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Minor Transactions: 10/6/17

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The NHL season is underway. NHL (and AHL) camps have shaken out and the final AHL signings of the off-season are filing in, as well as early season NHL adjustments. Here are some minor transactions from across the minors today:

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled defenseman Ben Harpur from their newly relocated affiliate, the Belleville Senators, the team announced. Harpur played in six regular season games for the Sens last season, but suited up for an additional nine playoff games and was given substantial ice time. However, with the off-season addition of Johnny Oduya, Harpur was pushed from the top seven on the organizational depth chart. In fact, many would say that Harpur is actually the second-to-next-man-up, behind star prospect Thomas Chabot, but in their first promotion of the season –  with Oduya dealing with a lower-body injury and captain Erik Karlsson still sidelined – Ottawa chose Harpur instead.
  • Back in Binghamton, the former home of the AHL Senators, new tenants the Devils, New Jersey’s former Albany affiliate, has made a couple notable moves of their own. The team announced today that they have brought in a pair of NHL veterans, inking forward Tim Kennedy to a one-year deal and signing defenseman Tim Erixon to a PTO. Kennedy, a 31-year-old journeyman forward who last played in the NHL in 2013-14, scored 29 points in 37 games for the divisional rival Rochester Americans in 2016-17. Erixon, a 2009 first-round pick, was one of many AHL veterans to man the blue line for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton last season. The 26-year-old is solid, if not unspectacular, but stands a good chance of earning a contract for the Devils, who lack minor league depth on the blue line.
  • The Stockton Heat, affiliate to the Calgary Flames, have added a pair of experienced defenseman to their own blue line, announcing the signings of Cody Goloubef and Colby Robak. Goloubef is particularly interesting as he played 33 games for the Colorado Avalanche last season and was a late camp cut by the Buffalo Sabres, performing well on a PTO. Goloubef is a major boost for Stockton, but he will certainly keep an eye out for NHL opportunities as the 2017-18 season progresses. Meanwhile, Robak has not played in the NHL since 2014-15 and hasn’t played a meaningful big league role since early in 2013-14 with the Florida Panthers. Yet, Robak continues plugging along and had a strong AHL season in 2016-17, one spent mostly with the Utica Comets but which began with the Stockton Heat. The team seemingly saw enough to bring him back.
  • The Hershey Bears signed forward Jeremy Langlois to a one-year AHL deal today, as reported by the ever-popular Washington Capitals affiliate. The hard-working forward from Tempe, Arizona is trying to get back to the NHL after a one-year deal with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16 was spent entirely in the AHL. The Quinnipiac alum was an undrafted free agent that first impressed with big numbers in the ECHL and then the AHL, with the Sharks then-affiliate in Worcester, earning him an entry-level deal and a major role on the re-located Barracuda squad two years ago. However, he was unqualified and signed with the Rockford Ice Hogs in 2016-17, where his offense steeply declined. Langlois will look for a fresh start in Hershey this season.

Andreas Athanasiou Heading To Switzerland

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Detroit Red Wings restricted free agent forward Andreas Athanasiou remains unsigned… for now. The latest news on the league’s last remaining RFA comes from TSN’s Bob McKenzie, who shares that Athanasiou is on his way to Switzerland to skate with HC Lugano of the NLA. McKenzie was quick to add that Athanasiou has not signed Lugano and is still evaluating his options, but his commitment to going overseas for the time being raises more doubts that he will suit up in the NHL this season.

A recent poll revealed that most fans felt Athanasiou and former holdout Josh Anderson would each re-sign with their respective teams. The second most popular answer was that the pair would both play overseas. Anderson has done his part to prove true the majority, re-upping with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but Athanasiou has not made any similar progress with Detroit and seems more likely to join in the dissenting opinion. Interestingly, it was Anderson who had been connected to the NLA this off-season, with Athanasiou reportedly fielding offers from the KHL. Athanasiou may still end up in Russia, but with an influx of talent heading to the NLA in recent years and the the past success of Lugano, who has not missed the playoffs in six years, the team is far from a poor fit. Athanasiou would be skating alongside former Red Wing Damien Brunner, as well as NHL veterans Maxim Lapierre and Bobby Sanguinetti should he sign with Lugano and the talented group could very well make a title run in 2017-18.

