blankisthenewblackblog

[blogsportsnews]

Seattle Kraken's Soaring Success: A Tale of Triumph on Ice

The Seattle Kraken, founded in 2018, has swiftly become a prominent name in the National Hockey League (NHL). As the league's 32nd franchise, the Kraken entered the scene with a wave of anticipation and excitement. Since then, they've been making waves both on and off the ice, captivating fans with their performance, community involvement, and strategic moves. Let's delve into the latest news surrounding this dynamic team.

Stay tuned for further updates as the Seattle Kraken embark on their quest for greatness in the NHL.

Expansion Draft Impact

One of the most significant events for the Kraken was the expansion draft, where they had the opportunity to build their inaugural roster. In July 2021, the Kraken carefully selected players from established NHL teams, laying the foundation for their squad. Key picks included seasoned veterans like Mark Giordano and younger talents like Vince Dunn, providing a balanced mix of experience and potential.

Inaugural Season Performance

The 2021-2022 NHL season marked the Kraken's debut on the ice. While every expansion team faces its challenges, the Kraken showcased resilience and determination throughout the season. Despite facing tough competition in the Pacific Division, they demonstrated flashes of brilliance and competitiveness. While they didn't make the playoffs in their first year, the Kraken laid the groundwork for future success and gained valuable experience as a team.

Community Engagement

Beyond the rink, the Kraken have been actively engaged in the Seattle community. From grassroots initiatives to large-scale outreach programs, the team has made a concerted effort to connect with fans and make a positive impact. Whether it's supporting local charities, hosting youth hockey clinics, or promoting environmental sustainability, the Kraken have shown a commitment to being more than just a sports team—they aspire to be a beacon of community pride and unity.

Arena and Facilities

The Kraken's home base, Climate Pledge Arena, stands as a testament to their dedication to sustainability and innovation. Renovated to meet LEED standards, the arena boasts state-of-the-art facilities while minimizing its environmental footprint. This commitment aligns with the team's ethos of responsible stewardship, resonating with fans who prioritize environmental consciousness.

Trade Deadline Moves

As the 2023-2024 NHL season progressed, the Kraken remained active in shaping their roster. The trade deadline presented an opportunity for strategic maneuvers, and the Kraken seized it with calculated moves. Whether bolstering their lineup for a playoff push or positioning themselves for long-term success, the team's front office demonstrated astute decision-making, aiming to maximize their competitiveness in the ever-evolving landscape of professional hockey.

Emerging Talent

While established stars play a vital role, the Kraken's future success also hinges on cultivating young talent. Through scouting, drafting, and player development initiatives, the team is nurturing the next generation of hockey stars. From prospects in the minor leagues to rookies making their NHL debut, the Kraken's commitment to talent cultivation bodes well for sustained success in the years to come.

Fan Experience and Innovation

In an era where fan engagement is paramount, the Kraken have embraced innovation to enhance the spectator experience. From interactive mobile apps to augmented reality features in the arena, they're leveraging technology to create immersive fan interactions. Additionally, the team has explored unique promotional events and partnerships to further enrich the gameday atmosphere, fostering a sense of belonging and excitement among supporters.

Looking Ahead

As the Seattle Kraken continue to carve their legacy in the NHL, the future brims with promise and potential. With a solid foundation in place, including a passionate fanbase, world-class facilities, and a roster poised for growth, the Kraken are primed to make a lasting impact on the hockey landscape. As they navigate the highs and lows of professional sports, one thing remains certain—the spirit of the Kraken will endure, inspiring generations of fans and athletes alike.

In conclusion, the Seattle Kraken's journey is a testament to the power of vision, resilience, and community. From their inception to the present day, they've captured the hearts of hockey enthusiasts worldwide while staying true to their values. As they continue to evolve and write their story in the annals of sports history, one thing is clear—the legend of the Kraken is just beginning.

[iihfworldsjunior]

IIHF World Junior Championship 2022 to be played in August

After being postponed in December because of COVID-19 concerns, the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships will be held this summer.

“It will take place in the middle August in Alberta (Canada),” IIHF President Luc Tardif stated Thursday at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. “It will not be the same competition as in December, so we won’t know what happened.”

After four days of play, the tournament for players younger than 20 started in Edmonton and Red Deer (Alberta) on Dec 26th. However, it was cancelled after Russia, Czechia, and the United States each forfeited a preliminary round game after their players tested positive for COVID-19.

Tardif stated that the 2022 WJC could have the same rosters as December’s, regardless of whether the players turn 20 prior to the new tournament.

Tardif stated that they are in talks with all parties and are working out details. It will take place after the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. It will be a hockey festival, and the teams are eager to participate.“

The 2022 Hlinka Gruetzky Cup for players under 18 is set for the first week of August in Edmonton and Red Deer.

The top five NHL Draft picks in 2021 would be eligible to play if the rosters are unchanged. Owen Power, the No. 1 defenseman, was selected by the Buffalo Sabres. 1 by the Buffalo Sabres and forwards Mason McTavish selected No. 3 by the Anaheim Ducks and Kent Johnson, who were selected No. 5 were included by the Columbus Blue Jackets on the Canada roster at the beginning of the tournament in December.

Matty Beniers, forward, was the No. The Seattle Kraken selected Matty Beniers as the No. 2 pick, while Luke Hughes, the No. 3 pick, was chosen by the defenseman. 4 were selected by the New Jersey Devils and were placed on the United States roster.

Jake Sanderson, the No. 5 defenseman in the 2020 NHL Draft was selected. The Senators selected Jake Sanderson as No. 5 in the 2020 NHL Draft. He was the captain of the United States, which is trying to win back-to-back championships for the first-time. Canada was the last to achieve this feat, having won five consecutive titles in 2009.

The United States will play in the preliminary round of Group B along with Russia, Sweden and Slovakia. Canada will be playing preliminary games in Group B with Germany, Czechia and Austria.

The IIHF will reinstate the WJC relegation round. It was removed for the 2022 WJC. Belarus will replace the loser in the best-of-3 round of relegation at the 2023 tournament. It is scheduled for December 26 through January 5.

Belarus is promoted to the top tournament as the winner of the 2022 WJC Division I Group A tournament.

Because the 2021 tournament, also scheduled for Edmonton and Red Deer in 2021, was not in Edmonton, the 2022 tournament was held here.

[tarot-mind]

