College Hockey's Influence on the NHL's Scoring Race

2015-16 NHL Leaders Points
1.	Patrick Kane	106
2.	Jamie Benn	89
3.	Sidney Crosby	85
4.	Erik Karlsson	82
	Joe Thornton	82
6.	John Gaudreau	78
	Joe Pavelski	78
	Blake Wheeler	78
9.	Evgeny Kuznetsov	77
	Artemi Panarin	77

While I was perusing some NHL hockey stats at hockey reference, I didn’t realize that three of the top-10 scorers in the NHL had college hockey experience. I guess that seems about right since 31% of the NHL's players comes from college hockey. Looking at the top-10, we have a Minnesota Gopher, a Wisconsin Badger, and a Boston College Eagle. I also find it interesting that they all finished with 78 points. 

What's even more remarkable is that Johnny Gaudreau has only been in the NHL for just over two seasons. This past season, he scored almost a point a game. In 79 games, Gaudreau scored 30 goals and 78 points. 

Former DU Assistant Derek Lalonde now Head Coach for Toledo Walleyes

#52780274 / gettyimages.com

Former Denver assistant head coach Derek Lalonde is now the head coach of the ECHL's Toledo Walleye.

Official Release --- The Walleye are excited to welcome Derek Lalonde as the team’s new head coach. Lalonde was introduced during a press conference on Monday morning at the Huntington Center in downtown Toledo.

“We want to build great things here in Toledo, build a culture of success.” Lalonde has been head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League since 2011, compiling a record of 111-54-14, guiding the team to both regular season and playoff championships in 2011-12, and was USHL Coach of the Year in 2012. He was also Head Coach of Team USA’s U19 National Team which captured gold at the World Junior A Challenge in November of 2013.

Joe Napoli, Toledo Walleye president and general manager, says Lalonde was the one who stood out during a very rigorous interviewing process. “We were thrilled with the quality of candidates we interviewed, both nationally and internationally.”

(Video) Former Gopher defenseman Erik Johnson looking at a Shanaban

) 

Former Golden Gophers and current Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson is facing supplemental discipline for this dirty/brutal slash on Islander New York Islanders forward Frans Nielsen. It will be interesting to see what kind of punishment is given to Johnson. (Shanaban)

NHL.COM --- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson will have a phone hearing Tuesday with the NHL Department of Player Safety for a third-period slash on New York Islanders forward Frans Nielsen on Saturday night.

Nielsen was skating for a loose puck in the Avalanche's zone when Johnson slashed him on the wrists with 7:54 left in the third period. Johnson was given a two-minute penalty on the play.

The following grounds for the proposed supplemental discipline are being considered: slashing. However, the Department of Player Safety retains the right to make adjustments to these infractions accordingly upon further review

Thoughts on the slash? How many games will he be facing?

Hockey Buzz: Is Thomas Vanek Minnesota Bound?

Minnesota Wild (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I found this article over on Hockey Buzz. I wonder if this unconfirmed rumor is an e3 or an e5? Look, I like many Wild fans would like to see this happen, but you have to consider the source. If the news pertains to the Wild and it doesn’t come from Michael Russo, I am going to be skeptical.

Josh Rimer, Hockey Buzz -- Last night a solid source informed me that If Thomas Vanek is moved prior to the Trade Deadline, his destination of choice would be Minnesota Wild. Fitting since he played for the Gophers in 2004, Vanek has had his off-season home in Minneapolis and trains in Edina, Minnesota. His wife is from Minnesota and he has always wanted to play in Minny, especially having good friend Jason Pominville there increases his desire to be there.

