16 Thoughts: Quick Hits

Hockey is an everchanging, evolving sport

Please don’t expect 16 Thoughts to become a weekly thing, but there have been some developments over the past little bit that might interest everyone. Only 14 this time around.

1. According to Expressen.se, Dominik Badinka is expected to join the Chicago Wolves and continue his hockey career in the AHL.

2. I’m intrigued by this decision. I thought he had a fine season in Sweden with Malmo, it’s not often that a teenager can carve out a real role at the SHL level. With one more year left on his contract, this comes as a surprise.

3. Joel Nystrom is going to come to North America after finishing his contract with Farjestad. Timeline: TBD

4. I’m interested to see what Noel Fransen will do. He’s in line for a real role with Farjestad next season.

5. Simon Forsmark is still under contract with Timra for next season. No word yet on whether he will sign his ELC, but I would assume it’s a possibility to happen.

6. Nikita Artamonov will continue to play hockey, even after Torpedo lost in the first round of the KHL playoffs. He will either play for Torpedo-Gorky at the VHL level Chaika in the MHL.

7. Look, I know SKA is down 3-1. Even if they lose on Friday, please, FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY, STOP ASSUMING HOW FAST A PLAYER CAN GET TO NORTH AMERICA. Some of you are putting extremely high expectations on something that was unlikely to happen in the first place.

8. This isn’t me being pessimistic. This is me being realistic. I’m trying to explain that the process for this takes a long time. We have all been extremely patient, so stop trying to jump the gun.

10. Let’s use Matvei Michkov as an example. His season ended in May and rumblings about a contract termination came. SKA terminated the contract on June 23rd. Flyers signed Michkov to his ELC on July 1st. It took until July 23rd to get him to North America. That’s 1 month between contract termination and arrival in NA. Added on top the fact that rumblings about this happening took over a month, it was a long process.

11. THIS is why I have been stressing (almost to no avail) that he won’t play this season. This takes time, it’s not a “snap my fingers and it’s done” sort of deal. There is so much more that needs to happen. I’m not saying it’s not possible, because nothing is truly impossible, but people really need to be much more realistic about this.

12. Charles-Alexis Legault is an incredibly smart player. He’s been a stalwart on the blue line since missing time in December.

11. I’ve had a few people ask about the Felix Unger Sorum Center experiment. I don’t think it failed at all, I think he fits better at wing. That shouldn’t come as a shock, since he hadn’t played center since his days in junior.

12. Bradly Nadeau is pretty good.

13. To the few people asking him to get called up, he still needs to gain a few pounds before getting the call. I have no doubts about him being an effective NHL player, but not until next season.

14. Ruslan Khazheyev’s last start, while still giving up 4 goals, was very solid. 37/41 saved against a very tough Coachella Valley team. It was always going to be an uphill battle this year.