NHL Hockey Player News

Hakkarainen, 21, was a fifth-round pick (No.139 overall) in 2018 and just finished up his third season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL), where he had 19 goals and 28 assists (47 points) in 42 games.

Mikheyev was a highly coveted forward, who had 23 goals and 22 assists (45 points) in 62 games with Omsk Avangard of the KHL. The 24-year-old is 6-foot-2 and 190 lbs and will bring a little size to the Maple Leafs forward group in 2019-20.

Tarasov was a third-round pick (No.86 overall) in 2017 and played in the VHL and KHL last year. Tarasov was 17-6 with a 1.71 GAA, .928 SV% and two shutouts in 25 VHL games before making his KHL debut, where he had a 2.86 GAA and .917 SV% in two games.

Rutta split his campaign between the Blackhawks and Lightning and spent half the year in the AHL. Rutta had four goals and eight assists (12 points) in 26 AHL games and eight points (2G / 6A) in 37 NHL games. With the Lightning’s blueline banged up at the end of the season, Rutta appeared in all four playoff games, where he had two helpers. He will likely serve as a sixth/seventh defenseman with Tampa Bay next year.

Shesterkin, 23, was a fourth-round pick (No.118 overall) in 2014 and enjoyed an outstanding season as with St. Petersburg SKA (KHL). Shesterkin went 24-4-0 with a 1.11 GAA, .953 SV% in 10 shutouts in 28 games this season.

Kravtsov, 19, was the No.9 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and one of the Rangers top prospects. The Russian right winger had eight goals and 13 assists (21 points0 in 50 games with Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL this season.

Steen, 21, was a sixth-round pick (No.165 overall) in 2016 and recorded 17 goals and 20 assists (37 points) in 46 games with Farjestads BK Karlstad (Sweden). The 21-year-old represented Sweden at the 2018 World Juniors, where he had two goals and two assists in seven games.

Shortly after being acquired from the Hurricanes, Fox has agreed to an entry-level contract with the Rangers. The Hobey Baker Award finalist had nine goals and 39 assists (48 points) in 33 games at Harvard University.

Olivier is an undrafted centre who played five years in the QMJHL, where he had 27 goals and 22 assists (49 points) with Sherbrooke in his final season. Olivier turned pro this year, collecting four goals and eight assists (12 points) in 54 games with Milwaukee (AHL).

Blidh’s contract is a two-way deal and the 24-year-old is coming off of his fourth year in the AHL, where he had 10 goals and 13 assists (23 points) in 74 games. Blidh has just one goal and one assists in 21 career NHL games.

Veleno dropped to the Red Wings in last summer’s draft, where he was selected No.30 overall. Veleno dominated the QMJHL where he was third in the league in assists (62), fourth in points (104) and seventh in goals (42). Veleno will have an opportunity to make the Red Wings out of training camp but could head to Grand Rapids (AHL) for some extra seasoning.