Linus Ullmark has been loaned to Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-tier professional league. Ullmark had posted a 2.58 goals against average and .891 save percentage in two starts, both losses, for Modo J20 last weekend to open the 2012-13 SuperElit season. The loan comes on the heels of a injury to Mora netminder Ervins Mustukovs, who is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Ullmark arrived in Mora Tuesday and served as backup to Daniel Hansen on Wednesday in a 4-1 loss to Oskarshamn. The 19-year old joins Anze Kopitar as additions to the Mora's roster over the past five days. Next up for Mora is a Saturday date with Djurgarden.
In the lone Sunday game in the prospect ranks, Linus Ullmark made 15 saves as MODO J20 dropped a 2-1 decision to Vasteras. The 6-foot-3 Swede held firm through two periods, but MODO gave up two goals in the final period to open the season with two consecutive defeats. Ullmark and the J20 will look to right the ship Friday versus Mora.
Joel Armia notched a power play assist Saturday as Assat earned their second straight shutout with a 3-0 win over TPS. Armia now has two goals and two assists in the Aces first two regular season games. Next up for Assat is a Wednesday visit to Karpat.
In Sweden, Linus Ullmark made 26 saves as Modo J20 lost their SuperElit North opener 3-2 to Brynas. Modo came back with a pair of second period goals after trailing 2-0 at the end of the first. The game would remain tied until Henrik Messfeldt struck for Brynas at 4:54 of the third just as a power play expired. Modo J20 tangles with Vasteras J20 on Sunday.
In the WHL, Logan Nelson scored his first goal of the preseason as Victoria doubled Vancouver, 4-2. With the exhibition slate complete, the Royals will now eye the start of their regular season Friday back in Vancouver.
Andrey Makarov played the entire game for Saskatoon, stopping 17 of 21 shots as the Blades were downed by Regina, 4-3. Morgan Klimchuk ('13) scored a pair of goals for the Pats. Saskatoon begins the regular seaosn Friday at Prince Albert.
In OHL preseason play, Justin Kea scored a late second period goal as Saginaw topped Sault Ste. Marie, 5-3. The Spirit, who completed their exhibition schedule with a 4-1 record, begin the regular season Friday evening in Guelph.
On Thursday, Kea got his scrapping on with his first major of the 2012-13 year in a 8-0 loss to Sarnia.
Alex Lepkowski skated without a point as Barrie closed out the preseason with a 4-2 win over Guelph. The Colts outshot the Storm by a 52-28 margin to earn the win. Barrie opens the OHL regular season Thursday at Ottawa.
In the USHL, Judd Peterson did not factor as Cedar Rapids was defeated by Waterloo, 4-2. Peterson, who scored a hat trick the night before in a loss to the Blackhawks, will look to get back on the scoresheet Wednesday when the RoughRiders continue the preseason in Des Moines.
Linus Ullmark stopped 44 of 45 shots sent his way Sunday as Modo J20 earned a 2-1 overtime win over Skelleftea J20.
The 6'3" Ullmark came up big throughout, including many big saves as Gustav Possler (’13) served a five-minute major for a check to the head late in the game. MODO opens the SuperElit regular season schedule Saturday when they hosy Brynas.
In the OHL, Dan Catenacci's Owen Sound Attack throttled Erie 9-4 in their second-to-last preseason contest. The Attack will close out their exhibition schedule Tuesday with a game against Mississauga. Catenacci sustained an undisclosed injury and did not play.
Alex Lepkowski's Barrie Colts defeated Kitchener, 5-2. The Colts close out the preseason Friday with a rematch against the Rangers.
Dan Catenacci got his first preseason skate in Sunday as Owen Sound dropped a 3-1 decision to Barrie. The speedy forward is the top returning scorer on the Attack roster after scoring 33 goals and 72 points a season ago. The 2012-13 Barrie blueline will be anchored in part by 19-year old Alex Lepkowski, who emerged as a top stay-at-home presence in last spring's playoffs. The two clubs will go back at it Monday night in Barrie.
Justin Kea did not point as Saginaw won 2-0 at London. The two-way Kea is competing for second line center duty this season behind Panthers prospect Vincent Trocheck. Sunday's game featured more fights than goals (three) as some bad blood spilled over from last spring's Western Conference semi-final. Jake Paterson (DET) earned the shutout for Spirit, who are now off until Thursday when they take on Sarnia.
In the WHL, Colin Jacobs did not play as Prince George buried Medicine Hat, 5-0. Chase Witala ('13) paced the Cougars with two goals and an assist. PG returns to action Friday when they host defending WHL champion Edmonton.
