(Photo Courtesy of the Idaho Steelheads)

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Oct 12, 2004/vol. 58, issue 7

Focus on ECHL in lockout year

Strong, balanced Titans get nod over Steelheads in quest for Kelly Cup

BY MIKE MASTOVICH

The ECHL may be a feeder system for the American League and, ultimately, the NHL, but for this season at least, the system will work in reverse.

With the NHL locked out, many players are heading to the ’A’, bumping other good prospects down to the ECHL.

Though ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna says he hopes the NHL and union work things out soon, he admits the lockout will have a short-term benefit for his league.

“It means fewer recalls of our players because of injuries at the NHL level,” he said. “That means more continuity on qur rosters.”

Here’s our projected overall finish for 2004-05:

1. TRENTON TITANS Trenton returns a solid nucleus and added free agent veteran right winger Rick Kowalsky. Left wingers Matt Zultek and Scott Bertoli and center Chris Pittman led the scoring last year on a team that just missed earning a wild card playoff spot; all three are back. Also back are goalie Andrew Allen and veteran captain Vince Williams, who anchors the defense. Top newcomers are speedy center Steve Cygan and blueliner Evan Nielsen.

2. IDAHO STEELHEADS The Kelly Cup champions have the tools to defend their title. They signed eight players from last year’s team and added an NHL affiliation with Phoenix and an AHL link with Utah. The returnees include blueliner lererny Mylymok and forward Scott Burt, both fifth-year Steelheads. Also back are forwards David Cornacchia and Brett Draney and blueliners Darrell Hay and Dan Vandermeer.

3. FLORIDA EVERBLADES Florida, which fell to Idaho in the Kelly Cup final, will receive solid help from Carolina and also from Lowell of the AHL, as 12 players with two-way contracts are set to attend camp. Goalie Rob Zepp began the season in Lowell’s camp, but chances are he’ll be back to bolster the Blades. Other key returnees are forward Brent McDonald, who averaged a point a game last year, and blueliners Matt Pagnutti, Ryan Brindley and Ed Hill.

4. READING ROYALS Coach Derek Clancey will count on high-scoring returnee David Masse to ignite the offense. The Royals will have plenty of experience and a considerable talent pool from Los Angeles and Manchester (AHL). Leading scorer Greg Mischler and right winger Judd Medak are also back. The team has three of its top five scorers from last season.

5. SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS Already tough team got even stronger.

6. GWINNETT GLADIATORS Veteran sniper Cam Brown returns for 13th year.

7. LAS VEGAS WRANGLERS Tough to beat in Sin City.

8. SAN DIEGO GULLS Bent on erasing playoff disappointment.

9. COLUMBIA INFERNO A lot of firepower.

10. PEORIA RIVERMEN Always found near the top of the division.

11. ALASKA ACES Continue slow turnaround of fortunes.

12. WHEELING NAILERS Ended five-year playoff drought last year.

13. JOHNSTOWN CHIEFS Thirteen players return.

14. GREENVILLE GRRROWLVast improvement expected.

15. ATLANTIC CITY BOARDWALK BULLIES Will win with defense-first philosophy.

16. MISSISSIPPI SEA WOLVES ECHL vet Louis Dumont fronts team.

17. PENSACOLA ICE PILOTS New era begins under coach Dave Farrish.

18. CHARLOTTE CHECKERS Eduard Pershin returns after scoring 139 points in two years.

19. AUGUSTA LYNX Goaltender Jason Saal had a team-record five shutouts last year.

20. PEE DEE PRIDE Builds from within, without NHL affiliation.

21. LONG BEACH ICE DOGS New ties with Montreal Canadiens will boost lineup.

22. LOUISIANA ICEGATORS In transition after coach Dave Farrish’s departure.

23. TOLEDO STORM Speedy Nick Parillo fronts offense.

24. VICTORIA SALMON KINGS Expansion team’s motto this season: “Nobody’s Lunch.”

25. DAYTON BOMBERS Co-owner Don MacAdam also jumps into coaching duties.

26. BAKERSFIELD CONDORS Add leadership in Kevin St. Jacques and his career 849 points.

27. TEXAS WILDCATTERS Franchise hopes for strong second-year campaign.

28. FRESNO FALCONS Opponents outscored Falcons 275-187 last season. I

YOUNG ECHL

Here are the top 23-and-tinders who have been drafted by NHL teams.

