Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for May 2018

New Jersey Devils Sign Brian Strait To Two-Year Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New Jersey Devils organization will have a familiar face back for the next two seasons, as today the team announced a two-year, two-way extension for defenseman Brian Strait. Strait spent this season in the AHL with the Binghamton Devils, after previously seeing NHL time with Pittsburgh, New York and Winnipeg. The contract will carry an NHL average annual salary of $675K.

Strait, 30, is exactly the type of player every organization wants in their minor league system. Content to play regularly in the AHL and help the younger players, while also having enough NHL experience to fill in should injuries arise for the big club. With 187 games under his belt, most of which with the New York Islanders, Strait is no stranger to the NHL.

Though he had just eight points this season, the team thought enough of him to give him an “A” as an alternate captain and use him extensively in tough situations. He’ll likely return in a similar role, and be ready if needed by the Devils.

Yaroslav Dyblenko Placed On Unconditional Waivers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New Jersey Devils have placed Yaroslav Dyblenko on unconditional waivers for purpose of terminating his contract. Dyblenko signed an entry-level contract last summer, and played in 54 games for the AHL’s Binghamton Devils this season.

Like many other KHL players before him, Dyblenko likely didn’t want to remain in North America just to play in the minor leagues. After parts of five seasons at the highest level in Russia, joining the AHL can feel like a step backwards for some players. Dyblenko was part of a list of players reported by Russian media recently that were expected to return to the KHL, which also included other confirmed departures like Andrey Pedan and Sergey Tolchinsky.

Dyblenko, 24, didn’t seem to have a very good chance of breaking in with the Devils over the next few seasons, meaning this isn’t a big loss for New Jersey. Technically, he could sign with another NHL team after seeing his contract terminated, but it’s much more likely that we won’t see Dyblenko on North American soil for some time.

Updated 2018 NHL Entry Draft Order

at CDT | by 4 Comments

After last night’s elimination of the Pittsburgh Penguins, some clarity has come to the draft order of several playoff teams. We now know the order from 1-26, which can be found below.

The lottery results that we already knew, and then those that were finalized last night:

  1. Buffalo Sabres
  2. Carolina Hurricanes
  3. Montreal Canadiens
  4. Ottawa Senators
  5. Arizona Coyotes
  6. Detroit Red Wings
  7. Vancouver Canucks
  8. Chicago Blackhawks
  9. New York Rangers
  10. Edmonton Oilers
  11. New York Islanders
  12. New York Islanders (from Calgary)
  13. Dallas Stars
  14. Philadelphia Flyers (from St. Louis)
  15. Florida Panthers
    ________________
  16. Colorado Avalanche
  17. New Jersey Devils
  18. Columbus Blue Jackets
  19. Philadelphia Flyers
  20. Los Angeles Kings
  21. San Jose Sharks
  22. Ottawa Senators (from Pittsburgh)
  23. Anaheim Ducks
  24. Minnesota Wild
  25. Toronto Maple Leafs
  26. New York Rangers (from Boston)

For more information on how the order is determined, check out CapFriendly’s tweet on the matter.

New Jersey Devils Announce Surgery For Hall, Schneider, Maroon

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It seems like every player is dealing with some sort of injury by the time the playoffs roll around, and for the New Jersey Devils things were no different. Today, the team announced that three of their key players had suffered injuries and required surgery. Taylor Hall underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left hand, and is expected to be ready for training camp. Cory Schneider faces a five month recovery after needing surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left hip. Patrick Maroon underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back, and will resume skating before training camp.

The fact that Hall was playing a big chunk of the season with a torn ligament in his hand makes his year all the more impressive. The superstar winger is a finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP after recording 93 points in 76 games and dragging the Devils into the playoffs. Though it ended quickly for them against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team looks poised to take another step next season.

To do that, they’ll need Schneider to return healthy and on form to start the year. Though Keith Kinkaid is under contract for another season, Schneider is still the goaltender earning $6MM and needs to reclaim his place as the primary starter. After two consecutive sub-par seasons, perhaps his Vezina-caliber netminding is a thing of the past. The Devils certainly hope not as he remains signed through the 2021-22 season.

