General

Vote for Oskar Lindblom for Metro Captain to Support Him in his Battle With Cancer!

Want to support cancer awareness and Oskar’s fight? Here’s a thought: Vote for him to be the captain of the Metro in the All Star game.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom has been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. He will miss the rest of the season while he fights this cancer.

You can vote up to 10 times per day until December 20, 2019. Follow this link: https://www.nhl.com/all-star-ballot

Scroll down to the bottom of the Metro column, and search for “Oskar Lindblom”. You will need to pick 3 other captains from the other divisions as well.

Story: https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/14/us/oskar-lindblom-ewing-sarcoma-cancer/index.html

General

Book Review: Major Misconduct

“Before you read this next story,” begins Chapter 6 of Jeremy Allingham’s Major Misconduct: The Human Cost of Fighting in Hockey, “I need you to do something first. Grab your phone or computer, search ‘Stephen Peat vs. P.J. Stock’ on your browser, then settle into your seat and brace yourself.” The fight, which took place in a game between Peat’s Washington Capitals and Stock’s Boston Bruins on January 5, 2002, is just one brutal example of the fighting that the author wants to help eradicate from the sport of hockey.

In the book, Allingham delves into the stories of former hockey fighters Peat, James McEwan, and Dale Purinton, all of whom have suffered from common symptoms of CTE since retiring from the sport they love. Drinking, drugs, estrangement from their families, and jail time are common themes indicative of the consequences that all three men attribute to careers spent fighting, or as Allingham puts it, accurately, numerous times throughout the work, “bare knuckle boxing.”

While the three men all have uniquely fascinating stories (McEwan, for example, has turned his life around through spiritual meditation, yoga, and a hallucinogenic drink administered by Amazonian shamans called ayahuasca), they all seem to stem from childhood memories of players fighting on television, and the glorification of the act by the announcers, and in two of the three cases, the boisterous Hockey Night In Canada co-host Don Cherry’s highlight packages of great hockey fights. None of these men, of course, strapped on skates with the intention of becoming known for their fighting prowess, but instead adopted that element into their games in an effort to push to the next level of their professional careers.

Lest you think that Allingham is limiting himself to one side of the story to paint the picture he wants you to see, that is certainly not the case. Allingham speaks with boxing coaches who have trained hockey players, as well as players who have taken boxing classes, all of whom indicate that it’s not about going out on the ice and looking for a fight. Rather, it’s about knowing what to do to protect themselves should they end up in that situation. The author even goes as far as to talk to Georges Laraque, a prolific NHL enforcer who fought over 140 times in the league during stints with the Oilers, Canadiens, Penguins, and Coyotes. Laraque doesn’t share the outlook that fighting is a direct cause of CTE, though he does feel fighting should be eliminated at the junior level.

When I first got the press release from the books publicist, I wrote back that it sounded like a fantastic book. I got the book in the mail either Monday or Tuesday of this week, and I had a hard time putting it down. While I don’t know that Allingham succeeded in his goal of making me want fighting out of the game entirely (I did once watch an entire two-hour VHS tape my then-roommate bought of every single Rob Ray fight), it definitely has me thinking about the consequences these men suffer as a result of repeated blows to the head. It’s also done something I once thought impossible – it’s made me dislike Gary Bettman even more than I did before reading it. This book is definitely worth the read, and absolutely lived up to my expectations.

General

The Buffalo Sabres partner with Nextiva

Nextiva, an innovative tech company dedicated to simplifying business communications, team collaboration, and customer engagement, recently announced that they have partnered with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres to be the team’s official communications partner, setting up all of the communications throughout Buffalo’s KeyBank Center.

While Nextiva plans to present “something special” to give everyone a look at what goes on during game day with the service they provide to the team, I was able to ask a few questions that I, as a Bored Hockey Fan, was curious about when it comes to this partnership.

How do official team partnerships work?

In our case, we were selected as the official communications provider for the Buffalo Sabres thanks to a generous introduction by its channel partner PremCom, who recommended us to them. The Sabres went on to choose Nextiva, and we were definitely excited by the opportunity to support the Sabres, and grateful for the opportunity PremCom had provided.

What other teams throughout the world of sports has Nextiva partnered with?

The Sabres are our first partnership with an NHL or sports team.

What are the benefits of a team using Nextiva for their communications?

The biggest thing we wanted to do was to provide the Sabres organization with concrete solutions, to give confidence that their needs would be met on all levels — for fans, for patrons, and for the team—and that we could provide each and every solution on their list with something feature-rich and seamless from our Unified Communications platform. The suites at the Buffalo Sabres’ home arena, the KeyBank Center, are now outfitted with Nextiva phones and service, and features include voice communications, mobility and desktop sharing, along with the company’s trademarked Amazing Service.

Is the Nextiva partnership visible and accessible to fans aside from the logo on the ice?

