A forward with the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes, Bellerive attended the party with teammate Ryan Vandervlis and former Hurricanes skater Matt Alfaro, who were also hospitalized. One is considered to be in critical condition, though a Penguins team source said it is not Bellerive, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The 19-year-old Bellerive led the Hurricanes in scoring this season, notching 92 points in 71 games. He signed with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent last September.
The Penguins released a statement Sunday, indicating assistant general manager Bill Guerin has been in contact with Bellerive, who is expected to make a full recovery.
Few things can overly excite a fan base like the potential addition of a talented unrestricted free agent. Should that player be one that resides in the blue paint, that buzz seemingly amps up a few notches.
And while the top crop of netminders set to become UFAs this summer isn't exactly a list of future Hall of Famers, there are a few names that will assuredly have front-office executives picking up the phone to gauge costs.
With July 1 rapidly approaching, we rank the best UFA goalies set to hit the open market best based on past track record, age, and skill.
5. Jaroslav Halak
2017-18 stats:
GP
Record
SO
GAA
SV%
54
20-26-6
1
3.19
.908
Buried in the seemingly bottomless pit of goaltending in New York over the last few seasons, Halak has struggled to recapture his 38-win form from 2014-15 when he posted six shutouts and carried the Islanders to a playoff berth.
The veteran netminder hasn't exactly been gifted with a strong supporting cast in front of him, as New York has built a reputation as a squad that opposing teams pad their offensive stats against, allowing a league high in shots-against per game, goals-against per game, and total goals allowed in 2017-18.
So his recent performance must be viewed through the correct lens to properly see what he still has to offer.
Despite the porous defense in front of him and the less-than-stellar numbers, Halak still has what it takes to contribute as a serviceable backup who fills in for 20 or 30 games as a quality No. 2. The 33-year-old's streaky nature and tendency to elevate his game in the clutch should be enough to suppress any potential injury concerns.
4. Cam Ward
2017-18 stats:
GP
Record
SO
GAA
SV%
43
23-14-4
2
2.73
.906
In a season when he was supposed to play backup and mentor newly appointed No. 1 Scott Darling, Ward was the far more consistent goalie in the Hurricanes' blue paint.
There is no denying that Ward's best days are behind him. And at 34 years old, he is undoubtedly best suited for holding down a backup role. However, as last season proved, Ward is more than capable of still turning in game-stealing performances.
He has the ability to win games while also bringing an element of veteran stability to the table; essential characteristics for any successful goalie. Expect Ward to slot nicely into a roster in need of an experienced netminder.
3. Kari Lehtonen
GP
Record
SO
GAA
SV%
37
15-14-3
1
2.56
.912
Another 'tender that hasn't exactly been blessed with a strong defensive core in front of him, Lehtonen remains an intriguing goalie for teams in need of a relatively cheap option who can still get the job done.
Lehtonen had a massive bounce-back campaign in 2017-18 for the Dallas Stars despite playing second fiddle to offseason acquisition Ben Bishop. While Bishop struggled and spent time on the treatment table, Lehtonen used the opportunity to reclaim some of the respect he'd lost over the past few seasons of poor showings, posting a respectable 2.56 GAA and .912 save percentage across 30 starts.
A history of injuries and recent inconsistency won't exactly have GMs lined up to sign him, but Lehtonen's size and comfort handling the biscuit should land him at least a few contract offers.
2. Anton Khudobin
GP
Record
SO
GAA
SV%
31
16-6-7
1
2.56
.913
Khudobin was rock-solid this year in relief of Boston Bruins starter Tuukka Rask, posting 16 wins and a save percentage north of .910 - two very good numbers for teams to get out of their backup netminder.
The 32-year-old Russian makes up for his relatively small frame (5-foot-11) with his lightning-quick agility, a trait that allows him to cover a lot of the net despite his limited length.
Regardless of his past injury issues, Khudobin is the prototypical backup goalie who's proven he can steal a game when his team needs it most. His potential to be a No. 1 in a pinch is the clinching factor in having Khudobin holding down the second spot on our list.
1. Carter Hutton
GP
Record
SO
GAA
SV%
32
17-7-3
3
2.09
.931
Three seasons of sitting behind one of the league's greatest goalies in Pekka Rinne in Nashville started to pay off in spades for Hutton in 2017-18. He turned in the best campaign of his career while temporarily stealing the crease away from starter Jake Allen midway through the year, turning in a 9-1-1 record from Dec. 29 to Feb. 3.
That stretch of lights-out play and an overall solid season turned enough heads around the NHL that he will undoubtedly be the most sought-after UFA goalie on the market.
Hutton has already indicated to the Blues that he'll be looking to test the free-agent waters, which could start an interesting trickle-down effect on the rest of the netminders on the list, as Hutton's contract would surely become the benchmark for offseason signings.
Like most NHL general managers, newly appointed Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has a busy few weeks ahead of him.
With the draft and free agency looming, Dubas was asked about his plans for pending unrestricted free-agent forwards James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, and Leo Komarov.