Related articles

• Reiterating the Case for Thomas Vanek to the Wild (hockeywilderness.com)
• Feeling Minnesota: Why not Phil Kessel? (hockeywilderness.com)
• Vanek Keeping Options Open Entering Camp (wkbw.com)
• Rumors: Vanek hasn't asked Sabres for a trade (cbssports.com)

Oilers assign Pitlick

This happened over the weekend when I was out but it's news worthy because it's technically another one and done player in the WCHA that left College Hockey to sign early and was sent down to a WHL team that owned his rights after he failed to make the Edmonton Oilers. I know there were rumblings that Pitlick was leaving school anyways, because college really wasn't for him or something like that.

NHL.COM --- Edmonton Oilers General Manager Steve Tambellini announced today the club has assigned centre Tyler Pitlick to the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League.

Pitlick, 18, played in 38 games for Minnesota State in the WCHA collecting 19 points (11G, 8A). The Minneapolis, MN native was drafted by the Oilers in the 2nd round, 31st overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Johnson to leave Force for St. Cloud State

Wow! This rumor had surfaced last week and now is finally coming to fruition. That means that the Force will have their third coach in their three year existence. That also means that the Huskies will have a much better coaching staff this season. While I have never been impressed with Motzko's finesse style of hockey, Johnson ads credibility and a great coach to the Huskies coaching staff. Here is the link to the official press release.

Fargo Forum---- A St. Cloud State spokesperson said this morning an announcement regarding Fargo Force head coach Steve Johnson should be coming in the next few days.

Johnson is expected to leave the Force, a little more than a year after being hired by the team. He was hired in July 2009 to replace Dean Blais, who resigned to become the head coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Should Johnson leave, the Force would have to find a third coach in its three-year existance.

Arbitration looms for Wheeler, Bruins

s/t puck Daddy for the Wheeler picture. Here is the latest news on the Blake Wheeler arbitration saga, the former Golden Gopher and Bruins forward is headed off to arbitration. Personally, I like the option where the Boston Bruins trade Blake Wheeler to another team because after watching Wheeler last season in the Stanley Cup Playoffs it was very evident the kid has little if any ability to score goals at crucial times in games.

Just a week before Bruins forward Blake Wheeler's July 27 arbitration hearing, there was no progress to report on contract talks between the restricted free agent and the club.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Wheeler's agent Matt Keator said the two sides would talk again this weekend but gave no indication that those talks would settle the matter.

"We'll talk to them again this weekend and see how that goes," Keator said. "But there's nothing new to report right now and if we can't reach an agreement this weekend, then we go to arbitration. That's fine and that's why they have the arbitration process."

Wheeler, who has 39 goals and 83 points in 163 games with the Bruins, made $2.8 million last season and almost certainly would get a raise through arbitration.

But even Wheeler's cap hit from 2009-10, combined with the signing of top pick Tyler Seguin to his entry-level deal, would put the Bruins over the $59.4 million salary cap. That is why there has been plenty of speculation that the Bruins may deal the winger who was drafted fifth overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2004. But Keator didn't seem to believe that would happen.

"I don't really know because that's a question for the Bruins, but I wouldn't think so," Keator said. "He's only 23 years old and has a bright future ahead of him. We're not concerned about that. We know the cap situation and we know Peter [Chiarelli, the Bruins' GM] is working hard to deal with it. But we can't worry about it because it's out of our control." [ESPN]

I honestly don't know how the Boston Bruins ended up signing Wheeler for 2.8 million either? That is a lot of money to give a player who has score in (39g-44a-83pts) in 163 NHL games.

While I am not a Blake Wheeler fan by any stretch, I am not a hater either. One could make the argument that the Boston Bruins already have a player like Blake Wheeler signed and on board in Joel Colborne (big not so physical player at a cheaper rate than 2.8+) who has a good to decent chance to make the Bruins this season.

Mass Exodus in Madison continues. Ryan McDonagh signs with the Ranger

The Wisconsin Badgers have lost Seven (7) players from their team that went to the Frozen Four and finished second nationally. Today it was confrirmed that the Wisconsin Badgers star defenseman Ryan McDonagh has decided to forego his senior year of college and sign an entry level deal with the New York Rangers. Incidentally; I was quoted by Puck Daddy yesterday for my prediction that McDonagh has a chance to make the Rangers out of training camp.

