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Archives for September 2018

25 Players Placed On Waivers

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Today marked the opening of the regular waiver period in the NHL and not surprisingly, there are quite a few players on the wire.  Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports (Twitter link) that the following 25 players are on waivers:

F Matt Moulson (Buffalo)
D Andrew Campbell (Chicago)
F Jordan Schroeder (Chicago)
F Mitch Callahan (Edmonton)
D Ryan Stanton (Edmonton)
D Ludwig Bystrom (Florida)
G Michael Hutchinson (Florida)
F Paul Thompson (Florida)
F Cole Bardreau (Philadelphia)
D T.J. Brennan (Philadelphia)
F Greg Carey (Philadelphia)
F Danick Martel (Philadelphia)
F Phil Varone (Philadelphia)
F Frederick Tiffels (Pittsburgh) (unconditional waivers, per CapFriendly)
G Jordan Binnington (St. Louis)
D Chris Butler (St. Louis)
F Brian Flynn (St. Louis)
F Joey LaLeggia (St. Louis)
F Jordan Nolan (St. Louis)
D Tyler Wotherspoon (St. Louis)
G Richard Bachman (Vancouver)
F Tanner Kero (Vancouver)
G Oscar Dansk (Vegas)
F Brett Gallant (Vegas)
D Zac Leslie (Vegas)

Moulson highlights the list although his placement should come as no surprise.  With another year at a $5MM cap hit remaining on his deal, he’s a lock to clear and is expected to find his way back to the Kings’ farm team for the upcoming season.  Among other notable forwards, Kero has spent time in the NHL in each of the last three seasons, spanning 72 games in that span.  Nolan last played in the AHL back in 2012-13 and has been a regular on an NHL roster since then.  Buffalo claimed him off waivers last year in training camp.  Schroeder is no stranger to being on the wire but he has played in at least 21 NHL contests in each of the last six seasons.

Among the more notable defensemen, Brennan has been a prolific scorer at the AHL level in recent years but hasn’t seen a lot of NHL action in that time.  Wotherspoon is coming off of a career year in the minors, posting 37 points in 67 games and has 30 games of NHL experience while Butler has played in at least one game with St. Louis for three straight years and is six games shy of 400 for his career.

Hutchinson is by far the most well-known goaltender of the group.  The Panthers signed him to a $1.3MM deal at the beginning of free agency to give them a capable number three in case of injury.  He spent most of last year in the minors and with the higher price tag, he’s a fairly safe bet to clear.  Dansk made his NHL debut last season when Vegas was hit hard with injuries and did quite well, posting a 1.78 GAA and a .946 SV% in four appearances.

With the exception of Tiffels, the other 24 players will be eligible to be assigned to their respective minor league teams if they aren’t claimed by 11:00 AM CST tomorrow.  In Tiffels’ case, his contract will be terminated if he goes unclaimed as expected.

2006 NHL Draft Take Two: Thirteenth Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended. For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

Our look back at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft is now in full swing as we poll the PHR community to see who would have been selected in the first round and in what order knowing what we know now. Through the first dozen picks, we’ve already seen potential Hall of Fame players switch teams, and multiple captains move up and down the draft board.

Here are the results of the redraft so far:

1st Overall: Jonathan Toews (St. Louis Blues)
2nd Overall: Claude Giroux (Pittsburgh Penguins)
3rd Overall: Nicklas Backstrom (Chicago Blackhawks)
4th Overall: Brad Marchand (Washington Capitals)
5th Overall: Phil Kessel (Boston Bruins)
6th Overall: Jordan Staal (Columbus Blue Jackets)
7th Overall: Milan Lucic (New York Islanders)
8th Overall: Kyle Okposo (Phoenix Coyotes)
9th Overall: Erik Johnson (Minnesota Wild)
10th Overall: Derick Brassard (Florida Panthers)
11th Overall: Bryan Little (Los Angeles Kings)
12th Overall: Nick Foligno (Atlanta Thrashers)

In a fairly close vote, Foligno is off to the Thrashers, who initially picked Little with this pick.  While Little plays a more premium position as a full-time center, Foligno certainly isn’t a bad consolation prize and would have fit in well with a now-Winnipeg roster that features some size and grit on the wings.  Meanwhile, it’s a nice bump up the draft board for Foligno who initially went 28th to Ottawa.