FIRST TEAM

G Simon Lajeunesse, 23. Fresno

Ottawa, 48th overall, 1999

D Jared Newman, 22, Florida

Carolina, 110th overall, 2000

D Tim Branham, 23, Texas

Vancouver, 93rd overall, 2000

F Mathieu Brunelle, 21, Trenton

Philadelphia, 201st overall, 2002

F Nicolas Corbeil, 21, Mississippi

Toronto, 88th overall, 2001

F Carl Mallette, 23, Greenville

Atlanta. 107th overall, 2000

SECOND TEAM

G Nick Boucher, 23, Pee Dee

Pittsburgh, 280th overall, 2000

D Joe Martin, 23, Greenville

Chicago, 193rd overall, 2000

D Craig Olynick, 22, Toledo

Detroit, 166th overall, 2002

F Dusty Jamieson, 23, Charlotte

Montreal, 136th overall, 1999

F Derek Krestanovich, 21, Fresno

Washington, 92nd overall, 2002

F Russell Spence, 22, Greenville

Phoenix, 280th overall, 2002

One of the most interesting trades at this year’s NHL trade deadline was the Ottawa Senators’ center ice swap with the Buffalo Sabres. Essentially, it was Josh Norris for Dylan Cozens, and for both teams, it marked the turning of a page on two young players who were once expected to be key parts of their organization’s future success.

And early on in their careers, both looked like they were on that path.

In 2021–22, Norris scored 35 goals and recorded 55 points in 66 games, which earned him a massive contract. In 2022-23, Cozens looked just as good, putting up 31 goals and 68 points in 81 games and that got him a big deal of his own.

But neither player has quite lived up to expectations. For Norris, the problem has been health, while Cozens has struggled with inconsistency.

So, in March, Senators GM Steve Staios and Sabres GM Kevyn Adams exchanged their underachievers, hoping a change of scenery could help both players reset.

In Buffalo, Norris delivered more of the same. He played three games for the Sabres before injuries got him yet again.

“Norris is dealing with an injury he brought with him from Ottawa,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff told the Buffalo media back in March. “He is working through it, but he won’t play until he is ready.”

He never was, and they shut him down for the season.

Meanwhile, Cozens arrived in Ottawa with 11 goals and 31 points in 61 Sabres games, but managed to find another gear after the trade, putting up 16 points in the final 21 games of the season. On the surface, it looks like Cozens is the better option, especially when factoring in Norris’s injury concerns.

But it's a small sample size, not enough to make any sweeping declarations. And this isn't just about outperforming Norris. Can Cozens return to being a 30-goal guy who flirts with 70 points? Whether it's Cozens or someone else, that’s the kind of production the Senators will need from their second-line center if they fancy themselves as Stanley Cup contenders.

Or will the same inconsistency that plagued Cozens in Buffalo return?

It’s always worth asking, in any trade, really: Why is this player available in the first place? Why did his former team decide he's expendable? If Cozens is the answer for Ottawa at second-line center, why wasn’t he the answer in Buffalo, a team desperate to end the longest playoff drought in the history of the NHL?

After the trade back in March, Ruff was asked in a Buffalo media scrum to describe what happened with Cozens that led to the trade.

"I think when you look at the start of the year, you know, he struggled to try to find his game early. I thought there was moments where he found his game, you know, the type of player that you... Even the Tampa game, I thought (he) played really well then. But just couldn't quite find his game.

"You know, I think maybe sometimes not being on that first power play hurt him a little bit on the offensive side. So I mean, there's a lot of things. But you know, we feel it's a good trade for both teams."

Statistically, Cozens got off to a strong start in Ottawa, but it’s far too early to label that as a turnaround. He’ll need to prove he can produce over the long haul and grind of a full 82-game season with the pressure of being on a team that's now expected to make the playoffs.

The good news for the Sens is they do have depth at center and a Plan B in Shane Pinto, who’d be thrilled to get a sniff of the power-play time Cozens was gifted upon arrival.