Still, the best thing for Athanasiou and for hockey is for the skilled 23-year-old to stay in North America. In just his second NHL season, the young center scored 18 goals and defied expectations for a Detroit team with few bright spots. The Red Wings may not want to overpay – in salary or term – for Athanasiou, who did have an unsustainable 15% shooting percentage in 2016-17 and is only in the early stages of developing a defensive game, but the best decision is always to work things out. Just ask the Dallas Stars, who missed the playoffs last season and had to go on a spending spree this summer in hopes of righting the ship. They would love to have Valeri Nichushkin back, the talented young winger who left the team in the summer of 2016 to head to the KHL, where he remains, after failing to come to terms in restricted free agency. Maybe the Red Wings would rather trade Athanasiou or maybe they’ll realize their mistake and work out a contract. Either way, there seems to be little upside to simply losing the scoring youth for this season (or longer). Athanasiou skating with Lugano may just be the straw that finally breaks Ken Holland’s back.

 

Snapshots: Walker, Penguins, Kostin

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As NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti writes, Nathan Walker will make history Saturday night when the Australian forward makes his NHL debut for the Washington Capitals. Though born in Wales, Walker was raised in Australian and will be the first player from the country to lace up his skates for an NHL game. It’s not a publicity stunt by any means either, Walker has worked hard and deserves this chance.

A third-round pick in 2014 as a 20-year old, the small but unstoppable Walker has one of the most interesting development stories in the league. From playing in the Czech professional ranks as a teenager before suiting up in the USHL, to playing almost an entire season in the AHL before being drafted, Walker has proved at every level he shouldn’t be overlooked. He’ll likely skate beside Jay Beagle and Devante Smith-Pelly in Saturday’s game, in what could be a very effective energy line for the team.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have been rumored to be after a third-line center for some time, but GM Jim Rutherford doesn’t think that was the problem with their first two games. Rutherford spoke to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and confirmed that they likely still will make a change eventually. “Can we make that position stronger at some point? Yeah. We’re going to,” said Rutherford, who has been linked to players like Riley Sheahan and Jordan Staal in the past. While it doesn’t sound like either of those two options are going to happen at this point, the Penguins are sure to be active all season long as they look for a three-peat in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
  • Yesterday, despite being injured Klim Kostin was assigned to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. Kostin is working his way back from a lower-body injury suffered in camp, and will likely be asked to start in the AHL before getting another crack at the St. Louis Blues’ lineup. Kostin was impressive all summer after being drafted at the end of the first round, but is still just 18 years old. Of course, the Blues won’t have much say in how he’s deployed in San Antonio, as the AHL squad is actually the affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche for one more season. In 2018-19, St. Louis will be taking control after signing a long-term partnership with the club.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Calvin Pickard

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired recently waived goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for prospect Tobias Lindberg and a 2018 sixth-round draft pick. Since he has already cleared waivers, Pickard will be assigned to the Toronto Marlies immediately. In Vegas, the team now has room to activate James Neal from the injured list for tonight’s game.

As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports, Vegas had been trying to trade Pickard all week after claiming Malcolm Subban off waivers from the Boston Bruins, but couldn’t find a taker until he had cleared. Teams like Toronto likely weren’t willing to waive their own backups in order to keep Pickard on the roster. Their emphasis on draft capital is clear, turning one of their assets into another pick for the 2018 draft.

They also receive a prospect in Lindberg who will join his third organization. Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth-round of the 2013 draft, Lindberg was part of the package sent to Toronto for Dion Phaneuf. He made his NHL debut for the Maple Leafs at the end of that season, but couldn’t crack the improved roster a year ago. It was a disappointing season even at the AHL level, where he registered just 16 points in 44 games. Lindberg has size and speed, and dominated the OHL in his one year of Canadian junior hockey. Still, he hasn’t made much of an impact at the professional level and is close to being considered a non-prospect. At 22 there is still room to grow, but it will take a lot of work to make an impact at the NHL level.

For the Maple Leafs, acquiring Pickard gives them something they’ve rarely had over the years: goaltending depth. While Frederik Andersen remains the unquestioned starter, Toronto cycled through backup goaltenders last year until a waiver claim of Curtis McElhinney gave them some sort of stability. McElhinney was re-signed to a two-year deal this summer, but is already 34 and could take a step backwards at any moment. With Pickard in tow, the Maple Leafs now have another name that could step into the backup role at a moment’s notice.

Jonathan Dahlen To Play In Sweden

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The Vancouver Canucks have been expected to send prospect Jonathan Dahlen to the Swedish Hockey League this season, and today they confirmed it by announcing that Dahlen would be reassigned from the Utica Comets. The team still hasn’t confirmed which team he’ll play for, but it will be in the SHL, a step higher than where he played last season in the Swedish Allsvenskan.

Dahlen was acquired by the Canucks in the Alexandre Burrows trade at last year’s deadline, and signed to a three-year entry-level contract this summer. The young forward has outstanding skill with the puck, and found success in the Swedish second league to the tune of 44 points in 45 games. That earned him best junior-aged player, an award that had previously been given to players like Robin Kovacs, Filip Forsberg and William Karlsson.

