Sunday, July 02, 2023

UPDATED New NHL digs for four BU alums; O'Connell heads West

 

NHL free agency began Saturday and over the first two days, four Terriers signed on with new teams. Two signed one-year deals:  Kevin Shattenkirk with Boston and Nick Bonino with the Rangers. Matt Nieto inked a two-year contract with Pittsburgh. Evan Rodrigues agreed to a four-year deal with Florida.

Rodrigues, who scored 61 points for BU in 2014-15—second in Division 1 only to Jack Eichel’s 71—had played each of the last four seasons on one-year contracts. Last season, he had 39 points for Colorado and the previous season he had 43 with Pittsburgh.

● TheHockeyWriters.com Panthers sign Rodrigues to four-year contract


Nieto's, whose two-year contract with the Penguins is for $1.8 million, will bring his speed game to Coach Mike Sullivan.  He began last season with San Jose and was traded to Colorado. Nieto, who has logged 10 NHL seasons, had a combined 12-12-24 scoring line in 2022-23.

● TSN.ca Penguins sign Nieto to two-year $1.8M deal

Connecticut native Bonino was signed to a $800K deal by fellow Nutmegger Chris Drury, the Rangers president and general manager. New York will be his seventh stop in the NHL Bonino won Stanley Cup championships with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. Last season he began the year with San Jose and was traded to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. Post-season, he captained Team USA in the World Championships, playing for David Quinn. 

● TheHockeyWriters.com Rangers sign Bonino

Shattenkirk returns to Boston for his 14th NHL season and, for now, becomes the third Terrier in the Bruins' blueline corps, joining Charley McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk. Like Bonino--his teammate on BU's 2009 national champions--he also has raised the Stanley Cup, winning with Tampa Bay in 2020.

● NESN.com Bruins add blueline depth with veteran Shattenkirk

 

Camping

Rising sophomore Quinn Hutson was invited to Arizona Coyotes development camp, which begins Monday. He had a 15-13-28 scoring line as a rookie and led Hockey East with seven game-winning goals, including the overtime game-winner in the conference semi-final victory over 2-1.

Lane Hutson and Luke Tuch are at Montreal Canadians development camp, which began Saturday. Lane clocked in at 5'9", an inch taller than last summer. Luke is up to 6'3." Once again, Marie-Philip Poulin is a guest instructor.

Incoming freshmen defensemen Tom Willander and Aiden Celebrini, the 1st round and 6th round draft picks of Vancouver, began Canucks development camp on Saturday. Willander spoke with local media after Sunday's session. (Video). Willander and Celebrini will be two of the seven drafted blueliners on BU's 2023-24 roster.

Matt Brown and rising sophomore Devin Kaplan are at Flyers development camp. Brown, a first-team Hockey East All-Star, signed a PTO with the Flyers' AHL team, Lehigh Valley. Kaplan had a 10-13-23 line as a freshman.

Ty Gallagher is at his third Bruins development camp and looks to build on his strong for two seasons at BU. Last season he had a career-best 21 points and earned Hockey East Defender of the Month for January. He spoke with the media following day one practice. (Video)


Looking ahead

With the 2023 Entry Draft completed, FloHockey's Chris Peters produced a list of the top prospects for the 2024 draft. Incoming freshman Macklin Celebrini, who swept the USHL's awards this past season and starred at the World U18s, tops the list. 2024 recruit Cole Hutson, who also was a World U18 standout, made Peters' list as well. The Daily Faceoff's 2024 top prospects list also has Celebrini ranked #1 with Hutson at #10.

2023 recruit and Buffalo pick Gavin McCarthy had his name called by a familiar face at the draft. He grew up in the same neighborhood as Sabres GM Kevyn Adams and went to school with Adams' daughter.

● spectrumlocalnew.com McCarthy holding on to his WNY roots 

 

Looking back

Eichel's Stanley Cup day in July 14 and he'll be bringing the Cup to his home rink in Tyngsboro. Will there's be a stop on Comm. Ave., too?       

College Hockey News reported that former Terrier Head Coach Albie O’Connell has been named associate head coach at Arizona State under Coach Greg Powers and he will serve as the Sun Devils’ recruiting coordinator.

Former BU defenseman Cam Crotty signed a one-year, two-way contract with Arizona. He’s played for the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate in Tucson the past three seasons.

Former BU goalie Bob Deraney has been named an assistant coach for the ECHL Worcester Railers. He had been head coach of the Providence College women’s team for 19 seasons.

 

 

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