AHL expertise shines in NHL rookie camp motion

Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Options Author

NHL groups have wrapped up their prospects tournaments, an ideal warm-up as all 32 golf equipment open up their fundamental coaching camps this week.

AHL expertise figured closely in tournaments that stretched from Florida to California as younger prospects jostled for organizational positioning in attempting to make an impression for an NHL job subsequent month or past.

Here’s a recap from this previous weekend.

ANAHEIM DUCKS (SAN DIEGO GULLS)Goaltender Tomas Suchanek noticed his first aggressive recreation motion since April 2024, enjoying two intervals of Anaheim’s assembly with Los Angeles on Sunday. The Geese prospect missed the complete 2024-25 season with a ruptured ACL that he suffered in offseason coaching greater than a yr in the past.

Anaheim hosted the Golden State Rookie Faceoff towards each the Kings and San Jose Sharks.

CAROLINA HURRICANES (CHICAGO WOLVES)Bradly Nadeau’s 32 objectives final season with the Wolves led all AHL rookies, and he resumed his scoring contact shortly in a four-team event that additionally featured the Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Nadeau, a member of the AHL All-Rookie Workforce in addition to the AHL High Prospects Workforce, picked up a objective and a shootout tally towards the Panthers on Friday in Wesley Chapel, Fla., and offered one other objective towards the Predators on Saturday. Taken within the first spherical of the 2023 NHL Draft by Carolina, Nadeau represented a part of a Wolves contingent for Carolina that included forwards Justin Robidas (a tying objective towards Florida) and Felix Unger Sorum together with goaltender Ruslan Khazheyev.

COLORADO AVALANCHE (COLORADO EAGLES)Like Suchanek, defenseman Sean Behrens is again in motion after lacking final season with a knee damage. The 22-year-old defenseman turned professional late with the Eagles within the 2023-24 marketing campaign after three seasons on the College of Denver after going to the Avalanche within the second spherical of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Behrens notched a objective as Colorado defeated Utah, 5-3, on Friday. The three-team event additionally included the Vegas Golden Knights.

Having Behrens again is particularly vital for the Avalanche group provided that defensemen Jacob MacDonald will miss 5 to 6 months following hip surgical procedure earlier this month.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (CLEVELAND MONSTERS)Ahead Luca Pinelli captained the Blue Jackets in a event hosted by the Buffalo Sabres. Becoming a member of Buffalo and Columbus have been the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins

Pinelli, a late-season addition to the Cleveland roster final spring after serving as captain for the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, delivered a objective and three assists to assist Columbus to a 7-5 win towards Buffalo on Saturday. The 20-year-old joined the Monsters final season after recording 71 factors (37 objectives, 34 assists) in 52 video games for Ottawa and performed three regular-season contests for Cleveland. He then added 4 factors (two objectives, two assists) in six Calder Cup Playoff video games. Columbus chosen him within the fourth spherical of the 2023 NHL Draft.

MONTREAL CANADIENS (LAVAL ROCKET)Montreal followers acquired an up-close have a look at a few of their high younger expertise at Bell Centre because the Habs hosted a event with the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets.

Goaltender Jacob Fowler, a key a part of Laval’s run to the Jap Convention Finals final spring, began and performed a half-game towards the Jets on Saturday. Fowler, 20, accomplished two seasons at Boston College, the place he gained the Mike Richter Award as school hockey’s high goaltender final season. He then turned professional and took management of the Laval internet for a portion of the postseason. He ended up enjoying eight video games and went 3-3 with a 2.48 goals-against common, .902 save share and one shutout.

Oliver Kapanen, one other key addition for Laval’s postseason, had a objective and two assists in Saturday’s recreation. The 22-year-old ahead, a 2021 second-round decide, had six factors (three objectives, three assists) in 11 playoff video games for the Rocket.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS)Internet hosting the New York Rangers at PPL Heart, house ice for the Phantoms, the Flyers acquired loads of assist from acquainted Lehigh Valley expertise in splitting a pair of video games.

Ahead Nikita Grebenkin’s extra time objective gave the Flyers a 4-3 win on Friday. He then had two assists the next day. Grebenkin divided final season between the Toronto Marlies and Lehigh Valley, coming to the Philadelphia group in a commerce March 7. He completed with 28 factors (12 objectives, 16 assists) in 50 AHL video games whereas additionally making seven appearances with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Data from NHL workforce web sites contributed to this report.

On the American Hockey League beat for 20 years, TheAHL.com options author Patrick Williams additionally at the moment covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is an everyday contributor on SiriusXM NHL Community Radio. He was the recipient of the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his excellent protection of the league in 2016.