Seattle Kraken

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version #1 - With source annotations ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seattle Kraken The iconic roof that once stood atop the Olympic Mountain is now waiting to be put in jeopardy in the Seattle octopus's underground cave. The Seattle Seahawks have their first roster of 30 players with the expansion draft on the books. The dust has yet to settle, but on Wednesday the Kraken chosen 12 defensemen, 15 forwards, a center and three goalies, with only one player from every other NHL team except the Las Vegas Golden Knights. [Sources: 0, 1] On Wednesday night, General Manager Ron Francis announced their roster during a special broadcast on ESPN, backed by a plethora of major names including Sue Bird, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Marshawn Lynch. Mike Salk and NHL Network Insider Jon Morosi joined Bob Stelton on 710 ESPN Seattle after the expansion draft to share his thoughts on many of the picks. Here's a closer look at the 30 members of the Seattle Octopus, including some thoughts from Morosi and Salk on most of Seattle's selections. [Sources: 1, 5] The Octopuses open their season on October 12 with a visit to the Vegas Golden Knights, the 31st team in the NHLs to play in the 2017-18 season. The NHLs "regular schedule was released Thursday night and the expansion draft, one of the first steps to building their first roster was on Friday and Saturday. Sports News Track picked up on initial rumors that the Kraken would announce players as part of the league's 32nd franchise. [Sources: 2, 5, 9] The Seattle Octopuses will compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference from the 2021-22 season. The team is owned by Seattle Hockey Partners with David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tod Leiweke. In December 2018, the NHL approved a proposal by the team and granted Seattle the right to expand. [Sources: 3] The Seattle Octopuses began playing in the NHL as a brother tandem when Hayden Fleury joined Cale Fleury, a Montreal Canadiens fellow defenseman, as an expansion draft pick by Seattle GM Ron Francis. Haydn Fleury has a history with Francis, who selected him in the 2014 NHL Draft from the Carolina Hurricanes in seventh place. [Sources: 1] He's a sneakily good pick on the weakest unprotected list in the entire league. Fleury has on his resume 14 games of scoreless NHL experience, but he shows signs of value despite his sparse use that should feed Seattle Development Staff. [Sources: 4] Geekie, a familiar face of Kraken GM Ron Francis, was a third-round pick of the Hurricanes when Francis took over in 2017. He played in 36 games last season and could play a big part in the Kraken formation. The Kraken had three goaltenders in Chris Driedger, Vitek Vanecek and Joey Daccord in 84 games. [Sources: 4, 6] The Kraken selected 30 players but did not disclose any side deals or deals with Vegas to take advantage of their inaugural season. The Kraken selected 14 strikers, nine defenders and three goalkeepers. As previously reported, the Kraken selected players from among the 30 teams they were allowed to choose from who would break the league's salary cap, giving them a lot of flexibility when deciding to add veteran talent to their roster. [Sources: 5, 8, 9] The Vegas Golden Knights struck deals in a spectacular 10-team expansion draft and landed several key players including Shea Theodore, Marc-Andre Fleury, Alex Tuch, William Karlsson and others. Vegas also made 10 secondary deals that brought them an extra six players before their expansion draft. The octopuses have done a good job of exploiting the rules and the lack of experience in the environment. [Sources: 8, 9] The Vegas Golden Knights picked Fleury in the 2017 expansion draft after reaching the Stanley Cup finals in their first season. The Seattle Seahawks announced the two fleurys Wednesday night during the expansion draft. [Sources: 6] The two Fleurys are not star goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, but the Seattle Octopuses have put together an interesting team since General Manager Ron Francis has selected 15 strikers, 12 defensemen and three goaltenders. Francis has solid organisational depth on the defensive end and he has picked versatile players who can move in the forward line. [Sources: 6] The 26-year-old scored 17 points in 50 games for the Wild last season. In 22 games with the Laval Rockets, Cale Fleury scored zero goals and finished with six points. Appleton was effective in the bottom six, putting up 25 points in 56 games last season while averaging a smiley over 14 minutes of ice time per game. [Sources: 4] Ryan Carpenter is a potent penalty-killer and a decent centre in the fourth line, but he's 30 years old. Former Panthers goalie Chris Driedger reacts after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the NHL Expansion Draft. He is poised to be Seattle's starting goaltender next season and the roster will be highlighted by former Flames captain Mark Giordano, long-time Islanders winger Jordan Eberle and former Penguins forward Brandon Tanev, who will be paired with veteran defensemen Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak, and two-time Stanley Cup champion Yanni Gourde of the Tampa Bay Lightning. [Sources: 8, 9] Anyway, we'll be watching the show from 8pm, and as many people have been reminding you on Twitter in the last few hours, there's no reason to pay attention. Credit must go to the reporters and sources who helped with the hard work that was done on the East Coast before lunch. You have one hour of work for the content and then another 30-30 to start work. [Sources: 7] ##### Sources ##### [0]: https://www.seattlekrakenhockey.com/ [1]: https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1450028/seattle-kraken-breakdown-all-30-picks/ [2]: https://www.diebytheblade.com/2021/7/21/22587531/recapping-the-seattle-kraken-nhl-expansion-draft-nhl-hockey-buffalo-sabres [3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Kraken [4]: https://www.si.com/hockey/news/seattle-kraken-expansion-draft-live-pick-tracker [5]: https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/news/seattle-kraken-draft-roster-nhl-expansion-picks/1cmaxh0u08qzu1p95xaugxzuwc [6]: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2021/07/21/seattle-kraken-expansion-draft-winners-and-losers/8050546002/ [7]: https://theathletic.com/live-blogs/seattle-kraken-expansion-draft-live-updates-news-analysis-reaction-for-nhls-32nd-team/3L8hmoL29Byz [8]: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/chicago-hockey/analysis-why-did-the-seattle-kraken-take-john-quenneville-from-the-blackhawks/2561225/ [9]: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31858944/seattle-kraken-skip-superstars-expansion-draft-focus-group-looking-win-together [10]: https://am.ticketmaster.com/nhlseattle/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version #2 - Without source annotations ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Seattle Kraken The iconic roof that once stood atop the Olympic Mountain is now waiting to be put in jeopardy in the Seattle octopus's underground cave. The Seattle Seahawks have their first roster of 30 players with the expansion draft on the books. The dust has yet to settle, but on Wednesday the Kraken chosen 12 defensemen, 15 forwards, a center and three goalies, with only one player from every other NHL team except the Las Vegas Golden Knights. On Wednesday night, General Manager Ron Francis announced their roster during a special broadcast on ESPN, backed by a plethora of major names including Sue Bird, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Marshawn Lynch. Mike Salk and NHL Network Insider Jon Morosi joined Bob Stelton on 710 ESPN Seattle after the expansion draft to share his thoughts on many of the picks. Here's a closer look at the 30 members of the Seattle Octopus, including some thoughts from Morosi and Salk on most of Seattle's selections. The Octopuses open their season on October 12 with a visit to the Vegas Golden Knights, the 31st team in the NHLs to play in the 2017-18 season. The NHLs "regular schedule was released Thursday night and the expansion draft, one of the first steps to building their first roster was on Friday and Saturday. Sports News Track picked up on initial rumors that the Kraken would announce players as part of the league's 32nd franchise. The Seattle Octopuses will compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference from the 2021-22 season. The team is owned by Seattle Hockey Partners with David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tod Leiweke. In December 2018, the NHL approved a proposal by the team and granted Seattle the right to expand. The Seattle Octopuses began playing in the NHL as a brother tandem when Hayden Fleury joined Cale Fleury, a Montreal Canadiens fellow defenseman, as an expansion draft pick by Seattle GM Ron Francis. Haydn Fleury has a history with Francis, who selected him in the 2014 NHL Draft from the Carolina Hurricanes in seventh place. He's a sneakily good pick on the weakest unprotected list in the entire league. Fleury has on his resume 14 games of scoreless NHL experience, but he shows signs of value despite his sparse use that should feed Seattle Development Staff. Geekie, a familiar face of Kraken GM Ron Francis, was a third-round pick of the Hurricanes when Francis took over in 2017. He played in 36 games last season and could play a big part in the Kraken formation. The Kraken had three goaltenders in Chris Driedger, Vitek Vanecek and Joey Daccord in 84 games. The Kraken selected 30 players but did not disclose any side deals or deals with Vegas to take advantage of their inaugural season. The Kraken selected 14 strikers, nine defenders and three goalkeepers. As previously reported, the Kraken selected players from among the 30 teams they were allowed to choose from who would break the league's salary cap, giving them a lot of flexibility when deciding to add veteran talent to their roster. The Vegas Golden Knights struck deals in a spectacular 10-team expansion draft and landed several key players including Shea Theodore, Marc-Andre Fleury, Alex Tuch, William Karlsson and others. Vegas also made 10 secondary deals that brought them an extra six players before their expansion draft. The octopuses have done a good job of exploiting the rules and the lack of experience in the environment. The Vegas Golden Knights picked Fleury in the 2017 expansion draft after reaching the Stanley Cup finals in their first season. The Seattle Seahawks announced the two fleurys Wednesday night during the expansion draft. The two Fleurys are not star goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, but the Seattle Octopuses have put together an interesting team since General Manager Ron Francis has selected 15 strikers, 12 defensemen and three goaltenders. Francis has solid organisational depth on the defensive end and he has picked versatile players who can move in the forward line. The 26-year-old scored 17 points in 50 games for the Wild last season. In 22 games with the Laval Rockets, Cale Fleury scored zero goals and finished with six points. Appleton was effective in the bottom six, putting up 25 points in 56 games last season while averaging a smiley over 14 minutes of ice time per game. Ryan Carpenter is a potent penalty-killer and a decent centre in the fourth line, but he's 30 years old. Former Panthers goalie Chris Driedger reacts after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the NHL Expansion Draft. He is poised to be Seattle's starting goaltender next season and the roster will be highlighted by former Flames captain Mark Giordano, long-time Islanders winger Jordan Eberle and former Penguins forward Brandon Tanev, who will be paired with veteran defensemen Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak, and two-time Stanley Cup champion Yanni Gourde of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anyway, we'll be watching the show from 8pm, and as many people have been reminding you on Twitter in the last few hours, there's no reason to pay attention. Credit must go to the reporters and sources who helped with the hard work that was done on the East Coast before lunch. You have one hour of work for the content and then another 30-30 to start work.

[burkymakar]

hey, i’m fairly new to ice hockey and i have no idea what free agency means or anything like that. are you able to explain it maybe and help a struggling fan out? <3

same newcomer anon as just before, what’s a no movement contract and an expansion draft as well.... i see people talking about seattle’s expansion draft and honestly have no idea what it means :’)

hi! welcome, excited to have you! And yes, I'll do my best to explain but let me know if you have further questions.

Free Agency is basically when a player's contract is up and they're free to make a new deal. Typically, contracts go from Entry-Level Contracts (ELCs) that last 1-3 years and are less than 900k. There are also 2-way contracts so players bounce between NHL/AHL. There’s a lot going on.

When that expires they become Restricted Free Agents (RFAs). RFAs are typically younger players and when their ELCs are up, the team that owns their rights (usually the team that drafted them) signs them to their next deal.

That deal typically falls into two categories: bridge and term. Bridge deals are usually less than 4 years, and pay a decent amount of money. Term deals go from 6-8 years and pay a larger total over that longer amount of time. But it definitely varies.

One potential factor of those longer term deals is called a No Movement Clause (NMCs) where the player with that contract gets to decide if they get to be traded and where. The team doesn't have that control.

When the RFA contract is up, players become Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs). This means that no team has control on that player, and they can sign with any team for whatever deal they want.

Now, there are some issues between that. Sometimes, those rights get traded. Sometimes, those rights expire and an RFA will become a UFA. Sometimes, players get bought out and go into the free agency market. It's very complicated and it's totally normal to feel confused!

As for the expansion draft, when a new team comes into the league they need players. Typically, you get them by drafting but they need players immediately.

So the Seattle Kraken (the newest team in the league), gets to take one player from every team (except Vegas since they're also new) to help get them players.

Now, not all the players that get selected by the Kraken will be on their roster. They might get traded for other players, draft picks, it will definitely be interested to see.

NMCs come into play because teams have the right to protect players on their team to stop the Kraken from taken them. There are two ways of protection: 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, 1 goalie OR 8 skaters and 1 goalie.

If a player has an NMC, then they must be protected. For example, Erik Johnson of the Colorado Avalanche waived his NMC, and now he's eligible to be taken by the Kraken (but he probably won't be).

Now, UFAs are interesting in an expansion draft because the expansion draft is before free agency. So the team could leave a UFA exposed and the Kraken could technically have the right to pick that UFA.

But the Kraken probably won't want a UFA because they can immediately go sign with whatever team they want. They're more likely to take players already on contracts so they can physically have a team.

I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Sources:

https://www.reddit.com/r/winnipegjets/comments/8aj7e7/what_is_the_difference_between_rfa_and_ufa/

https://www.liveabout.com/nhl-free-agents-explained-2778995

https://puckpedia.com/salary-cap/contract-clauses

[reavenedges-lies]

Full Article Below The Cut

Which players should the Penguins protect? Three Post-Gazette staffers play GM

MATT VENSEL

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

mvensel@post-gazette.com

JUL 15, 2021 5:18 AM

Ron Hextall has been mum about which Penguins he plans to protect in next Wednesday’s expansion draft. We have educated guesses but won’t officially find out until the weekend, after teams must formally submit their protected lists to the new Seattle Kraken and the rest of the league.

In the meantime, we decided we would steal Hextall’s comfy GM chair for a moment, kick back our feet, swivel around a little bit and share which players we would protect if Mario Lemieux was crazy enough to let us run the team.

Who’s we? Post-Gazette beat reporters Matt Vensel and Mike DeFabo and columnist Ron Cook, game-day regulars over at PPG Paints Arena.

We also projected which guy the Kraken would grab in each scenario.

All three over us opted to protect seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie instead of eight overall skaters and a goalie. And while we all agreed on most of the players we would keep, there were a few differences. So we explained the rationale behind our personal protected lists.

Finally, these protected lists are somewhat based on the personal preferences of each of us. But there is some actual intel buried in here. So enjoy, let us know which of us is the smartest and feel free to share your lists, too.

Matt Vensel, Penguins beat reporter:

FORWARDS: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Brandon Tanev, Teddy Blueger and Kasperi Kapanen

The first four guys are no-brainers. Tanev and Blueger are quick calls for me, too. Tanev is a guy who can provide a spark on a random Tuesday in January and help you win playoff games in May. He is also integral to the team’s off-ice chemistry. Blueger has become an effective shutdown center and added 22 points in 43 games last season. The final forward spot comes down to Kapanen and Jeff Carter. Carter is the more useful player to Pittsburgh for 2021-22, especially with Malkin out indefinitely. But I’ll gamble that Seattle passes on the 36-year-old and I will instead keep Kapanen, an imperfect middle-six winger but a tradable asset.