Maroon is the most interesting case of the three, as he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. If his injury is as serious as it sounds, he may face a tough time earning a contract on the open market. The big winger was acquired by the Devils at the trade deadline and fit in quite well, scoring 13 points in the final 17 games to finish with 43 on the season. That was a career-high, despite his goal total dropping to just 17.

If Maroon wishes to re-sign with the Devils they likely would have the best idea of his medical situation. If he’s looking to go elsewhere, a long-term deal might be hard to find. While he is still an effective player, but now facing back surgery and the start of his thirties, a decline could be in order.

Carolina Hires Rod Brind’Amour, Removes Interim Tag From Don Waddell

at CDT | by 1 Comment

No longer are the Carolina Hurricanes without a coach or GM. The team has announced the hiring of Rod Brind’Amour as their next head coach, a decision that won’t come as a surprise to anyone. Brind’Amour will come in as Bill Peters’ replacement, after Peters exercised an out clause last month to join the Calgary Flames. The team has also announced that Don Waddell, who had been operating as interim GM, will now be the team’s official President and GM. Waddell had this to say about his newest head coach:

Rod is the greatest leader in the history of this franchise, and has earned the opportunity to take charge of our locker room. We spoke to a number of candidates for this position, but our conversations with staff and players consistently returned to the same person. Rod’s fresh ideas, ability to motivate and understanding of what it takes to bring a championship to Raleigh will help our young team take the next step toward competing to bring the Cup back to North Carolina.

Brind’Amour, who received a three-year contract, is a legendary playing figure for the Hurricanes, suiting up in 694 games for the franchise over 10 years, and lifting their first Stanley Cup as captain in 2006. Just a year after retirement he joined the club as an assistant coach, a role he has held since 2011. Now transitioning to head coach will be a daunting task, especially as he has been critiqued in the past for a middling powerplay unit and lackluster forward group.

If Brind’Amour is going to find success in Carolina, he’ll need an improved offensive attack and for Waddell to finally find the team a reliable goaltender. Scott Darling is under contract for three more seasons, but will need a huge bounce back to even get to average goaltending. His .888 save percentage was unacceptable, and one of the main reasons the Hurricanes failed to reach the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

Waddell had already been serving as interim GM, but will now take over fully in the role moving forward. That comes as somewhat of a surprise, as Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer notes that Waddell had already said he did not want to be considered for the role. Perhaps he had a change of heart, or perhaps the search is taking too long and the team wanted some stability throughout the draft and free agency. Any new GM coming in would be hard pressed to set up an entire offseason strategy over the next month. Waddell, who had already been with the team (though not in this capacity), is familiar with the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

The team also recently brought in Rick Dudley to be Waddell’s right-hand man, a duo that had previously been together with the Atlanta Thrashers. The new front office will have plenty of work to do over the next few months, as they try to bring the team back to the playoffs. Jeff Skinner is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, while Noah Hanifin needs a new contract before next season as he comes off his entry-level deal.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer both reported the hiring would be announced soon.  Alexander also reported the term of the contract.

Overseas Notes: Cameron, Lewis, Huska

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Dave Cameron did not stay unemployed for very long, though his new position is far from where he has made his living for the last thirty-odd years. The Erste Bank Liga (EBEL), a lower-tier European league based mostly in Austria, has announced that Cameron has been named the new head coach of the Vienna Capitals, the league’s reigning regular season champions. Cameron had been working as an assistant coach for the Calgary Flames for the past two seasons, but was relieved last month alongside head coach Glen Gulutzan. Prior to that position, he has served as the head coach for the Ottawa Senators after working his way up from long-time assistant. Even before that, Cameron was showing the breadth of his hockey mind as both the head coach and GM of several OHL franchises. Yet, this new job is his first outside of North America and brings with it the challenges of a brand new market and caliber of player. However, Cameron is an experienced coach and should find his way in no time at all in Vienna.

