Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for May 2018

Winnipeg Unlikely To Buyout Steve Mason

at CDT | by 3 Comments

It was about as bad a first season in Winnipeg as it could have been for goaltender Steve Mason. After signing a two-year deal with the Jets last summer that carried the presumption that he would at least share the starting job, injuries and poor play plagued the veteran net minder all season. The lone bright spot for Mason – he still made his $4.1MM. Many have speculated – now that Vezina Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck has more than solidified his position as the starter moving forward – that Mason could be cut by the Jets this off-season to avoid another hefty cap hit next year. However, speaking with the media today, Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff stated that he did not anticipate going the buyout route with his experienced albeit overpaid backup (video). Instead, Cheveldayoff spoke to Mason’s ability and integrity and his desire to have a capable backup next season.

Mason, who will be 30 next season, joined the Jets last summer after parts of five seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers during which he struggled to transcend to that elite, true #1 goaltender level. Nevertheless, Winnipeg handed the 2009 Calder Trophy winner an $8.2MM contract that was immediately panned. Unfortunately for the Jets, the critics proved to be right. Admittedly, Mason struggled with several injuries – including multiple concussions – during the year, however when he did play the results were underwhelming. Mason finished the season with a .906 save percentage and 3.24 GAA in a career-low 13 appearances. It was easily his worst performance since his later seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and paved the way for Hellebuyck to take over full control of the starter’s job, as he dominated starts even when Mason was healthy.

Yet, a buyout of Mason’s final season – while understandable on a results basis – would not make much of a difference to Winnipeg. Yes, the team would save over $2.7MM next year, but would incur a penalty of around $1.4MM the following year. For a team that doesn’t struggle with salary cap compliance, those savings mean relatively little. Without Mason and with Michael Hutchinson headed for unrestricted free agency, the Jets would then be forced to find an experienced backup this off-season anyway. While it may not be popular among fans who were disappointed by his first season, if Cheveldayoff does retain Mason this off-season, there are plenty of reasons why it makes sense for the Jets.

Oliver Wahlstrom To Play For Boston College In 2018-19

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Watchers of college hockey were waiting for this decision for some time and now Mark Divver of the Providence Journal has confirmed that Oliver Wahlstrom will indeed play for Boston College in 2018-19. Wahlstrom had been committed to Harvard and also linked to Michigan previously—and even committed to Maine when he was just 13 (before de-committing two years later)—but will be an Eagle for at least one season. The promising winger has drawn the eye of NHL scouts since the age of nine and his arrival at Harvard was much-anticipated; that excitement now belongs to BC fans, at least for the 2018-19 season.

Wahlstrom, 17, is considered one of the best pure goal-scorers eligible for this year’s draft and will almost certainly be selected somewhere in the first ten picks. The right-handed forward scored a ridiculous 70 goals in 88 games as part of the US Development program this year, and found incredible chemistry with potential 2019 first-overall pick Jack Hughes. A rare breed of size and skill, Wahlstrom is as close to a sure thing as an NHL prospect among forwards in this draft class.

Armed with a brilliant shot and excellent skating and puck-protection skills, Wahlstrom is expected to dominate at the college level and quickly grade out to the NHL. Playing for Boston College will prove to be a greater challenge, given the strength of the Hockey East Conference compared to Harvard in the ECAC, but will give him an excellent chance to experience team success with a top program and could persuade him to stay in the NCAA for more than one year. Still, whoever drafts him will want to get him into their system before long, as there is little that Wahlstrom can’t do on the offensive side of the puck.

Unsigned Draft Picks Nearing 2018 Deadline

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Every year on June 1st, teams around the league see rights expire with dozens of draft picks that failed to sign. Many of those players become unrestricted free agents, while others go back into the draft to try and be picked by another team. As always, the best resource for these types of lists is CapFriendly, who provided us with a chart of all unsigned picks this morning. The list is as follows, broken down by team:

Anaheim Ducks:

F Tyler Soy (7th round, 2016)

Arizona Coyotes:

F Anton Karlsson (3rd round, 2014)
D David Westlund (6th round, 2014)

Buffalo Sabres:

D Vojtech Budik (5th round, 2016)
F Brandon Hagel (6th round, 2016)
D Austin Osmanski (7th round, 2016)