DEFENSEMEN: Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci

Letang and Dumoulin are the easy ones. And young blue-liners John Marino and Pierre-Olivier Joseph are exempt, so need to worry about protecting them. No one else is a priority. Mike Matheson had a nice first season here and fellow lefty Marcus Pettersson is well-rounded with perhaps a little more room to grow. Unfortunately, both have pricey, long-term deals that eat up too much cap room relative to their level of performance. Ceci is an unrestricted free agent but he is someone whom the Penguins should and will consider resigning. I’ll keep his rights, which could maybe be traded for a future asset if we can’t afford him.

GOALIE: Tristan Jarry

Protecting Jarry is not endorsing him as my No. 1 entering 2021-22. I just don’t want to be caught without a goalie when the record screeches on the offseason game of musical chairs. I still hope to bring in a veteran with some semblance of a playoff pedigree to push or potentially outright replace Jarry on the roster.

SEATTLE SELECTS…

Jared McCann. I crossed my fingers that Kraken GM Ron Francis would take one of these bigger cap hits off our books. But they pass on Matheson, Pettersson and winger Jason Zucker and roll the dice on McCann. The former first-rounder has speed, a wicked wrister, versatility and a reasonable $2.9 million salary. The Kraken hope that the 25-year-old finally puts it all together on his fourth NHL team.

Mike DeFabo, Penguins beat reporter:

FORWARDS: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Brandon Tanev, Kasperi Kapanen and Jeff Carter.

The Penguins might be willing to play a game of chicken with Seattle and assume the Kraken will not select a 36-year-old who has just one year remaining on his contract. In fact, I’d expect them to take this bet and leave Carter exposed. But if I’m playing GM? That’s too big of a gamble now that we know Evgeni Malkin underwent significant offseason knee surgery that will force him to miss the beginning of the season. Who knows when Malkin will actually return? Who knows how effective he’ll be at 35 with a wonky wheel and a disrupted offseason program? The Penguins need a reliable insurance policy. Carter is exactly that. Carter fit in seamlessly in the dressing room after he was acquired at the deadline and made his presence felt on the ice, too, scoring 13 goals in 20 games, including playoffs.

DEFENSEMEN: Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin and Mike Matheson

There’s an argument to be made that the Penguins should leave both Pettersson and Matheson exposed and try to entice Seattle to take one of those long, expensive contracts off their hands. However, the way the Penguins’ speed-oriented system highlighted Matheson’s strengths makes him a player that I wouldn’t want to lose for nothing.

GOALIE: Tristan Jarry

Jarry’s postseason performance didn’t inspire a lot of confidence. But where will the Penguins be if Seattle selects their No. 1 netminder? I’d still try to add a goalie to challenge Jarry for starting time or possibly even supplant him. But knowing he’s on the roster gives the team more options and a safety net.

SEATTLE SELECTS…

Teddy Blueger. Give the 26-year-old center credit. He’s almost always the last player on the ice at practice, fine-tuning his game as he adds an offensive dimension to what’s already a consistent defensive game. But let’s not make him out to be more than he is. He’s still, more or less, a fourth-line center on a team filled with talented forwards. The Penguins would have a much-easier time replacing a fourth-line center than a second-line center like Carter.

Ron Cook, Post-Gazette columnist:

FORWARDS: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Kasperi Kapanen, Brandon Tanev and Teddy Blueger

Only the final spot was difficult for me: Blueger or Jared McCann. I’m gambling the Kraken won’t take Jeff Carter at his advanced age even though he would be a perfect leader on a young team. It would be nice if Seattle would take Jason Zucker and his inflated salary off the Penguins’ hands, but that isn’t going to happen. I went with Blueger over McCann because he is more qualified as a center.

DEFENSEMEN: Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin and Mike Matheson

The Penguins don’t have to worry about losing much on the blue line. Matheson and Marcus Pettersson are more than expendable because of their high salaries, but the Kraken won’t be interested in either player. It’s good that John Marino is exempt from this draft. I see him coming back next season and having a good year. Getting bigger and tougher on defense should be Ron Hextall’s No. 1 offseason priority. Opponents go virtually untouched in front of the Penguins’ net.

GOALIE: Tristan Jarry.

Penguins management insists it still believes in Jarry despite his playoff flameout. I wasn’t buying any of it until someone I trust in the organization told me that the coaches and players know the truth about Jarry – that he was injured late in the season, didn’t get to practice before the playoff series against the Islanders and lost his edge. I still have my doubts and want to see the team bring in a veteran goaltender to challenge Jarry for playing time. That wouldn’t be good news for Casey DeSmith, who is a solid No. 2 netminder. Who knows? DeSmith might have given the Penguins a better chance against the Islanders if he hadn’t been injured.

SEATTLE SELECTS…

McCann. Sadly. The Penguins won the NHL’s most rugged division last season so you know they are going to lose a good player in the expansion draft. That will be McCann. I will hate to see him go despite the fact he came up small in the postseason the past two years. I see him as a solid NHL player for many years.

First Published July 15, 2021, 5:18am

[don-lichterman]

In wake of NHL expansion draft, Seattle Kraken have cap space to address needs

In wake of NHL expansion draft, Seattle Kraken have cap space to address needs

After making 30 selections from the NHL’s other teams in Wednesday’s expansion draft, the Seattle Kraken’s initial roster is set. But does that mean the Kraken are done? Far from it. For more up-to-date news on all things Kraken, click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app! There’s plenty of maneuvering left for GM Ron Francis to do in what is shaping up to be a fast and furious…

[axiomsofice]

Kraken: A New Threat Rises

The much anticipated Seattle Expansion Draft was not quite what anyone expected, and until they take the ice we can do nothing but speculate how this team might perform. One thing is for certain, Seattle’s approach to the onslaught of transactions was far closer to GM Francis’ Hurricanes than to Vegas’ previous expansion, in terms of strategy and vision.

It is under this context we can start to assess the main strengths and themes of the inaugural Kraken outfit, and immediately one commitment stands out, defence. A hallmark of Francis’ aforementioned Hurricanes tenure, this was clearly a focal point in choosing a coaching staff. Coach Hakstol’s track record is quite strong at this moment of time. His work with the Flyers is ageing well, and as an Assistant with the Leafs the team’s defence transformed from weak to strong. Ultimately, where it matters most is on the ice, where the roster is consistent with their Coach and GM in said defensive ability.

Right away the blueline should be among the top third of the league as it boasts a very deep group that has some star power as well. Giordano and Larsson are established defenders, so we know they will deliver quality minutes. Oleksiak signed a big deal with the team, and well deserved. Even though he’s the same age as Larsson, he’s continued to get better every year. If that trend continues at all the rest of the league is in trouble. Vince Dunn had a tough final season in St. Louis, but he’s shown he can play enough in his young career that many have called him Seattle’s Shea Theodore, which might be a bit bullish, but he certainly is around the same age and coming from a similar situation. With the three mentioned prior with him he will not be overextended, and in fact between the four their skillsets do seem to cover a lot of bases.

Beyond that Carson Soucy projects for 3rd pair minutes, a role he excelled at in Minnesota. Jeremy Lauzon was one of my easiest choices in my own Seattle Expansion mock, coming from an important role on the Bruins. He’s fast, physical, and aggressive, and Boston is definitely not thrilled to have lost him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he found his way further up the lineup at some point. This is already 6 good NHL caliber defenders and we haven’t even touched on the brothers Fleury (Haydn, Cale), Will Borgen, Denis Cholowski, and Conor Carrick, who would all be fighting for time on any NHL team. Without a doubt the Kraken have the tools to ice a very strong defence group.

However, this defensive philosophy is present throughout the forward group as well, it takes every player on the ice after all. Yes, looking through their forwards one might try to wonder who will score for the Kraken, it does lack the name brand excitement retrofitted to the Inaugural Vegas team, but they are both defensively strong and deep, and they most definitely will not cheat you for effort. Perhaps the perfect player to encapsulate these characteristics is Colin Blackwell, and if you’re wondering who that is, that is exactly what I mean. He played his way onto a Nashville team two years ago, played well enough to sign with the Rangers, played his way onto Panarin’s line (to the dismay of those who wanted Kakko or Lafrenire to get minutes there) and played so well Panarin is rumoured to have asked to keep Blackwell on his line. As Babcock famously said of Hyman, “the stars like to play with someone to get the puck back”, Blackwell has thrived on doing the dirty work.

And he’s not alone. We saw Yanni Gourde play a huge role on the Lightning’s 2nd most important line (sorry Stamkos) in back to back cups, forming a legendary checking line with Coleman and Goodrow. In 2021 I learned both Tanev brothers are severely underrated, so Brandon will be a lot more than a pretty face once the season starts. Finally both Wennberg and Jarnkrok are really well rounded, defensively responsible, and physical players. Throw in Mason Appleton and that’s 6 really intense forwards to start with. Particularly Gourde and less so Wennberg have a bit more offence, but all 6 could chip in 10+ goals in a full season as well, which starts to add up as we go through the lineup.

Schwartz is a strong signing, a bona fide top 6 winger does a lot considering the rest of the roster, but Schwartz has posted strong defensive numbers with the Blues throughout his career. Eberle adds a splash of offensive flavour that is needed. Donskoi is a good middle 6 forward but if you aren’t familiar with his work, the guy’s got mad dangles. McCann has had a tumultuous carrer path thus far, but he’s coming off a strong year with Pittsburgh, and he might be one of the best power play options on this team. He was on pace for 25+ goals last year and could easily equal that pace again in his 25 year old season. This quartet should be the offensive catalysts of the team, and if they could all get 15+ goals it would put the team in a good spot to be successful.

The two biggest x factors, especially when it comes to Seattle’s goal scoring potential, lie with Morgan Geekie and Alexander True. Both have proved to be strong offensive players in the AHL and are ready to be full time NHLers. Both have positional flexibility as well, and if they can both play well enough to take a hold of a role in the top 9 forwards this team would be so much better for it.

All this attention to detail in terms of preventing goals against will make the netminders’ jobs that much easier. Grubauer’s played really well on strong teams, but has been a bit injury prone, so his contract does remind me of the Leafs signing Andersen 5 years ago. The injury history, as well as the continuing trend of tandem situations in net, justify the overqualified Drieger. Joey D’Accord is a good 3 as well, regardless virtually everything would have to go wrong for this group to underperform.

It’s for these reasons that it’s hard to imagine Seattle being that bad of a team this year, and as everyone chuckles at the on-paper strength of the Pacific Division, it’s not out of the question that they make the playoffs. It’s getting ahead of myself, but they seem rough and tumble enough to do really well in the playoffs as well, and if they finish 3rd they’ll probably play Edmonton in the 1st round…

As we go forward it will be interesting to see how their treasure trove of cap space is utilised, and most likely they might be waiting to see how they perform before deciding how to use it to their advantage. It’s easy to see how adding a talented but expensive played might not cost a lot, and simultaneously vastly improve the quality of the team. Tarasenko is one that’s been speculated, and honestly I think that would take them into a legitimately good team tier.