In Kravare, CZE, Linus Ullmark served as backup as Sweden defeated Finland 2-1 in overtime to win the Four Nations tourney. Sebastian Collberg (MON) roofed a shot in the first minute of the OT to push the Swedes to a 3-0 weekend mark. Ullmark will head back to Ornskoldsvik to join Modo J20 for Tuesday's tilt with Timra.
Linus Ullmark earned the win Saturday as Sweden U20 cruised to a dominating 10-2 victory over the Czech Republic at the Four Nations tournament in Kravare, CZE.
Ullmark, who began the trip serving as backup in the Swedes' 3-2 overtime win over Russia on Friday, went unbeaten for nearly two periods until the Czechs scored off a 5x3 power play with 1:21 left in the middle frame. The 6'3 netminder continued to be sharp when called upon until allowing a goal off a rebound with 4:57 left in the game. Elias Lindholm ('13), Sebastian Collberg (MON), Daniel Zaar (CBS), and Filip Sandberg (undrafted) each potted a pair of goals for the winners. The Swedes play Finland on Sunday to wrap the three-day event.
In Finland, Joel Armia went without a point as Assat defeated SEL opponent Vaxjo 4-3 in overtime. Former Sabres/Amerks forward Mike Ryan scored just 57-seconds into the extra time to corral the victory for Assat. Armia, who has spent most of the summer working on a mandatory military conscript, will now have more time to focus on the season after completing the bulk of his service. The Aces are off until Friday when they battle Ilves.
Linus Ullmark has left the Modo J20 to play for Team Sweden this weekend in a U20 four nations tournament in Kravare, Czech Republic. Team Sweden will play games against Russia (Friday), the Czech Republic (Saturday), and Finland (Sunday) in the three-day event. The same four nations will again convene in early November for another round of games.
Ullmark is coming off a 1-1 mark including a shutout in Modo's preseason visit to Gimo. He'll be sharing the nets with Joel Lassinantti, who earlier in the month joined Ullmark as the odd men out as Sweden put together their final roster for USA's National Junior Development Camp in Lake Placid, NY.
Other notables on Sweden's roster include fellow 2012 draft picks Sebastian Collberg (MON), Ludvig Bystrom (DAL), and Erik Karlsson (CAR), as well as 2013 draft prospects Elias Lindholm, Gustav Possler, Jacob de la Rose, and Linus Arnesson.
Finland's roster has yet to be confirmed but it is possible that Joel Armia remains in Pori for Assat's Saturday game against Vaxjo.
Linus Ullmark made 31 saves Sunday as MODO J20 completed their trip to Gimo with a 7-0 shutout win over Vasteras. MODO got out to a three-goal lead after the opening frame and didn't look back with Ullmark shutting the door. Sebastian Nilsson and Christopher Bengtsson each scored a pair of goals to pace the winners.
The victory gives the J20 a 2-1 record in their weekend road trip. MODO will continue their preseason work Thursday against the Ornskoldsvik "A".
Joel Armia was kept off the scoresheet Saturday as Assat edged Saipa 2-1 to win the preseason tournament in Hämeenlinna. Assat was dominated throughout, registering just eight shots on goal for the entire game, but was able to capitalize on opportunities to eek out the win.
Armia shuttled in from his military conscript to join the club for the pair of games. He went without a point while playing his usual right side on a line with Mika Niemi and former New Jersey Devil Tuomas Pihlman. Assat returns to action next week versus Vaxjo.
In Sweden, Linus Ullmark is starting to see action as the MODO J20 squad has gotten their exhibition schedule underway. The 6'3 netminder began in style Tuesday, stopping all 25 shots he faced in a 3-0 win over Timra.
The J20's traveled south to Gimo over the weekend to continue their preseason rounds with Friday-Sunday games. After MODO opened with a 5-3 win over Brynas on Friday, Ullmark started the next night as MODO dropped a 2-1 decision to Leksand. The J20's close the trip on Sunday with a game against Vasteras before heading home for a Thursday game in Ornskoldsvik.
Linus Ullmark, one of four goalies to attend Sweden's U20 Evaluation Camp, will not travel with the team as the defending World Junior champions make their way to Lake Placid, NY to participate in USA Hockey's National Junior Development Camp. The 6'3 netminder played the second half of Sweden's 7-0 shutout win over the Czech Republic on Thursday but was unable to crack the 22-man roster that will battle teams from the U.S. and Finland between August 4-11.
