8/27 to 8/30 Preseason Updates

Tuesday 8/27
KHL Preseason (Latvian Railway Cup)
Dinamo Minsk lost to SKA St. Petersburg 3-0
Artur Gavrus C: No idea if he played or how he did.

Ponikarovsky scored for SKA.

WHL Preseason
Swift Current defeated Moose Jaw 5-4
Graham Black C: DNP

Wednesday 8/28
KHL Preseason (Latvian Railway Cup)
Dinamo Minsk lost to HC Lev Praha 4-2
Artur Gavrus C: No points and +/-, PIM not recoreded

Friday 8/30
KHL Preseason (Latvian Railway Cup)
Dinamo Minsk defeated Ak Bars Kazan 2-1
Artur Gavrus C: No idea if he played or how he did.

QMJHL Preseason
Gatineau defeated Val-d'Or 6-0
Anthony Brodeur G: DNP

WHL Preseason
Kelowna defeated Kamloops 4-3
Damon Severson D: DNP

Windsor (Ben Johnson) open their preseason Saturday vs. Plymouth. Swift Current plays Edmonton and Kelowna takes on Vancouver in preseason action Saturday so I think it's likely Graham Black and Damon Severson see action then. I think Artur Gavrus and Dinamo Minsk have finished their preseason and they open the KHL season Thursday 9/5 against Dinamo Riga.

Ben Johnson Legal Update

Courtesy of The Windsor Star, a Windsor court has changed the bail conditions of 19 year old, New Jersey Devils prospect, LW Ben Johnson. The changes will allow him to enter Essex County so he can be with his team, however he is forbidden from discussing the case with witnesses, which includes some of his teammates. Essentially this clears up playing issues for him from a legal standpoint for the time being.

He is still facing sexual assault charges from two separate incidents at a Windsor nightclub and a bar.

8/23 Prospect Update

Friday 8/23
QMJHL Preseason
Gatineau defeated Val-d'Or 4-3
Anthony Brodeur G: 60:00, 36 Saves on 39 Shots, 2 PIM (Delay of Game)

2 preseason games: 90:09, 50 Saves on 54 Shots

For Devils prospects the WHL preseason starts Tuesday and the OHL preseason starts next Saturday. Looks like Artur Gavrus and Dinamo Minsk have one more stop of preseason games (8/27-29) before opening KHL regular season 9/5.

KHL Preseason Update, QMJHL Preseason Underway

Friday 8/16
KHL Preseason
Dinamo Minsk lost to Amur Khabarovsk 2-1 (SO)
Artur Gavrus C: No points, +/- and PIM not recorded

Saturday 8/17
QMJHL Preseason
Gatineau lost to Blainville-Boisbriand 5-4
Anthony Brodeur G: DNP

KHL Preseason
Dinamo Minsk lost to Spartak Moskva 5-1
Artur Gavrus C: No points, +/- and PIM not recorded

Sunday 8/18
QMJHL Preseason
Gatineau defeated Blainville-Boisbriand 3-2 (SO)
Anthony Brodeur G: 30:09 (Started), 14 Saves on 15 Shots

KHL Preseason
Dinamo Minsk defeated Neman Grodno* 3-1
Artur Gavrus C: Assist (PP)

*Gavrus spent the 1st half of last year with Neman Grodno of the BXL.

- Gavrus has been a consistent fixture on this line: Surovy-Gavrus-Irgl.

- Gavrus has played in 6 preseason games and has a goal and 3 assists.

Artur Gavrus KHL Preseason Update

My bad, I'm late to the KHL preseason. His club has a few more preseason games and will start the regular season on September 5 against Dinamo Riga. Below are his first 3 preseason games.

Friday 8/2
Dinamo Minsk defeated Chelmet Chelyabinsk 6-0
Artur Gavrus F: Goal, Assist

Tuesday 8/6
Dinamo Minsk defeated Shakhtar Soligorsk 3-1
Artur Gavrus F: Assist

His line: K.Zakharov-Gavrus-Efymenko

Friday 8/9
Dinamo Minsk defeated HK Gomel 4-0
Artur Gavrus F: No points, PIM and +/- not available

His line: Micflikier-Gavrus-Platt

8/10 Prospect Update

Saturday 8/10
WJC Evaluation Camp
USA defeated Canada 5-1
Stefan Matteau LW: Goal
Steve Santini D: 2 PIM (Holding)
Damon Severson D: 2 PIM (slashing)

Matteau was LW on a line with C Danny O'Regan (SJS) and RW Riley Barber (WSH).

- Chris Peters: "Stefan Matteau playing on the first line for U.S. today. Has had a pretty quiet camp. Perhaps O'Regan and Barber can jumpstart him."

Santini was paired with Ian McCoshen (FLA) again.

- Chris Peters: "USA Standouts in Period 1: Gillies, McCoshen, Barber, Grzelcyk, Butcher, Carrick, Fasching. Good flashes: Santini, O'Regan, Pesce."

