The Edmonton Oilers have placed Eric Gryba on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out the remainder of his contract, the team announced Thursday.
The right-handed defenseman had one year left on a two-year, $1.8-million contract signed last summer. According to CapFriendly.com, the move will save Edmonton $300,000, as only $600,000 of Gryba's final year can be slashed from the club's payroll.
Gryba appeared in 21 games for the Oilers this past season, recording two assists while skating for nearly 15 minutes per night. The six-year veteran was acquired in a June 2015 trade with his original NHL team, the Ottawa Senators.
The 30-year-old posted a farewell video to his official Twitter account shortly after the Oilers went public with the transaction:
The New York Islanders and Barry Trotz are closing in on an agreement that would see the free agent become the team's new head coach, sources tell TSN's Darren Dreger.
The deal is believed to be for five years with an annual average of at least $4 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
There are two certainties heading into the NHL draft Friday night in Dallas.
The first is that Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin will be selected first overall. The second is that a Canadian-born player likely won’t hear his name called until at least the fifth overall selection. The first Canadian player taken is expected to be either one of two defencemen: Evan Bouchard of the London Knights, or Noah Dobson of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
If the consensus holds true, it will mark the longest wait for a Canadian player to go off the board in 19 years. And it comes at a time when more American and Swedish-born players have been taken, particularly high in the opening round, over the past few years. The current cycle is reminiscent of a trend between 1999 and 2001 before Canadian players began to numerically dominate again.
“Drafts are, by nature, cyclical,” said Red Line Report chief scout Kyle Woodlief. “When you have to start to adjust your thinking is when cycles become a trend.”
Woodlief, a native Montrealer who now lives and operates his independent scouting newsletter out of Lake Placid, N.Y., was clear that he sees no serious issues with Canadian hockey that have negatively impacted the draft position of the country’s players.
Woodlief said the expected results this weekend in Dallas are simply a reflection of Dahlin being an exceptional talent along with Russian Andrei Svechnikov, Czech Filip Zadina, and a couple of Americans led by Brady Tkachuk.
Another factor is that the overall quality of this year’s draft is thought to be average at best. Other countries, particularly the U.S., are challenging Canada’s numerical dominance, but it’s also happening during a year when the whole exercise is not expected to produce a highly talented crop of future NHL stars, or even stalwarts.
“Overall, Canada doesn’t have a Connor McDavid, or a Steven Stamkos, that we started to get used to for awhile,” said Woodlief. “But overall, there is still going to be a lot of Canadian players drafted all through the draft. But really, the draft is really just an average crop this year.”
Hockeyprospect.com chief scout Mark Edwards has watched Americans churn out more players, and points out that the current cycle has another year to run.
“There is no doubt that Americans are producing more players, and the team they have coming from their (U-18 program) next year is going to be even better,” said Edwards, in reference to the 2019 draft class topped by American whiz kid Jack Hughes. “It’s just been a down year for the (Canadian junior leagues).”
Canada has had 12 players selected in the first round each of the past three years, a number that is down from 14 (2012), 18 (2013), and 14 (2014) in the previous three drafts. By comparison, working backward since last year, the Americans have had five, 11, and seven selected in the first round. The Swedes had four first-rounders last year in New Jersey, and four more in the opening rounds between 2016 (one) and 2015 (three). Finland, after some down years, has also produced several first-round picks since 2015, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi could poke ahead of any Canadian taken Friday night.
Parsing the numbers at the top-end further, this year’s draft in Dallas is shaping up to be somewhat like Buffalo two years ago, when players from five different countries were selected in the opening round, highlighted by American Auston Matthews at No. 1. Pierre-Luc Dubois, who finished eighth in the Calder Trophy balloting with the Columbus Blue Jackets, was the first Canadian player taken at No. 3.
Assessing overall drafted players can be a mugs’ game, as less than half ever play in the NHL, but in terms of overall players selected since 2012, Canadians have peaked at 100 (both 2012 and 13), while leveling off in the 80s since. During the same span, the U.S. had as many as 64 players taken (2014), to as few as 47 (2017).
Here's the upshot of all the numbers and anecdotal analysis: Canada still produces the most players at virtually every discernable level - first-rounders, overall players drafted, and players cracking NHL rosters in their early-20s, but the Americans are closing the gap - and some would say rapidly.