The Nextiva logo is prominently featured on the ice, but it is also visible on posters around the KeyBank Center arena, wherever voice communications technology is featured around the arena, and within the private suites.

How many technicians, and how much time, does it take to install a communications suite like the one Nextiva now has at the KeyBank Center?

Joe, we’re working on something special over the next 2-3 months that will give everyone a visceral, immediate and inside look into what goes into staging game day, and into helping an NHL team maximize its communications across the board. We’ll share with you as soon as it’s completed!

If the NHL were to partner, as a whole, with Nextiva, what benefits would the league see as far as communication for on-ice officials to the replay official or the “war room” in Toronto?

Ultimately, we’re able provide system-wide unified communications at the highest level, so that all of their locations can be connected and managed on one single account. We may be able to create a custom solution for on-ice officials and other officials around the arena during game day, similar to what we’ve done for the Conan show.

We also ensure that all arena facilities and private suites are fully equipped with the best in first-class communications features. This means that guests will be using Nextiva communications to make their experiences as enjoyable as possible, using them to call for their food and beverage orders, make requests, and receive service or support as needed while enjoying their experiences in the suites.

I, for one, am looking forward to the special inside look Nextiva is preparing for us over the next 2-3 months. Very special thanks to Nextiva for sharing with us and taking the time to answer a few questions, and we wish them the best of luck for a successful partnership with the Sabres.

Hockey Media

Press Release: “Hockey Addicts Guide: New York City”

HOCKEY ADDICT’S GUIDE: NEW YORK CITY

Where to Eat, Drink & Play the Only Game That Matters

If the genre of hockey tourism has not received much attention, it’s because Evan Gubernick has just invented it with this guide, the first in a new series: HOCKEY ADDICT’S GUIDE: NEW YORK CITY [The Countryman Press; on sale March 13, 2018; $14.95; Paperback].

Packed with everything you need to immerse yourself in New York City’s unique hockey culture, HOCKEY ADDICT’S GUIDE is a must-read for local fans, beer-league devotees, youth hockey-obsessed families, and visitors alike.  Find out:

  • Where to show up for the best pickup games, and where to grab a beer after the game
  • How to get your skates sharpened at the tiny fifth-floor shop only the locals know
  • How to find outdoor rinks that aren’t crowded with tourists holding hands
  • Where to cheer on the Rangers, the Devils, and the Islanders (and even the women’s team that plays out in New Jersey, the Metropolitan Riveters!)
  • Where hockey fans hang out off the ice, from sneaker boutiques to bike shops to beer gardens
  • Where to root for non-New York teams among fellow transplanted fans — including the one place in New York City where it’s acceptable to cheer for Boston

Organized around major hockey hubs like Madison Square Garden, the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers, and the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, this guide offers deeply opinionated recommendations on where to eat, drink, sleep, and shop like a New York City hockey fan.

Stay at the urban dude ranch run by a retired hockey pro, buy hard-to-find jerseys from the best vintage shop in town, and grab a King Henrik coctail at the Tribeca bar co-owned by Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist.  Eat at the Italian restaurant recommended by the Zamboni driver from Madison Square Garden, or the Chinatown noodle shop where the NYU hockey team refuels late at night.

This is a take-along guidebook that will be pored over, referenced, and most importantly, fiercely debated in locker rooms across the city.

EVAN GUBERNICK is the founder of Snipetown NYC, a magazine devoted to the hockey subculture of New York City, and creative director of 485 Creative.  He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

NHL

Let’s talk about FoxTrax

I know, I know.  It’s a dirty word for long time NHL fans, but as much as we would like to pretend it didn’t happen, FoxTrax was a thing.  Not only was it a thing – a poorly executed thing – it was very innovative in the world of sports.  Granted, hockey itself has pretty much stuck to a score and time overlay that’s expandable to include a power play timer, but things you see in other sports are direct decedents of FOX’s glowing abomination on ice.  Now, over 20 years later, there is talk about similar technology returning to the National Hockey League.

Sports broadcasting innovation

The year is 1996.  FOX had the broadcasting rights to the NHL in the United States, and aimed to come up with a solution for a common complaint about hockey back in the days of fuzzy old standard definition televisions.  The complaint?  Casual viewers couldn’t keep track of the puck.  I mean, I’m sure anyone can miss a black dot on a white sheet of ice, right?  I digress.  People apparently couldn’t follow the action, and FOX, along with a company called Etak, set out to solve that problem.

Splitting a puck directly in half (as one would slice a bagel), an array of infrared emitters, a shock sensor, and a circuit board and battery were placed inside, the two halves of the puck then glued back together with an epoxy.  Carefully considered were the weight and balance of the puck, as NHL Chief Engineer Rick Cavallaro stated that the players could tell if it was even off by a slight amount.  Specialized cameras picked up the infrared emissions from the puck. FOX’s “Puck Truck” overlaid appropriate (for lack of a better term) on-screen graphics based on data from the cameras.   The result was a blue hue around the puck at all times, along with a blue tail to track passes, and a red comet tail on shots 70MPH or higher.