Ullmark entered camp looking to be third on the depth chart behind the talented duo of Oscar Dansk (CBS) and Niklas Lundström (STL), and it appears that not much changed after the Swede's outscored the Czech 14-1 in their two-game set. The World Junior journey isn't over for Ullmark, though, as a strong start to his year with MoDo should keep him in position for valuable reserve status when rosters for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship begin to take shape come December.
Ullmark's omission leaves three prospects - Joel Armia (FIN), Jake McCabe (USA), and Logan Nelson (USA) - as the remaining Sabres properties who will take part in the action starting Saturday.
With training for the 2012-13 season not officially beginning until late August, a group of Sabres prospects will get a head start by skating with their respective national teams as a first step towards earning a roster spot at the IIHF World Junior Championship. The 2013 tournament will take place in Ufa, Russia from December 26th to January 5th.
The Sabres top pick in 2012, Mikhail Grigorenko, was among 29 players named to Russia's preliminary roster for the Canada-Russia Challenge. The four-game event, which this year replaces Canada's National Junior Development Camp, will be split between Yaroslavl, Russia (August 8-9) and Halifax, Nova Scotia (August 13-14). Filling a prominent role in international play over the past few seasons, the talented center posted five points (2+3) in six games at the 2012 tourney while playing through an ankle injury suffered in the Russians' third tilt. The 6'3 pivot will likely center a line featuring 2012 #1 pick Nail Yakupov down the right side during the series with Canada, who will ice a summer squad absent of any Sabres prospects for the first time since 2007.
Also among the highlighted prospects is 2011 first-round pick, Joel Armia. The 6'3 wing, who recently participated in his first NHL development camp, is a veteran of two U20 tourneys with Team Finland, including a five-goal, seven-point effort at the 2012 event, and should be considered a virtual lock for continued scoring line duty in 2013. A year removed from what he thought was his "worst game ever played", the big-bodied 19-year old will return to New York State (Lake Placid) on August 4th for the four-nation tournament at USA's National Junior Evaluation Camp.
Two picks from the 2012 draft, Jake McCabe and Logan Nelson, will skate in Lake Placid as USA Hockey evaluates a total of 46 under-20 players. The Americans will be split into Team White and Team Blue for intra-squad games and international tune-ups before cutting down for a round robin tourney with their European visitors.
A mobile left-handed warrior, McCabe is one of 17 defensemen in camp, a group that includes four first round NHL picks (Jacob Trouba, Connor Murphy, Jordan Schmaltz, Brady Skjei) and another eyed for top-five status in 2013 (Seth Jones). The 6'0", 195-pounder is set to enter his sophomore season at the University of Wisconsin, where he is expected to again log major minutes while manning a point on the Badgers' top PP unit. The Eau Claire, WI native has previous international experience with a 2011 U18 gold medal and should be right in the mix when USA releases their preliminary roster in December.
Nelson, 18, shot on to the radar following his impressive WHL rookie season that saw him collect 23 goals and 62 points (3rd on team, 4th among league rookies) with the Victoria Royals. Playing with an edge while going to the net, the 6'1" wing demonstrated a significant jump from the 6-3-9 posted in 41 games the year before as a member of the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers. If the momentum of his stunning rise continues, there is a decent opportunity for him to get a deeper look from the staff headed by fellow Minnesotan and former Sabres first-rounder, Phil Housley.
Linus Ullmark, 19, is one of four netminders in Norrtälje this weekend as Sweden prepares for a two-game set with the Czech Republic on August 1st and 2nd. The 6'3" stopper joins Oscar Dansk (CBS), Niklas Lundström (STL), and Joel Lassinantti in the nets before the Swedes trim their roster from 34 to 22 and head over the pond for USA's camp tourney. Dansk and Lundstrom represent very stiff competition so a strong showing will be necessary for Ullmark to survive the cutdown and get a leg up entering the year with Modo.
Zemgus Girgensons is eligible to play for Latvia at the 2013 tourney, but his availability likely won't be addressed until their selection camp in December. As a contracted NHL player, the Sabres will dictate whether or not he participates. There is no question that the Latvians would love to have their prize forward help them compete after their 2012 promotion.
Grigorenko tries on the colors for the first time.
"Now it's time for me to make my impression felt... so sit back, relax, and strap on your seat belt"
The Buffalo Sabres made great strides in their quest to get bigger and more talented down the middle Friday, selecting Quebec Remparts leading scorer Mikhail Grigorenko (12th overall) and Dubuque Fighting Saints power froward Zemgus Girgensons (14th overall) in the first round of the NHL draft.