Calgary Flames:

D Adam Ollas Mattsson (6th round, 2014)

Carolina Hurricanes: 

C Hudson Elynuik (3rd round, 2016)
D Noah Carroll (6th round, 2016)

Chicago Blackhawks:

D Andreas Soderberg (5th round, 2014)

Colorado Avalanche:

G Maximilian Pajpach (6th round, 2014)

Dallas Stars:

D Miro Karjalainen (5th round, 2014)

Detroit Red Wings:

D Jordan Sambrook (5th round, 2016)
F Julius Vahatalo (6th round, 2014)

Florida Panthers:

G Hugo Fagerblom (7th round, 2014)
C Adam Mascherin (2nd round, 2016)

Los Angeles Kings:

D Jacob Friend (7th round, 2016)

Minnesota Wild:

D Pontus Djalin (6th round, 2014)
D Brayden Chizen (7th round, 2016)

New Jersey Devils:

G Evan Cormier (4th round, 2016)

Philadelphia Flyers:

C Anthony Salinitri (6th round, 2016)

Pittsburgh Penguins:

D Connor Hall (3rd round, 2016)

San Jose Sharks:

D Mark Shoemaker (6th round, 2016)

Tampa Bay Lightning:

C Christopher Paquette (5th round, 2016)

Toronto Maple Leafs:

D Keaton Middleton (4th rond, 2016)
F J.J. Piccinich (4th round, 2014)
D Nicolas Mattinen (6th round, 2016)

Vancouver Canucks:

D Cole Candella (5th round, 2016)
F Jakob Stukel (6th round, 2016)
C Brett McKenzie (7th round, 2016)

Washington Capitals:

F Kevin Elgestal (7th round, 2014)
D Dmitri Zaitsev (7th round, 2016)

Winnipeg Jets:

C Jordan Stallard (5th round, 2016)

Obviously some of these names will sign in the coming week, but there are quite a few interesting players who might not. Adam Mascherin leads that list, as he’s already admitted that he’ll be re-entering the draft. The Florida Panthers apparently haven’t made much of an effort to sign him, and instead were trying to trade his rights to recoup some of the value of their wasted second-round pick.

There are others though, like third-round pick Hudson Elynuik who recorded 86 points in 71 games this season for the Spokane Chiefs, and is a massive 6’5″ center who is just coming into his own. Jordan Sambrook was acquired by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds during the season and played a big role for them on their way to the OHL Finals.

Keep an eye out for some last-minute signings after the Memorial Cup finishes on May 27th, and the junior careers for several players come to an end.

Snapshots: Niemelainen, Mantha, Hurricanes, Soderstrom

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Oilers are not expected to sign 2016 third-round pick Markus Niemelainen, reports Postmedia’s Jim Matheson.  The 19-year-old was the 66th overall selection out of Saginaw of the OHL that year but he had a tough post-draft season and wound up being loaned to HPK of the SM-liiga for 2017-18 where he posted three points in 42 games.

Meanwhile, Matheson notes that the blood clot that Edmonton defensive prospect Ryan Mantha sustained earlier this season could be a career-ender.  Mantha was originally a fourth-round pick of the Rangers back in 2014 but did not sign with them and wound up joining the Oilers in March of 2017.  He last suited up for their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield in early February and tallied ten points in 41 contests.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • With the report last week that the Hurricanes are open for business when it comes to player movement, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted during a segment with Sportsnet 960 (audio link) that they will be willing to retain on contracts to improve their return, particularly with winger Jeff Skinner. They already have one of their three retention slots used up when they held back 10% of center Marcus Kruger’s contract in the trade with Arizona earlier this month.  He also suggested that while winger Sebastian Aho may be considered the lone untouchable off the active roster, center Martin Necas, their 2017 first-round pick, also has that distinction and that teams have been calling regarding his availability.
  • After spending this past season on loan with HV 71 of the SHL, Islanders goalie prospect Linus Soderstrom is expected to play in North America next season, notes Newsday’s Andrew Gross. The 21-year-old had stellar numbers in 2016-17 but a shoulder injury didn’t help his cause in 2017-18 as he wound up getting into just 14 games and had a save percentage that was 49 points lower than the previous campaign.  With both Kristers Gudlevskis and Christopher Gibson eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency in July, there should be plenty of playing time available with their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

Ottawa Senators Sign Patrick Sieloff To Two-Year Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators have retained another depth defenseman, signing Patrick Sieloff to a two-year, two-way contract. The deal carries an average annual value of $700K in the NHL, though will pay him considerably less while in the AHL.