Now we’ll move on to the thirteenth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, which was originally held by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With their original pick, they selected winger Jiri Tlusty out of Kladno in the Czech Republic.  While his offensive numbers weren’t anything to get too excited about, the fact that he was able to play a regular role in their top league as a draft-eligible player was certainly encouraging.  He spent one year after that in junior hockey before making the full-time jump into Toronto’s system in 2007-08 where he spent the bulk of the season with the Maple Leafs.  However, he spent most of the next two years in the minors and in the final year of his entry-level deal, he was dealt to Carolina for Phillipe Paradis, a 2009 first rounder that ultimately didn’t make the NHL.

While that was essentially the end of Toronto’s journey with that pick, Tlusty went on to carve out a respectable career.  He spent parts of six seasons with the Hurricanes before being dealt as a rental to Winnipeg at the trade deadline in 2015.  He then spent a year in New Jersey before heading to Finland in 2016.  However, an injury with Karpat in December of that year ended his playing days.  Tlusty wrapped up his career with 177 points in 446 games, a respectable career but not a great return on a lottery selection.

With that in mind, who should Toronto take with the thirteenth selection?  Make your pick in the poll below:

Mobile users, click here to vote.

Central Notes: Josi, Sundqvist, Methot

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Many would suggest that Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis left some money on the table when he signed his eight-year, $50MM contract extension earlier this summer.  Fellow blueliner Roman Josi certainly felt that way and hinted to Adam Vingan of The Athletic (subscription required) that he may be willing to do the same once he is eligible to sign an extension next July:

“Whatever Ryan did was the right mindset. You’ve got to make sure we can keep that core together. For that (to happen), you’ve got to do your part, too.”

Josi is on one of the bigger bargain contracts in the league, one that carries a cap hit of $4MM through 2019-20.  The team already has $19MM committed to their other three top-four defenders for 2020-21 and beyond so the Predators may be in tough to keep that core together.  However, Ellis did his part to help earlier this summer and it appears that their captain is willing to do the same when the time comes.

More from the Central:

  • Last season, the Blues kept center Oskar Sundqvist on the roster in part because they were concerned he might clear waivers, notes Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. However, he adds they don’t seem to have that same worry now.  Sundqvist played a sparing role last year, collecting a goal and four assists in 42 games while averaging 10:29 per night in ice time.  With several youngsters vying for a roster spot though, there’s a real possibility that his spot is in jeopardy.
  • Stars defenseman Marc Methot dealt with knee issues last season and it doesn’t appear that those have completely gone away. He mentioned to Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News that his knee is still tender at times but that the situation is more manageable.  Even so, that has to be at least a little concerning for the team considering he’s their highest-paid defender and is someone they’ll be counting on to have much more of an impact if they want to make it back to the postseason.

Training Camp Cuts: 9/21/18

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Nearly 60 players were cut from training camps around the league yesterday, and today will probably be no different. We’ll keep track of all the cuts here and will update this post throughout the day.

Note that this list does not cover players placed on waivers today.  Those players can be found here.

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Justin Auger (released from PTO; to Stockton, AHL)
F Yasin Ehliz (to Stockton, AHL)
F Jordan Ernst (released from PTO; to Stockton, AHL)
F Zach Fischer (to Stockton, AHL)
D Josh Healey (to Stockton, AHL)
G Mason McDonald (to Stockton, AHL)
F Mike McMurtry (to Stockton, AHL)
D Andrew O’Brien (to Stockton, AHL)
D Michael Paliotta (to Stockton, AHL)
F Scott Sabourin (released from PTO; to Stockton, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

D Josiah Didier (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Michael Fora (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Jeremy Helvig (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Steven Lorentz (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Cliff Pu (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Aleksi Saarela (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Spencer Smallman (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Josh Wesley (to Charlotte, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team release and team Twitter account)

