Decisions pending for players on entry-level contracts

Teams are beginning to face tough roster decisions regarding the future of key young players.

A player on an entry-level contract can skate in nine games before teams must decide whether to send him to the American Hockey League or junior hockey and delay the start of their contract to the following season. Teams still can send a player down after his 10th game, but it would use up the first season of his contract regardless of how many more NHL games he played.
For some, the decisions will be easy. The Carolina Hurricanes lead the Metropolitan Division in part because of the play of rookie forward Andrei Svechnikov.
The 18-year-old forward, selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, has four points (two goals, two assists) in eight games. He's tied for second in the NHL with two game-winning goals, and he's third among rookies to play at least four games with a 62.58 shot attempt percentage.
Barring injury or major lineup changes, he'll be with the Hurricanes well beyond their 10th game, against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Friday.
Other teams won't have such easy decisions. Here is a look at a few players and their likelihood of remaining in the NHL past their ninth game:
Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers
So far: Bouchard, 18, has no points and eight shots on goal in five games, and has been scratched once. His 13:22 of ice time is fifth among the seven Oilers defensemen to play this season. If he remains in the lineup, he's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Minnesota Wild at Rogers Place on Oct. 30.
Staying or going:Likely staying. Though Bouchard's offensive abilities haven't led to production on the score sheet yet, he's helping control play when he's on the ice; his 55.10 shot attempt percentage is second on the Oilers to forward Ryan Strome (62.07). The Oilers have to determine what will be best for Bouchard's development: A return to his junior team (London of the Ontario Hockey League), where he would play a top-pair role after dominating last season (87 points in 67 games), or stay with the Oilers and continue to be brought along slowly.
Filip Chytil, C, New York Rangers
So far:Chytil, 19, has bounced around the Rangers lineup, going from fourth-line center to left wing on the second line, with center Kevin Hayes and right wing Mats Zuccarello. He has two assists in eight games and is scheduled to play his 10th game against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Thursday.
Staying or going:Likely staying. It's a season of development for the Rangers, and the organization needs to see where Chytil fits in their future.

Max Comtois, LW, Anaheim Ducks
So far: Comtois, 19, started the season in the NHL in part because of injuries to forwards Patrick Eaves, Ondrej Kase and Corey Perry. But he scored 49 seconds into the season opener against the Sharks on Oct. 3 and is tied for first on the Ducks with seven points (two goals, five assists) in nine games. He's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Blackhawks at United Center on Tuesday.
Staying or going: Staying. Comtois has done well in a second-line role with center Adam Henrique and is getting power-play time. He led Ducks forwards with 17:34 of ice time and had an assist in a 4-1 win against the New York Islanders on Wednesday.
Rasmus Dahlin, D, Buffalo Sabres
So far:Dahlin, 18, has three points (one goal, two assists) in nine games, and he's averaging 19:03 of ice time, third among Sabres defensemen. He's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center on Thursday.
Staying or going:Staying. The No. 1 pick of the 2018 NHL Draft has been solid and his offensive game should get better while he continues to adjust to life in the NHL as a teenage defenseman playing his first season in North America.