It was a technological breakthrough, and a monumental moment in the eventual history of televised sports.  Hockey fans hated it.

Reactions to the innovation

Sure, casual fans were better able to follow the action.  In fact, 7 out of 10 FOX viewers surveyed said they liked the addition of the glowing puck.  Hell, 14 year old me thought it was “cool.”  35 year old me, not so much.  Yahoo’s Greg Wyshynski wasn’t a big fan either.  “Imagine if you were watching the Super Bowl and every time the running back disappeared in a pile of tacklers he started glowing like a blueberry from Chernobyl.”

“The inference being that (Americans are) too hockey-stupid to follow the play or that we need to be distracted by shiny new toys in order to watch the sport.”

The future of NHL Broadcasts

FoxTrax died a quiet death at the end of the 1997-98 season as ABC took over NHL broadcasts in the United States.  Oddly enough, it’s an article from ABC-owned ESPN that inspired this post.  The article notes that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said, “While it was the subject of much discussion, and some derision, in 1996, the technology of Fox Sports’ glowing puck was the precursor of the first-down line that has become standard practice for any football broadcast, and any number of innovations.  Actually, we are working on a dramatically updated version of that technology, and we have plans to roll out updated player and puck tracking. We are literally going back to the future.”

Before reading the article, I’d responded to the link shared on Facebook with essentially the same sentiments as Gary Bettman.  I know, I feel dirty.  I referenced the on-field overlays used in football, and the strike zone overlay used in FOX’s coverage of Major League Baseball as technology that was not only created, but actually done well in the wake of FoxTrax.  The most interesting takeaway from Bettman’s quote, however, is that they “have plans to roll out updated player and puck tracking.”

Say what?

Bettman likely isn’t referring to bringing back FoxTrax in it’s original form, with modified puck and red-glowing shot trails.  I feel it’s more akin to things we’ve already seen from the league.  Showing player statistics such as ice time, skating speed, shot speed, and things of that nature.  Personally, I found it helpful (though not absolutely necessary) when the FoxTrax puck would glow along the near boards, rendering it visible for fans at home who don’t have x-ray vision to see through wooden boards on their television.

Overall, I don’t hate the idea of implementing new old technical innovations into an NHL broadcast.  However, taking a minimally invasive approach may be the key to doing it correctly.

General, Montreal Canadiens, NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs

Oh, Canada: How A Nation’s Two Banner Franchises, On Opposite Ends of the Standings, Can BOTH Be In Trouble Already

On the eve of their first meeting of the 2017/2018 regular season, the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs are both in trouble. Period. That the trouble doesn’t make itself smack-you-in-the-lips apparent, does not mean that the trouble isn’t there.

Let’s start with Montreal, where the problem IS smack-you-in-the-lips apparent: the Habs can’t score. They’ve generated four goals (aside from a Jonathan Drouin shootout winner) in four games — good for last in the NHL. For a short time, they shared that mark with San Jose; perhaps the worst thing about that being that San Jose had only played two games at the time. They would have needed to be shut out in back-to-back games for those numbers to remain the way they were.

Carey Price — in seasons past, playing well enough to mostly mask the Canadiens’ offensive struggles — has played more than a few steps behind by the numbers. In facing around 27 shots per game, Price has allowed 11 goals, sporting a 3.30 GAA and a save percentage of sub-.900. A markedly slow start for an all-world goaltender with a career GAA nearly a full point below where it currently sits.

What is painfully clear to Habs fans is this: when Price doesn’t play perfect hockey, the offense has not only not been able to bail them out. The offensive output thusfar has DEMANDED that Price play perfect hockey, which he has not done. As a result, Montreal is off to a 1-3 start and sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

On the other side, there are the young, run-and-gun Toronto Maple Leafs: 3-1, out to the early Atlantic division lead, and scoring at an incredible pace.

How can this team also be in trouble?

“Run-and-gun” was not a randomly-chosen phrase; the Leafs are nearly atop the league in goal-scoring, having netted 22 in four games (four more than the nearest Eastern Conference opponent). They are also tied for fourth place in terms of most goals allowed. It adds up to an AVERAGE of four goals allowed per game; indeed, the Leafs have played only one game where they have allowed fewer than three. On an offense that has already generated games of 8- and 7-goals, this may seem like less of a problem than Montreal’s inability to score. But what happens when the goals *aren’t* there?

When they aren’t there, the New Jersey game happens: a 6-3 loss to a team that they should beat, where they allowed twice as many goals as they scored, despite nearly doubling their opponent in shots.