D Nicolas Beaudin (to Drummondville, QMJHL)
D Lucas Carlsson (to Rockford, AHL)
F MacKenzie Entwistle (to Hamilton, OHL)
D Blake Hillman (to Rockford, AHL)
G Kevin Lankinen (to Rockford, AHL)
F Nathan Noel (to Rockford, AHL)
D Darren Raddysh (to Rockford, AHL)
F Henrik Samuelsson (released from PTO; to Rockford, AHL)

Dallas Stars (per Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News)

D Jakob Stenqvist (IF Bjorkloven, Allsvenskan)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Morgan Adams-Moisan (to Laval, AHL)
F Jeremiah Addison (to Laval, AHL)
F Alexandre Alain (to Laval, AHL)
F Daniel Audette (to Laval, AHL)
F Alex Belzile (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
F Will Bitten (to Laval, AHL)
D Josh Brook (to Moose Jaw, WHL)
D Ryan Culkin (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
F Jake Evans (to Laval, AHL)
D Cale Fleury (to Laval, AHL)
F Alexandre Grenier (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
F Nikita Jevpalovs (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
D Maxim Lamarche (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
G Etienne Marcoux (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
F Phelix Martineau (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
G Michael McNiven (to Laval, AHL)
D T.J. Melancon (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
F Michael Pezzetta (to Laval, AHL)
D Adam Plant (released from PTO; to Laval, AHL)
F Joel Teasdale (to Blainville-Boisbriand, QMJHL)
F Lukas Vejdemo (to Laval, AHL)
F Antoine Waked (to Laval, AHL)
D Scott Walford (to Victoria, WHL)

Vancouver Canucks (per team release)

D Guillaume Brisebois (to Utica, AHL)
F Jonah Gadjovich (to Utica, AHL)
F Lukas Jasek (to Utica, AHL)
G Ivan Kubalkov (released from ATO; to Utica, AHL)
F Kole Lind (to Utica, AHL)
F Zack MacEwen (to Utica, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)

D Dylan Coghlan (to Chicago, AHL)
F Reid Duke (to Chicago, AHL)
G Zach Fucale (to Chicago, AHL)
F Tomas Hyka (to Chicago, AHL)
D Kevin Lough (to Chicago, AHL)
F Brooks Macek (to Chicago, AHL)
D Jimmy Oligny (to Chicago, AHL)
F Gage Quinney (to Chicago, AHL)
D Zach Whitecloud (to Chicago, AHL)
F Tyler Wong (to Chicago, AHL)

Canadiens Sign Joel Teasdale To An Entry-Level Contract

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After signing Josh Brook earlier this morning, the Canadiens have locked up another prospect, announcing the signing of winger Joel Teasdale to a three-year, entry-level contract.  CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that the deal will carry a cap hit of just over $753K before performance bonuses which exist in only the first year of the contract.

Teasdale went undrafted back in June but accepted an invitation to Montreal’s development camp shortly thereafter.  He performed well enough to get invited to their main camp and even got into a preseason game with the big club.

Last season, the 19-year-old played in 65 games with Blainville-Boisbriand of the QMJHL, recording 32 goals and 33 assists and followed that up with a near point-per-game showing in the postseason, posting eight goals along with 13 helpers in 22 contests.  That also helped him earn an invitation to Team Canada’s summer camp for the World Juniors.

Teasdale isn’t eligible to play at the minor league level so he will likely return to the Armada for the upcoming campaign.  If he doesn’t play in ten or more games with Montreal in 2018-19, his contract will slide a year and not officially begin until 2019-20.

Canadiens Sign Josh Brook To An Entry-Level Deal

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The Canadiens have locked up one of their 2017 draft picks, announcing the signing of defenseman Josh Brook to a three-year, entry-level contract.  CapFriendly reports (via Twitter) that the deal will carry a cap hit of just under $810K before potential games played performance bonuses.

Brook was a second-round pick of Montreal (56th overall) back in 2017 and is coming off a quality, albeit injury-shortened, season with Moose Jaw of the WHL.  In 45 games with the Warriors, he collected 32 points (3-29-32) along with 36 PIMS and a +48 rating, the second-best mark on the team despite missing 27 games.

Brook isn’t eligible to play in the minors in 2018-19 so he will likely return to the junior level for the upcoming season.  If he doesn’t play in ten or more games with Montreal this season, his contract will slide a year and not officially begin until the 2019-20 campaign.