- Chris Peters: "USA Standouts in Period 2: Gillies. Gillies. Gillies. Shore, Di Pauli, Copp, Santini, Sieloff. Good flashes: O'Regan, Butcher."

- Corey Pronman: "Also liked (in the 2nd) Q Shore (OTT), Santini (NJD)."

- Chris Peters: "As @kluedeke29 notes, Steven Santini's been really good today. Was great early in camp, lulled in last 2 games, terrific D vs. CAN."

- Chris Peters: "US standouts from USA-CAN: Gillies, Shore, Santini. Good flashes: McCoshen, Erne, Butcher, Carrick, Grzelcyk, Copp, Di Pauli, Sieloff"

Severson was paired with Derrick Pouliot (PIT) again.

- Corey Pronman: "In first liked: Domi (PHX), McJesus (2015), Shinkaruk (VAN), Carrick (WSH), Pouliot (PIT), Severson (NJD), Monahan (CGY), Laughton (PHI)."

- Corey Pronman: "Other likes in 2nd Severson (NJD), Shunkaruk (VAN), Wilson/DiPauli (WSH), Domi (PHX), Gauthier (TOR), Lazar (OTT), Copp (WPG), Gillies (CGY)"

8/8 Prospect Update

Thursday 8/8
WJC Evaluation Camp
USA defeated Finland 4-3 (SO)
Stefan Matteau LW: DNP
Steve Santini D: No points or PIM, +/- not recorded

Santini was paired with Matt Grzelcyk (BOS) again.

Canada defeated Sweden 7-3
Damon Severson D: 4 PIM (Slashing x2)

Severson was paired with Derrick Pouliot (PIT).

Corey Pronman: "In first period liked McDavid (2015), Fucale/Hudon (MTL), Severson (NJD), Domi (PHX), Lazar (OTT), Mantha (DET), Finn (TOR), Zaar (CBJ)."

Pronman also noted that Severson saw a lot of playing time so hopefully he made a strong impression on the Canadian coaching staff.

8/7 Prospect Update

Wednesday 8/7
WJC Evaluation Camp
Canada defeated Finland 5-3
Damon Severson D: DNP

Teams have to work a lot of players in and out of the line up so don't worry about Severson not playing.

USA lost to Sweden 4-0
Stefan Matteau LW: 4 PIM (Hooking, Elbowing)
Steve Santini D: 4 PIM (High Sticking Double Minor)

Matteau was LW on a line with C Boo Nieves (NYR) and RW Adam Erne (TB) with C Zach Stepan (NSH) rotating in. His 2nd penalty led to a Sweden PPG. Penalties were the reason why Matteau was the final forward cut from last year's team. Sounds like he's had 2 shaky games and 1 good game so far. Still, players will be evaluated through the 1st half of the season, with some getting a chance in December camp, so don't write him off just yet.

Santini was partnered with Ian McCoshen (FLA) today. Santini's penalty led to a Sweden PPG.

8/5 Prospect Update

Monday 8/5
WJC Evaluation Camp
USA Blue lost to Sweden 4-3
LW Stefan Matteau: Assist* Left game after being hit in the head in the 2nd period.

- Matteau was skating LW on a line with C Brady Vail and RW Hudson Fasching today.  

- Adam Kimelman: "Stefan Matteau hurt, helped off ice after being hit hard in head by Sweden's Anton Lindholm. Lindholm gets 5 for charging, game misconduct"

- Corey Pronman: "In first liked: Possler/Bailey (BUF), Barber/Burakowsky (WSH), Collberg (MTL) Zaar (CBJ), Arnesson (BOS), Sundqvist (PIT), Matteau (NJD)."

- Chris Peters: "USA Standouts from period two: Butcher, Carrick, Erne, Hinostroza. Good flashes from Matteau, Stolarz."

USA White defeated Finland 5-2
D Steve Santini: Assist

- Santini was paired with Matt Grzelcyk today.

- Corey Pronman: "In first period liked: McCarron (MTL), Cammarata/Pokka (NYI), Maatta (PIT), Santini (NJD), Q Shore (OTT), Grzelcyk (BOS)."

- Chris Peters:  "Standouts in Per. 2 for Team USA: Cammarata, McCoshen, McCarron, Grzelcyk, Sieloff. Good flashes: Motte, Compher, Samuelsson, Santini"

* Cuts will be coming tomorrow morning and both Matteau (if healthy) and Santini should make it.

Daily Prospect Update

Sunday 8/4
WJC Evaluation Camp
USA White lost to Sweden 4-2
D Steve Santini: No points or PIM, +/- not kept on game sheet

Corey Pronman on Santini: "Quality. Won't be a big offense guy but makes stops, hits and good outlets."

USA Blue lost to Finland 6-5 (OT)
LW Stefan Matteau: No points or PIM, +/- not kept on game sheet

Corey Pronman on Matteau:  "Below-average. That 2nd line hasn't done much of anything since the 1st period."

Matteau was LW on a line with RW Adam Erne and C Dominic Toninato.