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Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Nathan Gerbe To Two-Year Extension

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have seen enough from Nathan Gerbe to determine that they want to keep him around. The veteran forward has signed a two-year, two-way contract extension that will take him through 2019-20. The deal pays Gerbe an average annual value of $675K in the NHL, and breaks down as follows:

  • 2018-19: $650K NHL/$250K AHL, $400K guarantee
  • 2019-20: $700K NHL/$250K AHL, $400K guarantee

Gerbe will take home no less than $400K for each season, not a bad deal for a player who was close to being out of North American hockey altogether at one point. In 18 games with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, Gerbe has 12 points. In his two NHL contests, he’s been held scoreless.

The 5’5″ forward has found quite a bit of success at the highest level of hockey, going back to his days as an offensive powerhouse for Boston College. Though the professional ranks haven’t brought the same level of offensive success, Gerbe does have two 16-goal, 31-point seasons in the NHL and has always produced at the AHL level. After a brief sojourn in Switzerland, Gerbe is back on North American soil and will have to accept his role as a fringe NHLer.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic provided the financial details of the contract.

2018 College Free Agent Market: Goalies

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With the college playoffs underway, we’re starting to see a few free agents that were eliminated early sign with NHL teams.  Many more players will become available in the coming weeks and quite a few will sign shortly thereafter.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the goaltenders that could be of interest to teams in the coming weeks.  All of these players are undrafted (and are too old to be drafted this year making them eligible for free agency) and unless they’re in their senior season, they could opt to return to their schools for the 2018-19 campaign.

Tanner Jaillet (Denver)

The 24-year-old has had two straight stellar seasons to wrap up his college career and ranked sixth overall in goals against average (1.90) this year.  However, at a time where teams are coveting bigger goalies more and more often, Jaillet’s smaller stature will work against him.  His performance is certainly more than worthy enough of an entry-level deal but how many teams will be willing to take a chance on a sub-six foot goalie?

Jake Kielly (Clarkson)

Last season wasn’t a great one for Kielly but he managed to lock down the starting job as a freshman which is noteworthy in itself.  This year was a much better one as he ranked fourth in GAA on a much-improved Clarkson squad.  He’s one of the younger goalies on this list (21) and unlike Jaillet, has the size that teams will covet.  As one of the top netminders in the NCAA this season, there’s a case to be made that there wouldn’t be much benefit to him returning for his junior campaign.

Hayden Lavigne (Michigan)

Lavigne is the lone holdover from our list last year.  At that time, he was just a freshman but was already garnering NHL interest despite being in a three-player timesharing situation.  He’s now the undisputed starter but his first year in that role didn’t go great with a 2.79 GAA and a .910 SV%.  The fact he had interest last season gets him on this list but it seems likely that he will stick around for another year with Michigan.

Cale Morris (Notre Dame)

Morris is the top prize among goaltenders in this free agent class.  He posted spectacular numbers this season (1.93 GAA, .946 SV% in 32 games) on one of the top collegiate squads.  What is particularly impressive is that he accomplished this after playing just one period of one game last season in his freshman year.  Despite the limited body of work over his two collegiate campaigns, the 21-year-old should have no shortage of offers if he decides to turn pro now.

Sean Romeo (Ohio State)

Romeo has taken a bit of a unique path to get where he is today.  He lost the starting job at the University of Maine in his sophomore season in 2015-16 and dropped down to third on the depth chart.  He decided to redshirt and transfer to Ohio State, a decision that has paid dividends as not only did he lock down the starting spot, he thrived.  It will be interesting to see if that results in some NHL attention or if teams will want to see if he can repeat that success in his senior year instead.

Hunter Shepard (Minnesota-Duluth)

Shepard just completed his first year as a starter (after seeing only 93 minutes of action in his rookie season) and turned some heads along the way, posting a strong 1.92 GAA with a .927 SV%, numbers that are quite similar to Jaillet’s.  He also picked up eight shutouts which ranked tied for second overall.  He still has two years of eligibility remaining so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return for his junior year but it wouldn’t be surprising if a couple of NHL teams at least kicked the tires on getting him to turn pro.

Earlier Articles:

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Goalie Notes: Blues, Murray, Raanta

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The Blues announced that they have recalled goaltender Ville Husso from San Antonio of the AHL under emergency conditions.  This comes on the heels of Carter Hutton missing practice today as he deals with a sore neck.  Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that Hutton went to a specialist and an update on his condition is expected on Thursday.

If St. Louis is going to be without Hutton for any extended period of time, that could deal a big blow to their postseason hopes.  Jake Allen opened up the season as the starter but has struggled for the most part, posting his highest goals against average of his career (2.76) while Hutton has the lowest GAA (2.02) and highest save percentage (.934) among qualifying goaltenders.  Heading into tonight’s games, the Blues are sixth in the Central Division and are three points out of a tie for the last Wild Card spot in the West.