  • Another coach has not been so lucky. Dave Lewis, most well known for a long stint as assistant and head coach of the Detroit Red Wings from the late 80’s through the mid-2000’s, has lost his job with the Belarus national program, per insider Igor Eronko. Lewis, who also had a short-lived stint as Boston Bruins head coach and brief stops as an assistant with the Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes, has been working for Belarus in various roles since 2014. He had guided four IIHF World Championship teams, an Olympic qualifying bid, and the team’s World Juniors appearance this season. However, just three games into the ongoing Worlds, national officials have clearly decided that they have had enough with the lack of success out of their long-time coach. Lewis has struggled to find results as a head coach over the years and the next step for the 64-year-old is a mystery.
  • Although Adam Huska likely has two years left at the University of Connecticut, HK Sochi of the KHL may have made a shrewd move in acquiring the KHL rights to the Slovak goaltender today. The team reported this morning that Huska’s rights had been transferred to Sochi from Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in exchange for forward Dmitri Lugin. Huska was a seventh-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2015, but given the team’s depth in goalie prospects – Alexandar Georgiev, Brandon Halverson, and mostly Igor Shestyorkin – it’s quite possible that Huska could choose to return home to Europe, in which case Sochi will gain a talented, young netminder. Huska posted a .912 save percentage and 2.59 GAA in 27 starts last year and should only continue to thrive in net for UConn before he makes his decision on turning pro.

Sabres’ Max Willman Transferring To Boston University

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The rich are about to get richer at the college level. Boston University has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the past four seasons and continues to have a greater depth of NHL prospects than any other team in college hockey. Now, the Terriers are adding one more talented future pro next season, as the Providence Journal’s Mark Divver reports that Brown University’s Max Willman is transferring to BU as a graduate student for next season.

Willman, 23, was a fifth-round selection by the Buffalo Sabres in 2014 out of Barnstable High School in Massachusetts. In four years at Brown, Willman recorded 45 points in 99 games and proved himself to be a hard-working, two-way forward. However, last year, in his fourth year, he was limited to only nine games due to injury. Given that all college athletes have five years of NCAA eligibility to participate in four seasons of game action, Willman’s transfer implies that he received a medical waiver for last season, granting him an additional fifth season. However, while Brown plays hockey in the ECAC, Divver adds that their main athletic conference, the prestigious Ivy League, does not allow their member schools to employ medical redshirts. As such, Willman needed to find a new school to enroll in to finish up his collegiate career before presumably moving on to the pro level.

Willman could do much worse than BU, which projects to have at least ten drafted players on their roster next season, most of which played on the team this season but also including highly-touted draft-eligible players like Jake Wise and Jack DeBoer as newcomers alongside Willman. The experienced NCAA winger will be looked upon as a leader even as a new addition, but will also benefit greatly from the superior talent that he’ll be lining up with in 2018-19. Willman’s stock has dropped since he was drafted, but a stint at BU for his final college season could be exactly what he needs to reinforce his label as a future NHLer and peak the interest of the Sabres or other clubs.

Nicklas Backstrom Out For Game Six

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Washington Capitals finally have a chance to get past the Pittsburgh Penguins, the one roadblock that has kept them from true Stanley Cup contention for years, as they enter Game Six this evening with a 3-2 series lead. However, as they take on the two-time defending champs in their own building, the Capitals will be even further disadvantaged by the loss of one their top players. The team has announced that Nicklas Backstrom is out for the crucial match-up and is day-to-day with an undisclosed upper-body injury.

While Washington may not want to officially announce the specifics of Backstrom’s injury, it is clearly a hand injury. As Sportsnet’s John Shannon points out, Backstrom was obviously sporting a heavily bandaged right hand when entering the arena earlier. Backstrom blocked a Justin Schultz shot with his hand in the first period of Game Five and saw limited ice time and no face-offs for the rest of the game. The injury now appears to be severe enough that he could not play through it tonight.

