Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for November 2017

Washington Capitals Place Aaron Ness On Waivers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Washington Capitals have placed Aaron Ness on waivers according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, likely with the intention of sending the 27-year old defenseman back to the minor leagues. Christian Djoos returned to practice yesterday for the Capitals, meaning the team has eight healthy defensemen if he’s ready to suit up. Though Madison Bowey is waiver-exempt, his play (and handedness) has earned him a role on the team going forward.

Ness is another case of an undersized defenseman not quite being able to crack an NHL lineup on a full-time basis. His excellent skating and offensive chops have allowed him to dominate the minor leagues, but have resulted in just six points across 47 career NHL games. He was a high draft selection (40th-overall) by the New York Islanders almost a decade ago, but hasn’t yet been able to establish himself in the league.

As a pending unrestricted free agent on a two-way deal, there could be some interest in him around the league. He certainly would bring some mobility to a defense-starved organization, and cost them almost nothing to keep on the NHL roster. Otherwise, he’ll head to Hershey to help the struggling Bears try to make the AHL playoffs.

Minor Transactions: 11/28/17

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Like always, we’ll keep an eye on all the minor transactions around the league right here. Make sure to bookmark or refresh throughout the day to keep up with all the movement.

Morning Notes: Cole, Keenan, Weber, McDonagh

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Even though trade rumors out of Pittsburgh continue to come out about Ian Cole, Bob McKenzie of TSN doesn’t believe the defenseman’s eventual departure is guaranteed. McKenzie took to Twitter to explain how he views the situation, underscoring that Pittsburgh will only make a deal if it improves their chances at the Stanley Cup this season. As he points out, the team hasn’t worried about losing potential free agents before and why should they? The Penguins are going after their third straight Stanley Cup this season and after a tough start are still in the Metropolitan Division mix.

Cole certainly should command a fairly high trade value even with his recent healthy scratches, as he’s cheap and relatively young (he doesn’t turn 29 until February. McKenzie also feels that a “quality center” is likely what the team is after in any potential deal.

  • Mike Keenan has been removed from the GM role of Kunlun Red Star in the KHL, according to Darren Dreger of TSN. The infamous NHL coach will remain behind the bench for the Chinese club, despite losing their last seven games. Kunlun stands at 12-14-8 so far this season and find themselves out of the playoffs. Keenan won the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994, but has been coaching in the KHL now for 2013.
  • The Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers watched their star defensemen skate this morning, as both Shea Weber and Ryan McDonagh got back on the ice. Neither player is ready to return for their respective teams, but are getting closer with every passing day. McDonagh in particular is expected to return to the Rangers lineup on Friday if all goes well this week. Weber is still working out on his own and has no clear return date.

Vegas, Toronto, Colorado Pursuing Ian Cole

at CDT | by 11 Comments

Late last night a report from Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette broke that the Penguins were shopping Ian Cole. The 28-year old defenseman is an unrestricted free agent after this season, and hadn’t gotten anywhere in extension talks with Pittsburgh. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet added that Cole’s agent had been given permission to talk to other teams.

Ian ColeNow, Mackey has even more information on a potential Cole swap. In a piece from this morning, the Post-Gazette writer reports that the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs are the leading suitors for Cole’s services, and that he won’t be traded to anyone in the Metropolitan Division. With the standings so tight this season, it’s understandable that Pittsburgh wouldn’t want to hand over a two-time Stanley Cup champion.

It’s that playoff success that makes Cole’s availability so surprising. With Kris Letang and others injured in last year’s Stanley Cup run, Cole was a huge part of the Penguins success, playing in all 25 games and registering nine points. This season though he’s seen his role diminished to the point where he plays fewer than 17 minutes a night.

Toronto has been clear in their pursuit of defense since last season, and even added another Penguins Stanley Cup champion in Ron Hainsey this offseason. Cole’s $2.1MM cap hit is a very palatable number for teams in their situation, pressed up close to the cap ceiling.

Colorado has been a surprising team this season even after trading Matt Duchene away, and find themselves at 11-9-2 through the early part of the year. Though they’ve added several young defensemen to the organization in the past few months, a player like Cole could add some stability if he came with a long-term extension.

For Vegas, it does seem like a poor match. Though they do have some of the assets that Pittsburgh would be after, they already have too many defensemen on the roster and in the organization and would need to move some out before taking on a player like Cole. The fact that he’s a free agent at the end of the season works with their salary structure, but buying at the deadline doesn’t make sense for their long-term health.