More goalie notes from around the league:

  • Penguins goaltender Matt Murray is making “significant progress” in his recovery from a concussion, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, including Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He has participated in at least part of practice for the second straight day although there is no firm timetable for his return to action.  Sullivan added that they don’t have a set number of starts that they would like Murray to receive between now and the playoffs; including tonight’s game against the Rangers, Pittsburgh has a dozen games left this season.
  • Antti Raanta’s injury issues this season are expected to play a role in talks as he and Arizona discuss a contract extension, Coyotes writer Craig Morgan reports in his latest piece for FanRag Sports. He has been unavailable for 35% of their games so far with five separate injuries (including the preseason) but has already established a new career-high in games played this year with 39.  There’s no doubt that Raanta will land a considerable raise from the $1MM he’s currently getting but getting back into the lineup and holding down the starting workload the rest of the year may play a key role in how big that raise will be.

San Jose Sharks Sign Maxim Letunov To Entry-Level Contract

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After three seasons at the University of Connecticut, Maxim Letunov has decided to turn pro. The San Jose Sharks today announced the signing of the big forward to a two-year entry-level contract. The signing comes just days after Letunov was named a Hockey East second team all-star for the second time.

Amazingly, Letunov has already been traded twice in the NHL. After being selected in the second round of the 2014 draft, the St. Louis Blues sent his rights to Arizona in a trade for Zbynek Michalek at the 2015 trade deadline. A little more than a year later, his rights were traded again, this time from Arizona to San Jose for a pair of draft picks. Letunov has long been expected to be an effective player at the next level, and will now get his chance to prove it in the Sharks organization.

Standing 6’4″ 180-lbs, Letunov had 28 points this season with UConn. Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson had this to say in the press release:

Max is a talented scorer and playmaker who has utilized his high-end speed and creativity to produce at every level that he has played. His tremendous hockey sense has allowed him to develop into a strong special teams asset at both ends of the ice. He has worked hard to improve his physical strength and has shown us that he is ready to translate his game to the professional ranks.

Though born in Russia, Letunov has been in North America for years, playing midget hockey in Dallas before suiting up for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. Though there’s no guarantee he gets past the AHL level, he has many attributes that should excite San Jose fans. Getting the 22-year old into their development system was just the first step.

Jared Spurgeon Out Four Weeks With Torn Hamstring

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The Minnesota Wild have been dealt a crushing blow with the announcement that Jared Spurgeon will be out for a minimum of four weeks after partially tearing his right hamstring on Tuesday night. Spurgeon had to be helped off the ice after slipping and falling awkwardly into the boards. Michael Russo of The Athletic tweets that the next week is very important in the healing process and could determine when Spurgeon is ready to return.

Spurgeon is one of Minnesota’s most important player, though he still lacks some recognition league-wide. The 28-year old defenseman logs a ton of ice time for the Wild and has 37 points on the season. He trails only Ryan Suter in both powerplay and penalty kill time, and leads the team in blocked shots.

For the Wild, losing a defenseman of Spurgeon’s ability this late in the season could have devastating effects. The team is currently in third place in the Central Division, but after losing to the Colorado Avalanche last night are now just three points ahead of them and the Dallas Stars, and only five points removed from missing the playoffs entirely. Though they obviously have the inside track on a playoff spot, it is by no means locked up.

The Wild have recalled Ryan Murphy and Zack Mitchell after announcing the injury.

Arizona Grants Personal Leave For Rick Tocchet

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Wednesday: Tocchet will return to the team in time for their game Thursday night against the Nashville Predators.

Monday: The Arizona Coyotes will be coached by John MacLean for the time being, after announcing that Rick Tocchet will be taking a leave of absence to deal with a family illness. The Coyotes have 14 games remaining in the regular season.

Though they still sit last in the NHL, the Coyotes have played well of late, going 9-3-1 over the last month. Although coming last increases your odds in the draft lottery, climbing out of the bottom would be an accomplishment for a team that has struggled right from the start of the season. Arizona, led by new head coach Tocchet, didn’t win in regulation until the 21st game of the season. It’s been a work in progress for the coaching staff, but there are some things to look forward to.

MacLean will bring some experience to the job, as he served as head coach of the New Jersey Devils briefly and was a long-time player in the league. In 1,194 regular season games as a player, MacLean scored 842 points and won the Stanley Cup in 1995 with the Devils. It’s not clear when Tocchet will return, but for now it will be MacLean’s team to guide through the remainder of the season.