The final, and perhaps most important point of their offseason is the acquisition of Matthew Beniers. I’m not sure they will have a shot of selecting so high in the near future, and to be able to grab a great centre prospect, especially considering how scarce that opportunity is for even an expansion team (ahem, VGK), and the strengths and weaknesses of their roster, it bodes so well for the future of the Kraken beyond 2022. Many said he is a good defensive centre, a good support player, a good transition player, some Larkin and Bergeron (stylistic) comparisons, and it's easy to see how that would fit in so nicely whenever he makes the jump (my guess is spring 2022, after NCAA season).

[fuzzford]

Piecing Together the Seattle Kraken: Mock NHL Expansion Draft

In just a few short days, the Seattle Kraken - the NHL’s newest expansion team - will build their roster through the expansion draft. The Kraken will select a player from 30 teams (the Vegas Golden Knights are exempt) and general manager Ron Francis & his colleagues will extrapolate from there ahead of the upcoming season.เว็บพนัน

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: PLAYERS AND COACHES ARE ON THE MOVE

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - It's the time of year that moving companies love when it comes to the hockey industry. Coaches and players are both moving all over the place. Ex-Hartford Wolf Pack/New York Ranger Sylvain Lefebvre. After being hired as an assistant coach for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, he leaves the San Diego Gulls. Lefebvre is the second assistant coach to leave former Hartford Whalers' great, Kevin Dineen’s staff. Ex-Pack, David Urquhart, returned to Montreal to be the head coach at McGill University (OUAAA). Alex Tanguay, an Iowa Wild assistant coach signs with the Detroit Red Wings.

KRAKEN AND CHECKERS WORKING TOGETHER

The expansion Seattle Kraken announced they would have a dual affiliation arrangement with the Charlotte Checkers for their first season in 2021-22 while building a new facility in Palm Springs that's currently under construction. The irony is that current Seattle General Manager and Whaler great, Ron Francis, had a six-year relationship with Charlotte while he was with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Checkers were the Hurricane's AHL affiliates up until last season. They and are now in Chicago with the Wolves. The Kraken will likely send 8 players, but that number could climb to as many as 12 players to the Checkers. Francis has been operating at his North Carolina home since the COVID pandemic started. The team will supply the Checkers with an assistant coach who will likely become the first head coach of the Kraken's Palm Springs (CA) affiliate when they come on board in their brand new 10,000 seat arena in 2022-23. It will be the second straight year that the Florida Panthers will have a dual affiliation. Last season the defending Stanley Cup champions and current finalist, Tampa Bay Lightning, shared the Syracuse Crunch.

NHL DRAFT

The Seattle Expansion Draft is set for Wednesday, July 21 at 8 pm and broadcast on ESPN2 in Seattle. The entire NHL Draft is held and broadcast over two days, with the first round covered across the US by NBCSN. For the second year in a row, the draft will be done remotely. On Saturday, the NHL Network will broadcast rounds 2-7. NBCSN is going to be closing shop soon. The draft broadcast team will be composed of members of their staff and ESPN/Turner Sports, where hockey coverage is going to be moving forward, as well as TSN in Canada talent.

KARMANOS NO LONGER AN NHL OWNER

The NHL announced Carolina Hurricanes majority owner Tom Dundon completed his acquisition of the remaining minority ownership stake of Peter Karmanos. As a result, Dundon is now the sole owner of the team. The transaction formally ends Karmanos' relationship with the Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers that began in 1994.

AHL NEWS

The AHL Board Of Governors (BOG) approved and announced the sale of the Rockford IceHogs to the Chicago Blackhawks. Read more about that HERE. The AHL BOG then announced that the City of Abbotsford and the Vancouver Canucks had finalized the lease for the AHL team and that the Aquillini Investment Group (AIG) arena management portion of the deal. AIG is the parent company of the Vancouver Canucks. The Abbotsford Centre is a multi-purpose entertainment and sports facility. Aquilini Investment Group will manage staffing, event bookings, ticketing, and food and beverage management.  More on that deal HERE. Revenue sharing is also included in the contract. The city benefits from enhanced financial gains by sharing profits if there are an average of 5,000 tickets sold per regular season game.

MOVEMENT

Ex-Pack Brian Gibbons (Salisbury Prep) leaves Lausanne HC (Switzerland-LNA) to play for Linköping HC (Sweden-SHL) next season. Adam Musil, the nephew of former Whaler and Ranger Bobby Holik, switches teams in the Czech Republic, going from HC Liberec to HC Dynamo Pardubice. Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger (now Islanders) goalie Kevin Poulin leaves IF Bjorkloven (Sweden-Allsvenskan) and signs a one-year AHL deal with the Laval Rocket. The UCONN Huskies will be getting defensive depth next season in Jarrod Gourley, a grad transfer defenseman from NCAA Divison-1 independent Arizona State University (ASU). He is the 51st NCAA grad transfer in the hectic college hockey off-season that has seen 108 players switch schools via school or grad transfers. Gourley is a left-handed shooter who hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He will be in Storrs in a few months. The 22-year-old is undrafted, and his younger brother, Connor Gourley, is currently playing with Camrose (AJHL) and will be at ASU next year. Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) added veteran coach Mike Corbett as the new assistant coach for the Bobcats. Corbett coached Alabama-Huntsville (WCHA) for the last seven years.

GUITE AND OTHER MOVES

Ex-Sound Tiger Ben Guité, who has been with his alma mater an assistant and associate head coach with the Maine Black Bears (HE) for eight years, did not have his contract renewed. Guite was named the interim head coach in May after the sudden passing of one-time Yale assistant Dennis “Red” Gendron. UMASS assistant coach Bill Barr was hired in early June as the new head coach. Sadly, the WCHA Men's Hockey conference is shutting down after 70 years. They lost seven schools to the new CCHA and saw the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the University of Alaska-Anchorage went dark this year. The University of Alaska-Fairbanks will play as a Division-1 independent next season. It's possible that in the next couple of years that the WCHA will return as a true Western-based US college conference. The WCHA women’s conference will continue as is.

PLAYERS CALLING MOVING VANS

Nic Pierog (Canterbury Prep/Sound Tigers) leaves the Indy Fuel (ECHL) and signs with HKM Zloven (Slovakia-SLEL) for next season. Leaving HKM, the defending Slovak league champion is ex-Pack, Allan MacPherson who departs for HC Kosice (Slovakia). Ex-Sound Tiger, Jesse Graham, leaves KalPa Kuopio (Finland-FEL) and signs with Augsburger (Germany-DEL). On his new team and also switching clubs is Marek Bartunas. He is the cousin to Matej Baca, the nephew of former Whaler Jergus Baca. The younger Baca is returning to HK 32 Liptovsky (Slovakia-SLEL) after being traded last year in mid-season. Ex-Sound Tiger Tomas Malec, who nears the end of his career at age 39, drops down from the Czech Elite League HC Brno to HC Brno-B (Division-3). Former UCONN Husky, Spencer Naas, departs Tranås AIF (Sweden HockeyEttan Division-1) for HC Amiens (France-FREL).

US WORLD JUNIOR TEAM NEWS

The 44-player tryout camp for the United States World Junior Team is set to play July 24-31 in the World Junior Summer Showcase at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. Included on the roster for defense is Scott Morrow (Darien). He will head to the defending national champion, UMASS-Amherst (HE), in the fall. Morrow, has played for the Shattuck’s St. Mary’s program for the last three years. A WJC returnee from the Bronze medal-winning squad from last year is Jake Sanderson, the son of former Whaler great Geoff Sanderson. He skates for North Dakota (NCHC). Another returnee, but at forward, is Rangers draft pick Brett Berard of Providence College (HE). He is the son of former UCONN head coach David Berard, now the Director of Administration at PC. The elder Berard played as an undergrad, graduated from PC, and was an assistant coach for twelve years. He is no relation to former NHL’er Bryan Berard. There is also Matthew “Mackie” Samoskevitch (Newtown). He is heading to the University of Michigan (Big 10) in the fall and is NHL Draft eligible this year. Lastly, a sophomore from Quinnipiac University (ECACHL), Ty Smilanic, a draft pick of the Florida Panthers last year. The WJC tournament will run from December 26th through January 5th in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. USA Hockey named its roster and coaches for 2021 Hlinka Cup in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia. There is just one local name associated with the team, Assistant Coach Jared Walman, from Hamden, Connecticut.

CHL DRAFT NEWS

The 30th annual CHL (Canadian Hockey League) Import Draft that involves the three Canadian major junior leagues was held early this year. Normally it's held a week after the NHL Draft. 85 players were selected, including 52 forwards, 26 defensemen, and seven goalies were chosen by 57 teams compromised of the OHL, QMJHL, and the WHL. The top three countries to have players selected were Russia with 16, the Czech Republic with 15, and Belarus taking 11. Just two players had Connecticut connections. UCONN defenseman Yan Kuznetsov, who left school two years early after signing an entry-level deal with the Calgary Flames, played six games with the AHL Stockton Heat, who, because of Covid-19, played their games in Calgary last season. Kuznetsov was taken in the first round (22nd overall) by the QMJHL Saint John (NB) Sea Dogs. Kuznetsov is 6’4 and 225 lbs. He will not be turning 20-years-of-age until March 2022. He is still Russia WJC eligible, so he could wind up in the Q getting valuable playing minutes depending on the organizational depth in Stockton. 6' tall defenseman David Spacek is the other player selected with a connection to Connecticut. He was taken in the second round (67th overall), is a right-hander, and was selected by the QMJHL Sherbrooke Phoenix. Spacek 18, is the son of former Beast of New Haven defenseman Jaroslav Spacek. He played last year for HC Litomerice (Czech Republic Division-2). He is signed to play for HC Plzen (Pilsner) in the Czech U-20 league this year and is WJC eligible. His father is the national team assistant coach and is also an assistant with HC Plzen with the Czech Elite League (CEL) team. He could play in the Q get playing time like Kuznetsov, but the NHL Draft in three weeks will likely play a factor in where he goes if he is drafted. NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE HOME   Read the full article

[your-dietician]

Mock 2021 NHL Draft: Power to Sabres at No. 1; Kraken take Beniers

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/nhl/mock-2021-nhl-draft-power-to-sabres-at-no-1-kraken-take-beniers/

Mock 2021 NHL Draft: Power to Sabres at No. 1; Kraken take Beniers

The Buffalo Sabres won the 2021 NHL Draft Lottery and the No. 1 pick of the 2021 NHL Draft on June 2.

NHL.com writers Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale agree the Sabres will use that pick on University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power.