Consider this point: when the World Cup of Hockey was played two years ago in Toronto, the Young Stars (Under-23) team had more American-born players on it than Canadians, though that number was effectively evened out by Sean Couturier, who was born in the U.S. but considers himself to be Canadian after moving back “home” as a young kid.
Beyond that, an across-the-board Under-23 list now would likely have just as many American names on it (and perhaps more) and quite a few Swedes and Finns, too.
Woodlief, along with a handful of other NHL-connected people consulted over the past six weeks, say the Americans have simply woken up to the presence of hockey being played in all corners of their country.
This type of organic growth will be on display at the draft in Dallas Friday night.
“I think what you’re seeing is the population monster at work,” said Woodlief. “When you have 330 million people and the game is played in so many different markets, you’re going to see participation numbers (spike) … I think that was (evident) with Matthews two years ago.”
Woodlief is referring to Matthews developing into a generational talent in the desert climate of Arizona while growing up in the Phoenix area. In addition, it is now common to see American players born in Florida, California, and Texas getting drafted and eventually appearing on NHL rosters.
If there is some disquiet from a Canadian perspective, it’s that elite hockey development has narrowed the gap. A former NHL executive speaking on background said the evolution of the game has turned into a year-round pursuit, and that developing young hockey players has now become an elite sport. It requires immense financial and time commitment from the parents of young players to put their kids into elite programs, a fact of life for American families for decades.
“We are now competing with Americans on level ground,” said the executive, who has had a hand in running two different NHL clubs. “Americans have always had to spend huge money to keep their kids in hockey, now we run programs all year round (in much the same way). You’ll never win that battle because the U.S. will eventually out-resource you.”
Edwards, whose background includes coaching in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, says that Canada could also do well to keep an eye on Sweden and Finland.
“I think you need to ask yourself, how come (Sweden) and the Finns are producing these guys as well … what is it they are doing that Canada isn’t?”
"It’s hard when it happen right away, you know?" Ovechkin said, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "First of all, thanks for him to be with us, to give us a chance to win the Cup. All of what he did was only for the team, not for personal-wise. But I’m pretty sure he will be fine and he will find what he wants. It’s sad, but it’s a business."
Nearly two weeks after Trotz coached the franchise to its first-ever Stanley Cup victory, he elected to resign from the role following fruitless contract negotiations. Still, Backstrom believes the 55-year-old will always be a popular figure in D.C.
"Something you can't take away from Barry is what he's done to this team," Backstrom said. "Him and the coaching staff has been doing a tremendous job to just get us together. He's been schooling us good these four years and we got a good finish out of it. ... Hopefully, there's no hard feelings. He's always going to be remembered in Washington as a champion, which is great, which he deserves."
The Capitals will now look to find Trotz's replacement. General manager Brian MacLellan has already stated that assistant coach Todd Reirden will be interviewed for the position, and if he's the successor to Trotz, Ovechkin would be just fine with that.
"If it's Todd, I'm sure lots of guys, everybody, going to be really happy," Ovechkin said. "He's a guy who's a very good communicator, very good specialist and have lots of respect from us."
The countdown to the 2018 NHL Draft is drawing to a close. Friday night, the NHL careers of 31 teenagers will be set into motion and the fates of some franchises will be permanently altered. And someone, inevitably, will screw up their first-round pick.
Who's going to get it right this year - and who will get it wrong?
1. Buffalo Sabres
Rasmus Dahlin | D | Frolunda HC (SHL) Previous Rank: 1
We all know Dahlin is going to Buffalo. Dahlin knows Dahlin is going to Buffalo. Sabres fans know it. Most importantly, Sabres general manager Jason Botterill knows it. The path this franchise is on will be forever altered from the moment he's drafted. Let's hope it works out.
Much like the Buffalo pick, this one seems set in stone, and with good reason. Svechnikov brings the power and scoring needed to revive the Hurricanes’ sometimes-stagnant forward corps. Now if they could just find some reliable goaltending.
3. Montreal Canadiens
Jesperi Kotkaniemi | C | Assat (Liiga) Previous Rank: 10
Kotkaniemi is a pretty off-the-board pick at third overall, but he's potentially the best center in the draft, and there's been noise lately that the Habs are targeting him. They'd be better off trading down to do so, but who tells Marc Bergevin what to do these days?