"The door is always open," Dubas said Saturday, according to the Canadian Press. "We're evaluating where things are."
The success of some prospects already on Toronto's depth chart this season, such as AHL playoff MVP Andreas Johnsson, gives Dubas the luxury of not having to force a deal, and helps relieve any pressure to re-sign one of the aforementioned veterans.
"I don't think I have to do anything big, just to do so," Dubas said. "That would be a disservice to the organization, frankly. It's not about me. It's about the players and the coaches.
"If what people describe as a 'big splash' happens to make our team a lot better then we'll do it, but it's not something that important to me at all."
Bozak is one of the best faceoff men in the game (53.6 career win percentage). Van Riemsdyk, meanwhile, is coming off a season in which he tallied a career-high 36 goals, and Komarov is a leader committed to playing with a physical edge. Any member of the trio that hits the open market on July 1 should attract interest.
The St. Louis Blues could be looking to add another lethal Russian scorer to their lineup.
Blues general manager Doug Armstrong confirmed Friday the team is interested in highly sought-after winger Ilya Kovalchuk.
"There's nothing planned yet on a visit but we certainly talked to his agent asking him to explore our situation and see if there's interest," Armstrong said, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Kovalchuk has been generating interest across the NHL since indicating in March he was eyeing a jump back across the pond.
"Always looking to improve our team," said Armstrong. "We're like all teams. He's 35 years old, there's risk involved with players of that age. But he could be Jaromir Jagr. He could start slowing down at 41. Or he could come back and hit the wall. You never know.
"But there's certainly intrigue there because he's been such a dominant player internationally and he was a helluva player when he left (the NHL)."
Kovalchuk spent the last five seasons in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg, racking up 120 goals and 165 assists in 262 regular-season games.
Traded to the Arizona Coyotes late Friday, the former Montreal Canadiens forward is not only headed to a new home, but he'll also be getting a chance to play his preferred position: lining up in the middle of the ice.
After shifting from center to wing during his time with the Canadiens, the former third overall pick will have a clean slate at center with his new club.
"I don't think we'd make this trade if we didn't think he had the ability to play center," Coyotes general manager John Chayka said following the trade.
Music to Galchenyuk's ears, to be sure, as prior to his exit from Montreal, he had discussions about a move back to the middle, but it never materialized, Galchenyuk indicated to Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports.
He'll get that opportunity in the desert, a chance he last had in Montreal at the start of the 2016-17 campaign. For Galchenyuk's part, there is no shortage of enthusiasm.
Marc Bergevin can't quite put his finger on it, but there are qualities to Max Domi's game that he prefers to Alex Galchenyuk's.
Domi, the newest member of the Montreal Canadiens, was acquired Friday in a deal that saw the Habs part with the former third-overall pick Galchenyuk.
The two are separated by just one year and both have averaged 0.61 points per game over their respective careers, but it's Domi's work away from the puck which is most appealing, the Canadiens general manager told reporters Saturday.
"I encourage you to check out Max Domi highlights on YouTube. His energy and enthusiasm are off the charts," Bergevin said.
Marc Bergevin mentioned the word "intangibles" several times in explaining why he thinks the Canadiens are a better team with Max Domi as opposed to Alex Galchenyuk.
Billed as an offensive threat, the diminutive Domi also plays with an edge, something that rival players like Ryan Kesler have had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of.
"I welcome (fans) to watch him and to get to know him, and I think once he's here and they'll watch him play they'll appreciate what he brings," Bergevin added, as per TSN's John Lu.
The Canadiens GM also said that while Domi split time last season between left wing and center under former coach Rick Tocchet, he sees him lining up on the wing with his new club.
"We watched him (play center with Arizona) last year but we know he's a better winger," Bergevin said. "In a jam, I guess he could help at center but we don't want to put him expecting as a centerman."
Earlier Saturday, the Canadiens inked Domi to a two-year, $6.3-million contract extension.
Almost one year ago, the Arizona Coyotes pulled off a draft-day blockbuster, acquiring Derek Stepan from the New York Rangers in hopes of rectifying the franchise's longtime weakness at center.
The hope is that Galchenyuk will line up at center, likely as the Coyotes' second-line pivot behind Stepan. While he spent much of last season at wing, general manager John Chayka believes Galchenyuk will benefit from a move back to the middle.
"Our thesis on it is he has the ability (to play center) and we think that he has natural tendencies that lend itself to that," Chayka said in a conference call. "We feel, just based off of our research and what we've looked at, that he has the capacity to do it.
"I think having depth at that position and having players who can play that position is something that we desired in this trade. He's had success playing the center position. I don't think we'd make this trade if we didn't think he had the ability to play center."
While Galchenyuk saw little time up the middle under current Habs coach Claude Julien, he was a frequent middleman under former bench boss Michel Therrien.
Galchenyuk began the 2016-17 season at center, putting up nine goals and 14 assists in 25 games before suffering a knee injury. The 24-year-old was moved to the wing upon his return from the ensuing six-week layoff.