In all it was a successful opening night for the Sabres. They nabbed the most gifted player available at their original spot, and then acted swiftly with Flames GM Jay Feaster for the second straight draft by bundling the 21st and 42nd picks in exchange for #14 to close out their round earlier than scheduled.
I mentioned in the draft preview how many top-end Europeans are now playing in North American in their draft years. Rated the #3 North American skater by Central Scouting, Grigorenko is the first Russian-born player drafted by Buffalo since 2005, while Girgensons, who was ranked 18th, becomes the first-ever Latvian to be selected in the first round of the NHL draft.
For those wondering, there are no language issues whatsoever with either player. Girgensons is 100% fluent after spending three years in the U.S., while Grigorenko picked things up rather quickly despite living in a city dominated by en francais. Kevin Devine dropped the line of the weekend by joking that Grigorenko already speaks better than (Sabres amateur scout) Iourri Khymlev.
With Grigorenko, the Sabres pick up a highly-skilled center with excellent offensive sense and balance. He has great hands around the net but it's his passing and vision that really stand out. The 6'3, 200+ pounder controls the offensive tempo, a trait that causes many to believe that he's close to NHL ready with a future as a #1 pivot. From a skill standpoint, Devine thinks he could good to go as early as this fall. I fully expect the Sabres to act quickly on a contract but time will tell on that front.
After accumulating four goals and 18 points at the 2011 U18s, Grigorenko was an instant North American hit with 85 points (40+45) to be an easy choice as the CHL's Rookie of the Year. Despite the sparkling results, his will to compete was often questioned, but his coach with the Quebec Remparts, Patrick Roy, always spoke glowingly of his Russian rookie and recently suggested that it has simply been an issue of stamina at the root of the chatter. I'm no doctor, but it makes you wonder about his spring bout with mononucleosis and the impact of its onset.
After listening to Kevin Devine and Darcy Regier speak after Friday's first round, it appears that Roy's input heavily influenced their decision. Grigorenko has informed the Sabres that he'll return to Quebec City next season if he is unable to crack the NHL roster.
The pick worked out the way it should have - don't chase him but don't let him pass by. I'm glad the Sabres agreed that you couldn't pass up a potential Malkin clone with the 12th pick in the draft.
Girgensons: fit for duty in a blue collar town
With Girgensons, the Sabres nabbed a well-rounded center with high character who plays the game hard. He'll hound the puck. He'll slide to block a shot. He'll stand in the crease and push back after the whistle. Simply put, the 6'2, 198-pounder is a natural leader who goes in straight line with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.
While some speculated on Grigorenko's work ethic, no one ever questioned Girgensons'. Devine remarked about his no-quit attitude at the World Juniors when he sacrificed his body late in a blowout loss to Russia. He even kept chugging for a few shifts after breaking his jaw in an April playoff game on a play that saw him lay a hit.
And by the way, Girgensons can score. His aggressive style led to 45 goals through 100 USHL games over the past two seasons. While a very capable offensive player, the best seems yet to come as his hard working style should see him create a little more on his own as he develops. The blend of skills combined a very high effort level makes perfect sense after picking a dominant offensive talent two picks earlier.
While the Kelowna Rockets maintain his WHL rights, Girgensons is expected to honor his early commitment to the University of Vermont, where he'll be skating over the next two weeks in preparation for the upcoming Sabres d-camp.
Ironically, Calgary ended up nabbing Girgensons' replacement on the Dubuques roster with the pick they got from the Sabres, selecting Providence commit Mark Jankowski at #21.
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The Sabres began day two by selecting American-born defenseman Jake McCabe out of the WCHA's Wisconsin Badgers. From the draft preview:
Many of the defenders in this draft bring a strong two-way skill set to the table, and McCabe’s total package could be considered among the best. The Wisconsin native played in the WCHA as a true freshman in 2011-12, using smarts and excellent mobility to score three goals and 12 points while getting PP time alongside points machine Justin Schultz on the Badgers top PP unit.
It’s not all offense though. McCabe has a mature body and good shutdown skills that could make for a nice #4 defenseman after his days in Badgerland. A product of the U.S. NTDP, McCabe’s history with Amerks bench boss Ron Rolston could lend to some valuable input on draft day as the Sabres re-load youth on the blueline.
McCabe rebounded well after missing some time thanks to a cut tendon courtesy of a teammate's skate. While pegged in the preview as a third, the pick in the second makes sense given the relationships and overall skills of the player. Needless to say, I really like McCabe as quality two-way defensemen are always welcome in the NHL.