4. Ottawa Senators
Brady Tkachuk | LW | Boston University (NCAA) Previous Rank: 3
Drafting Tkachuk gets you a player who's a pain in your opponent's neck, and more importantly, around their net. Tkachuk is smart, highly skilled, and not afraid to get in someone's face. He's going to be a good NHL player for a long time.
Hughes roomed with Dylan Larkin at the World Championship, and their paths from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) to the University of Michigan to Detroit could mirror one another. It would certainly be a good decision for the Red Wings. Don't let the knocks on Hughes' defense fool you; his hockey IQ is elite, and that translates to his play in both zones.
7. Vancouver Canucks
Evan Bouchard | D | London Knights (OHL) Previous Rank: 6
Bouchard has the total package that scouts are looking for: size, skill, and skating. The latter could use a little polishing, but it's certainly not a detriment. He approaches the game like a professional, and could probably bypass a few Canucks-signed defensemen on the depth chart as early as this fall.
8. Chicago Blackhawks
Adam Boqvist | D | Brynas IF (SuperElit/SHL) Previous Rank: 5
For reasons that are difficult to understand, Boqvist has fallen down some rankings. It's likely he goes earlier than eighth, but the Blackhawks should snap him up if he's still around. He's one of the youngest players in this year’s draft, yet he's one of the most dynamic and skilled defensemen available.
9. New York Rangers
Oliver Wahlstrom | C/RW | U.S. National Team Development Program Previous Rank: 9
Wahlstrom is the best shooter in this draft, bar none. He's creative. He's fun. He's the kind of player the Rangers need more of. It's hard to see any drawbacks to drafting him. This pick should be a no-brainer for Jeff Gorton.
10. Edmonton Oilers
Joseph Veleno | C | Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) Previous Rank: 14
Veleno is blazingly fast, and his hockey smarts allow him to think the game at that top speed. It probably won’t be long before he outstrips some of the middle-of-the-road depth guys the Oilers have been signing like candy recently. And whether or not the trade rumors surrounding Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are true, why not take a skilled center with plenty of potential?
Dobson was a key part of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan's Memorial Cup win and could be a key addition to the Islanders' defensive prospect pool. He's a great skater with high-level hockey smarts who's able to put up points and defend opponents one-on-one. Plus, he's one of those highly coveted right-handed-shooting defensemen.
12. New York Islanders (from Calgary Flames)
Joel Farabee | LW | U.S. National Team Development Program Previous Rank: 12
Selecting a defenseman and then a highly skilled winger would be a good haul for the Islanders and new general manager Lou Lamoriello. Farabee's strong at both ends of the ice, as he's offensively gifted but also willing (and able) to do the little things in his own zone. Fortunately for Farabee, he can’t grow any facial hair, so he won’t have any to shave under Lou's rules.
13. Dallas Stars
Ty Smith | D | Spokane Chiefs (WHL) Previous Rank: 11
The Stars are trading Julius Honka, right? (Probably not, but he makes for appealing trade bait.) Taking a speedy, skilled defenseman makes sense. Smith is a great skater who can pick apart his opponents and make smart decisions.
14. Philadelphia Flyers (from St. Louis Blues)
Barrett Hayton | C | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) Previous Rank: 13
Hayton is a skilled, effective center who raises his game to meet the occasion. His goal-scoring increased this past season, in part due to his improved ability to put himself in the right spots. His defensive positioning is also solid, allowing him to cut down on opponents' chances.
15. Florida Panthers
Rasmus Kupari | C | Karpat (Liiga) Previous Rank: 15
Kupari has been at No. 15 for our last two mock drafts, so why stop now? His vision and playmaking are appealing, particularly in a class short of highly skilled centers. Take a hint, Panthers. This might be the guy you're looking for.
16. Colorado Avalanche
Martin Kaut | RW | HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Extraliga) Previous Rank: 17
Don’t let his heart issue at the combine scare you away (it’s been reported as curable). Kaut is worth the pick here. He's a pure goal-scorer with great skating ability and high-end playmaking skills to boot.
Pundits have varying opinions on Bokk, but he seems like the kind of player Devils GM Ray Shero would take a chance on - raw offensive skills and smarts combined with elusive, agile skating. He’s an outstanding stickhandler and goal-scorer, but could stand to improve the defensive side of his game.