Erik Gudbranson To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

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The Vancouver Canucks have announced that Erik Gudbranson is no longer on the active roster, as he is scheduled for shoulder surgery that will end his season. According to the release, Gudbranson first injured the shoulder on November 22nd, and though he has played since will now have surgery to ensure his long-term health.

This news comes just a month after the Canucks committed to Gudbranson for the next three seasons, signing him to a three-year, $12MM contract extension. The team obviously knew of his injury when going into negotiations, but deemed him valuable enough to keep around anyway. Gudbranson was a trade candidate at the deadline, but an injury like this could have scared off some teams and forced Canucks GM Jim Benning to either sign him to an extension or lose him for nothing on the open market.

Gudbranson is a divisive character in the hockey world, as his skills bring praise from a traditional hockey perspective and ire from the analytical side. Though he gives up possession of the puck regularly, he is generally thought of as tough to play against in his own end and a responsible defensive presence. He’ll finish the season with just five points in 52 games, but is a key penalty killer and ranks third on the team in hits.

While there is no indication how long Gudbranson will be out, having the surgery now likely gives him the best chance at opening the 2018-19 season at full health.

Dean Kukan Signs Two-Year Extension With Columbus

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have locked up one of their young defenders, inking Dean Kukan to a two-year extension. Kukan was set to become a restricted free agent this summer, but will now be under contract through the 2019-20 season. The deal will be one-way, and pay Kukan an average annual value of $725K.

This will be the first one-way deal of Kukan’s career, a nice reward for the development he’s shown over the last few years. Originally signed out of the SHL in 2015, Kukan was a relative unknown that had gone undrafted but had impressed at two World Championships with Switzerland. He made his NHL debut that season, but spent all of last year with the Cleveland Monsters in the AHL.

Playing in 10 NHL games this season, Kukan seems destined to replace one of the Blue Jackets’ pending free agents in the lineup on a more regular basis next year. Ian Cole, Jack Johnson and Taylor Chorney are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, while Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara are also RFAs.

Kukan is a solid defender that can be relied upon in the defensive zone and get the puck up quickly to his teammates, though perhaps lacks a bit of creativity and aggressiveness on the offensive side. With players like Zach Werenski and Seth Jones giving the Blue Jackets more than enough offense from the back end, Kukan can focus on the defensive side and carve out a role for himself.

The Blue Jackets have quite a bit of cap space heading into the summer, and getting players like Kukan locked in on relatively inexpensive deals will help them maximize that financial asset. He’ll cost just a touch more than the minimum salary for next season, just like Scott Harrington who is signed for just $650K.

Top-10 Finalists Announced For 2018 Hobey Baker

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The Hobey Baker Memorial Award is given to the most outstanding player in collegiate hockey, and has a long list of excellent NHL players among previous winners. Will Butcher, Jimmy Vesey, Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau are the latest to take home the award, while others like Brendan Morrison, Paul Kariya and Chris Drury have been honored in the past.

Earlier this year, 67 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and today that number has been reduced to just ten. These ten players will be narrowed to just three, a process that anyone can be a part of by participating in the fan vote. Votes will be added to the decision from a selection committee to produce three finalists, from which a winner will be crowned.

The top-10 finalists are as follows, with the NHL organization who owns their draft rights in parenthesis:

Henrik Borgstrom, University of Denver (Florida Panthers)

Ryan Donato, Harvard University (Boston Bruins)

Matthew Galajda, Cornell University

Adam Gaudette, Northeastern University (Vancouver Canucks)

Dylan McLaughlin, Canisius College

Cale Morris, University of Notre Dame

Colton Point, Colgate University (Dallas Stars)

Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud State University

Dylan Sikura, Northeastern University (Chicago Blackhawks)

C.J. Suess, Minnesota State University-Mankato (Winnipeg Jets)

Check Out @pfrumors For NFL Free Agent Frenzy

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NFL free agency officially kicks off today! To keep up with all of the madness, stay tuned to Pro Football Rumors and follow PFR on Twitter, @pfrumors.

On Tuesday, some of the biggest names in this year’s crop came off of the board, including Kirk Cousins, Sammy Watkins, Allen Robinson, and Dion Lewis. However, there are still tons of difference makers left.

Pro Football Rumors has every bit of news covered with the up-to-the-second coverage and analysis you’ve come to expect from the Trade Rumors family. Whether you’re keeping track of your favorite NFL team’s moves or just getting an early jump on your fantasy football research, PFR is a must-follow, particularly during this time of year.

In addition to following PFR on Twitter and bookmarking the site, you can also keep tabs on the world of football with the Trade Rumors app, available for iOS and Android. With the app, you also gain access to Pro Hockey Rumors and our sister sites MLB Trade Rumors and Hoops Rumors, ensuring you’ll never miss a signing, cut, or trade across the four major sports. Download the app for free right here!

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