Their opinions vary widely on what could happen after that.

The expansion Seattle Kraken, who begin play next season, won the No. 2 pick. The Anaheim Ducks will pick No. 3.

The first round of the 2021 draft will be held July 23 and rounds 2-7 will be July 24.

The Kraken and the 15 teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs took part in the lottery drawing for the first two selections. The remaining teams were ordered based on the NHL standings.

The Arizona Coyotes were in the drawing but must forfeit their 2021 first-round pick for violating the NHL Combine Testing Policy during the 2019-20 season.

1. Buffalo Sabres

Kimelman — Owen Power, D, Michigan (NCAA): Defensemen as big (6-foot-6, 213 pounds) and as skilled as Power don’t come along very often, so it should be an easy choice for the Sabres. Power has the potential to be a top-pair defenseman who can play in all situations. His skating and hockey instincts should help him acclimate quickly to the pace of the NHL. He scored 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 26 NCAA games and has three assists while averaging 17:52 of ice time in seven games for Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.

Morreale — Power: A big presence with good vision and strength who has the look of a first-pair NHL defenseman. The 18-year-old led Michigan with 40 blocked shots, was plus-18 and scored two power-play goals.

Video: Sabres, Kraken earn top two Draft selectons

2. Seattle Kraken

Kimelman — Matthew Beniers, C, Michigan (NCAA): Beniers (6-1, 175) should become a fan favorite quickly in Seattle because of how hard he plays in all areas of the ice. He is an outstanding skater who is as relentless on the forecheck as he is on the backcheck. He was a key piece for the United States winning the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship as the youngest player on the roster and hasn’t looked out of place playing with and against NHL players with the United States at the 2021 IIHF World Championship; he sustained a lower-body injury against Slovakia in the quarterfinals June 3.

Morreale — Beniers: He scored 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 24 games in his first college season and led first-time NHL Draft-eligible NCAA players in goals, goals per game (0.42) and shots on goal per game (2.38). He stood out as the second-line center for the United States at the WJC, scoring three points (one goal, two assists), killing penalties and averaging 17:05 of ice time in seven games.

3. Anaheim Ducks

Kimelman — Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL): The Ducks were last in the NHL this season in scoring (2.21 goals per game) and on the power play (8.9 percent), so adding arguably the most dynamic offensive player available makes sense. Guenther (6-1, 175) averaged 2.00 points per game in the Western Hockey League (24 points in 12 games) and can use a hard, accurate shot to score from anywhere in the offensive zone.

Morreale — Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda Jr. (SWE-JR): Edvinsson (6-4, 198) is a physical, left-shot defenseman with a good set of tools, including mobility, skating and a strong shot. He had one assist and averaged 5:48 of ice time in 10 games with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League and scored four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games for Sweden at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.

4. New Jersey Devils

Kimelman — Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL): Clarke (6-2, 185) is an outstanding two-way right-shot defenseman capable of skating the puck out of trouble in his zone or making a smart, accurate pass. He played 26 games in the top professional league in Slovakia and showed a willingness to play physical against older, more developed players. Clarke also stood out helping Canada win the 2021 Under-18 World Championship, scoring seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games. His older brother, forward Graeme Clarke, was selected by the Devils in the third round (No. 80) of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Morreale — Luke Hughes, D, USA U-18 (NTDP): Hughes (6-2, 184) could have a chance to join his brother, Jack Hughes, with the Devils. Luke is a great skater capable of playing a smart defensive game with good poise and reads. He scored 34 points (six goals, 28 assists), had 68 shots on goal, and was plus-11 in 38 games for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team. He lacerated a tendon in his foot from a skate cut March 7 but has started skating.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets

Kimelman — Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda Jr. (SWE-JR): His outstanding blend of size, skills and smarts is reminiscent of Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones. His skating is effective in getting pucks out of his zone, and he’s elusive with it in creating offensive chances for himself and teammates.

Morreale — William Eklund, LW, Djurgarden (SWE): Eklund plays bigger than his frame (5-10, 176) with good speed, puck skills and vision. He was named rookie of the year in the SHL after scoring 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) while averaging 15:29 of ice time in 40 games. He was expected to play for Sweden at the World Championship, but an injury sustained during an exhibition game sidelined him for the tournament.

6. Detroit Red Wings

Kimelman — Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea (SWE): The Red Wings need a goalie to add to their development pipeline and Wallstedt (6-3, 214) is the best available. Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman is fearless when it comes to identifying talent. Two years ago, the Red Wings had the No. 6 pick and went against the grain to select defenseman Moritz Seider, who now looks like a future top-pair player. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a similar move by the Red Wings here. Wallstedt has a calm, controlled style, tracks pucks well and already has experience playing in the top league.

Morreale — Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL): A powerful skater with balance and solid puck-protection skills, McTavish (6-1, 207) scored 11 points (nine goals, two assists) in 13 games on loan with EHC Olten in the Swiss League, the second-highest professional league in Switzerland. He scored 11 points (five goals, six assists) in seven games to help Canada win the U-18s.

7. San Jose Sharks

Kimelman — William Eklund, LW, Djurgarden (SWE): He showed top-end offensive skill combined with the ability to win battles along the boards and held up well against physical play in the SHL. The Sharks need to get younger and more dynamic as they look to contend for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Eklund has top-six potential.

Morreale — Kent Johnson, C, Michigan (NCAA): An offensive sniper who plays with pace, skill and creativity, Johnson (6-1, 167) thrived at left wing this season, scoring 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) in 26 games. He led first-time NHL Draft-eligible NCAA players in assists, points, and points per game (1.04).

8. Los Angeles Kings

Kimelman — Luke Hughes, D, USA U-18 (NTDP): Luke brings the same top-end skating ability that his older brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, but in a bigger package. The Kings have done well stocking up on high skill forwards the past few years, including Quinton Byfield (No. 2, 2020) and Alex Turcotte (No. 5, 2019). Hughes is the kind of player that will be able to get them the puck in the right spots to be effective.

Morreale — Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL): An elite goal scorer with quickness who scored 12 goals in 12 WHL games this season and helped Canada win the U-18s with seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games.

9. Vancouver Canucks

Kimelman — Kent Johnson, C, Michigan (NCAA): A high-end playmaker with great vision and some flair to his game. He’s elusive carrying the puck and strong enough to win battles along the walls. He also showed his versatility this season, excelling on the wing and at center in his first college season, and should get better as he gets stronger.

Morreale — Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL): A mobile, puck-moving righthanded shot who is considered an excellent passer and playmaker with great vision. He scored 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and was plus-6 in 26 games on loan with Nove Zamsky in the Slovak Extraliga, the top professional league in Slovakia.

10. Ottawa Senators

Kimelman — Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago (USHL): Coronato (5-10, 183) was a dominant offensive force who blended top-end goal scoring, strong skating, and a physical approach similar to United States Hockey Hall of Fame forward John LeClair. He led the United States Hockey League with 48 goals in 51 games and the league in scoring in the playoffs with 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in eight games.

Morreale — Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea (SWE): Central Scouting director of European scouting Goran Stubb said Wallstedt is the best Sweden-born goalie prospect he’s seen in at least five years. The 18-year-old can read the game well, has good quickness and plays a hybrid butterfly/athletic style. He was 11-8 with three ties, a 2.23 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and two shutouts in 22 SHL games.

11. Chicago Blackhawks

Kimelman — Chaz Lucius, C, USA U-18 (NTDP): Lucius’ skating is as good now as it was before he missed the first four months of the season with a knee injury. The forward (6-1, 185) is strong around the net in the offensive zone and has an NHL-caliber shot that he used to score 13 goals in 13 games this season.

Morreale — Carson Lambos, D, Winnipeg (WHL): Lambos (6-1, 197) is a two-way defenseman who has showcased good patience in the defensive zone and in transition. He played two games in the Western Hockey League before sustaining a lower-body injury. The 18-year-old scored 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 13 games on loan with JYP in Finland’s junior league.

12. Calgary Flames

Kimelman — Cole Sillinger, F, Sioux Falls (USHL): The Flames can continue to stockpile talented young forward prospects with Sillinger (6-0, 197), who led Sioux Falls with 46 points (24 goals, 22 assists) in 31 games. He’s a strong skater capable of controlling the pace of the game with the puck on his stick and has good bloodlines. His father, Mike Sillinger, played 1,049 NHL games.

Morreale — Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago (USHL): The forward was second in the USHL with 85 points in 51 games and led the league with 19 power-play goals and eight game-winning goals. He’ll continue his development at Harvard next season.

13. Philadelphia Flyers

Kimelman — Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL): The forward was one of the more impressive players at the U-18s, after a solid tenure in the Swiss League. McTavish blends a skilled game with feistiness. He showed strength in battles along the boards and a willingness to stand his ground in front of the opposition net.

Morreale — Cole Sillinger, F, Sioux Falls (USHL): He is a skilled offensive player with a great release on his shot, a high hockey IQ and excellent vision and playmaking ability. 

14. Dallas Stars

Kimelman — Corson Ceulemans, D, Brooks (AJHL): The big (6-2, 198) right-shot defenseman is an outstanding skater who can lead the rush and use his speed to create chances in transition and the offensive zone. He also knows how to use his mobility and long reach to keep opposing forwards to the outside. With John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen already established NHL defensemen and top prospect Thomas Harley close to NHL ready, Ceulemans would give the Stars more top-end depth at a key position.

Morreale — Nikita Chibrikov, RW, St. Petersburg (RUS): The 18-year-old forward (5-10, 170) is a playmaker with great speed and strong edges, capable of handling the puck and strong on the backcheck. Chibrikov scored two points (one goal, one assist) in 16 games in the Kontinental Hockey League and led 2021 draft-eligible players at the U-18s with 13 points (four goals, nine assists) for second-place Russia.

15. New York Rangers

Kimelman — Brennan Othmann, LW, Flint (OHL): Othman (6-0, 175) is a strong forechecker because of his speed and willingness to play physical and has a quick release on a strong shot. The Rangers have several talented young forwards, including Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov. Othmann would bring a different element that could give them more open ice to work with.

Morreale — Othmann: A two-way difference-maker with very good puck skills and the ability to make himself available in dangerous scoring areas. He scored 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 34 games on loan with EHC Olten in the Swiss League and six points (three goals, three assists) in seven games to help Canada win the U-18 World Championship. He scored one goal and had seven shots on goal in a 5-3 win against Russia in the championship game.