18. Columbus Blue Jackets
Jake Wise | C | U.S. National Team Development Program Previous Rank: 30
Wise is an exciting, underrated player who was once considered a potential top-five pick, and who fell out of favor after an early-season injury. The Blue Jackets could potentially get the steal of the first round by taking him here. He was the NTDP's second-line center behind Jack Hughes for the latter half of the season when the team had its impressive run, and that wasn’t a fluke.
Noel has a lot of raw talent. Though he'll need time to develop, his ceiling is high, and he could be a great offensive player. The Flyers have two first-round picks - if they're taking a smart, safe center like Hayton at No. 14, why not take a chance on a guy like Noel at 19?
20. Los Angeles Kings
Bode Wilde | D | U.S. National Team Development Program Previous Rank: 18
Bob McKenzie announced Monday that Wilde won't attend the University of Michigan after all. This could allow the team that drafts the defenseman to send him to the AHL if he doesn't make the NHL roster out of camp, which would be a good path for his development. Wilde is smart, rarely caught out of position, and likes throwing his body around. Of course, he may simply choose another NCAA school.
21. San Jose Sharks
Jonathan Tychonick | D | Penticton Vees (BCHL) Previous Rank: 20
Recent years have seen BCHL players like Tyson Jost, Dante Fabbro, and Dennis Cholowski selected in the first round. It's not unreasonable to think the highly skilled Tychonick should - and may - go higher than 21st. Meanwhile, the Sharks don't really have a defensive prospect pool to speak of, so if Tychonick is still on the board, they should pick him before even thanking the host city. Don't leave anything to chance.
22. Ottawa Senators (from Pittsburgh Penguins)
Jared McIsaac | D | Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) Previous Rank: 24
Ottawa is having trouble of late, to put it delicately. With Erik Karlsson likely on his way out of town, it's more important than ever to fortify the defensive prospect pool. Jared McIsaac is a smart puck-mover with great positioning and strong skating skills.
23. Anaheim Ducks
Rasmus Sandin | D | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) Previous Rank: 22
The Ducks are mostly set on defense, but there's no reason not to add another skilled, puck-moving type with high-end hockey smarts. Sandin's a good skater, smart with and without the puck, and reads the ice very well. He's a skilled passer and effective in his own end.
24. Minnesota Wild
Alexander Alexeyev | D | Red Deer Rebels (WHL) Previous Rank: 23
Defensive prospects who rarely make mistakes in their own end aren't easy to come by. Alexeyev is steady. He doesn’t force his decisions. However, this does lead to him making the safe play perhaps too often. Ideally, this is something he'll improve with time and experience.
25. Toronto Maple Leafs
Ty Dellandrea | C | Flint Firebirds (OHL) Previous Rank: 26
If the Leafs don't take a chance on Ryan Merkley - and there's a good chance they're one of the few teams who would consider him in the first round - perhaps they'll turn to a center. Dellandrea is a slight reach at No. 25, but he was a standout player on a poor team this past season. His skating and hockey IQ position him well for a solid NHL career.
26. New York Rangers (from Boston Bruins)
Akil Thomas | C | Niagara IceDogs (OHL) Previous Rank: 27
Thomas led all draft-eligible forwards in the OHL in points this past season, and despite his smaller size, he should be snapped up in the first round due to his versatility and high-end hockey smarts. The Rangers would value his creativity and ability to play well in all situations.
27. Chicago Blackhawks (from Nashville Predators)
Ryan Merkley | D | Guelph Storm (OHL) Previous Rank: 25
The Blackhawks taking two defensemen in the first round feels unlikely, but if Merkley can reach his full potential, he'll join projected No. 8 pick Boqvist and 2017 selection Henri Jokiharju in the top tier of Chicago's defensive prospect pool. Merkley's a smart player with a high ceiling, and could eventually be a Norris Trophy contender if he reaches that ceiling.
28. New York Rangers (from Tampa Bay Lightning)
K'Andre Miller | D | U.S. National Team Development Program Previous Rank: 29
Miller may only have a few seasons as a defenseman under his belt, but his NTDP coach says he'd be an elite skater in the NHL right now. The Rangers would be wise to grab Miller - not only for his skating ability, but also for his defensive responsibility and offensive instincts.
29. St. Louis Blues (from Winnipeg Jets)
Mattias Samuelsson | D | U.S. National Team Development Program Previous Rank: 28
Samuelsson is a mature player both on and off the ice. He's a leader on the NTDP (he wore the C this past season), and his defensive game is solid. Though he's already a skilled puck-mover, time and experience will improve his offensive abilities even more.