2018-19 Season Primer: New York Rangers

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With the NHL season now just a few weeks away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Next up is a look at the New York Rangers.

Last Season: 34-39-9 record (77 points), eighth in the Metropolitan Division (missed the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $3.58MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: D Fredrik Claesson (free agent, Ottawa), D Adam McQuaid (trade with Boston)

Key Departures: F David Desharnais (free agent, Omsk, KHL), D Steven Kampfer (trade with Boston), G Ondrej Pavelec (retirement)

[Related: Rangers Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Vladislav Namestnikov – It was a tale of two seasons for Namestnikov last year.  He got off to a strong start with Tampa Bay and spent some time on their front line.  It was looking as if he was finally going to establish himself as a legitimate top-six forward and he was positioning himself for a nice long-term deal in the summer.

And then he got traded to New York where that momentum went in the completely opposite direction.  He struggled considerably with his new team and his production plummeted as a result; his 0.21 point-per-game average with the Rangers (in 19 games) was lower than any of his averages with the Lightning.  Instead of securing that long-term pact, Namestnikov wound up having to settle for a second bridge contract.

How will the 25-year-old fare in his first full season in New York?  If he can show that the dip was merely a blip and not a sign of things to come, he can quickly rebuild his value and could very become enticing to other teams around the league as the Rangers continue their rebuild.  If his struggles continue though, he could be dropped down the lineup fairly quickly which will certainly hurt his value around the rest of the NHL and limit his potential for a raise when he hits unrestricted free agency in 2020.  Needless to say, this is a pivotal year for Namestnikov.

Key Storyline: The youth movement appears to be in full effect for New York based on the moves they made towards the trade deadline last season and their inactivity this summer.  As a result, some spots appear to be open for some of their more promising youngsters to push for a full-time spot.  However, there will still be some on the outside looking in.

How will those players be integrated into the lineup?  Are 2017 first rounders Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson going to land top-nine spots right away?  If not, would they be better served off getting top minutes in the minors?  They face a similar question with young netminder Alexander Georgiev.  He’s capable of being the backup to Henrik Lundqvist but with his waiver exemption, he may be better served spending time in the minors where he could see more game action.

They also have some decisions to make on their back end.  Neal Pionk had a big impact after being a late-season recall while Rob O’Gara also fared well.  Tony DeAngelo is only 22 but already is waiver-eligible so he will likely make the roster by default.  Can they find room for the others to play a regular role or will one (or both) of O’Gara and Pionk find themselves back with AHL Hartford?

Although GM Jeff Gorton freed up some roster space through his dealings last season, they’re still facing a situation where some will be starting in the minors.  Accordingly, even though the youth movement will be in effect to start the season, it wouldn’t be surprising if more veterans are moved out leading up to the deadline once again.

Overall Outlook: By punting on last season the way they did when they were still technically in the playoff mix, the Rangers are clearly prepared for some short-term pain and that will be the case in 2018-19.  They have enough talent to be competitive most nights but they’ll still be among the lower teams in the Metropolitan Division this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Loui Eriksson Out “Week-To-Week” With Lower-Body Injury

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Will Loui Eriksson ever catch a break in Vancouver? The former 30-goal scorer’s tenure with the Canucks has been an unmitigated disaster, with constant injury issues playing a role in two streaky, underwhelming seasons. Eriksson has suited up for just 115 of the Canucks’ 164 combined games over the past two seasons and has registered only 21 goals and 47 points in that time. Eriksson himself surely wants to be better, but the Canucks need him to improve at $6MM per season. The hope was the Eriksson could finally stay healthy and play up to expectations this season. That illusion has already been shattered.

The Province’s Ben Kuzma relayed bad news from Canucks head coach Travis Green earlier today. Accurately, Kuzma says “the injury bug bites Eriksson again”, as the veteran forward is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Eriksson was injured blocking a shot in Vancouver’s preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Green describes the injury as a bone bruise to the leg, which does not sound overly serious. However, given that Eriksson missed 14 games with a knee injury last season (and another 18 with broken ribs), it is possible that the injury could be more serious if located near that same suspect area.