The second-round pick of the Ottawa Senators has some work to do before making the NHL, but there is a clear development plan in place for him with the Canucks. At just 19 he’ll spend the year playing against professionals in Sweden, before likely battling for a roster spot next season.

2017-18 Primer: Calgary Flames

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With the NHL season now underway, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Calgary Flames.

Last Season: 45-33-4 record (94 points), fourth in Pacific Division (lost to Anaheim in first round)

Remaining Cap Space: $2.77MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Jaromir Jagr (free agency, Florida), F Tanner Glass (free agency, New York), D Travis Hamonic (trade, New York), G Mike Smith (trade, Arizona), G Eddie Lack (trade, Carolina)

Key Departures: F Alex Chiasson (free agency, Washington), D Dennis Wideman (free agency, unsigned), D Deryk Engelland (expansion, Vegas), G Brian Elliott (free agency, Philadelphia), G Chad Johnson (free agency, Buffalo)

[Related: Flames Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

"<strongPlayer To Watch: F Sam Bennett – With all the exceptional young players in today’s game jumping straight from the entry draft to the All-Star game, it’s easy forget about those who take a bit longer to develop. That’s what has happened so far for the 2014 fourth-overall pick Sam Bennett, who has been a solid if disappointing NHL player thus far in his short career.

After being selected in 2014, Bennett would be returned to the Kingston Frontenac’s of the OHL for another year of junior, only to undergo shoulder surgery and miss most of the season. After doing his rehab in Calgary, and seeing a quick exit from the OHL playoffs, Bennett was dropped right into the NHL for the Flames’ playoff run. His first NHL game came in March of 2015, before jumping into the playoffs for eleven more contests.

He was impressive in those playoffs, and would secure a full-time NHL job the following training camp. It seemed he was on the fast track to NHL stardom just like his 2014 draft mates. Unfortunately, his second season didn’t go as well. Last year saw just 26 points from Bennett and not much improvement from his defense and faceoffs. He was questioned as a true center, and doubted as an elite prospect.

This year, Bennett will have a secret weapon up his right sleeve. Though the Flames have already started their season with a disappointing loss to their rival Edmonton Oilers, sooner than later they’ll insert the ageless Jaromir Jagr into the lineup. He’ll likely skate alongside Bennett to start, giving the still just 21-year old center all the experience and hockey knowledge he could ever want sitting right beside him on the bench. Though Jagr isn’t exactly a coach, he has experience playing with young forwards before.

In Florida, he and Aleksander Barkov turned into a dynamic duo and the latter into a star in the league and Calgary will hope some of that magic will rub off on Bennett. Though the young forward hasn’t ever been criticized for his work ethic, he’ll get to see one of the hardest workers in NHL history—one who has already been spotted bag skating himself at Flames practice—on a daily basis. It will be interesting to see how their games mesh, and how Kris Versteeg fits into the plans on the other side. If Bennett can turn into the star that he was drafted as, Calgary will have a huge advantage they were missing last year.

Key Storyline: The Flames are going for it. This summer they’ve made move after move to bring in players to help them compete right now, and they believe they’re ready to take that next step. Jagr, Smith, Hamonic and others are all answers to questions that were asked last year when they fell at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks once again. Calgary hasn’t had an answer for the Ducks for a while now, and it’s only getting tighter in the Pacific Division.

The Edmonton Oilers, once the punching bag in the Battle of Alberta, are now one of the premiere clubs in the Western Conference, led by a captain who can’t seem to be slowed down by anyone. If the Flames are to position themselves as equals, they’ll need more from their own dynamic young forwards.

Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are some of the most exciting players to watch in the NHL, but they’ve lacked consistency at times and need to be a nightly source of offense. While the team’s second line impressed last season, buoyed by the debut of Matthew Tkachuk, it’s Gaudreau and Monahan that really drive this train. If they remain in the 50-60 point range, the team will do well enough to make the playoffs and even compete for a few rounds. But they need to be difference makers and return to the 60-goal, 140-point duo they once were. They have the talent. Now is the time to break through.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Maple Leafs, Granlund, Shipachyov

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The Toronto Maple Leafs assigned Martin Marincin to the minor leagues earlier today, recalling Calle Rosen to take his spot. It won’t be in the press box though, as Mike Babcock told reporters that Rosen would be in the lineup for the team’s home opener tomorrow night. He’ll take young Andreas Borgman’s spot on the third pairing with Connor Carrick.

