the playoffs in either season.
“I don’t make decisions based on money,” Bouchard said. “They did show a lot of interest in me, to be honest, in every kind of way. They had Herb Zurkowsky a vision and some passion. Montreal Gazette “I’m not the kind of guy who thinks too much ahead. When you overthink Publishing date: Jul 16, 2021 • 13 hours ago things, it doesn’t work that way.”
Bouchard remains a co-owner of the junior Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, while running an academy out of its arena. He has no plans to sell his Many will call it a lateral move. Joël Bouchard was coaching an AHL home or become a full-time California resident. team in Laval and he’ll be coaching another one in San Diego next season. “Sometimes life takes you on a different path,” he said. “There’s no hidden agenda. Let’s jump in the pool and see what’s on the other side.” When he’s running on a beach in southern California or going for a swim next winter while everyone in Quebec is shovelling snow and attempting Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.17.2021 to remain warm, there won’t be anything lateral about it.
“There’s no such thing as lateral moves,” Bouchard told the Montreal Gazette in a telephone interview this week. “You’re learning in life. You’re growing. You have experiences, live different things and see different things.
“It’s a decision I took to live something different,” he added. “Humans need to be challenged. They need to have growth. The day you stop being challenged and you’re satisfied, you might regress.”
As the Canadiens were conducting their video conference exit interviews last Friday following their Stanley Cup final loss to Tampa Bay, the announcement came that Bouchard, 47, would be leaving the organization to coach the San Diego Gulls — the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate.
The move could hardly be viewed as shocking. Not only did Bouchard’s contract expire on July 1 — as the Canadiens were in the midst of their series against the Lightning when general manager Marc Bergevin had other priorities — it was expected he would be in demand after leading the Rocket to first place in the Canadian Division, along with one of the AHL’s best records (23-9-4).
The Rocket probably would have challenged for the Calder Cup, had a post-season been played, but the COVID-19 pandemic and border restrictions scuttled that potential.
Bouchard was given the option of remaining in Laval, where he coached the last three seasons, or becoming an assistant on Dominique Ducharme’s staff. Bouchard nixed those options leading to rampant speculation of a rift between himself and — take your pick — Bergevin, Ducharme, the organization or all of them.
But during a 20-minute interview, Bouchard repeatedly denied any ill feelings existed. He thanked Bergevin for giving him an opportunity to coach at the pro level, while calling Ducharme a close friend.
“There’s no animosity,” Bouchard stated. “I didn’t make this decision because I was unhappy. I know a lot of people are trying to maybe see something behind this. The reality is I didn’t see it coming.
“If someone thinks there’s jealousy involved or something between (he and Ducharme), they’re wrong. We’re very close friends. It’s not one against another. I understand people who wonder, did something happen? Marc’s been great to me. He gave me a chance three years ago to do what I believed was the right thing. I came with different concepts and told everyone to trust me because it was going to work.
“A lot of people will try to speculate. It wasn’t an easy decision. It’s a matter of timing. The relationship with the Habs is great.”
Bouchard, with a background in junior hockey, is considered a tremendous motivator and teacher, and was credited with nurturing and developing several players — Jake Evans serving as the best example — playing for the Canadiens. Ducks GM Bob Murray said those qualities were instrumental in his decision to have Bouchard replace Kevin Dineen. 1217459 Montreal Canadiens Head coach Dominique Ducharme spoke about what that next step involves for Kotkaniemi, who has experienced growing pains since making the Canadiens as an 18-year-old after he was selected third overall at the 2018 NHL Draft. Future is now for Canadiens' young guns “He’s no different than any guys that, at one point in their career, are Dynamic duo of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield could lead the way with figuring out things,” Ducharme said. “To understand what you need to do, help from Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Alexander Romanov and Jake Evans. every player to have success in that league because this is the best league in the world. So what kind of tools you have and how are you
going to use it to have success? How are you going to prepare during Stu Cowan summertime to take another step. You pile up all those things and I think with the experience, with going through three seasons and KK Montreal Gazette progressed and he learned a lot and he went through a lot. He went through some ups and downs. It’s OK to have ups and downs, it’s OK to Publishing date: Jul 16, 2021 • 14 hours ago face adversity. If you use it the right way it’s going to make you a better player and you figure out things. A little bit like a team.
It was nine days before Christmas in 2019 and the Canadiens were in “So I think that’s where he can be taking a big step,” the coach added. Vancouver, their first stop on a four-game Western Canada road trip “When you know yourself better, when you know what type of player you before the holiday break. are, when you know what can bring you success, then you become more consistent, then a lot of things fall into place. And that’s where I think for GM Marc Bergevin must have been in a festive mood, because after him that’s a big part and we had some really good discussions. He’s doing a media scrum he decided to hold an informal chat with some of been through many things and he’s growing, he’s gaining maturity and the Montreal media members. Six months earlier, Bergevin had selected now I think he’s at that point where he needs to take that chair that is his Cole Caufield in the first round (15th overall) of the NHL Draft and during and really sit into that and really own that.” the chat the GM was asked how he envisioned using the young right- winger in the future. There will no doubt be some more growing pains in the future for the Canadiens’ young players but, as Cooper said, the future looks bright. A big smile came on Bergevin’s face as he spoke about Caufield possibly playing on the same line with Nick Suzuki. At the time, Suzuki was 33 Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.17.2021 games into his NHL career.
The future ended up coming quickly and Suzuki and Caufield were linemates as the Canadiens advanced to the Stanley Cup final this season before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
During the handshake line after the series, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper was wearing a mic and his conversations with Suzuki and Caufield were picked up.
“Hey, you got a hell of a future, kid,” Cooper told the 21-year-old Suzuki, who had 7-9-16 totals in 22 playoff games. “I’m telling you, your coming- out party. Keep going … work ethic, keep working.”
“You got a bright future, kid,” Cooper told the 20-year-old Caufield, who had 4-8-12 totals in 20 playoff games.
Cooper also had encouraging words for 21-year-old defenceman Alexander Romanov, who only played in four playoff games, including the last two against the Lightning.
“Good job, all right,” Cooper told Romanov, who scored against the Lightning in the Canadiens’ 3-2 OT win in Game 4. “You got a great future.”
The future is indeed looking much brighter for the Canadiens after they advanced to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since winning their last championship in 1993. Their group of young players — including 21- year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi and 25-year-old Jake Evans — are a big reason for that.
If you weren't already a Jon Cooper fan, watch this video.