Since the lockout-shortened 2012/13 season, teams that lead the league in goal scoring have averaged 3.29 goals per game. The 16/17 Penguins were the outlier, having averaged 3.43 last season. Toronto is currently averaging a ridiculous 5.5 goals per game — a pace that we know from empirical evidence is not sustainable. Not since the 2009/10 Capitals has a team even topped 3.5 over an entire season, and even that team did not come close to even a full 4.

If we are overly-friendly to this year’s Leafs, and meet in the middle between their current pace of 5.5 and the 2009/10 Capitals pace of 3.87, the Leafs would average 4.69 goals per game. If we reduce that number to the scoring leader’s average since the Lockout, it still sits at 4.4. Those paces would meet or exceed the highest in modern history — again, paces which we know are not sustainable in the modern NHL. While that may put a smile on the faces of Leafs Nation, don’t forget: Toronto is ALLOWING four per game. Therein lies the problem: the Leafs can’t keep the puck out of their own net; a persistent problem dating back well beyond this season.

Freddie Andersen has been, in a word, awful this season. Facing 31 shots a game (therefore getting little help from the team in front of him), Andersen has allowed all 16 of Toronto’s goals against, sitting with a GAA just under 4 and a save percentage barely north of .870. While the offensive players have enjoyed a banner year to this point, the defense has at times looked completely lost and hung their goaltender out to dry. By the same token, at times, the defense has mostly done their job, and Andersen has simply not been able to come up with saves. The Leafs are allowing far too many shots on their goaltender, and their goaltender is allowing far too many to light the lamp behind him.

So, the question is begged: which problem would you rather have?
Would you rather struggle to score goals, or score plenty and struggle to keep other teams from scoring as well?
More to the point: would you rather be Montreal or Toronto, RIGHT NOW?

My answer came in digging a little deeper.

As we have mentioned, Andersen (who has played every second of the Leafs season so far) has faced just over 31 shots per game, where Price has faced 27 (and if you add in the short amount of work for Montoya, the team allows 29 shots per game total so far). That’s not a big difference — but any good armchair GM would take the lesser of those two numbers.

Three of Toronto’s four games have seen them allow 30 shots — two of those, allowing at least 35. After allowing a ridiculous 45 shots in their opening game, Montreal has yet to allow another opponent to get to 26.

It may seem foolish to compare the two teams on any level offensively, but would it surprise you to learn that Toronto is only outshooting Montreal by less than three shots per game? While the Leafs average 41.5 shots per game, Montreal is within striking distance at 38.8. In this light, Montreal’s problem is less about generating offense, and more about finishing their opportunities. Montreal is shooting at a ridiculously-low 2.58% — lower than any roster player to score a goal for them last season aside from one (Alexei Emelin). Bringing their shooting percentage up to last season’s 9%, a pace of 38.8 shots/game results in 3.5 goals/game. Even halving that percentage would be an upgrade that could be worked with.

There are a few points to be made here. Neither team is as good or as bad as they seem, as we’ve traversed less than 5% of the regular season. The Leafs are not going to finish with 60 wins any more than the Habs will finish with 60 losses. And both teams have significant reason to be concerned, no matter what the early standings say.

As far as which problem I would rather have and which team I would rather be? I can say a few things for sure. Having a +6 goal differential after four games would be nice to have — except if it took me 22 goals to get there. I’d rather have to focus on finishing my own chances, than to worry about whether my goaltender is going to make the next save. I’d rather give up the fewest shots against that I possibly can, and I’d rather have nowhere but up to go, than nowhere but down.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Phil Kessel appreciation post!

Pop art by ThinkSoJoE

Today is October 2, 2017, and 30 years ago today, Pittsburgh Penguins star and two time Stanley Cup winner Phil Kessel was born.  Therefore, today I decided to share with my fellow hockey fans some knowledge bestowed upon me by some folks in a chat room during a recent pre-season game between the Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres.  I do have to apologize, however, as I didn’t think to keep the names of the folks who said these things as I was sharing them with my BoredHockeyFan.com co-admin G the other night.

  • “Kessel was baptized in hot dog water”
  • “When Kessel gets NHL 18 he makes Kessel a little bigger to see if he can eat a few more burgers and still play”
  • “Kessel ain’t even fat, he’s jacked.”
  • “Kessels not fat, he’s thicc”
  • “Kessel won’t go to a team meeting unless they got pigs in a blanket.”
  • “Kessel stays in (Pittsburgh) not because he likes winning, but because they have the highest taco bell/pizza hut combos per capita”
  • “When the snapchat filter came out with the dancing hot dog Kessel ate his phone”
  • “If Kessel had a time machine, he’d go back to 1943, not to kill hitler but to kill a Dodo bird and try it’s meat.”
  • “Never refer to the puck as a biscuit or Phil will eat it”
  • “Kessel drank Smart Water for a week and couldn’t understand why he wasn’t better at math.”
  • “Kessel spends 14K on Reeses Pieces a month”
  • “Kessel met Jesus once but kept hounding him about Fish”
  • “Kessel’s salary is measured in quarter pounders”

And there you have it, folks.  Things I learned about birthday boy Phil Kessel from random people in a chat room.  Happy birthday Phil, from all of us at BoredHockeyFan!