Berggren's scoring in the SuperElit this past season was better, on a points-per-game level, than players like Nicklas Backstrom and Mika Zibanejad. That's not necessarily a predictor of future success, but it does make heads turn. He's an offensive dynamo who's mobile with strong puckhandling skills. Also, he's Swedish. The Red Wings like that, right?
31. Washington Capitals
Ryan McLeod | C | Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) Previous Rank: NR
McLeod could go in the 20s, or he could slip into the early second round. If he's available for the Stanley Cup champions at 31, there are myriad reasons to pick him. He's got a burning top speed. His vision and hockey sense are excellent. He's a gifted playmaker who's also used in key penalty-kill situations. His ceiling and consistency are question marks, but those will be answered with time.
Hannah Stuart keeps a close eye on both drafted and draft-eligible prospects and can usually be found trying to learn more about hockey analytics. She has previously written for FanRag Sports, The Hockey Writers, and Hooked On Hockey Magazine, and can also be found at High Heels and High Sticks. Find her on twitter at @HockeyWthHannah.
The Golden Knights were the big winners at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, but there were plenty of other deserving recipients.
Here are all the winners from this year's ceremony:
Ted Lindsay Award
Connor McDavid wasn't a finalist for the Hart Trophy, but he did take home the next-best thing, capturing the Lindsay Award as the league's most outstanding player - as voted on by his peers - for the second consecutive year, and becoming the first to win it twice before the age of 22.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin added one final piece of hardware to their extensive trophy cases, earning the award that recognizes humanitarian contributions.
William Karlsson snagged this one after finishing his breakout 43-goal regular season with only 12 penalty minutes.
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle was a worthy recipient of the 2018 Masterton Trophy after overcoming a leukemia diagnosis in training camp and returning to score 10 goals in his first 25 games.
EA Sports NHL 19 cover athlete
P.K. Subban will be on the cover of EA Sports' NHL franchise for the first time after being named the poster boy for NHL 19.
Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant was the obvious choice here after helping Vegas become the most successful NHL expansion team ever.
Mark Messier Leadership Award
Vegas defenseman and resident Deryk Engelland earned this honor - given annually to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team on and off the ice during the regular season, and plays a role in his community growing the game of hockey - for being a fixture in the community following the tragic shooting in Las Vegas and for his leadership with the Golden Knights.
The accolades just kept pouring in for the Golden Knights, and general manager George McPhee was the clear choice here, after overseeing the construction of the best NHL expansion roster of all time.
Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award
Late Humboldt Broncos coach Darcy Haugan was the inaugural recipient of this honor, which is presented to the individual who, through the game of hockey, has positively impacted his or her community, culture, or society.
Haugan died in the bus crash that killed 16 Broncos players and staff members back in April.
Mathew Barzal kicked off the NHL awards by claiming the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top freshman, then wrapped up the night by grabbing a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
Connor McDavid and Taylor Hall are together once again, as the last two Hart Trophy winners and former teammates were named first-team All-Stars following the conclusion of the awards show in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
Here's a look at the entire first team:
Pos
Player (Team)
2017-18 points
C
Connor McDavid (Oilers)
108
LW
Taylor Hall (Devils)
93
RW
Nikita Kucherov (Lightning)
100
D
Drew Doughty (Kings)
60
D
Victor Hedman (Lightning)
63
G
Pekka Rinne (Predators)
.927 Sv%
Hall is one of four players to receive the honor for the first time, joined by Kucherov, Hedman, and Rinne. Hedman was recognized as the league's top defenseman at the awards, while Rinne took home the Vezina as the NHL's best goaltender.
The league also announced the second-team All-Stars:
Pos
Player (Team)
2017-18 points
C
Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche)
97
LW
Claude Giroux (Flyers)
102
RW
Blake Wheeler (Jets)
91
D
Seth Jones (Blue Jackets)
57
D
P.K. Subban (Predators)
59
G
Connor Hellebuyck (Jets)
.924 Sv%
Other than Subban, all players on the list are making their first postseason All-Star appearance. MacKinnon finished as the runner-up to Hall in the Hart Trophy race, while Hellebuyck and Subban were finalists in their respective categories as well.
