NHL schedule depends on labor deal
Five U.s.-born players could go in first round
The NHL released its schedule for next season — if there’s no work stoppage. The league’s collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15. The NHL announced Thursday that the Los Angeles Kings would raise their Stanley Cup championship banner Oct. 12 when they host the New York Rangers. The Kings will travel to play the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 9 in a Stanley Cup Final rematch, the teams’ only scheduled matchup.
PITTSBURGH — This year’s NHL draft is proof the U.S. hockey program has benefited greatly from players worldwide coming over to play pro hockey.
The highest-ranked Americanborn players this year include Alex Galchenyuk, the son of former Moscow Dynamo player Alexander Galchenyuk; Henrik Samuelsson, son of Swedish-born former NHL player Ulf Samuelsson; and Stefan Matteau, whose Canadian father, Stephane Matteau, played for the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers.
“(Galchenyuk) could be the kind of elite-level center the U.S. program has needed,” former Calgary Flames general manager Craig Button said. “He could be around a long time.”
Galchenyuk, who was born in Milwaukee while his dad played in the International Hockey League, has the potential to be the highest-profile American-born center drafted since Mike Modano and Jeremy Roenick in 1988.
He was limited to eight games this season by injury, but he had 83 points in 61 games in the 2010-11 season.
He is expected to be drafted from second to seventh in this year’s draft and will be among five Americans who are expected to be taken in the first round.
Defenseman Jacob Trouba of the U.S. National Team Development Program seems to be a lock to land in the top 12.
Center Matteau, winger Samuelsson and defense man Brady Skjei are expected to go late in the first round.
Trouba has been compared to Derian Hatcher or Adam Foote. He had 18 points and 35 penalty minutes in 22 games this season.
“We just use him in every situation,” U.S. coach Danton Cole said. “He’s a pretty complete, competitive kid.”
Trouba commands a big shot to go with his combative presence.
“He handles practice and games like an NHL veteran,” Cole said.
Skjei, who had 12 points in 24 games for the U.S. team, is considered one of the better skaters in the draft.
“It’s world-class,” Cole said of his skating. “He’s probably one of the better skaters to come through here in 15 years. . . .
“The thing about it is that when you have guys that fast they are usually smaller. But he’s 6-3.”
Matteau, whose father scored the clinching double-overtime goal in the Rangers’ 1994 conference final victory against the New Jersey Devils, is a power forward. He had 10 points and 93 penalty minutes in 18 games for the U.S. team.
“He is strong on the boards and is a net-front presence,” said USA Hockey’s Jim Johannson, who oversees U.S. national teams. “He looks like he’s going to be a really strong pro.”
Cole said it was interesting to watch Matteau develop from a raw talent to a savvy player.
“He has a good understanding of what goes on on the ice,” he said.
Ulf Samuelsson, Henrik’s dad, was a rugged defense man and probably was among the most hated players in the league. His battles with Cam Neely were legendary.
Henrik is a power forward who played in Sweden and with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League this season. He had 23 points in 28 games with Edmonton, showing he can put up points.
He’s 6-2, and he likes to engage the opposition, something he likely inherited from his father.
“He uses his size, and he will play chippy,” Button said.