For all the heat that the air travel industry has taken lately, my flights on Air Canada were terrific. I really appreciate how their in-flight entertainment system makes time (ahem) fly by, especially since I'm always behind on the latest movies.
My journey got tougher once I got back on the ground—long lines in the Paris airport and a long, complicated train ride to get to my hotel. Also, after experiencing nothing but sunshine at my last two World Championships, the weather here looks a lot like the weather in Vancouver. It's rainy and cool-ish tonight, and we're expecting a mixed bag over the next few days.
I had hoped to get organized in time to make Team Canada's practice at 2:30 this afternoon, but that didn't happen. I will definitely get to the arena on Friday, since Canada's playing in the late game against the Czech Republic. You can catch it on TSN at 11 a.m. PT, and watch for my Canadian Press game story afterward—coming to an outlet near you.
Making my connection in Montreal, I was shocked to see NBA basketball and European soccer on the nearby TVs in the airport during my brief layover—while the Penguins/Capitals game was on. I did spot hockey on one TV before I boarded but I couldn't help thinking that if the Habs had been playing, they would have been on every TV in the building. N'est-ce pas?
Also while I was in Montreal, I saw the news that the Canucks have inked defenseman Andrey Pedan to a new contract.
Who needs Nikita Tryamkin? Vancouver's got another big Russian waiting in the wings—a 6'5", 215-pound 23-year-old who has been playing in North America since 2010.
I, for one, had high hopes for Pedan before Tryamkin came along. He was acquired by Jim Benning from the New York Islanders in November of 2014, three years after being drafted in the third round.
Click here to check out an early NHL interview with Pedan from his first development camp in 2011, from the New York Islanders website.
Pedan was born in Lithuania but, like worldly young Nikolay Goldobin, he was raised in Moscow— Russia's largest, most cosmopolitan city. Also like Goldobin, he's fluent in both Russian and English and seems committed to trying to make a go of things in North America.
Jim Benning is Pedan’s biggest supporter in the #Canucks organization. Loves his size. Travis Green spoke with Pedan today.
Pedan made his debut with the Canucks on December 1, 2015—playing 3:54 at forward as an injury-depleted Canucks group fell 2-1 in overtime on the road in Los Angeles. He ended up playing 13 games in 2015-16, going pointless and recording 18 penalty minutes, including two fights.
Last season, he was recalled three times. He used up his 30-day exemption before he'd need to clear waivers, then was sent back down to Utica for the rest of the season in mid-January, without actually dressing for a single NHL game.
Pedan seemed unable to gain the trust of Willie Desjardins. Vancouver's coaching change should benefit him, but he's had some bumpy spots with Travis Green as well.
Ben Birnell of the Utica Observer-Dispatch brings us up to date on Pedan's development—which, unfortunately, has not been trending positively.
Pedan had an up-and-down 2016-17 season with the Comets, in which he was a healthy scratch a few times. Pedan totaled five goals, five assists and added a team-most 100 penalty minutes in a career-best 52 games. His 40 minor penalties were tied for second-most in the AHL. Those numbers were down from 2015-16 when he had 21 points and 87 penalty minutes in 45 games.
Nonetheless, getting his new deal done early shows that Pedan was eager to re-sign and try to take that next step.
Exited to be back with @Canucks for next year,time to work and prove people wrong! #IsItOctoberYet
The Russian connection is overly simplistic, but with Tryamkin gone, Pedan could bring some much-needed size to Vancouver's back end. He also plays with more natural snarl.
He certainly had no trouble getting the better of Anton Blidh of the Providence Bruins in his most recent fight, in a March game with the Comets.
CapFriendly shows that Pedan's new two-way deal will pay him $750,000 next season if he makes the Canucks or $200,000 in the minors—with a guarantee that he'll get at least $300,000, even if he spends the entire year at the minor-league level.
That's a small increase from the $700K/$100K breakdown he played under in 2016-17. He would have drawn an NHL salary for those 30 days he was with the Canucks, even though he didn't get into any games.
With his 24th birthday approaching in July, Pedan can still be considered a prospect, but not for much longer. Next season will be make-or-break with respect to his chances of becoming a full-time NHL player.
One other quick note to wrap up today—earlier this week, the NHL announced which players will be exempt from June's expansion draft due to their status as players with long-term, potentially career-threatening injuries:
The NHL sent a memo to teams today declaring a list of players exempt from the expansion draft as agreed upon w/NHLPA. Full list: pic.twitter.com/xanQ1PS0QX
We had wondered whether or not Vancouver's Derek Dorsett might be part of this group after missing the better part of the 2016-17 season due to neck surgery, but his name does not appear. That means Dorsett will either need to be protected or—more likely—exposed for selection by Las Vegas.
Dorsett has two more years left on the contract that carries a cap hit of $2.65 million per season. As he continues his rehab, it seems unlikely that he'd be a top target for the Golden Knights.
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