But relying on that Plan B could get complicated next summer. Pinto is a restricted free agent and currently makes $3.75 million. That's well below Cozens, who’s under contract for five more years at $7.1 million annually. 

For now, the Senators are hoping the 6-foot-3, 207-pound center just temporarily lost his mojo from years of losing in Buffalo, and that the 24-year-old will thrive in Ottawa for the foreseeable future. They’d love nothing more than to ride the “Workhorse from Whitehorse” to a Stanley Cup someday.

By Steve Warne
Sens Nation Hockey
Image credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

More Sens Headlines:

Key Takeaways From Senators Development Camp
Five Former Senator First-Rounders All Found New NHL Homes
Is Yakemchuk In The Sens' NHL Plans For This Fall?
Steve Staios' Top Five Trades (So Far) As Senators GM
Dissecting The Senators' Intriguing Right-Shot Defensive Depth Chart
Claude Giroux Reveals Why He Signed Back In Ottawa
Sens Nation Podcast: Sens Sign Eller and Kaliyev; Have They Sens Added Enough?

The NHL draft took place a couple of weeks ago, and GMs across the league made big decisions by selecting players they believe will help their respective teams in the future.

However, plenty of players don’t get selected and go undrafted, and despite not getting drafted by an NHL team, their hockey career certainly isn’t over. Some pan out to be NHL all-stars, award winners and Stanley Cup champions.

Here’s a short list of some of the best active undrafted players in the NHL today.

Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers

Sergei Bobrovsky is arguably the best, if not one of the best, goaltenders in the NHL right now. He’s coming off a second-straight Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers. Those two Cups put Bobrovsky on a path to potentially get into the Hockey Hall of Fame with him already owning two Vezina Trophies from 2013 and 2017.

After two incredible seasons in the KHL playing for his hometown Novokuznetsk, Bobrovsky signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in May 2010. 

The Russian netminder was a force right out of the gate. In his NHL debut, he led the Flyers to a win against their state rivals Pittsburgh Penguins. He recorded a .935 save percentage and allowed just two goals in a 3-2 win.

Fast forward 15 years later and Bobrovsky has the most career wins recorded by a Russian goalie in NHL history. In addition, he’s 10th on the all-time list for wins with a chance to climb the list next season in the final year of his contract. Matching last year’s 33 wins would take him up to sixth, surpassing Henrik Lundqvist’s 459 wins. 

Artemi Panarin, LW, New York Rangers

One of the premier offensive talents in the NHL, Artemi Panarin, entered the league as a 24-year-old rookie. He signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in April 2015 and took off from there.

Panarin is one of the few players to win the Calder Trophy as an undrafted player. He scored 30 goals and 77 points in his first campaign, including a debut goal against the New York Rangers, the team he currently plays for.

Following two years in Chicago, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he would play another two seasons. After that, he signed a big ticket deal with the Rangers, inking a seven-year, $11.6-million per-season contract on July 1, 2019. 

With that contract, Panarin became the second-highest paid player in the NHL at the time by average annual value, only behind Connor McDavid. The 33-year-old proved his worth, recording four 90-point seasons in his six years in Manhattan, including a 120-point campaign in 2023-24.

Logan Thompson, G, Washington Capitals

Logan Thompson has played in several different leagues and divisions in his journey to becoming an NHL goaltender. 

Starting in the WHL, he played parts of four seasons for the Brandon Wheat Kings, and during those four years, he played 22 games for the Grande Prairie Storm of the AJHL. After his junior hockey career, Thompson played one season for Brock University in U Sports.

Since then, he has played 40 ECHL games and 50 AHL games before he became an NHL regular in 2021-22 with the Vegas Golden Knights. Eventually, he was traded to the Washington Capitals in June 2024.

Last season, Thompson stamped his name on the list of top goaltenders in the NHL. In 43 regular-season appearances, he recorded a 2.49 goals-against average and a .910 SP. 

During that campaign, he registered an incredible streak where he went unbeaten in regulation for 16 straight games. This run came shortly after he wasn’t listed on Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Now, he’s one of the top goalies in the league and is within reach of representing Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics. 