Alex Formenton, LW, Ottawa Senators
So far: Formenton, 19, had five shots on goal in four games when he sustained a concussion against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 10. He was averaging 11:12 of ice time in a bottom-six role and was being used on the penalty kill. He skated in a non-contact jersey Thursday. If he can play against the Boston Bruins at Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday, his 10th game would be against the Sabres at KeyBank Center Nov. 3.
Staying or going: Possibly going. Formenton has impressive speed but has struggled to produce offensively in five NHL games the past two seasons. The Senators could opt to keep him in the NHL when he gets healthy and let him continue to adjust to the pace of the game at this level or return him to his junior team, London of the OHL.
Miro Heiskanen, D, Dallas Stars
So far:Heiskanen, 19, has two assists in seven games, and is third among Stars defensemen with an average ice time of 20:39, behind John Klingberg (25:52) and Esa Lindell (24:28). He's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday.
Staying or going:Staying. Heiskanen clearly has earned the trust of coach Jim Montgomery; he's one of two rookie defensemen (Maxime Lajoie of the Ottawa Senators) to average more than 1:00 per game on the power play (1:06) and the penalty kill (1:21).
Henri Jokiharju, D, Chicago Blackhawks
So far: Jokiharju, 19, has proved to be deserving of a spot on the top defense pair with Duncan Keith. He has five assists in eight games and is plus-3 while averaging 21:02 of ice time, second to Keith (24:07) among Blackhawks defensemen. Jokiharju also is third on the Blackhawks with a 55.45 shot attempt percentage, behind Chris Kunitz (55.97) and Keith (56.42). He's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Rangers at United Center on Thursday.
Staying or going: Staying. Jokiharju has had a plus or even rating in five of his seven games. He's played more than 22:00 three times, including a season-high 24:04, most among Blackhawks defenseman, in a 4-3 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 13.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Montreal Canadiens
So far: Kotkaniemi, 18, became the first player born in the year 2000 to play in one of the four North American professional sports when he made his NHL debut Oct. 3. He has three assists in seven games centering the Canadiens' third line. He's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Bruins at TD Garden on Saturday.
Staying or going: Staying. The Canadiens are one of the surprise teams of the first month of the season, and Kotkaniemi adds skill and depth to a position where they need both.

Isac Lundestrom, C, Anaheim Ducks
So far: Like Comtois, Lundestrom, 18, turned a strong preseason and injuries to several veteran Ducks forwards into a chance to make the opening-night roster. He's lasted because he's shown he can play center or left wing and not look out of place in either spot. He has one assist in seven games and is scheduled to play his 10th game against the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center on Oct. 28.
Staying or going: Likely going. Lundestrom's versatility works in his favor, but as the Ducks get healthy and Nick Ritchie, who signed a three-year contract Wednesday, gets into the lineup, Lundestrom's ice time of 14:45 per game likely will shrink. He'd be better served playing a top-six role with San Diego of the AHL or Lulea in his native Sweden rather than a diminished role in the NHL.
Michael Rasmussen, C, Detroit Red Wings
So far:Rasmussen, 19, has one assist in seven games, and was scratched for the first time against the Canadiens on Oct. 15. He was back in the lineup for the next game, against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 18, but at left wing instead of his natural center position. If he remains in the lineup, he's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Stars at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday.
Staying or going:Likely staying. Rasmussen would have to return his junior team, and that was a level he dominated last season. He had 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in his final 18 regular-season games with Tri-City of the Western Hockey League and 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 14 playoff games. Rather than have his development stagnate, he could stay in the NHL in a sheltered role while he learns the pro game.
Brady Tkachuk, LW, Ottawa Senators
So far:Tkachuk, 19, had points in three straight games, including back-to-back multipoint games against the Flyers (two goals, one assist) on Oct. 10 and the Los Angeles Kings (two assists) on Oct. 13, before he tore a ligament in his leg against the Stars on Oct. 15 that is expected to keep him out for one month. His three goals were second on the Senators to Lajoie (four) when he was injured, and he was averaging 14:17 of ice time in a top-role and on the power play. If he misses one month, he could come back against the Red Wings on Nov. 15 and play his 10th game against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 26.
Staying or going: Staying. Tkachuk has had little problem producing offensively while asserting himself physically. At the time of his injury, his 14 shots on goal were second on the Senators to Lajoie (18). He also had four penalty minutes and 13 hits, which was third on the Senators when he was injured. Assuming there's no complications when he returns from his injury, it's likely he'll continue to become a bigger part of the Senators in all areas of the game.

Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Edmonton Oilers
So far: Yamamoto, 20, scored his first NHL goal in a 3-2 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Thursday. He was rewarded the next game, against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, with a season-high 15:21 as the top-line right wing alongside center Connor McDavid and left wing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He's scheduled to play his 10th game against the Blackhawks at United Center on Sunday.
Staying or going:Likely staying. A promotion to the top line means coach Todd McLellan is happy with Yamamoto's play, including his 52.38 shot attempt percentage, second to Strome among Oilers forwards. As Edmonton continues to put its puzzle together offensively, it appears Yamamoto will have a big role.