Uncategorized Archives - Boutique Hockey Agency

Ducks Sign Jansen Harkins to Two-Year Contract

Posted on July 2, 2024

ANAHEIM, CA – The Ducks have signed center Jansen Harkins to a two-year contract through the 2025-26 NHL season.

Harkins, (5/23/97), has appeared in 199 career NHL games across five seasons with Pittsburgh (2023-24) and Winnipeg (2019-23), collecting 13-18=31 points. He has also recorded one goal in four career Stanley Cup Playoff contests with the Jets.

The 6-2, 197-pound forward split the 2023-24 season between Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, earning four points (0-4=4) in 45 NHL games with the Penguins and 5-7=12 points in 14 American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Penguins. He was claimed on waivers by Pittsburgh from Winnipeg prior to the 2023-24 season.

Meet PWHL No. 1 pick Sarah Fillier, New York’s new women’s hockey star

Posted on June 25, 2024

NEW YORK, NY – Make room, Ionescu. Skate to the side, Lafreniere.

There’s a new No. 1 pick in town.

Sarah Fillier, a prolific scorer at Princeton and world champion on the international stage, was selected by New York with the top overall pick in the Professional Women’s Hockey League draft Monday night.

Blackhawks add new play-by-play announcer Rick Ball

Posted on June 24, 2024

CHICAGO, IL – The Chicago Blackhawks announced in June that Rick Ball has been named the club’s next television play-by-play announcer.

The Blackhawks report that Ball will join color analyst Darren Pang in the Blackhawks’ broadcast booth for the 2024-25 season, the team’s first on the forthcoming Chicago Sports Network, the new television home of the Blackhawks.

Ball, 57, joins the Blackhawks after spending the previous 10 seasons as the television play-by-play voice of the Calgary Flames on Sportsnet. During that time, Ball also served as play-by-play announcer for Hockey Night in Canada’s national broadcasts, a role he began in 2011 before being named the program’s lead Western play-by-play announcer in 2013, notes his bio.

Hurricanes working on keeping Jaccob Slavin for the long haul

Posted on June 18, 2024

RALEIGH, NC – The Carolina Hurricanes are working on a deal that could keep Jaccob Slavin with the team for the long term, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Wednesday.

Slavin, 30, wrapped up the penultimate season of his seven-year deal in 2023-24, nabbing seven goals and 36 points through 81 games this season.

The American blue-liner is eligible to sign a contract extension on July 1, with the state of his deal expected to shape the off-season plans of GM Eric Tulsky in his first summer on the job.

New York Selects Princeton Star Sarah Fillier with PWHL First Overall Pick

Posted on June 18, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – New York drafted “generational player” Sarah Fillier with the No. 1 overall pick in the Professional Women’s Hockey League draft.

‘Pressure is a Privilege’: Mattias Ekholm Thriving in Intense Canadian Market

Posted on June 10, 2024

EDMONTON, AB – Hockey hot-beds are not for everyone.

In the case of Edmonton Oilers‘ defenseman Mattias Ekholm, he’s really enjoying it.

“It’s amazing when you win,” Ekholm joked with the media at Rogers Place this morning. Oilers’ fans have not been shy about throwing jerseys on the ice, or booing the team for playing poorly.

Perfetti excited about Arniel hiring

Posted on June 10, 2024

WINNIPEG, MB – Count Cole Perfetti as one of the many that are excited about the hiring of Scott Arniel as the new head coach of the Winnipeg Jets.

The 22-year-old forward currently is in Saginaw, Michigan for the Memorial Cup as his former junior team is hosting Perfetti along with other Spirit alumni this week during the tournament.

“Arnie was great with me. We had a really good relationship and I thought I played some of my best hockey under him when he took over for Bones (Rick Bowness) for a bit so those 12 games there. I thought I really came out and played well and felt like he trusted me and gave me opportunity so I’m excited for it,” said Perfetti.

Jaccob Slavin of Hurricanes wins Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly conduct

Posted on May 31, 2024

RALEIGH, NC – Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes won the Lady Byng Trophy on Thursday. The award is presented annually to the NHL player voted to best combine sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.

“I think, first and foremost for myself, I want to give all the glory to God,” Slavin said on ESPN’s “The Point” on Thursday. “He’s given me the abilities to play this game and have the opportunity to do everything that I do. So, it’s a tremendous honor to win this award. I think for myself it means a lot.

“It is strange being a gentleman and trying to play really hard defense. But I greatly appreciate it. I think, for myself, just playing the game simple, playing the game hard, but obviously not taking any penalties. And then doing in it in a way where I respect everybody on the ice — officials, coaches, whatever it is — but making sure I’m doing my job out there and being hard to play against.”

Don’t Underestimate The Value Of A Pierre-Edouard Bellemare

Posted on May 23, 2024

SEATTLE, WA – This sentence is a melancholy one to write, because it’s likely the last time “Pierre-Edouard Bellemare” and “Seattle Kraken” will appear together without the word “former.”

Not because the Kraken can’t find a better on-ice player than the 39-year-old pending free agent. They can, and they need to, just as every roster spot needs to be evaluated every year.

But under the category “intangibles,” whatever club employs Bellemare automatically earns a check mark.