Honorable Mentions

Chris Tanev, D, Toronto Maple Leafs

Neal Pionk, D, Winnipeg Jets

Jonathan Marchessault, C, Nashville Predators

Mats Zuccarello, RW, Minnesota Wild

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the most popular team in the rumor mill right now. It is understandable, as Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are currently considered three of the top trade candidates in the league.

While there is a real chance that we could see a few of the Penguins' top players on the move, they also have some under-the-radar trade candidates to keep an eye on. Let's discuss two of them now. 

Blake Lizotte 

Blake Lizotte is entering the final season of his contract and could be a player to watch because of it. There certainly could be some interest in him if he is made available, as he is a solid bottom-six center who chips in a bit offensively, kills penalties, and isn't afraid of the physical side of the game. His reasonable $1.85 million cap hit also adds to his appeal. 

Teams in need of a bottom-six center could call the Penguins about Lizotte, whether that is during this off-season or at the 2026 trade deadline. In 59 games last season with Pittsburgh, the 27-year-old recorded 11 goals, 20 points, 60 hits, and a minus-4 rating. 

Danton Heinen 

Danton Heinen is another Penguins forward entering the final year of his deal who could make sense for Pittsburgh to shop. He had a down 2024-25 season split between the Vancouver Canucks and Penguins, as he recorded nine goals and 29 points in 79 games. However, he notably bounced back a bit after being traded to Pittsburgh, posting 11 points, and a plus-3 rating in 28 games. 

When playing at his best, Heinen is capable of providing solid offensive production to go along with steady two-way play. Just back in 2023-24 with the Boston Bruins, he had 17 goals and 36 points in 74 games. If he bounces back next season and puts up numbers like this, he could be a popular trade chip for Pittsburgh to make available at the deadline. 

Penguins' Low-Risk Move Could Pay Off Big TimeThe Pittsburgh Penguins have brought in multiple new players so far this off-season. This includes forward Anthony Mantha, as the Penguins signed the veteran winger to a one-year contract that carries a $2.5 million cap hit. It also comes with an extra $2 million of potential performance bonuses.

photo credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Swedish Forward Anton Frondell with the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He is immediately one of the top three prospects in the organization, with the ceiling of a top-six NHL center. 

Over the weekend, a report from Swedish media site Expressen said that Frondell would be signing with the Chicago Blackhawks. He won't, however, play in the NHL right away. He will return to Sweden to play for  Djurgårdens of the SHL. 

Djurgårdens has moved up to the highest level of the SHL, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to anyone that Frondell will return for another year. The Blackhawks have been good about developing players who need it away from the NHL. 

Going up against stiffer SHL competition and a chance to play for Sweden in the World Junior Championships will be great for him. 

Part of this report suggests that Frondell won't attend training camp, but all of that needs to be confirmed by the team. Either way, he will be in a good spot for his first year following the draft as he looks to become a star in the best league in the world. It will take time, but he's taking the wise road. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Did the 2024-25 Florida Panthers start a trend en route to their second-straight Stanley Cup?

Time will tell, but the Panthers were an NHL anomaly – a hard-checking team that was both talented and tough, a rare combination for a champion.

Since the days when the Philadelphia Flyers were known as the Broad Street Bullies in the 1970s, few teams have led the league in penalty minutes and won the Stanley Cup.

Going back 50-plus years, there have been only five teams that won the Cup after leading the league in penalty minutes during the regular season.

Those five teams: This year’s Panthers, the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks and the Flyers in 1973-74 and 1974-75. The Panthers, who were 10th in the NHL with 21 fights this season, didn’t get into nearly as many scraps as those Flyers teams, but they didplay with an aggressive, hell-bent style.

All five of the aforementioned teams did more than flex their muscles and play with a physical edge. Much more. They all had several standouts to complement their chippy players.

Let’s take a look:

1973-74 Philadelphia Flyers

The physical members of the Broad Street Bullies – Dave (Hammer) Schultz, Bob (Hound) Kelly, Andre (Moose) Dupont and Don (Big Bird) Saleski – received most of the publicity, but the Flyers oozed with talent. Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Rick MacLeish and Ross Lonsberry each had 30-plus goals, Bernie Parent was the league’s best goalie (1.89 goals-against average, .932 save percentage), and the defense was superb, especially at clearing bodies in front of the net.