—

Listen: New episode of NHL Draft Class

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Seattle Kraken roster tracker: Latest updates, rumors on 2021 NHL Expansion Draft picks

The Seattle Kraken are ready to officially unveil their roster during the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. On Wednesday night, general manager Ron Francis, aided by a plethora of big names including women's basketball star Sue Bird, Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton and Marshawn Lynch, will announce the 30 guys he's taking from your favorite team during a broadcast on ESPN. Until then, who will don the Kraken jersey come October is still a subject of speculation, but that hasn't stopped the mock drafts to flow, the rumors to swirl and the news to leak out early. Seattle submitted its picks to the NHL before the 10 a.m. ET deadline.Sporting News is tracking the latest rumored selections and side deals until the Kraken announce the players who will join their lineup. SN'S MOCK DRAFT: Carey Price, Vladimir Tarasenko headline picks

Seattle Kraken roster

The Kraken must pick at least 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goalies. Twenty of the 30 players selected must have contracts for 2020-21 and all contracts must be cap compliant (ceiling is $81.5 million). Also, a quick reminder: the Golden Knights are exempt.TEAM PLAYER POS CAP HIT Anaheim Ducks  -  -  - Arizona Coyotes  -  -  - Boston Bruins  -  -  - Buffalo Sabres  -  -  - Calgary Flames  Mark Giordano (reported)  D  $6.75M Carolina Hurricanes  -  -  - Chicago Blackhawks  -  -  - Colorado Avalanche  -  -  - Columbus Blue Jackets  -  -  - Dallas Stars  -  -  - Detroit Red Wings  -  -  - Edmonton Oilers  Adam Larsson (reported)  D  UFA Florida Panthers  Chris Driedger (reported)  G  UFA Los Angeles Kings  -  -  - Minnesota Wild  -  -  - Montreal Canadiens  -  -  - Nashville Predators  -  -  - New Jersey Devils  -  -  - New York Islanders  -  -  - New York Rangers  -  -  - Ottawa Senators  Joey Daccord (reported)  G  $750K Philadelphia Flyers  -  -  - Pittsburgh Penguins  -  -  - San Jose Sharks  -  -  - St. Louis Blues  Vince Dunn (reported)  D  RFA Tampa Bay Lightning  -  -  - Toronto Maple Leafs  Jared McCann (reported)  C, LW  $2.94M Vancouver Canucks  -  -  - Washington Capitals  Vitek Vanecek (reported)  G  $717K Winnipeg Jets  -  -  - EXPANSION DRAFT: Protected lists | Players available

NHL Expansion Draft rumors

(All times are Eastern)11:45 a.m. — Seattle has perhaps found its first captain in 37-year-old Mark Giordano, plucked from new Pacific Dvision rival Flames. BREAKING - I can confirm that the Seattle Kraken have chosen Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano as their pick at the Expansion Draft, to be announced this evening. — Salim Nadim Valji (@salimvalji) July 21, 202111:37 a.m. — Seattle has reportedly sourced its goalies from Florida, Washington and Ottawa. Sounds like the three goaltenders selected by #SeaKraken will be Chris Driedger (FLA), Vitek Vanecek (WSH) and Joey Daccord (OTT).@DFOHockey — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 202111:33 a.m. — Kaapo Kahkonen was widely speculated to be one of Seattle's goalie selections.  As of this very moment, I'm getting the impression that the Kraken did NOT take #mnwild goalie Kaapo Kahkonen.We shall see. If true, that'd leave Carson Soucy, Victor Rask, Nick Bjugstad, Brennan Menell, plus free agents/minor leaguers — Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) July 21, 202111:30 a.m. — The NHL Expansion Draft has so far been a buzzkill for anyone hoping for chaos. Gabriel Landeskog, a pending UFA, won't be Seattle's pick from Colorado. Know some fans are wondering about this…but hearing SEA did not reach an agreement with Gabriel Landeskog. — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 21, 202111:21 a.m. — This means Alex Kerfoot is staying put in Toronto. His stay was short-lived in Toronto. The #SeaKraken will be selecting Jared McCann from the #Leafs.The end result: Toronto traded prospect Filip Hallander and a 7th round pick to Pittsburgh to essentially protect their roster from Seattle.@DFOHockey — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 202111:16 a.m. — Another big name who won't be headed to Seattle. Sources say #SeaKraken also passed on another high-profile, big money player: Vladimir Tarasenko.Subject to change but sounds like the selection from #stlblues will be Vince Dunn.@DFOHockey — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 202111:10 a.m. — It appears Carey Price to Seattle was all talk. According to sources, the Kraken did NOT select Carey Price in the expansion draft. He remains property of the Montreal Canadiens@TSNHockey @TheAthletic — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 21, 202111:07 a.m. — Could Vladimir Tarasenko be at the center of one of today's biggest side deals? If the Kraken take Tarasenko from the Blues (and I have no confirmation they will), hearing there are teams that have already told Seattle they would trade for him if the Kraken would retain salary... @TSNHockey @TheAthletic — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 21, 202110:40 a.m. — Brandon Tanev is the Penguins guy? Interesting. Early word is #SeaKraken have zeroed in on Brandon Tanev from the #pens.Kraken already unfolding as tough to play against. With Brandon in the Kraken fold, looking forward to potential Tanev v. Tanev brother matchups in the Pacific. @DFOHockey — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 202110 a.m. — The Kraken have submitted all the deets to the NHL. Now we wait.9:57 a.m. — Another pending UFA but time is ticking on when things need to be submitted to the NHL. The Kraken had contract talks with pending UFA Jaden Schwartz but ultimately did not sign him during the window which just closed, source confirms. So the Kraken's pick will be another Blues player. Dunn? Tarasenko?@TSNHockey @TheAthletic — Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 21, 2021MORE: Everything you need to know about the Expansion Draft9:05 a.m. — A little shocking that Larsson is not re-signing with the Oilers who reportedly offered him similar money. Further to Frank's reporting, Adam Larsson has a four-year deal with #SeaKraken -- hearing it'll be a $4M AAV.Seattle locked him during its exclusive UFA/RFA interview period. https://t.co/7HAV5aVD3C — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 21, 20219:42 a.m.. — Any thought of the Kraken taking anyone but Gourde appears to be squashed. Early word is #SeaKraken were focused in on one player from #GoBolts lot: Yanni Gourde.Not entirely clear how tonight will work. Teams wondering if he's the only Tampa player heading to Seattle? Could change. But sense is Gourde will be a Kraken before night is done. @DFOHockey — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 20218:58 a.m. — The first news comes down. If it is in fact Larsson and Oleksiak, they will be the only players Seattle can select from the Oilers and Stars, respectively. Early word is #SeaKraken are closing in on contracts with two UFA defensemen: Adam Larsson (EDM) and Jamie Oleksiak (DAL).Not finalized. But barring any last minute change, the expectation is those players will be the selections from #Oilers and #GoStars.@DFOHockey — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 21, 2021 Read the full article

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Piecing Together the Seattle Kraken: Mock NHL Expansion Draft

In just a few short days, the Seattle Kraken - the NHL’s newest expansion team - will build their roster through the expansion draft. The Kraken will select a player from 30 teams (the Vegas Golden Knights are exempt) and general manager Ron Francis & his colleagues will extrapolate from there ahead of the upcoming season.การพนัน

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CANTLON: CT HOCKEY OFF-SEASON VOLUME 3

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The NHL Draft is set for July 23-24, with the Buffalo Sabres holding the first overall pick. The expansion Seattle Kraken, with their General Manager being the former Hartford Whaler great, Ron Francis, picking from the number two spot in Wednesday’s NHL Lottery drawing. The New York Rangers, who had the first overall pick last season, will select 15th this year. The Rangers inked the highly-touted and regarded defenseman Nils Lundkvist to a standard NHL three-year entry-level deal of $925K-NHL/$70K-AHL. Lundqvist played last year with Lulea HF (Sweden-SHL) and played in 52 games registering 14 goals and 18 assists (32 points) won the Borje Salming award as the league’s best defenseman. He will get a very long look by the Blueshirts in training camp for a top-six position. Should he be ready for that, he will play in Hartford with the Wolf Pack.

HARTFORD SCHEDULING

The Wolf Pack secured five home dates for the 2021-22 season. They will start on Friday, October 15th, and end on April 24, 2022, the latest the AHL regular season has ever ended. The team announced on Twitter other dates, Friday, December 17th, Saturday, January 29th, Saturday, February 12th, Saturday, February 19th, and Saturday, March 29th. Other dates, starting times, and opponents will be announced in July when the league releases the 2021-22 schedule. As reported by Cantlon's Corner, a unified 72 game schedule has been agreed to but will start with the 2022-23 season when the league's 32nd team, Palm Springs, debuts. The yet-to-be-named team has trademarked six names: Firebirds, Dragons, Sun, Eagles, Hawks, and Falcons. This season's Atlantic Division will comprise Hartford, the recently renamed Bridgeport Islanders, the Charlotte Checkers, and the Providence Bruins. They'll play a 72 game schedule.

76 GAMERS

The remainder of the division will play a 76 game schedule. Those teams are the Hershey Bears, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Springfield Thunderbirds, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Seventy-six games will be played by the Chicago Wolves, Cleveland Monsters, Grand Rapids Griffins, Milwaukee Admirals, Rochester Americans, and the Syracuse Crunch. The other teams playing 72 games will be the Belleville Senators, Laval Rocket, Manitoba Moose, Rockford, Texas, Toronto, and the new Utica Comets affiliated with New Jersey. The teams playing 68 games in 2021-22 all in the Pacific Division are Abbotsford (no name yet) returning to the AHL as the Vancouver Canucks affiliate, Bakersfield, Colorado, Henderson, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, Stockton, Tucson. The Wolf Pack has hired two new front office people out of nearby Springfield College, the new marketing Manager is Emily Vance, and the new Ticket Manager is Brendan Halloran.

USHL DRAFT

Phase I of the Draft is ten rounds of “Futures” age players only, U-17 players for next year’s season (2005 birth year players only for the 2021 Draft). Phase II of the Draft is open to players of all ages eligible to play junior hockey and are not currently protected by another USHL team. Teams will fill their roster to a total of 45 players on this date; this includes players that were previously on a team’s Affiliate List. The total number of players that a team will draft will vary depending on the number of Affiliate players a team may have. All veteran roster players from the 2020-21 season are automatically protected by their current team, separate from 45 players. This year it was 21 rounds. The following are the CT connected draftees;

PHASE 1

Lucas St. Louis (Riverside/Brunswick School) went in the second round (20th overall) by the Dubuque (IA) Fighting Saints. He is the youngest son of former Ranger and NHL Hall-of-Famer, Marty St. Louis. Ben Poitras (Salisbury School) went in the ninth round (121st overall) by the Youngstown (OH) Phantoms. Brendan Giles (Ridgefield/ Mid-Fairfield U-16) went in the ninth round (134th overall) to the Madison (WI) Capitols.