Babcock also confirmed that Dominic Moore would be inserted into the lineup as the fourth line center, taking Eric Fehr’s job on Saturday night. This early rotation shows that the Maple Leafs are willing to be fluid with their lineup early on, and also demonstrates the depth they’ve built through free agency. Though the club saw very few injuries last season, they are more prepared to replace players this year as they try to contend for the Atlantic Division crown.

  • Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports that Mikael Granlund wasn’t at Minnesota Wild practice this morning after being spotted limping after the game last night. The Wild won lost to the Detroit Red Wings and Granlund played more than 16 minutes, but we’ll have to wait and see if he returns to the ice tomorrow morning. The Wild take on the Carolina Hurricanes on what is a three-game road trip to start the season.
  • Vadim Shipachyov isn’t with the team for the Vegas Golden Knights season opener according to SinBin.vegas, which means his $4.5MM contract will continue to be buried for the time being on the AHL roster. Shipachyov came over from the KHL this season after a long professional career, but surely wasn’t expecting to be in the minor leagues on opening night. One thing is clear though, the Golden Knights are willing to do anything to protect assets in their inaugural season. While the team continues to carry nine defensemen on the roster—Brad Hunt, Jon Merrill and Griffin Reinhart are all scratches tonight—Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com tweets that they are still looking to make a trade of some sort.

Anton Lindholm Recalled By Colorado Avalanche

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The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Anton Lindholm after their 4-2 opening night victory in New York last night. They had an empty roster spot after assigning Joe Colborne to San Antonio, and have decided to fill it with an eighth defenseman.

Last night, the Avalanche decided to scratch Nikita Zadorov despite the young defenseman being healthy, seemingly to help him get up to speed after his holdout (though some would call it a punishment). Now, barring any subsequent moves, the team will have to decide which two to sit at their second game against New Jersey tomorrow night.

Lindholm played 12 games for the Avalanche last season, his first in North America. After being selected in the fifth round three years ago, Lindholm showed he could compete at the AHL level last year and is an interesting piece for the rebuilding Colorado team. Though his upside may be limited, at just 22-years old there is still room for him to grow. If he can establish himself as a depth NHL player, the team will have received an excellent return on investment.

Martin Marincin, Calvin Pickard Clear Waivers

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According to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, both Martin Marincin and Calvin Pickard have cleared waivers. In Marincin’s case, it isn’t much of a surprise after the 25-year old failed to win a spot in training camp once again. The Maple Leafs have assigned him to the Toronto Marlies and recalled Calle Rosen, who was part of that training camp battle just a few days ago.

In Pickard’s case, there is no guarantee he will be assigned to the minor leagues right away. Instead, he could be dangled as trade bait since he would be able to go to the AHL for any team around the league. The Golden Knights currently have three goaltenders on the roster, after successfully claiming Malcolm Subban this week.

Either way, sliding Pickard through waivers now looks like a well-timed move by GM George McPhee, as he waited until teams were reticent to install a new backup goaltender. While Pickard has shown the ability to succeed at the NHL level, a bad preseason may have soured some on his potential going forward. The Golden Knights will get to keep him as an asset, though their minor league affiliate already has three goaltenders, since they’re allowing St. Louis to also send players.

Jordan Binnington, Oscar Dansk and Maxime Lagace were on the Chicago Wolves’ opening roster, which would leave little room for Pickard unless someone (or two) were moved down to the ECHL. That said, the Golden Knights still only have 11 forwards healthy and on the roster. Since no one else was placed on waivers today, if Pickard isn’t assigned somewhere, they’ll have to either dress seven defensemen, place another player on injured reserve, or make a trade of some sort to open a roster spot.

Shipachyov, Theodore On AHL Opening Roster

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When the Vegas Golden Knights sent Vadim Shipachyov, Shea Theodore and Alex Tuch to the AHL earlier this week, it was expected that they would be recalled in time for tonight’s season opener. It was supposed to be just a paper transaction to give the team time to find a buyer for some of their defensemen, but that idea now has a little bit of doubt.

The Chicago Wolves—Vegas’ AHL affiliate—have submitted their “Opening Night Roster” to the AHL, and it includes all three of the expected recalls. Though this doesn’t guarantee that they’ll stay down, it’s interesting that the team would even include them if they knew a call-up was coming today. Even more to that point, the team tweeted out that both Tuch and Theodore have new numbers, though Shipachyov was not included.

Vegas currently has eleven healthy forwards, but many expect James Neal to come off the injured list to dress in tonight’s game. If that’s true, they wouldn’t necessarily need to recall anyone to ice the regular 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders. Neal was on the ice at morning skate, without Shipachyov.

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