Pittsburgh has been scratching Cole recently because of the trade talks, and Mackey believes that the deal will be completed quickly. Whether it is with one of those three teams or someone else is unclear, and what the Penguins are looking for in return is still anyone’s guess. They have been looking for help at center all season, and players like Tyler Bozak, Carl Soderberg or Jon Marchessault could be potential options from the above trio. Obviously those three examples come with different trade values, but help down the middle seems like the most likely result of the deal for the Penguins.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Opinions Differ On Injury Disclosures

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Dallas Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock turned some heads last week when he made comments against the NHL’s injury reporting policies. Hitchcock’s comments were not controversial, however they were the first that anyone within the league had publicly taken a stance against a rather secretive way of doing business. The NHL does not require its teams to submit detailed injury reports like the National Football League does, for example. Instead, fans and opponents are left with the infamous “lower body” and “upper body” injuries which could be anything from a broken toe to a concussion and infinite other ailments in between. Yet, last week Hitchcock’s Stars came out and announced specific injuries: knee surgery for Marc Methot and a hand injury for Martin Hanzal. In addressing the media on his deviation from the norm, Hitchcock was blunt:

“I think we collectively hate playing the game. What I mean by that is we say upper body, then you go on the phone, and then you look up things or you go to the doctors, find out what part of the upper body… We try to make your work easier, quite frankly… Nobody thinks like that. Our feeling is just ’tell them what the injury is and move it forward, and let’s stop the dance.'”

What Hitchcock alludes to is that secrecy surrounding injuries in the NHL is nothing more than a “game” at this point. The media and thus fans and opponents eventually find out the pertinent information and hiding behind vague “upper-body” and “lower-body” injuries is merely a hindrance on the flow of information.

So what do other coaches think? Since Hitchcock’s remarks, this has been a hot button topic for the league’s other bench bosses. Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock was asked on Saturday what his opinion was on the subject and agreed with Hitchcock on all but one specific injury: concussions. “I don’t like talking about head injuries,” Babcock qualified, “Then there are all these things about concussions and half the time it’s neck or something… I want the player and the right people to work that out.” Despite otherwise agreeing with Hitchcock, Babcock did add that the Leafs plan to stick with “upper-body” and “lower-body”, though he respects the right of all coaches to disclose injuries as they like.

Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice was less cordial about Hitchcock’s comments when he addressed them this morning, completely disagreeing:

“You’re not allowed to tell anybody what a doctor knows. They’ve got laws. People can get sued for letting that kind of information (out). I don’t really have the right to come out and tell you how a guy is feeling…I would think on average (that) somewhere between nine and 11 players, about half your hockey team, every single night, has something that they’re dealing with. Bone bruises, I had a guy playing with cracked ribs. I don’t want anybody to know that.”

Maurice seems to take the stance that not only is revealing a specific injury a violation of a player’s  privacy, but it also can be detrimental to the team. The one point on which Maurice agreed with Hitchcock over Babcock was concussions, as Maurice feels that there is a “responsibility to show our league is handling them in a certain way.”

For media and fans, the clear choice is with Hitchcock, as complete information is always a benefit to the spectators. So long as coaches support vague injury reports though, it seems unlikely that the league will implement any blanked changes to injury disclosures.

Snapshots: Chabot, Johansson, Berglund

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Just a day after sending him down to the minors, the Ottawa Senators have called defenseman Thomas Chabot back up from AHL Belleville. The team is finding it hard to keep the promising blue liner in the AHL and for good reason.  The 2015 first-round pick has looked better and better with each game played in the NHL, now with three points and a +2 rating through five 2017-18 contests. He also handled more ice time well in his most recent stint, including extensive action on the power play. In fact, Chabot’s 2:34 average power play time on ice is second only to Erik Karlsson among Ottawa defensemen. The Sens are running out of excuses to not keep their prized prospect in the big leagues, especially when he has shown superior play in the NHL versus the AHL and appears to have already outgrown the minors. There was no specific reason given by the team for this latest recall, but one would think that Chabot could be up for a longer stint this time around.

  • Another fan base ready for an exciting addition back to their roster is the New Jersey Devils. Devils beat reporter Amanda Stein reported today that Marcus Johansson has been cleared to re-join the team and should be ready for New Jersey’s upcoming road trip. Johansson has not played since November 1st due to a concussion, but appears to back at full strength for a Devils team that has exceedingly outperformed expectations this season despite several medical absences. Johansson, of course, was New Jersey’s big off-season acquisition, coming over via trade from the Washington Capitals. However, Johansson has only seen ten games of action in 2017-18 and should be primed to add to his mere five points thus far when he takes the ice again this week.
  • Fellow Swede and injured center Patrik Berglund appears poised for a return from injury soon as well. St. Louis Blues beat writer Lou Korac reports that the long-time Blue could be back as early as Wednesday from off-season shoulder surgery that has kept him off the ice so far this season. Yet, like fellow core teammate Jay Bouwmeester, the Blues have hardly felt his absence this year. The NHL’s best team has been rolling in 2017-18 without Berglund, Robby Fabbri, Zach Sanford, and until recently Bouwmeester. Yet, logic would dictate the team would only get better upon Berglund’s return and that should scare the other 30 teams in the NHL.

Los Angeles Kings Sign Austin Strand To ELC

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Los Angeles Kings have added to their prospect pool, signing defenseman Austin Strand to a three-year entry-level contract. Strand went undrafted and is currently playing with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, where he has 26 points in 24 games.

Strand, 20, had an incredible playoff run with the Thunderbirds last season after coming over from the Red Deer Rebels mid-season, including an appearance in the Memorial Cup as WHL Champions. The 6’4″ 216-lbs defenseman was ranked 101st-overall among North American skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting heading into the 2015 draft, but wasn’t picked that summer or following year. He’ll turn 21 in February, but has shown the early signs of a step forward in his progression, earning him the entry-level deal.