PHASE II

Liam Lesakowski (Salisbury School) went in the fourth round (60th overall) Cedar Rapids (IA) Roughriders, Dean Bauchiero (Southington/Salisbury School), who also played at Cheshire High two years ago, was taken by the Sioux City (IA) Musketeers. He is a Brown University (ECACHL) commit for 2022-23. He was taken 23rd by the Wichita Falls (TX) Warriors in Wednesday’s NAHL Supplemental Draft. Goalie Gibson Homer was the first selection of the sixth round (77th overall), and he is the son of former New Haven Knights Kenzie Homer. He was taken by the Chicago Steel and is a commit to Miami (OH) for 2022-23. Homer was taken first in the seventh round (93rd overall) was another goalie with Connecticut lineage on Sutter Muzzatti, the son of ex-Whaler and Wolf Pack, and current Carolina Hurricanes goalie coach Jason Muzzatti. He is an RPI (ECACHL) commit for 2022-23 and played this year for the Austin (MN) Bruins (NAHL). He went in the eighth round (113th overall). Brendan Holahan (New Canaan/Brunswick School) and selected by the Des Moines (IA) Buccaneers. Staying in the eighth round, five picks later, goalie Austin McNicholas (Salisbury School) was taken by the Green Bay (WI) Gamblers.

MORE PICKS

In the ninth round (131st overall), forward Chase Dafoe, the son of former New Haven Nighthawk and NHL’er Byron Dafoe, was taken by the Omaha (NE) Lancers and skated last year for Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL). In the 11th round (195th overall), the oft-drafted Jason Marsella (Stamford) was taken by the Chicago Steel for the second year in a row. Marsella is a Yale University (ECACHL) commit scheduled for this fall that could be pushed back a year. He was drafted by Kansas City Scouts (NAHL) (formerly Topeka Scarecrows) last year and by the QMJHL Halifax Mooseheads in 2018. He was the first overall selection by the expansion El Paso (TX) Rhinos in Wednesday’s NAHL Supplemental Draft. Ryan Sanborn (Brookfield/Mid-Fairfield U-15) was taken in the sixteenth round (225th overall) by the Youngstown Phantoms. Then in the sixteenth round (232nd overall), Gabe Dombrowski Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL) was taken by Dubuque (IA) Fighting Saints. In the 18th round, 263rd Chase Ramsay (Avon Old Farms/Mid-Fairfield U-18) was selected by Des Moines.

EVEN MORE PICKS

In the NAHL Supplemental Draft, he was selected 50th by Wichita Falls (TX) Warriors. The 18th round (264th overall) saw Mikael Petersen (Stamford/CT Jr. Rangers-NCDC) selected by the Muskegon (MI) Lumberjacks. When the 21st round (314th overall) came around, Joe Connor (Avon Old Farms) was taken by Muskegon. One of the last three players in the entire draft was Luke Drury (Brunswick School-CTPREP), taken in the 22nd round (323rd overall) by Des Moines. He is the son of current Rangers President/GM, Hartford GM, Chris Drury (Trumbull/Fairfield Prep). Other selections in the NAHL Supplemental Draft include two picks by the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks 12th overall Roberts Anderson from HS Riga (Latvia-LHL) and 53rd Fredrik Schlyter from Sollentuna HC (Sweden HockeyEttan Division-1) and AIK J-20 (Sweden J-20 League). Going 62nd was John “J.P.” Turner from Avon Old Farms (CTPREP) by the New Jersey Titans. The 77th pick by the Corpus Christi (TX) IceRays, who return to play, took Springfield, MA native Kennedy O’Connor from Loomis Chaffe School (Windsor), who played last year for Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL). He was drafted by two other NAHL teams, the Minnesota Magicians (Richfield, MN), in 2020, now coached by ex-Wolf Pack/Ranger, Stu Bickel, and in 2019 by the Shreveport (LA) Mudbugs. He is committed to national champion UMASS-Amherst (HE) for the fall.

NAHL

The NAHL Draft will be held the week before the NHL Draft, on July 14th. The WHL announced their draft order, which won‘t be held until December 9th, with their US player draft coming the next day. The OHL Priority Draft will be held on June 4th with rounds 1-thru-3. On Saturday, June 5 will see rounds 4-thru-15. The QMJHL has set June 25-26, with its US player selections on the 27th. The Q did release their final Central Scouting List, and a few CT players made a list and are eligible to be drafted. Charles Andriole-(Branford/Loomis Chaffe School) Ryan Bradley-Darien John Burdett-(Greenwich/Brunswick School) Nick Capasso-(Northford/Avon Old Farms) Ben Carfora-(West Haven/ND-WH) Tanner Duncan-Ridgefield Sloan Farmer-(Greenwich/Brunswick School) Brandon Giles-(Ridgefield/Mid-Fairfield U-16) Kurt Gurkan-Darien Brendan Hill-Woodstock Academy (CT) Nicholas LeClaire-Colchester Noah Melanson-(West Simsbury/Danbury-NAHL) Patrick (P.J.) Neal-(Fairfield/Avon Old Farms) Ronan O’ Donnell-Fairfield Alex Pelletier-Manchester William Richards-(Stamford/Deerfield Academy) Ryan Sanborn-(Brookfield/Mid-Fairfield U-16) Hunter Spiess-(Old Greenwich/Brunswick School/Mid-Fairfield U-15) Lucas St. Louis-(Riverside/Brunswick School) Wesley Zolin-Greenwich

PLAYER & COACHING MOVEMENT

The Vegas Golden Knights have evened their series with Colorado in the Stanley Cup playoffs because of some important CT connections. In-Game 4, former CT Whale Jonathan-Audy Marchessault recorded his first playoff hat trick in a 5-1 win. The game's first goal was scored was tallied by Max Pacioretty (New Canaan/Taft Prep). In-game 3, they scored two goals 45 seconds apart late in the game, first by Marchessault and the game-winner by Pacioretty. The winner will likely face the Montreal Canadiens up amazingly 3-0 on the Winnipeg Jets. The best in-season hire was former Whaler Marc Bergevin, the Canadiens GM making his Western pro scout his goalie coach in former teammate Sean Burke who has revitalized goalie Carey Price.

PACK RELATED

Expected incoming Wolf Pack defenseman Braden Schneider, who played the first two games with the Wolf Pack and went back to the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL), was named to the East Division All-Star team. He is now eligible to be in the mix for the WHL Defenseman of the Year Award. Ex-Pack Adam Cracknell, a UFA this year, has signed a one-year AHL deal with the Bakersfield Condors for the 2021-22 season. His deal last year was to be $350K-AHL. Former UCONN Husky captain of two years ago, Wyatt Newpower, signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Detroit Red Wings ($800K-NHL/$70K-AHL). The AHL’s 32nd team is underway. After a tumultuous two years, Palm Springs broke ground on their $250 million nearly 10,000 seat Coachella Valley Arena scheduled to open in October 2022. The team will likely now start to be a part of the AHL league affairs, beginning with the BOG and then assembling a staff. Then get sponsorships and starting a season-ticket drive to coincide with an unveiling of the team’s name and colors for the AHL affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. Read a superb piece from the Palm Springs Desert Sun about all that has transpired to bring the arena and team to life.

BRIDGEPORT

Bridgeport sent goalie C.J. Motte back to the Allen Americans (ECHL) to get some playoff time in. Joining him from the Iowa Wild is Tyler Sheehy. Ken Agostino (Yale University) leaves the Toronto Marlies and signs with Torpedo Novgorod (Russia-KHL). Ex-Sound Tiger and QU Bobcat, Travis St. Denis, leaves Binghamton (AHL) for EHC Straubing (Germany-DEL). Now 15 AHL players have signed for Europe for next season. Ex-Pack, Vinny Saponari, gets an upgrade going from EC Kassel (Germany DEL-2) to Augsburger (Germany-DEL). Now former Wolf Pack defenseman Yegor Rykov, as expected, will stay in Russia. He departs CSKA Moscow (Russia-KHL) to Severstal Cherepovets for next season. Another ex-Pack defenseman, Julius Bergman, leaves Lahti (Finland-FEL) and returns home to IF Bjorkloven (Sweden-Allsvenskan). Former UCONN Husky, Max Kalter, retires after playing with HC Cergy-Pontoise (France-FREL) for the last two years.

MORE MOVES

In the college ranks, two more grad transfers.  Cory Thomas Vermont (HE) heads to Canisius College (AHA), and Christopher Berger graduates from Brown University (ECACHL) and heads to the Michigan State Spartans (Big 10), making 49 college grad transfers this offseason. Nick Gravina, Castleton College (NEHC), signs with HC Reims (France FFHG Division-2) for the fall. He is the 12th college player to sign overseas, and 89 college players total Division-I and Division-III have signed North American and European deals for next season. Forward Sasha Teleguine of the Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) has committed to UCONN (HE) for 2022-23.

IIHF CHAMPIONSHIP

In the IIHF World Championship, Canada captured gold with a 3-2 overtime win over Finland. It was their third title in five years, but easily the most improbable. They lost their first three games and scored just two goals. They then lost a fourth in overtime but won seven of their last eight games to become the first team to win gold with four losses. The US captured the bronze medal with a 6-1 over Germany. Tage Thompson (Milford/UCONN) had three assists aiding Connor Garland, who had a goal and two assists. Ryan Donato, the son of former Wolf Pack/Sound Tiger, Ted Donato, had a goal and an assist.

DRURY

Jack Drury, the son of former Whaler Ted Drury and the nephew of current Hartford GM, the Rangers President/GM, Chirs Drury, the Team USA GM, scored a nifty backhander in a three-goal second period for the US. Drury was originally a Carolina Hurricanes draft choice. He was low-balled by the team when he left Harvard and went to Sweden. His Växjö Lakers HC team won the LeMat trophy as champions. He could become a free agent, so don’t be surprised his uncle offers him a deal or makes a deal a la Adam Fox when he was a Carolina prospect. Fox played with Drury at Harvard. Brady Shaw, the son of former Whaler, Brad Shaw, departs Esbjerg (Denmark-DHL) and signs with Fehérvár AV19 (Hungary-IceHL). Logan Roe (Kent School), a Florida native, who played for the Florida Everblades (ECHL) signs with Västerås IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan). Derek Army (Hotchkiss Prep) was upgraded from interim to the new head coach for the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL). Ex-Pack Matt Register (Allen-ECHL) was named to the ECHL Second team All-Star team.

NEWS APLENTY

Former Wolf Pack Jeff Toms' son, Connor, signed his junior tender contract with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) and joining him is another offspring of Wolf Pack, Tyler Savard, the son of Marc Savard. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

[your-dietician]

Mock 2021 NHL Draft: Power to Sabres at No. 1; Kraken take Beniers

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/nhl/mock-2021-nhl-draft-power-to-sabres-at-no-1-kraken-take-beniers/

Mock 2021 NHL Draft: Power to Sabres at No. 1; Kraken take Beniers

The Buffalo Sabres won the 2021 NHL Draft Lottery and the No. 1 pick of the 2021 NHL Draft on June 2.