Not only is Backstrom a bona fide regular season star in the NHL, with a near point-per-game pace throughout his entire eleven-year career, but he is arguably better in the postseason. Backstrom has 88 points in 107 playoff games while skating for more than 21 minutes per night. Especially during the Caps’ current run, Backstrom has been an offensive force, recording 13 points in 11 games, including a three-point game against the Penguins in a Game Three win. Backstrom’s absence will not go unnoticed and is a major detriment to the Capitals’ depth. Washington has lost in each of the last six opportunities that they have had to reach the Eastern Conference final. To snap that streak, either tonight or possibly on Wednesday night too, they will have to find a way to win without Backstrom.

KHL Notes: Tolchinsky, Shalunov, Kaprizov

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Carolina Hurricanes signed Sergey Tolchinsky in 2013 after his first season in the CHL. An entry-level contract was a small risk to sign a player who showed such impressive skill as a rookie in the OHL, scoring 26 goals and 51 points in 2012-13. He’d follow it up with two 90+ point seasons for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, leading many to believe that even though he was undersized he may have an NHL future.

Well, after three seasons in the AHL and just a handle of NHL appearances, it appears the relationship is over. In today’s article for the Charlotte Checkers’ website, Nicholas Niedzielski reports that Tolchinsky has left the team and returned home to Russia. “He didn’t want to be a part of the team, so we granted his wish,” said head coach Mike Vellucci. Tolchinsky was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, and the Hurricanes will retain his NHL rights by issuing a qualifying offer if they so choose.

  • Another player who feels different about his NHL club is Maxim Shalunov, who still expects to join the Chicago Blackhawks at some point down the road. As Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription required) writes, Shalunov himself has admitted he wants to head to the NHL after his current contract with CSKA Moscow expires. That’s not for another two years, but the Blackhawks don’t mind waiting for the talented winger. Standing 6’4″ 215-lbs, the 25-year old has a big shot and recorded 20 goals in 46 games for CSKA this season. Scoring two more points today at the IIHF World Championships, he could inject some serious offensive power into the Blackhawks lineup whenever he does come over.
  • Speaking of success at the Worlds, Minnesota Wild draft pick Kirill Kaprizov continues to show why he’s regarded as one of the top offensive talents outside of the NHL. He scored his tournament-leading (tied with Sebastian Aho) fourth goal today, giving him six points through three games to tie him with Pavel Datsyuk for the lead on Team Russia. After a frosty start to their relationship, Kaprizov and Minnesota seem to be heading towards a contract of some sort down the line—though it still might have to wait a few more years. The 21-year old forward scored 40 points in 46 games for CSKA this season.

AHL Announces Divisional Alignment For 2018-19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The AHL will welcome in their 31st team in 2018-19, as the Colorado Eagles are joining to give each NHL club a primary affiliate. With that the league needed a slight adjustment to the divisional alignment, which was announced today. Colorado will be joining the Pacific Division, while San Antonio and Texas will both move to the Central Divison. Cleveland will then move from the Central to the North, evening them out as much as possible. The full alignment can be seen below:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division:

Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI)
Charlotte Checkers (CAR)
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)
Hershey Bears (WSH)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI)
Providence Bruins (BOS)
Springfield Thunderbirds (FLA)
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT)

North Division:

Belleville Senators (OTT)
Binghamton Devils (NJD)
Cleveland Monsters (CBJ)
Laval Rocket (MTL)
Rochester Americans (BUF)
Syracuse Crunch (TBL)
Toronto Marlies (TOR)
Utica Comets (VAN)

Western Conference

Central Division:

Chicago Wolves (VGK)
Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Iowa Wild (MIN)
Manitoba Moose (WPG)
Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
Rockford IceHogs (CHI)
San Antonio Rampage (STL)
Texas Stars (DAL)

Pacific Division:

Bakersfield Condors (EDM)
Colorado Eagles (COL)
Ontario Reign (LAK)
San Diego Gulls (ANA)
San Jose Barracuda (SJS)
Stockton Heat (CGY)
Tucson Roadrunners (ARZ)

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

scroll to top