Goon's World thinks he can make the team out of training camp. [Puck Daddy]

Andy Baggot is confirming this; UW men's hockey: McDonagh signs with NHL's Rangers [Madison.com]
Here is the official press release from NHL.com on the signing.

NHL.COM --- New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

McDonagh, 21, skated in 43 games with the University of Wisconsin Badgers this season, registering four goals and 14 assists for 18 points, along with 73 penalty minutes and a plus-22 rating. He ranked second on the team in plus/minus rating, and ranked third among team defensemen in assists and points, and fourth in goals.

Defenseman Ryan McDonagh was at the MSG Training Center last week for the Rangers' prospects' camp. He'll be back in September to begin his pro hockey career at the team's main training camp.

In his third season with the Badgers, McDonagh established career-highs in games played, assists, points and penalty minutes. He tallied an assist on the game winning goal in the National Semifinal game vs. R.I.T. on April 8 to help Wisconsin advance to the National Championship game vs. Boston College.

McDonagh finished the tournament with two assists, and was named to the All-West Regional Team. Earlier in the season, he tallied a season-high, four-game point streak from October 30 vs. New Hampshire to November 7 vs. Minnesota, registering four points (one goal and three assists) over the span.

The 6-1, 222-pounder skated in 119 career NCAA games over three seasons with Wisconsin, recording 14 goals and 32 assists for 46 points, along with 174 penalty minutes.

Boston Bruins development camp roster.

Here is the roster for the Boston Bruins development camp that will take place from July 6th - July 10th 2010 at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington,MA.

Forwards

Tyler Brenner
Jordan Caron
Joe Colborne - Former DU forward
Craig Cunningham
Alexander Fallstrom
Justin Florek
Mark Goggin
Jared Knight
Tyler Randell
Max Sauve
Tyler Seguin
Ben Sexton
Ryan Spooner
Nick Tremblay

Defensemen

Yuri Alexandrov
Matt Bartkowski
Ryan Button
Marc Cantin
Tommy Cross
Ryan Donald
Steve Kampfer
Zach Trotman
David Warsofsky

Goaltenders

Adam Courchaine
Matt Dalton
Zane Gothberg - UND recruit
Mike Hutchinson

Former Badger Joe Pavelski gets a big pay day...

Former Badgers star Joel Pavelski has been resigned by the San Jose Sharks. Joe Pavelski had a break out season with the San Jose Sharks scoring (25g - 26a - 51pts) in 67 games. Pavelski also had (9g - 8a - 17) in 15 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pavelski was also on team USA that secured the Bronze Medal during the Olympic games.

Two days after announcing they wouldn't bring back unrestricted free-agent goalie Evgeni Nabokov, the Sharks came to terms with the two forwards they targeted that money for, re-signing unrestricted free agent Patrick Marleau and restricted free agent Joe Pavelski.

San Jose general manager Doug Wilson had told reporters earlier in the week that getting both men back in the fold would be "a home run," and he actually might have hit a grand slam. Wilson signed two of the team's most important players to four-year deals -- the Sharks are steering clear of the extra-long-term deals that are now hampering teams like the Blackhawks.

It appears he got particularly favorable terms with Pavelski, a rising star who will make $4 million per year on average. Many had thought it would take at least $5 million per year; Ryan Kesler's six-year, $30 million extension in Vancouver often has been the comparison point.

"You look at a lot of things, and the structure of our team is a lot different than Vancouver's, different forwards all making different amounts," Pavelski, 25, said on a conference call Thursday morning. "There are some areas you have to cut back, and if this helps, that's a good thing. This is a decent deal and I'm really excited to be here for four years. The biggest thing is winning."

Wilson won't talk specific financial terms, as per the Sharks' policy, but there's little question that San Jose is happy about how things worked out from a payroll perspective. [NHL Fan House]

John Scott and Matt Greene.