General

2016 NHL Entry Draft – Rounds Three to Seven

Here are selections 62-211 of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft

PICK – TEAM – PLAYER DRAFTED – TEAM DRAFTED PLAYER PLAYED FOR

ROUND THREE
62 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Joseph Woll (USA U18, USHL)
63 – EDMONTON OILERS – Markus Niemelainen (Saginaw, OHL)
64 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – William Lockwood (USA U18, USHL)
65 – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Vitali Abramov (Gatineau, QMJHL)
66 – CALGARY FLAMES – Adam Fox (USA U18, USHL)
67 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Matt Filipe (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
68 – ARIZONA COYOTES – Can Dineen (North Bay. OHL)
69 – BUFFALO SABRES – Cliff Pu (London, OHL)
70 – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Will Bitten (Flint, OHL)
71 – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Josh Anderson (Prince George, WHL)
72 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – J.D Greenway (US NDTP, USHL)
73 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Joey Anderson (USA U18, USHL)
74 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Hudson Elynuik (Spokane, WHL)
75 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Jack LaFontaine (Janesville, NAHL)
76 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Rem Pitlick (Muskegon, USHL)
77 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Connor Hall (Kitchener, OHL)
78 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Frederic Allard (Chicoutimi, QMJHL)
79 – WINNIPEG JETS – Luke Green (Saint John, QMJHL)
80 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Brandon Gignac (Shawinigan, QMJHL)
81 – NEW YORK RANGERS – Sean Day (Mississauga, OHL)
82 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Carsen Twarynski (Calgary, WHL)
83 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Wouter Peeters (EC Salzburg, AUT U20)
84 – EDMONTON OILERS – Matthew Cairns (Georgetown, OJHL)
85 – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Joshua Mahara (Red Deer, WHL)
86 – BUFFALO SABRES – Casey Fitzgerald (Boston College, H-EAST)
87 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Garrett Pilon (Kamloops, WHL)
88 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Connor Ingram (Kamloops, WHL)
89 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Linus Naasen (Lulea, SWE-Jr)
90 – DALLAS STARS – Fredrik Karlstrom (AIK, SWE-Jr.)
91 – EDMONTON OILERS – Filip Berglund (Skelleftea, SWE-Jr.)
ROUND FOUR
92 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Adam Brooks (Regina, WHL)
93 – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Jack Kopacka (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
94 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Jonathan Ang (Peterborough, OHL)
95 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Anatoli Golyshev (Avtomobilist, KHL)
96 – CALGARY FLAMES – Linus Lindstrom (Skelleftea, SWE-Jr.)
97 – WINNIPEG JETS – Jacob Cederholm (HV71, SWE-Jr.)
98 – NEW YORK RANGERS – Tarmo Reunanen (TPS, FIN-Jr.)
99 – BUFFALO SABRES – Brett Murray (Carleton Place, CCHL)
100 – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Victor Mete (London, OHL)
101 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Keaton Middleton (Saginaw, OHL)
102 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Mikhail Maltsev (Russia U18, Rus-Jr.)
103 – OTTAWA SENATORS – Todd Burgess (Fairbanks, NAHL)
104 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Max Zimmer (Chicago, USHL)
105 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Evan Cormier (Saginaw, OHL)
106 – MINNESOTA WILD – Brandon Duhaime (Tri-City, USHL)
107 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Alfons Malmstrom (Orebro, SWE-Jr.)
108 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Hardy Haman Aktell (Skelleftea, SWE U18)
109 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Connor Bunnaman (Kitchener, OHL)
110 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Lucas Carlsson (Brynas, SHL)
111 – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Noah Gregor (Moose Jaw, WHL)
112 – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Jacob Moverare (HV71, SWE-Jr.)
113 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Nathan Noel (Saint John, QMJHL)
114 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Riley Stillman (Oshawa, OHL)
115 – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Alex Dostie (Gatineau, QMJHL)
116 – DALLAS STARS – Rhett Gardner (North Dakota, NCHC)
117 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Damien Riat (Geneve, NLA)
118 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Ross Colton (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
119 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Tanner Kaspick (Brandon, WHL)
120 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Otto Koivula (Ilves, FIN-Jr.)
121 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Ryan Jones (Lincoln, USHL)
ROUND FIVE
122 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Vladimir Bobylev (Victoria, WHL)
123 – EDMONTON OILERS – Dylan Wells (Peterborough, OHL)
124 – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Casey Staum (Hill-Murray, HIGH-MN)
125 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Nolan Stevens (Northeastern, NCAA H-East)
126 – CALGARY FLAMES – Mitchell Mattson (Grand Rapids, HIGH-MN)
127 – WINNIPEG JETS – Jordan Stallard (Calgary, WHL)
128 – DALLAS STARS – Colton Point (Carleton Place, CCHL)
129 – BUFFALO SABRES – Philip Nyberg (Linkoping, SHL)
130 – BUFFALO SABRES – Vojtech Budik (Prince Albert, WHL)
131 – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Adam Werner (Farjestad, SWE-Jr.)
132 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Yegor Rykov (St. Petersburg, RUS-Jr.)
133 – OTTAWA SENATORS – Maxime Lajoie (Swift Current, WHL)
134 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Jeremy Helvig (Kingston, OHL)
135 – BOSTON BRUINS – Joona Koppanen (Ilves, FIN-Jr.)
