Jan Drozg, the Penguins' 2017 fifth-round pick, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Penguins that will take effect next season.
It was mentioned in last week's Prospect Watch that Shawinigan-based radio host Jean Deschesnes had reported that Drozg had signed his contract. Now, we have photographic evidence:
— Frederic Blais (@frblais) February 11, 2019
The signing was also reported by Guillaume Lepage on the French-language NHL.com site.
Drozg, a right wing, leads the lowly Shawinigan Cataractes in scoring, with 15 goals and 31 assists in 48 games. He's factored into 30 percent of all Cataractes goals this season.
In case you missed it, I spoke with Drozg's Slovenian countryman, Anze Kopitar about Drozg earlier in the season.
The Cataractes currently rank last in the QMJHL's Western Conference with a record of 14-38-1-3. The Cataractes' final game of the season will be on March 16. After that, Drozg will be free to join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an amateur tryout agreement, where he can finish out the season without his entry-level contract kicking in.
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FORWARDS
Justin Almeida
Position: Center/Wing
Size: 5-11/160
Drafted: 2018, fifth round
Team: Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Season totals: 51 games, 23 goals, 57 assists
Almeida registered four assists in three games this week.
Jordy Bellerive
Position: Center
Size: 5-10/195
Drafted: Undrafted
Team: Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Season totals: 57 games, 25 goals, 42 assists
Bellerive scored a goal and four assists in four games this week.
This was his goal, a 5-on-3 power play goal against Kootenay:
Kasper Bjorkqvist
Position: Wing
Size: 6-1/198
Drafted: 2016, second round
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Season totals: 32 games, 13 goals, 11 assists
Bjorkqvist scored two goals in two games this week, both goals coming in a 6-1 win over UMass-Lowell:
Coach Nate Leaman and Bjorkqvist spoke with the local news station following the weekend:
LOOKING BACK: The #10 Providence men's hockey team swept a home and home with top-15 UMass Lowell last weekend.
Head coach Nate Leaman and junior forward Kasper Bjorkvist will try to continue momentum against #2 UMass Amherst this coming weekend. @ABC6 @FriarsHockey pic.twitter.com/mj30w2yyyg
— Ian Steele (@ISteeleABC6) February 19, 2019
Jan Drozg
Position: Wing
Size: 6-0/174
Drafted: 2017, fifth round
Team: Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
Season totals: 48 games, 15 goals, 31 assists
Drozg registered three assists in three games this week.
Liam Gorman
Position: Center
Size: 6-2/188
Drafted: 2018, sixth round
Team: St. Sebastian’s School (USHS-Prep)
Season totals: ?
Gorman's team played one game this week, he didn't score.
Filip Hallander
Position: Center/Wing
Size: 6-1/190
Drafted: 2018, second round
Team: Timrå IK (SHL)
Season totals: 35 games, 7 goals, 10 assists
Hallander recorded one assist in four games this week.
Nikita Pavlychev
Position: Center
Size: 6-8/225
Drafted: 2015, seventh round
Team: Penn State (NCAA)
Season totals: 30 games, 13 goals, 14 assists
Pavlychev scored one goal and three assists in two games.
DEFENSEMEN
Calen Addison
Size: 5-10/180
Drafted: 2018, second round
Team: Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Season totals: 56 games, 9 goals, 46 assists
Addison registered six assists in four games.
Niclas Almari
Size: 6-1/167
Drafted: 2016, fifth round
Team: HPK (Liiga), HPK U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)
Season totals: 36 games, 1 goal, 4 assists with HPK; 2 games, 1 assist with HPK U20
Almari appeared in two scoreless games this week.
Ryan Jones
Size: 6-2/186
Drafted: 2016, fourth round
Team: Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA)
Season totals: 28 games, 9 assists
Jones and his team did not play this week.
Zachary Lauzon
Size: 6-1/187
Drafted: 2017, second round
Team: Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
Season totals: None
Lauzon, who has been rehabbing from the neck injury he sustained last season, will not play this season. He was not able to resume skating with the team. Lauzon will remain around the team for the remainder of the season and will travel with his teammates.
If the Penguins wish to retain Lauzon’s rights, they would have to sign him this summer. That won’t happen. Lauzon’s time as a Penguins prospect is most likely over, if not his entire career.
Antti Palojarvi
Size: 6-1/176
Drafted: 2017, sixth round
Team: Lukko (Liiga), Lukko U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga), SaPKo (Mestis)
Season totals: 16 games, 2 assists with Lukko; 29 games, 4 goals, 9 assists with Lukko U20; 4 games, 1 goal with SaPKo
Palojarvi played in three scoreless games with SaPKo this week.
Clayton Phillips
Size: 5-11/182
Drafted: 2017, third round
Team: Minnesota (NCAA)
Season totals: 29 games, 1 goal, 9 assists
Phillips played in one scoreless game this week on Friday, and was injured. He did not play on Saturday.
William Reilly
Size: 6-2/197
Drafted: 2017, seventh round
Team: Rensselaer Polytech (NCAA)
Season totals: 27 games, 5 goals, 10 assists
Reilly played in two scoreless games this week.
GOALTENDERS
Alex D’Orio
Size: 6-2/209
Drafted: Undrafted
Team: Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
Season totals: 39 games (14-24), 3.86 goals against average, .885 save percentage
D’Orio appeared in two games, recording a loss and a win. He stopped 11 of 14 shots in two periods against Victoriaville. He was replaced for the third period and was credited with the loss. D'Orio made 18 saves on 22 shots in a win over Acadie-Bathurst.
Baie-Comeau played a third game this week, but D'Orio was ill and did not dress.
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