Known more as a defensive defenseman, if Strand’s offensive game has taken a leap he could turn into a legitimate candidate to make the leap to the NHL sooner than later. That comes with a strong caveat though, as many often excel in the CHL as over-aged players and never take the next step in their professional journey. For now, he’ll try to take the Thunderbirds to his third-straight Memorial Cup—he also appeared in the tournament in 2016 with host city Red Deer—and finally hoist the trophy overhead.

Griffith Placed On Waivers, Laich On Unconditional Waivers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Monday: After clearing waivers, the Kings have indeed terminated Laich’s contract. It looks like the end of the line for the 34-year old, who has seen his play diminish greatly since scoring 20+ goals in three consecutive seasons earlier in his career.

Sunday: Two more players have been placed on waivers today, according to Elliotte Friedman, who reports that the Buffalo Sabres have placed Seth Griffith on waivers, while the Los Angeles Kings have placed Brooks Laich on unconditional waivers with the intention of terminating his contract.

Griffith didn’t just make the Buffalo squad out of training camp, but earned top-six minutes to start the season. However, he has since fallen out of favor. He had been a healthy scratch the past two games before playing in Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens. However, the 24-year-old center only received 9:03 of playing time on one of the bottom lines. Griffith is not new to being waived. He was waived by the Boston Bruins in October last year and was subsequently claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Almost a month later, Toronto waived him again and he was claimed by the Florida Panthers. In January of 2017, the Panthers waived him and he was re-claimed by the Maple Leafs again and eventually ended up playing with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL.

As for Laich, the veteran forward was placed on waivers on Friday and then cleared waivers yesterday. James Mirtle of The Athletic adds that it appears Laich intends to retire. The 34-year veteran, who has spent much of his 30’s plagued by injuries, played 12 games with the Kings this year, picking up just one assist during that span.

Gabriel Landeskog Suspended Four Games For Cross-Checking

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The decision has come down on Gabriel Landeskog, and the NHL Department of Player Safety has suspended the Colorado Avalanche forward for four games. Landeskog earned the suspension for cross-checking Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk in the neck/head during Saturday night’s game.

This isn’t the first time Landeskog has been involved in a cross-checking incident, as the video explanation from the DoPS notes:

Although he is no long considered a repeat offender as defined by the CBA, it is important to note that Gabriel Landeskog has previously been suspended three games for a similar act in March of 2016. 

That history led to a longer suspension this time around, but it won’t cost him any extra money. As Frank Seravalli of TSN points out, had he been suspended before his “repeat offender clock” ran in early September, he would have lost another $151,961 for this ban. Landeskog was actually suspended twice during that 2015-16 season, including a two-game ban for a blindside check to the head of Brad Marchand. His history is quite checkered with the league now, and will continue to see severe penalties handed down for any future incidents.

Amazingly, Tkachuk has now been the “victim” of two different suspend-able actions this season. He was the player who prompted Luke Witkowski to leave the bench after being ejected, earning the Red Wings’ player a ten-game ban earlier this month. Tkachuk has quite the reputation for getting under the skin of his opponents, and also leads the league in drawn minor penalties. Teams will have to make sure they don’t lose their cool when he’s on the ice, instead of continually playing into his hands and giving the Flames an advantage.

Vegas Golden Knights Expected To Recall Stefan Matteau

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Vegas Golden Knights have been on fire for most of the season, and currently sit in first place in the Pacific Division. The expansion franchise has turned a rag-tag group of players from the fringes of NHL rosters into a cohesive unit, even in the face of staggering injuries. Though Luca Sbisa was at practice wearing a no-contract jersey, and Marc-Andre Fleury skated before teammates according to David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review Journal, David Perron and William Carrier were nowhere to be seen on the ice at T-Mobile Arena. That leaves them with just 11 healthy forwards at practice, and in need of some help up front.

Enter Stefan Matteau, who according to NHL.com contributor Anthony Marcotte will be recalled by the Golden Knights for the first time this season. The son of former NHLer Stephane Matteau, Stefan was selected 29th-overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2012, and eventually dealt to Montreal for Devante Smith-Pelly. He wasn’t qualified this summer by the Canadiens, and eventually signed a one-year contract with Vegas. Projected as a powerful winger with speed and physicality, it was hoped that Matteau would eventually develop more of an offensive game to be able to stick in the NHL. That hasn’t happened yet, as he has just six points in 56 career NHL contests and hasn’t been a big scoring threat even at the minor league level.

Still, Vegas has built their season on players that were underestimated so far in their careers and will try to catch more lightning in a bottle with Matteau. The 6’2″ 220-lbs forward could bring an added level of physicality and energy to their bottom six, and perhaps show that he’s ready for an increased role. Power forwards often find their footing later in their careers, and at 23 years old Matteau can’t quite be labelled a bust just yet. Even if his offensive game never develops, perhaps he can provide different value to the Golden Knights.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top