136 – BOSTON BRUINS – Cameron Clarke (Lone Star, NAHL)
137 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Jordan Sambrook (Erie, OHL)
138 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Patrick Harper (Avon Old Farms, HIGH-CT)
139 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Linus Hogberg (Vaxjo, SHL)
140 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Cole Candella (Hamilton, OHL)
141 – NEW YORK RANGERS – Tim Gettinger (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
142 – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Mikey Eyssimont (Fargo, USHL)
143 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Mathias From (Rogle, SWE-Jr.)
144 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Connor Bleackley (Red Deer, WHL)
145 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Beck Malenstyn (Calgary, WHL)
146 – DALLAS STARS – Nicholas Caamano (Flint, OHL)
147 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Axel Jonsson Fjallby (Djurgardens, SHL)
148 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Christopher Paquette (Niagara, OHL)
149 – EDMONTON OILERS – Graham McPhee (USA U18, USHL)
150 – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Manuel Wiederer (Moncton, QMJHL)
151 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Niclas Almari (Jokerit, FIN-Jr.)
ROUND SIX
152 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Jack Walker (Victoria, WHL)
153 – EDMONTON OILERS – Aapeli Rasanen (Tappara, FIN-Jr.)
154 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Jakob Stukel (Calgary, WHL)
155 – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Peter Thome (Aberdeen Wings, NAHL)
156 – CALGARY FLAMES – Eetu Tuulola (HPK, FIN-Jr.)
157 – WINNIPEG JETS – Mikhail Berdin (RUS U18, RUS-Jr.)
158 – ARIZONA COYOTES – Patrick Kudla (Oakville, OJHL)
159 – BUFFALO SABRES – Brandon Hagel (Red Deer, WHL)
160 – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Michael Pezzetta (Sudbury, OHL)
161 – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Nathan Clurman (Culver Academt, HIGH-IN)
162 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Jesper Bratt (AIK, Allsvenska)
163 – OTTAWA SENATORS – Markus Nurmi (TPS, FIN-Jr.)
164 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Noah Carroll (Guelph, OHL)
165 – BOSTON BRUINS – Oskar Steen (Farjestad, SWE-Jr.)
166 – CALGARY FLAMES – Matthew Phillips (Victoria, WHL)
167 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Filip Larsson (Djurgarden, SWE-Jr.)
168 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Alexander Volkov (SKA St. Petersburg, RUS-Jr.)
169 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Tanner Laczynski (Lincoln, USHL)
170 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Collin Adams (Muskegon, USHL)
171 – NEW YORK RANGERS – Gabriel Fontaine (Sherbrooke, QMJHL)
172 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Anthony Salinitri (Sarnia, OHL)
173 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Blake Hillamn (Dubuque, USHL)
174 – NEW YORK RANGERS – Tyler Wall (Leamington, GOJHL)
175 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Maxim Mamin (CSKA, RUS-Jr.)
176 – DALLAS STARS – Jakob Stenqvist (Modo, SHL)
177 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Chase Priskie (Quinnipiac, ECAC)
178 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Oleg Sosunov (Yaroslavl, RUS-Jr.)
179 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Nicholas Mattinen (London, OHL)
180 – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Mark Shoemaker (North Bay, OHL)
181 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Joseph Masonius (UCONN, NCAA H-East)
ROUND SEVEN
182 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Nikolai Chebykin (HK MVD Balashik., MHL)
183 – EDMONTON OILERS – Vincent Desharnais (Providence, NCAA H-East)
184 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Rodrigo Abols (Portland, WHL)
185 – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Calvin Thurkauf (Kelowna, WHL)
186 – CALGARY FLAMES – Stepan Falkovsky (Ottawa, OHL)
187 – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Arvid Henrikson (AIK U18, SWE-Jr.)
188 – ARIZONA COYOTES – Dean Stewart (Portage, MJHL)
189 – BUFFALO SABRES – Austin Osmanski (Mississauga, OHL)
190 – BUFFALO SABRES – Vasili Glotov (LVY St. Petersburg, RUS-Jr.)
191 – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Travis Barron (Oshawa, OHL)
192 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Jeremy Davies (Bloomington, USHL)
193 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Nick Pastujov (USA U18, USHL)
194 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Brett McKenzie (North Bay, OHL)
195 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Benjamin Finkelstein (Kimball Union, USHS)
196 – MINNESOTA WILD – Dmitri Sokolov (Sudbury, OHL)
197 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Mattias Elfstrom (Malmo, SHL)
198 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Adam Smith (Bowling Green, NCAA WCHA)
199 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – David Bernhardt (Djurgarden, SWE-Jr.)
200 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – David Quennevile (Medicine Hat, WHL)
201 – NEW YORK RANGERS – Ty Ronning (Vancouver, WHL)
202 – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Jacob Friend (Owen Sound, WHL)
203 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Jake Ryczek (Waterloo, USHL)
204 – MINNESOTA WILD – Brayden Chizen (Kelowna, WHL)
205 – ANAHEIM DUCKS Tyler Soy (Victoria, WHL)
206 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Otto Somppi (Halifax, QMJHL)
207 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Dmitri Zaitsev (WB/Scranton, NAHL)
208 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Ryan Lohin (Waterloo, USHL)
209 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Nikolaj Krag Christensen (Rodovre, DEN)
210 – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Joachim Blichfeld (Malmo, SHL)
211 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Filip Helt (HC Litvinov U18, CZE-U18)