NHL.com writers Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale agree the Sabres will use that pick on University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power.

Their opinions vary widely on what could happen after that.

The expansion Seattle Kraken, who begin play next season, won the No. 2 pick. The Anaheim Ducks will pick No. 3.

The first round of the 2021 draft will be held July 23 and rounds 2-7 will be July 24.

The Kraken and the 15 teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs took part in the lottery drawing for the first two selections. The remaining teams were ordered based on the NHL standings.

The Arizona Coyotes were in the drawing but must forfeit their 2021 first-round pick for violating the NHL Combine Testing Policy during the 2019-20 season.

1. Buffalo Sabres

Kimelman — Owen Power, D, Michigan (NCAA): Defensemen as big (6-foot-6, 213 pounds) and as skilled as Power don’t come along very often, so it should be an easy choice for the Sabres. Power has the potential to be a top-pair defenseman who can play in all situations. His skating and hockey instincts should help him acclimate quickly to the pace of the NHL. He scored 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 26 NCAA games and has three assists while averaging 17:52 of ice time in seven games for Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.

Morreale — Power: A big presence with good vision and strength who has the look of a first-pair NHL defenseman. The 18-year-old led Michigan with 40 blocked shots, was plus-18 and scored two power-play goals.

Video: Sabres, Kraken earn top two Draft selectons

2. Seattle Kraken

Kimelman — Matthew Beniers, C, Michigan (NCAA): Beniers (6-1, 175) should become a fan favorite quickly in Seattle because of how hard he plays in all areas of the ice. He is an outstanding skater who is as relentless on the forecheck as he is on the backcheck. He was a key piece for the United States winning the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship as the youngest player on the roster and hasn’t looked out of place playing with and against NHL players with the United States at the 2021 IIHF World Championship; he sustained a lower-body injury against Slovakia in the quarterfinals June 3.

Morreale — Beniers: He scored 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 24 games in his first college season and led first-time NHL Draft-eligible NCAA players in goals, goals per game (0.42) and shots on goal per game (2.38). He stood out as the second-line center for the United States at the WJC, scoring three points (one goal, two assists), killing penalties and averaging 17:05 of ice time in seven games.

3. Anaheim Ducks

Kimelman — Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL): The Ducks were last in the NHL this season in scoring (2.21 goals per game) and on the power play (8.9 percent), so adding arguably the most dynamic offensive player available makes sense. Guenther (6-1, 175) averaged 2.00 points per game in the Western Hockey League (24 points in 12 games) and can use a hard, accurate shot to score from anywhere in the offensive zone.

Morreale — Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda Jr. (SWE-JR): Edvinsson (6-4, 198) is a physical, left-shot defenseman with a good set of tools, including mobility, skating and a strong shot. He had one assist and averaged 5:48 of ice time in 10 games with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League and scored four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games for Sweden at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.

4. New Jersey Devils

Kimelman — Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL): Clarke (6-2, 185) is an outstanding two-way right-shot defenseman capable of skating the puck out of trouble in his zone or making a smart, accurate pass. He played 26 games in the top professional league in Slovakia and showed a willingness to play physical against older, more developed players. Clarke also stood out helping Canada win the 2021 Under-18 World Championship, scoring seven points (two goals, five assists) in seven games. His older brother, forward Graeme Clarke, was selected by the Devils in the third round (No. 80) of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Morreale — Luke Hughes, D, USA U-18 (NTDP): Hughes (6-2, 184) could have a chance to join his brother, Jack Hughes, with the Devils. Luke is a great skater capable of playing a smart defensive game with good poise and reads. He scored 34 points (six goals, 28 assists), had 68 shots on goal, and was plus-11 in 38 games for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team. He lacerated a tendon in his foot from a skate cut March 7 but has started skating.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets

Kimelman — Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda Jr. (SWE-JR): His outstanding blend of size, skills and smarts is reminiscent of Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones. His skating is effective in getting pucks out of his zone, and he’s elusive with it in creating offensive chances for himself and teammates.

Morreale — William Eklund, LW, Djurgarden (SWE): Eklund plays bigger than his frame (5-10, 176) with good speed, puck skills and vision. He was named rookie of the year in the SHL after scoring 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) while averaging 15:29 of ice time in 40 games. He was expected to play for Sweden at the World Championship, but an injury sustained during an exhibition game sidelined him for the tournament.

6. Detroit Red Wings

Kimelman — Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea (SWE): The Red Wings need a goalie to add to their development pipeline and Wallstedt (6-3, 214) is the best available. Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman is fearless when it comes to identifying talent. Two years ago, the Red Wings had the No. 6 pick and went against the grain to select defenseman Moritz Seider, who now looks like a future top-pair player. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a similar move by the Red Wings here. Wallstedt has a calm, controlled style, tracks pucks well and already has experience playing in the top league.

Morreale — Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL): A powerful skater with balance and solid puck-protection skills, McTavish (6-1, 207) scored 11 points (nine goals, two assists) in 13 games on loan with EHC Olten in the Swiss League, the second-highest professional league in Switzerland. He scored 11 points (five goals, six assists) in seven games to help Canada win the U-18s.

7. San Jose Sharks

Kimelman — William Eklund, LW, Djurgarden (SWE): He showed top-end offensive skill combined with the ability to win battles along the boards and held up well against physical play in the SHL. The Sharks need to get younger and more dynamic as they look to contend for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Eklund has top-six potential.

Morreale — Kent Johnson, C, Michigan (NCAA): An offensive sniper who plays with pace, skill and creativity, Johnson (6-1, 167) thrived at left wing this season, scoring 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) in 26 games. He led first-time NHL Draft-eligible NCAA players in assists, points, and points per game (1.04).

8. Los Angeles Kings

Kimelman — Luke Hughes, D, USA U-18 (NTDP): Luke brings the same top-end skating ability that his older brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, but in a bigger package. The Kings have done well stocking up on high skill forwards the past few years, including Quinton Byfield (No. 2, 2020) and Alex Turcotte (No. 5, 2019). Hughes is the kind of player that will be able to get them the puck in the right spots to be effective.

Morreale — Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL): An elite goal scorer with quickness who scored 12 goals in 12 WHL games this season and helped Canada win the U-18s with seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games.

9. Vancouver Canucks

Kimelman — Kent Johnson, C, Michigan (NCAA): A high-end playmaker with great vision and some flair to his game. He’s elusive carrying the puck and strong enough to win battles along the walls. He also showed his versatility this season, excelling on the wing and at center in his first college season, and should get better as he gets stronger.

Morreale — Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL): A mobile, puck-moving righthanded shot who is considered an excellent passer and playmaker with great vision. He scored 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and was plus-6 in 26 games on loan with Nove Zamsky in the Slovak Extraliga, the top professional league in Slovakia.

10. Ottawa Senators

Kimelman — Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago (USHL): Coronato (5-10, 183) was a dominant offensive force who blended top-end goal scoring, strong skating, and a physical approach similar to United States Hockey Hall of Fame forward John LeClair. He led the United States Hockey League with 48 goals in 51 games and the league in scoring in the playoffs with 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in eight games.

Morreale — Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea (SWE): Central Scouting director of European scouting Goran Stubb said Wallstedt is the best Sweden-born goalie prospect he’s seen in at least five years. The 18-year-old can read the game well, has good quickness and plays a hybrid butterfly/athletic style. He was 11-8 with three ties, a 2.23 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and two shutouts in 22 SHL games.

11. Chicago Blackhawks

Kimelman — Chaz Lucius, C, USA U-18 (NTDP): Lucius’ skating is as good now as it was before he missed the first four months of the season with a knee injury. The forward (6-1, 185) is strong around the net in the offensive zone and has an NHL-caliber shot that he used to score 13 goals in 13 games this season.

Morreale — Carson Lambos, D, Winnipeg (WHL): Lambos (6-1, 197) is a two-way defenseman who has showcased good patience in the defensive zone and in transition. He played two games in the Western Hockey League before sustaining a lower-body injury. The 18-year-old scored 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 13 games on loan with JYP in Finland’s junior league.

12. Calgary Flames

Kimelman — Cole Sillinger, F, Sioux Falls (USHL): The Flames can continue to stockpile talented young forward prospects with Sillinger (6-0, 197), who led Sioux Falls with 46 points (24 goals, 22 assists) in 31 games. He’s a strong skater capable of controlling the pace of the game with the puck on his stick and has good bloodlines. His father, Mike Sillinger, played 1,049 NHL games.

Morreale — Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago (USHL): The forward was second in the USHL with 85 points in 51 games and led the league with 19 power-play goals and eight game-winning goals. He’ll continue his development at Harvard next season.

13. Philadelphia Flyers

Kimelman — Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL): The forward was one of the more impressive players at the U-18s, after a solid tenure in the Swiss League. McTavish blends a skilled game with feistiness. He showed strength in battles along the boards and a willingness to stand his ground in front of the opposition net.

Morreale — Cole Sillinger, F, Sioux Falls (USHL): He is a skilled offensive player with a great release on his shot, a high hockey IQ and excellent vision and playmaking ability. 

14. Dallas Stars

Kimelman — Corson Ceulemans, D, Brooks (AJHL): The big (6-2, 198) right-shot defenseman is an outstanding skater who can lead the rush and use his speed to create chances in transition and the offensive zone. He also knows how to use his mobility and long reach to keep opposing forwards to the outside. With John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen already established NHL defensemen and top prospect Thomas Harley close to NHL ready, Ceulemans would give the Stars more top-end depth at a key position.

Morreale — Nikita Chibrikov, RW, St. Petersburg (RUS): The 18-year-old forward (5-10, 170) is a playmaker with great speed and strong edges, capable of handling the puck and strong on the backcheck. Chibrikov scored two points (one goal, one assist) in 16 games in the Kontinental Hockey League and led 2021 draft-eligible players at the U-18s with 13 points (four goals, nine assists) for second-place Russia.

15. New York Rangers

Kimelman — Brennan Othmann, LW, Flint (OHL): Othman (6-0, 175) is a strong forechecker because of his speed and willingness to play physical and has a quick release on a strong shot. The Rangers have several talented young forwards, including Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov. Othmann would bring a different element that could give them more open ice to work with.

Morreale — Othmann: A two-way difference-maker with very good puck skills and the ability to make himself available in dangerous scoring areas. He scored 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 34 games on loan with EHC Olten in the Swiss League and six points (three goals, three assists) in seven games to help Canada win the U-18 World Championship. He scored one goal and had seven shots on goal in a 5-3 win against Russia in the championship game.

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Listen: New episode of NHL Draft Class

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