Former NCAA Players Trading NHL Places

Several former NCAA players recently changed NHL teams, or will be changing clubs in the near future.

Cam Atkinson (Boston College), a career-long Columbus Blue Jacket, was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers had previously traded Shayne Gostisbehere (Union) to the Arizona Coyotes. 

Jay Beagle (Alaska Anchorage) was part of a multi-player deal between his team, the Vancouver Canucks, and Arizona, while Duncan Keith (Michigan State), who helped the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup titles, is now a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Zach Parise (North Dakota) and Ryan Suter (Wisconsin) were bought out by the Minnesota Wild and will be seeking employment elsewhere. Zach Hyman (Michigan) is not returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs and will also become free agent.

In terms of staying put, Peter Stastny (Denver) inked a one-year deal to re-up with the the Winnipeg Jets, after Adam Gaudette (Northeastern) did the same with Chicago. Cale Makar (UMass) just signed a six-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche.

The NHL's free agency period begins tomorrow.

ADDENDUM: The Winnipeg Jets have acquired Nate Schmidt (Minnesota) from Vancouver.  

Former NCAA Skaters Scoring NHL Playoff Game-Winning Goals

It's been a week for game-winning goals from former NCAA players in the NHL's 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It started on Wednesday when Craig Smith (Wisconsin) stole a loose puck from behind the Washington net just under six minutes into overtime and tucked in a wraparound to lift the Boston Bruins to a 3-2 win in Game Three of that opening-round divisional series.

On Thursday, Ryan Lomberg connected just under six minutes into sudden death to complete the Florida Panthers comeback in a 6-5 victory over in-state rival Tampa Bay to get the Panthers back into that series after they dropped the first two contests. 

It continued on Friday when Peter Stastny (Denver) scored the only goal of the game just over four minutes into OT, wristing in a screened shot to boost the Winnipeg Jets to a two games-to-none lead over Edmonton.

Finally, Alex Newhook (Boston College) fired home the game-winner from the right circle last night as the Colorado Avalanche beat St. Louis, 5-1, to take a three games-to-none lead in that series.

ADDENDUM: After replacing a broken stick, Luke Kunin (Wisconsin) raced up ice and one-timed home a pass late in the second overtime on Sunday to give the Nashville Predators a 4-3 victory over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. The win tied that series at two games apiece.

DU's Stastny Plays 1,000th NHL Game

Paul Stastny (Denver) played in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game on Tuesday night, as his Winnipeg Jets blanked Vancouver, 5-0.

Stastny, 35, the son of Hockey Hall of Fame forward Peter Stastny, was presented with a silver stick by his Winnipeg teammates prior to the game, making him the first player to be so honored in franchise history. He has recorded 263 goals and 492 assists for 755 points for Colorado, St. Louis, Winnipeg and Vegas in an NHL career that began in 2006-07. He has also recorded 25-42—67 points in 97 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, and has never played a game in the minor leagues.

Stastny skated for two seasons at the University of Denver (2004-2006), and as a freshman helped the Pioneers to the 2005 NCAA title while personally winning WCHA Rookie of the Year accolades. In 81 career games at DU, he tallied 36-62—98 points, and earned Second Team All-America status as a sophomore after a 19-goal, 53-point campaign.

Born in Quebec, Stastny grew up in New Jersey and St. Louis, and has represented the United States in international competition on several occasions. He won a silver medal with the U.S. at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, and later helped the Americans to a bronze medal at the 2013 IIHF World Championship in Sweden.

Winnipeg Advances to NHL's Western Conference Final

Paul Stastny (Denver) scored two goals, including the game-winner, and Blake Wheeler (Minnesota) set up another score as the Winnipeg Jets advanced to the first Western Conference final in team history with a 5-1 win at Nashville in Game 7 of the conference semifinals on Thursday.

Stastny's goal gave him five for the seven-game series, while Wheeler's assist was his ninth of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, both of which are team highs. Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) stopped 36 shots in all as the Jets eliminated the host Predators, the defending Western Conference champions and the team with the best record in the NHL this season. Winnipeg took a 2-0 first-period lead on Thursday, surrendered a Nashville power-play goal late in the opening stanza, and then scored three times over the final two periods to continue the Jets' best postseason run since relocating from Atlanta in 2011.

Winnipeg will begin a best-of-seven series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET, NBC TV). The winner of that matchup will then face the winner of the Eastern Conference final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals for the Stanley Cup itself.