This fight was from the other night when the Wild were beat at home by the LA Kings. Actually, to call this a fight is kind of a stretch, it was more of a hug feast between former MTU defenseman John Scott and former Fighting Sioux star Matt Greene.

I think this video illustrates they only reason John Scott is playing with the Wild is because he can Fight and shows a willingness to drop the gloves. Now that the Wild have Clayton Stone on their roster who is more talented than Scott and can fight; we will probably see Scott sent back to Houston. On the flip side Greene is in the NHL because he has the talent to play in the NHL and will fight if he has too.

Capitals make roster moves.

According to on Forzen Blog, Big Joe Finley has been reasigned; I would suspect to either Hersey or South Carolina Stingrays. Former MSU-M hack Trevor Bruess (sorry Amy) was reassigned as well.

The Capitals today trimmed their training camp roster relatively significantly -- down to 42. Among those reassigned:
Boyd Kane
Michael Dubuc
Joel Broda
Patrick Wellar
Zach Miskovic
Joe Finley
Anton Gustafsson
Trevor Bruess
Jake Hausworth
Dylan Yeo
Vladimir Denisov
Josh Godfrey
Ryan Jasinsky
Todd Ford
Braden Holtby

Bayda maybe in line for more playing time.

With the injury of Scott Walker former Fighting Sioux forward Ryan Bayda could get more playing time.

In Tuesday's shuffling of the lines, with right wing Scott Walker out for six weeks, Chad LaRose moved into Matt Cullen's line with Ryan Bayda during practice.

Coach Peter Laviolette said Walker is hard to replace.

Blackhawks games are all on VERSUS.

According to the Chicago Blackhawks offical page all of the Hawks games will be on Versu. That means Sioux fans will be able to watch all of Jonathan Toews on Versus. In Grand Forks, ND that is channel 309 and 69 on your Midco dial.

Thu Apr 30, 2009 Blackhawks Canucks 8:00 PM VERSUS (HD),CBC (HD),RDS (HD)
Sat May 2, 2009 Blackhawks Canucks 8:00 PM VERSUS (HD),CBC (HD)
Tue May 5, 2009 Canucks Blackhawks 7:00 PM VERSUS (HD),CBC (HD)
Thu May 7, 2009 Canucks Blackhawks 7:00 PM VERSUS (HD),CBC (HD)
Sat May 9, 2009 Blackhawks Canucks 9:30 PM VERSUS (HD),CBC (HD)
Mon May 11, 2009 Canucks Blackhawks 8:00 PM VERSUS (HD),CBC (HD)
Thu May 14, 2009 Blackhawks Canucks TBD VERSUS (HD),CBC (HD

Matt Gilroy signs with Rangers.

Former BU star and Hobey Baker Memorial winner Matt Gilroy has signed a professional contract with the New York Rangers.

TSN ----- Boston University free agent defenceman Matt Gilroy has signed a two-year deal worth $3.5 million with the New York Rangers.

It is a one-way contract however, he is not eligible to play for the Rangers in this year's playoffs. He will be eligible for free agency in three years.

Last week, Gilroy was named the winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the best U.S. college hockey player.

He followed that with a victory over Miami of Ohio in the national championship game at the NCAA's Frozen Four tournament.

One of the most sought-after free agent players, Gilroy scored eight goals and added 29 assists for 37 points in 45 games this past season.

Ballard whoops Crosby.

I had to watch this video a few times and all I can say is good for Keith Ballard nice to see Cindy Crosby get what's coming to him. Crosby while a great player acts like a spoiled toddler that has had his pacifier taken away from him.

I am also sick and tired of seeing hockey players go after the opposition after they have recieved a legal body check or one of their teammates have been hit by a legal check. Grow the hell up and be a man, your part of the ice. This is unacceptable, If you don't like to get hit play tennis. There is no rule that you can't hit a teams star player.