General

2016 NHL Entry Draft – Round Two

Here are selections 31-61 of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft

PICK – TEAM – PLAYER DRAFTED – TEAM DRAFTED PLAYER PLAYED FOR

31 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Yegor Korshkov (Yaroslavl, KHL)
32 – EDMONTON OILERS – Tyler Benson (Vancouver, WHL)
33 – BUFFALO SABRES – Rasmus Asplund (Farjestad BK, SHL) (Traded Mark Pysyk, Pk 38 ’16, Pk 89 ’16 to FLA for Dmitry Kulikov, Pk 33 ’16)
34 – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Andrew Peeke (Green Bay, USHL)
35 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia, OHL) (Traded Brian Elliott to CAL for Pk 35 ’16, cond. 3rd 2018)
36 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Pascal Laberge (Victoriaville, QMJHL) (Traded Pk 18 ’16 and Pk 79 ’16 to WPG for Pk 22 ’16, Pk 36 ’16)
37 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Libor Hajek (Saksatoon, WHL) (Traded Anthony DeAngelo to ARZ for Pk 37 ’16)
38 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Adam Mascherin (Kitchener, OHL) (Traded Dmitry Kulikov, Pk 33 ’16 to BUF for Mark Pysyk, Pk 38 ’16, Pk 89 ’16)
39 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Alex DeBrincat (Erie, OHL) (Traded Andrew Shaw to MTL for Pk 39 ’16, Pk 45 ’16)
40 – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Cameron Morrison (Youngstown, USHL) (Traded BUF 2nd Rd ’15 to SJ for 2nd Rd ’15, COL 6th Rd ’17. Pk 40 ’16)
41 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Nathan Bastian (Mississauga, OHL)
42 – OTTAWA SENATORS – Jonathan Dahlen (Timra IK, SWE-2)
43 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Janne Kuokkanen (Karpat, SM-Liiga)
44 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Boris Katchouk (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL) (Traded Brett Connolly to BOS for 2nd Rd ’15. Pk 44 ’16)
45 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Chad Krys (US NTDP, USHL) (Traded Andrew Shaw to MTL for Pk 39 ’16, Pk 45 ’16)
46 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Givani Smith (Guelph, OHL)
47 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Samuel Girard (Shawinigan, QMJHL)
48 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Carter Hart (Everett, WHL)
49 – BOSTON BRUINS – Ryan Lindgren (US NTDP, USHL) (Traded PHI 2nd Rd ’15, cond. 3rd Rd ’15, Pk 49 ’16 to NYI for Johnny Boychuk)
50 – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Artur Kayumov (Russia U18, MHL) (Traded Teuvo Teravainen, Bryan Bickell to CAR for CHI 3rd Rd ’17, Pk 50 ’16)
51 – LOS ANGELES KINGS – Kale Clague (Brandon, WHL)
52 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – Wade Allison (Tri-City, WHL) (Traded 2nd Rd ’15, Pk 52 ’16 to PHI for Kimmo Timonen
53 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Filip Hronek (Mountfield HK, CZE) (Traded Pavel Datsyuk, Pk 16 ’16 to ARZ for Joe Vitale, Pk 53 ’16, Pk 20 ’16)
54 – CALGARY FLAMES – Tyler Parsons (London, OHL) (Traded Jiri Hudler to FLA for 4th Rd ’18, Pk 54 ’16)
55 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Filip Gustavsson (Lulea HF, SHL) (Traded cond. 3rd Rd pick ’16, Brandon Sutter to VAN for Nick Bonino, Adam Glendening, Pk 55 ’16)
56 – CALGARY FLAMES – Dillon Dube (Kelowna, WHL) (Traded Kris Russell to DAL for Jyrki Jokipakka, Brett Pollock, Pk 56 ’16)
57 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Carl Grundstrom (Modo, SHL) (Traded Daniel Winnik, Pk 145 ’16 to WSH for Brooks Laich, Connor Carrick, Pk 57 ’16)
58 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Taylor Raddysh (Erie, OHL)
59 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Evan Fitzpatrick (Sherbrooke, QMJHL)
60 – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Dylan Gambrell (U. Denver, NCAA HCNC)
61 – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Kasper Bjorkqvist (Espoo, SM-Liiga) (Traded Nick Spaling, Kasperi Kapanen, Scott Harrington, Pk 72 ’16, Pk 30 ’16 to TOR for Phil Kessel, Tyler Biggs, Tim Erixon, Pk 61 ’16)

Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, General, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets

2016 NHL Entry Draft – First Round

Here are the first 30 selections in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft

PICK – TEAM – PLAYER DRAFTED – TEAM DRAFTED PLAYER PLAYED FOR

1 – TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Auston Matthews (ZSC Lions, NLA)
2 – WINNIPEG JETS – Patrik Laine (Tappara, SM-Liiga)
3 – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton, QMJHL)
4 – EDMONTON OILERS – Jesse Pulijujarvi (Karpat, SM-Liiga)
5 – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Olli Juolevi (London, OHL)
6 – CALGARY FLAMES – Matthew Tkachuk (London, OHL)
7 – ARIZONA COYOTES – Clayton Keller (US NDTP, USHL)
8 – BUFFALO SABRES – Alexander Nylander (Mississauga, OHL)
9 – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Mikhail Sergachev (Windsor, OHL)
10 – COLORADO AVALANCHE – Tyson Jost (Pentiction, BCHL)
11 – OTTAWA SENATORS – Logan Brown (Windsor, OHL) – (from New Jersey) (Traded Pk 12 ’16 to NJ for Pk 11 ’16, Pk 80 ’16)
12 – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Michael McLeod (Mississauga, OHL) – (from Ottawa) (Traded Pk 11 ’16, Pk 80 ’16 to OTT for Pk 12 ’16)
13 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Jake Bean (Calgary, WHL)
14 – BOSTON BRUINS – Charles McAvoy (Boston, NCAA H-East)
15 – MINNESOTA WILD – Luke Kunin (Wisconsin, NCAA Big 10)
16 – ARIZONA COYOTES – Jakob Chychrun (Sarnia, OHL) – (from Detroit) (Traded Joe Vitale, Pk 53 ’16, Pk 20 ’16 to DET for Pavel Datsyuk, Pk 16 ’16)
17 – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Dante Fabbro (Pentiction, BCHL)
18 – WINNIPEG JETS – Logan Stanley (Windsor, OHL) – (from Philadelphia) (Traded Pk 22 ’16 and Pk 36 ’16 to PHI for Pk 18 ’16 and Pk 79 ’16)
19 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Kieffer Bellows (US NDTP, USHL)
20 – DETROIT RED WINGS – Dennis Cholowski (Chilliwack, BCHL) (from Arizona) (Traded Pavel Datsyuk, Pk 16 ’16 to ARZ for Joe Vitale, Pk 53 ’16, Pk 20 ’16)
21 – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Julien Gauthier (Val-d’Or, QMJHL)
22 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS – German Rubtsov (RUS U18, MHL) – (from Winnipeg) (Traded Pk 18 ’16 and Pk 79 ’16 to WPG for Pk 22 ’16, Pk 36 ’16)
23 – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Henrik Borgstrom (HIFK Jr., FIN-Jr.)
24 – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Max Jones (London, OHL)
25 – DALLAS STARS – Riley Tufte (Fargo Force, USHL)
26 – ST. LOUIS BLUES – Tage Thompson (U-CONN, NCAA H-East) (from Washington) (Traded Pk 28 ’16 to STL for Pk 26 ’16, Pk 87 ’16)
27 – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Brett Howden (Moosejaw, WHL)
28 – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Lucas Johansen (Kelowna, WHL) (from St. Louis) (Traded Pk 26 ’16 to WSH for Pk 28 ’16, Pk 87 ’16)
29 – BOSTON BRUINS – Trent Frederic (USA U18, USHL)
30 – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Sam Steel, (Regina, WHL)