Happy with their organizational skill and speed at the center spot, the Sabres used their third round pick on another big body that more likely projects to checking line duty.
A former first-rounder in the 2010 OHL draft (13th overall), the 6'4, 211 pound Kea employs a hard-working power forward style that sees him strong on the forecheck, valuable on the PK, and a willing pugilist as evidenced by 14 scraps through his first two years of major junior. Moving forward, many expect the lanky forward to get more opportunity to show his offensive side while filling out his frame.
The Sabres brought the big pivot in for their combine and certainly thought highly enough of his make-up to produce the third round investment. Per Kevin Devine, they think he could be Paul Gaustad type with better skating.
5th round (133rd): Logan Nelson - C/W, 6'2", 188 lbs.
Yet another Sabres combine visitor, the Minnesota native is a strong, skilled forward who compiled 23 goals and 62 points this past season in Victoria while playing parts of the year alongside fellow Sabres prospect, Kevin Sundher. Naturally a center, Nelson plays with an edge, using his big body to make plays around the net.
Passed over in his first draft year as a member of the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers, Nelson moved to the WHL where he emerged as a more complete player. His production did not go unnoticed by USA Hockey, who invited the talented Nelson to their U20 Evaluation Camp later this summer. He'll turn 19 in September, giving him one more year of junior to become a stronger skater before hitting the AHL.
Nelson notched his first WHL hat trick back on January 3rd in a 9-4 loss to Calgary. All three goals can be seen below.
I thought that perhaps the Sabres would stop their "every other year" trend and add a goalie to build more top-to-bottom depth, and they did just that. We'll go back to the draft preview for the goods on the big Swede who the Sabres had good intelligence on thanks to the January hiring of former MoDo GM Fredrik Andersson as a professional scout.
Linus Ullmark – G, 6’3, 198 lbs., Modo (SWE Jr)
Big and raw, the talented Ullmark enters his second draft year after an excellent season with Modo’s J20 squad that saw him post a solid 2.76 goals against average and .918 save percentage with the storied franchise. Ullmark’s play steadily improved throughout the season and into the playoffs, where he sparkled with a 2.24 GAA, .927 sv%, and one shutout in five starts.
Growing up dreaming of playing for Modo’s top club, Ullmark got his wish at the Christmas break when he was called in to back up Mikael Tellqvist while Anton Forsberg was away at the U20s. When Telllqvist fell ill, Ullmark was thrust into his first start as an 18-year old on two hours notice and held up well in an OT loss to Lulea.
While the bottleneck kept him buried most of the year, we’re still giving Ullmark a good shot to be drafted by the Sabres and an equally good chance to earn a larger SEL role with Modo before coming to North America.
The Sabres continued their run of three straight players in their second year of eligibility with the selection of Austin. The mammoth rearguard flourished this past season after an offseason trade to Belleville, leveraging his past experience as a spot-duty forward to score six goals and 26 points while developing his stay-at-home game under the guidance of former Edmonton Oilers bench boss George Burnett. Named the Bulls' Most Dedicated player, the steady improvement and overall package including a strong shot and a nice set of feet for a big man make him a smart pick late in the draft.
One Austin's season highlights came as he showed his mobility up-ice to score the overtime game winning goal in game #4 of the Bulls' first round playoff series against Ottawa (below).
Developing just up the road from Sabres amateur scout Keith Hendrickson, Peterson enters Sabreland following a prolific high school season that saw him rack up 47 goals and 83 points with Duluth-Marshall (MN) High School. Peterson's offensive package, which includes a nice burst and sniping accuracy, along with his relationship earned him an up-close audition at the Sabres pre-draft combine, where he confirmed his standing as a deeper day two option and potential depth scorer.
Native Minnesotan Brian Burke was also said to be interested, but the Sabres acted before the Leafs final pick to snatch up the 2012 Mr. Hockey Finalist. Peterson will play for the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders in 2012-13 before entering the WCHA ranks with the St. Cloud State Huskies.
Peterson ( gold #18) opened the 2011 scholastic season with a hat trick and an assist. You can see the points below.
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Sabres Development Camp is scheduled for July 8th-14th. (So just chill 'til the next episode).
Linus Ullmark has been loaned to Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-tier professional league. Ullmark had posted a 2.58 goals against average and .891 save percentage in two starts, both losses, for Modo J20 last weekend to open the 2012-13 SuperElit season. The loan comes on the heels of a injury to Mora netminder Ervins Mustukovs, who is expected to miss four to six weeks.
