COLUMBUS, OH – Jet Greaves made 46 saves in his NHL debut. Only six other goaltenders in NHL history had as many in their first career appearance (since 1955-56 when shots on goal began being tracked): Laurent Brossoit (49 on April 9, 2015 w/ EDM), Manny Legace (49 on Oct. 21, 1998 w/ LAK), Ken Wregget (48 on Dec. 8, 1983 w/ TOR), Bill Oleschuk (48 on Jan. 23, 1976 w/ KCS), Kevin Mandolese (46 on Feb. 14 w/ OTT), and Marc-Andre Fleury (46 on Oct. 10, 2003 w/ PIT). Of that cohort, only Mandolese and Wregget earned wins.
Category: The Future
Wright Place, Right Time For Seattle Kraken’s Shane Wright
WINDSOR, ONT – To borrow a line from the legendary Johnny Cash, Shane Wright has been everywhere this season, man. And while no one could have predicted all the locations the talented young center ended up, it feels like the Seattle Kraken prospect is getting precisely the reps he needs after a first half filled with different and challenging experiences.
The tale of Wright’s draft day is well-worn at this point. Seen as the potential No. 1 overall pick, he instead slid to fourth when the Montreal Canadiens opted for a winger in Juraj Slafkovsky. New Jersey didn’t need a center, so they took defenseman Simon Nemec second overall, while Arizona preferred Logan Cooley down the middle. And all of that was just fine with the Kraken, who were more than happy to snap up Wright for their new pipeline.
Shawn Hunwick, Established NHL Agent, Joins KO Sports, Inc.
DENVER, CO – KO Sports, Inc. announced today that established NHLPA Certified Agent, Shawn Hunwick, has joined the agency.
A former goaltender, Shawn had an outstanding collegiate career at the University of Michigan where he earned numerous team and individual accolades including being named a Hobey Baker Finalist in 2012. Shawn continued on to professional hockey, making stops in the NHL, ECHL and DEL before retiring in 2013 to pursue a career as a player agent. Over the course of the past ten years, Shawn has built his client base organically and represents some of the top young talent in the game.
“It is an honor for me and my clients to be joining the group at KO Sports,” said Hunwick. “I have long admired their approach to recruiting and representing hockey players and I am proud to embark on this new chapter together.”
“Shawn is a perfect fit with our agency based on his professionalism, high standard of care for his clients and integrity,” said Founder and CEO, Kurt Overhardt. “On behalf of our entire group, we are thrilled to welcome Shawn and his clients to KO Sports.”
KO Sports, Inc. is the Top Boutique Hockey Agency in the World representing some of the best players and people in the National Hockey League.
Portland Winterhawks’ Carter Sotheran a “rare talent”
PORTLAND, OR – Sanford, Manitoba’s Carter Sotheran began the season as a relative unknown, but the towering 17-year-old is aiming to change all that.
He was a standout in his first two starts with a Portland Winterhawks, a showing that seems certain to generate interest from NHL scouts.
The raw tools, however, have been there for sometime.
He’s big – a 6’4”, 200 pounder, and still growing – with a good motor, aggressive tendencies and plenty of scoring touch to go with his right-handed shot, a much sought-after attribute.
Beecher’s promise as Bruins prospect goes beyond offensive numbers
BOSTON, MA – To find John Beecher’s name on the list of leading scorers from a stacked University of Michigan hockey team last season, one needs to scroll down. Way down. From Matty Beniers (43 points) and Brendan Brisson (42) and Luke Hughes (39) to Owen Power (32), all of them fellow first-round NHL Draft picks, to where Beecher and his 15 points can be found tied for 12th.
But that doesn’t mean the 21-year-old forward has fallen in the estimation of the Boston Bruins, who selected him with the No. 30 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
Seattle Signs Its Top 2022 Draft Pick Shane Wright to Entry Level Contract
SEATTLE, WA – Shane Wright signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old forward was the No. 4 pick in the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft.
“It was the overall fit and what the organization is building to,” Wright said on Day Two of Kraken development camp Tuesday. “They are a new team, so they don’t have as many prospects in the system as some other teams do. I feel it’ll just give me a lot more opportunities, stepping in to make a difference right away. The potential ability to be part of a situation and be a building block and a huge piece in their team and the organization for the future was something that really excited me. Now that it finally worked out this way, I couldn’t be happier.”
Bruins Sign Johnny Beecher To Three-Year Entry-Level Contract
BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, May 16, that the team has signed forward Johnny Beecher to a three-year entry-level contract with an annual NHL cap hit of $925,000.
Beecher, 21, appeared in nine games for the Providence Bruins on an ATO in 2021-22, recording three goals and two assists for five points.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound center spent the past three seasons at the University of Michigan, recording 19 goals and 20 assists for 39 points and a plus-14 rating in 81 games for the Wolverines.
Wild’s Dakota Mermis named winner of Yanick Dupré Memorial Award
DES MOINES, IA – The American Hockey League announced today that Iowa Wild defenseman Dakota Mermis has been selected as the winner of the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award for 2021-22.
Over his six seasons as a player in the American Hockey League, Mermis has placed an emphasis on making positive contributions to his community. In 2021-22, his first season in Des Moines, Mermis stepped into and embraced a leadership role both on and off the ice. With the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic – and the birth of his first child in December – altering his approach, Mermis, along with his wife, Sarah, remained steadfast in believing in the importance of community work.
Wild Signs Simon Johansson to a Two-Year, Entry-Level Contract
ST. PAUL, MN – Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed defenseman Simon Johansson to a two-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2022-23 season.
Johansson, 22 (6/14/99), recorded 32 points (8-24=32) including two power-play goals, a plus-6 rating, 177 shots on goal and 20 penalty minutes (PIM) in 58 games with Ilves Tampere in his first season in Finland’s Elite League. The 6-foot-2, 189-pound native of Stockholm, Sweden, became the youngest defensemen in Ilves history to score 32 points in a season. He ranked fourth on the team in assists and shots on goal and sixth in scoring. Johansson ranked T-6th among League defensemen in assists and T-8th in scoring. He collected six points (1-5=6) and 48 shots on goal in 10 playoff games, ranking T-2nd on the team in assists, third in shots on goal and T-3rd in scoring. Johansson ranked T-2nd among League defensemen in assists, third in shots on goal and T-3rd in playoff scoring.