With free agent addition Antoine Roussel also sidelined with a concussion, and no timeline for a return, the Canucks seem likely to begin the season short-handed up front. Given the turnover for Vancouver this off-season, namely the retirement of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, it’s unclear where Eriksson and Roussel would have slotted in if healthy, but both typically line up at left wing. Their absences could mean that Brendan Leipsic or Tim Schaller play elevated roles to begin the year or that Jonathan Dahlen, Tanner Kero, or Tyler Motte have a chance to break camp. Either way, the Canucks will eagerly await the return of two players who need to be at their best if the team can take a step forward this season.

Matt Duchene To Be Patient With Next Career Move

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Much has been made of the dwindling core of the Ottawa Senators. Erik Karlsson and Mike Hoffman are gone, Craig Anderson is nearing retirement, and the teams top three forwards are impending unrestricted free agents – that would be Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, and Ryan Dzingel. Given the current state and direction of the team, it has been estimated by many that all three could opt for the open market next summer. Stone took a direct approach to those rumors this week, stating that he loves Ottawa and wants to remain with the Senators.

As TSN’s Frank Servalli writes, Duchene is not so eager to decide one way or the other on his future. Earlier this off-season, Duchene said that an extension is something that he would definitely consider, but wanted to see how things go this year. Since then, it has gone from bad to worse in Ottawa with the departure of key players, as well as ownership and the front office committing to a rebuild. It seems very unlikely that the season will go well for the Senators, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will sour Duchene on sticking around. Duchene called last year a “disaster”, both personally and for the Senators and is looking for a fresh take this season. In his first full season with the team, Duchene’s individual performance and his fit in the locker room and in Ottawa’s long-term plan is instead what will likely dictate his next move. Duchene appreciates being close to home in Ottawa and could cherish a role as a leader with the Senators. Then again, polarizing owner Eugene Melnyk has been apprehensive about awarding expensive contracts and Duchene could decide after a strong season that he has a much better chance at getting market value and finding a winning situation with another team.

Sens fans would love to hear that Duchene is committed to the team, and sooner rather than later. After all, Ottawa gave up quite the package to acquire him from the Colorado Avalanche early last season, including what could turn out to be the top overall pick in next year’s entry draft. However, given their recent rash of bad luck, those same fans would rather Duchene be patient with his decision than be yet another player hoping to be dealt away. Unlike Stone, who – after going through the arbitration process – may not re-sign until after January 1st, Duchene is eligible to ink an extension already. Just don’t expect a decision any time soon, though.

Interest Remains High In Acquiring Artemi Panarin

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Columbus Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin is one of the more talented forwards in the NHL and every other team in the league would like to own his services. For a while this off-season, it seemed highly likely that he would indeed move to another club, after rejecting an initial extension offer from the Blue Jackets. Panarin also set an ultimatum for further contract negotiations – a date that passed last week – before which many expected either a new deal or a trade. Yet, neither has come and GM Jarmo Kekalainen has expressed that he never took Panarin’s deadline into account and planned on working through negotiations all the way until July 1st, when the scoring winger will become an unrestricted free agent. That sentiment would seem to indicate that Kekalainen has no plans to trade Panarin this season.

Not so fast. On TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Darren Dreger reported that Kekalainen continues to field many trade calls for the talented forward. Despite teams currently focused on training camp and getting their opening night rosters set and ready to go, interest has not dropped off in acquiring Panarin. The Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and more have been linked to Panarin this summer and it is easy to imagine that all of those teams and other dark horse candidates continue to keep an eye on his status. Landing a player of Panarin’s caliber, especially with an extension attached, could be a franchise-altering move.

Nevertheless, Dreger adds that Kekalainen is not interested in trading Panarin – though time may eventually force his hand – and right now says “his principle point of interest is trying to convince him to re-sign.” It doesn’t sound as though Panarin’s mind has changed at all and it has been all quiet from his camp for some time. Perhaps he will be convinced to stay in Columbus over another successful campaign or perhaps Kekalainen will get a godfather offer too good to refuse. One way or another, the continued trade interest and extension determination from Columbus make it overwhelmingly likely that one of these two outcomes will occur, rather than Panarin walking away at the end of the year.

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