Sieloff, 24, was acquired from the Calgary Flames back in 2016 in exchange for Alex Chiasson but has only played one game for the Senators during his time in the organization. Instead, he’s suited up for 110 AHL contests, registering 22 points and over 200 penalty minutes. The second-round pick from 2012 has never been able to live up to his prospect hype, that saw him as a minute-munching defensive option that could engage physically.

Unfortunately, the issues that plagued him as a young player—namely a lack of foot speed and quickness—are still likely the reason for his status as an AHL regular. Though there is still time for him to improve his game and break into the NHL at a later age, it seems more likely that he’ll be an excellent minor league option for the Senators as they continue to try and find success for their Belleville team.

Nashville Predators Restructure Front Office Following Fenton Departure

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After long-time assistant GM Paul Fenton left for the Minnesota Wild this week, the Nashville Predators have restructured their front office with several promotions. Jeff Kealty has been promoted to AGM and Director of Scouting, Brian Poile to AGM and Director of Hockey Operations, and Scott Nichol to GM of the Milwaukee Admirals and Director of Player Development.

It will be a big change for the Predators without Fenton around, as he’s been a big part of the front office and GM David Poile’s right-hand man for two decades. Nashville has had an extremely stable front office for almost their entire existence, something that will be challenged now that Fenton has left for greener pastures.

Still, the team has plenty of capable executives ready to take over. Nichol was made head of player development for the club almost immediately following his retirement from a long NHL career that spanned nearly two decades and 662 games. His appointment to GM of the Admirals is a logical next step for an up-and-coming GM candidate, who has worked wonders with young players coming through the Predators system.

Nashville will be more diversified, but will still answer to the only GM they’ve ever had. David Poile, father of the above mentioned Brian Poile, has been with the team since its inception, and had plenty of experience even before that. Though there have been serious ups and downs for the Predators over the years, Poile is generally regarded as one of the league’s better GMs, capable of making big trades and negotiating reasonable contracts with young players.

Alexandre Texier Signs Entry-Level Contract With Columbus Blue Jackets

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

According to team beat writer Brian Hedger, the Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Alexandre Texier to his three-year entry-level contract today. Texier recently suited up for France at the IIHF World Championship, and was recently confirmed to be staying overseas for at least one more year. The 18-year old forward prospect spent 2017-18 in Finland, where he registered 22 points in 53 games with KalPa.

Texier was the Blue Jackets’ second-round pick in 2017, and was something of an unknown. Though we’d seen him play in various international tournaments, France was usually in the lower level tournament and his club play was hard to compare. The French league, while improving, isn’t at the level of the NLA, SHL or Liiga. Texier then was scouted on his raw ability, which for him was enough to intrigue the Blue Jackets’ front office. GM Jarmo Kekalainen had this to say:

Alexandre is a very smart, skilled player with a very good shot and extraordinary vision to make plays all over the ice. He is a young player who had a very good rookie season with KalPa and we are excited to watch his continued development as he gets bigger and stronger physically.

The 6’1″ forward has the ability to carry the puck through and around defenders while at top speed, and can score in a variety of different ways. Though there is a long road ahead of him before he will be suiting up in the NHL, his first year at a higher level of competition went about as well as it could have. Columbus will be keeping a close eye on him this season to see if his strength and poise improve for KalPa, after which he could come to North America in 2019-20.

Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Antti Niemi

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens have decided that Antti Niemi deserves another chance at backing up Carey Price, and have re-signed the veteran goaltender to a one-year one-way contract worth $950K. Niemi was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but is still receiving a salary from the Dallas Stars after being bought out. He’ll get $1.5MM from the Stars in 2018-19.