The defense was anchored by Barry Ashbee (plus-53), Dupont (plus-34), Jimmy Watson (plus-33), Ed Van Impe (plus-31), Joe Watson (plus-28) and Tom Bladon (plus-25). The Flyers had seven players with more than 100 penalty minutes, led by Schultz (348 minutes) and Dupont (216).

1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers  

The Flyers were in the middle of a span in which they led the league in penalty minutes a staggering 11 straight times. But they also topped the NHL in fewest goals allowed and used the same formula as the previous season to win another Cup.

Brawn, plus talent, equaled sensational results. In addition, the Flyers added hard-shooting right winger Reggie Leach, and he responded with a team-leading 45 goals. Schultz topped the NHL with 472 penalty minutes, and most of the players, like this year’s Panthers, played with an edge and an unparalleled intensity.

2006-07 Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim started the year at +1200 to win the Cup, but they overcame the odds with hard-nosed play, timely scoring, and excellent goaltending and defense. Though the Ducks’ league-leading 1,457 penalty minutes paled in comparison to the Flyers’ total in 1974-75 (1,955), they played with a physical nature that was keyed by Shane O’Brien, George Parros, Travis Moen, Sean O’Donnell, Chris Pronger, Brad May, Shawn Thornton and the Niedermayer brothers, Scott and Rob.

Pronger (plus-27), playing in his first season in Anaheim, anchored the defense, ageless Teemu Selanne scored a team-leading 48 goals, and goalies Jean-Sebastien Giguere (2.26 GAA, .918 SP) and Ilya Bryzgalov (2.47 GAA, .907 SP) were terrific. The Ducks also had a strong penalty kill, which was needed because Anaheim was shorthanded 121 times in 21 playoff games that year, killing 86.8 percent of the infractions.

2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning

In a regular season shortened to 56 games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tampa Bay won the Cup after a regular season in which it led the NHL with a modest 597 penalty minutes. Pat Maroon (60 minutes), Barclay Goodrow (52) and Luke Schenn (51) were the penalty leaders for the Bolts, who won the Cup more on scoring and goaltending than their physical play.

Andrei Vasilevskiy (2.21 GAA, .925 SP) was brilliant in net, and five players scored at least 15 goals, led by Brayden Point (23), Steven Stamkos (17) and Yanni Gourde (17). Nikita Kucherov, who missed the regular season after undergoing hip surgery, had a league-best 32 points in 23 playoff games.  In the Finals, the Lightning outscored the Canadiens, 17-8, as they coasted in five games.

2024-25 Florida Panthers

The Sunshine Bullies topped the NHL with 853 penalty minutes in the regular season, then led the league, by far, with 370 penalty minutes in the playoffs. A punishing, physical style was part of the Panthers’ trademark, and the team became even chippier after it acquired Brad Marchand in March, sending Boston a conditional second-round selection in the 2027 draft.

In short, the Panthers were hard to play against. They won board battles, outmuscled opponents for pucks, and flourished with their physical style of play. The Panthers were also second in the NHL in penalty minutes in 2023-24, a year in which they won their first Cup.

A.J. Greer, Sam Bennett and Niko Mikkola were the Cats’ penalty-minute leaders in the regular season, but most of the team played with an edge and gave opponents little time or space on the ice. Sam Reinhart (39 goals, 81 points), Aleksander Barkov (20 goals, 71 points), Matthew Tkachuk (22 goals), Carter Verhaeghe (20 goals) Bennett (25 goals) and Marchand (10 goals in 23 playoff games) led the offense.

Meanwhile, the D got strong performances from Gustav Forsling, Dmitry Kulikov, Mikkola, Aaron Ekblad and Nate Schmidt. And, as with all the teams on this list, the goaltending was top-notch. Sergei Bobrovsky, a future Hall of Famer, had a 2.44 GAA and .905 save percentage in the regular season, then was even better in the playoffs (2.20 GAA, .914 SP).

It all added up to another Cup, and it will be interesting to see if other teams try to copy their formula.

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