Jets Take 2-1 Series Lead over Nashville

The Winnipeg Jets just keep rocketing along in the NHL postseason, thanks to several former NCAA stars.

The Jets took a 2-1 series lead in their Stanley Cup Playoff Western Conference semifinal series against defending conference champion Nashville with a 7-4 victory over the visiting Predators on Tuesday night. The Jets fell behind, 3-0, after one period, rebounded for a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes, and then broke a 4-4 tie in the third period with three unanswered tallies, including two empty-net goals.

Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler (Minnesota) paced the home team with two goals and an assist, including the game-winning goal with 4:59 remaining in regulation before he scored an insurance marker into an empty-net just over four minutes later. Paul Stastny (Denver) notched a goal and two assists for the Jets, while Jacob Trouba (Michigan) provided a goal and an assist for Winnipeg from the blueline. Brandon Tanev (Providence) provided the final margin with his own empty-netter with 31 seconds left, while also boosting his goal-scoring streak to four games.

Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) overcame a rocky start to finish with 26 saves on 30 shots for Winnipeg, which will next host Nashville on Thursday night for Game Four.

Jets Advance to NHL's Second Round

A second straight shutout by Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) has boosted the the Winnipeg Jets to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Jets, who relocated to Manitoba from Atlanta in 2011, earned their first Stanley Cup Playoff series victory with a 5-0 win over the visiting Minnesota Wild on Friday night. Winnipeg won the best-of-seven series in five games.

Hellebuyck, a finalist this season for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender, made 30 stops in the Game 5 victory. Jacob Trouba (Michigan) scored the winning goal just 31 seconds into the game, while Paul Stastny (Denver) had two assists on the night.

Winnipeg will now face the winner of Colorado and Nashville in the Western Conference semifinals.

Blues Rout Stars in Game 7

David Backes (Minnesota State) and Paul Stastny ( Denver) scored goals, and Brian Elliott (Wisconsin) made 31 saves as the St. Louis Blues advanced to the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 6-1 rout of the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night in Game 7 in Texas. The Blues, who will have home-ice advantage throughout the rest of the NHL postseason, advanced to the Western Conference final for the first time in 15 years, and will meet the winner of tonight's seventh game between Nashville and San Jose.

The Blues jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes Wednesday and held on for their second Game 7 victory this spring, having eliminated the defending NHL champion Chicago Blackhawks in a Game 7 in St. Louis last month. Stastny finished with a goal and two assists last night, while Backes, Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks), Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) and Kevin Shattenkirk (Boston University) all added assists. Patrick Eaves (Boston College) scored the lone goal for Dallas, the top team in the West during the regular season, with an assist going to Alex Goligoski (Minnesota).

U.S. Men Open Games with 7-1 Blitz of Slovakia

The U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey team is off to a good start after recording a 7-1 thrashing of Slovakia on Wednesday in Sochi, Russia in the Olympic opener for both clubs.

The Americans scored six unanswered goals in the second stanza, with two coming off the stick of Paul Stastny (Denver), while Phil Kessel (Minnesota) recorded a goal and two assists and David Backes (Minnesota State) and Ryan Kesler (Ohio State) also scored for the U.S. Goaltender Jonathan Quick (Massachusetts), the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, made 22 saves in his Olympic debut.

Stastny is one of several players on the all-NHL American roster who has New Jersey connections. He spent part of his childhood in the Garden State while his father, two-time Olympian and Hall of Famer Peter, played for the Devils. John Carlson of Colonia opened the scoring on Wednesday with a slapshot from the right circle past Slovak starter Jaroslav Halak, while Middletown native and Christian Brothers Academy product James van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) picked up an assist on Kessel's goal.

Carlson is one of just five players on this year's rookie-laden American Olympic roster who didn't play at least one season of college hockey. A team-high four players formerly skated for Wisconsin (Joe Pavelski, Ryan McDonagh, Ryan Suter and Derek Stepan), while Pavelski, Stastny, Brooks Orpik (Boston College), Paul Martin (Minnesota), Kevin Shattenkirk (Boston University) and Justin Faulk (Minnesota-Duluth) all won NCAA championships in their college careers. One player, goaltender Ryan Miller (Michigan State), won the 2001 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Men's Division I hockey.

The U.S. now faces host Russia on Saturday  before taking on newcomer Slovenia on Sunday. Both of those games are slated for 7:30 a.m. ET. Russia opened the tournament yesterday with a 5-2 win over Slovenia, but needed two third-period goals to pull away after taking an early 2-0 lead.