It was an interesting year to say the least for Niemi, as he was first bought out by the Stars only to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a backup to Matt Murray. That experiment lasted all of three games, before spending time with the Florida Panthers and then eventually landing with Montreal. His last stop with the Canadiens turned out to be an important one, as Niemi found his game and actually posted the highest save percentage of his career at .929 through 19 games. Those numbers were certainly good enough for an NHL backup, especially one that was forced into heavy duty as injuries robbed Price of most of his season.

The question will be if he can continue to play at that level, but the Canadiens have a backup plan just in case. Charlie Lindgren was re-signed for three years and appears to be ready for NHL duty. The 24-year old goaltender impressed in his short time with Montreal, though he struggled along with the rest of the Laval Rocket in the AHL. Lindgren is also on a one-way deal, but remains waiver exempt for this season and will likely now start in the AHL until something happens with the Canadiens situation. If Price suffers another injury, or Niemi fails to impress, you can be sure Lindgren will get a quick call.

Regardless, this is a nice contract for the 34-year old Niemi who looked like he might be out of hockey a year ago. Instead, he’ll try to show that he can be a solid backup for another few years before retiring as a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender.

Lou Lamoriello Named New York Islanders President Of Hockey Operations

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The New York Islanders have officially hired former Toronto Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello as their new President of Hockey Operations. In fitting Lamoriello fashion, the press release includes a note that he will “have full authority over all hockey matters with the organization.” It had already recently been reported that Lamoriello spoke with John Tavares as a representative of the Islanders, something he will continue to do now that he has been officially announced.

Lamoriello was pushed out of his role as GM when his contract finished, with the Maple Leafs instead turning to Kyle Dubas to lead their team going forward. Mark Hunter, Lamoriello’s assistant GM, also left the team this morning, though there is no indication yet if he’ll join his former boss in New York. For now, Lamoriello will come into a front office that had been run by Garth Snow, who will likely now move to a different role within the organization. Snow has a long-term contract with the club still that is reportedly difficult to buy him out of, but there is no question who will be running things going forward.

Lamoriello’s son Chris is also with the organization as an assistant GM, and will likely be retained under his father. As for the rest of the group, there’s no telling how it will be restructured.

For the Islanders, this can only be seen as a positive moving forward. The team desperately needs to find some success in the next few years, and their future depends on how negotiations go with Tavares. Either they’re going all-in with their franchise center to compete right away, or building around Mathew Barzal and the rest of the team’s young players. Lamoriello has experience in both from his days in New Jersey and Toronto, and understands the challenges fully.

Mark Hunter Leaves Toronto Maple Leafs

at CDT | by 2 Comments

After Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet broke the news last night that Mark Hunter was not at the Memorial Cup as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, many believed the writing was on the wall. Today, the team announced that they and Hunter had mutually parted ways, leaving his role as assistant GM vacant for the moment. New GM Kyle Dubas has now lost two experienced executives in recent days, after Lou Lamoriello began working for the New York Islanders.

Bob McKenzie of TSN reports that while Hunter is now free from his duties for the Maple Leafs, he will not be permitted to work for another team until after the upcoming draft and free agency period. With several years remaining on his current contract, the Maple Leafs will stop him only from giving another team an advantage this year, as he is likely intimate with their plans and draft board at this point.

Hunter was passed over recently for the GM job, one that he made clear to President Brendan Shanahan that he wanted. The long-time OHL executive and coach is a top scout and has helped the Maple Leafs find several mid to late-round players that will contribute in the NHL. For now he’ll have to sit out the 2018 draft, but there’s little doubt that interest will quickly surface from around the league.

Whether he’ll take one of those other NHL jobs is unclear, as there is always a chance that he returns to the London Knights organization where he owns the team with his brother Dale Hunter. The Knights are one of the richest, most successful teams in the CHL and have routinely put powerhouse lineups on the ice.

Hunter could also end up in New York with Lamoriello, after working well together for several years. Lamoriello recently left a senior advisor role with the Maple Leafs, and though it’s not clear exactly what his title will be with the Islanders, he will be in charge of their entire hockey operations department.

For the Maple Leafs, this leaves Dubas with several big holes to fill on his staff. He already likely had to replace himself as GM of the Toronto Marlies, and now will need to bring in another new assistant GM to help the scouting side.

AJAX Loader
Load More Posts

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

scroll to top