Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for January 2019

Minor Transactions: 01/10/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It’s another busy day in the NHL with 24 teams in action, including the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks who are battling for position in the Pacific Division. As teams prepare for tonight we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo once again, who will serve as backup for Michael Hutchinson tonight. Frederik Andersen is close to returning for Toronto but will be held out of at least one more contest as he continues to rehab from a groin injury. Kaskisuo played yesterday for the Toronto Marlies, and has still not received a single start in the NHL.
  • Mackenzie MacEachern scored twice for the San Antonio Rampage last night and today he’s headed to the NHL. The St. Louis Blues have recalled the 24-year old forward for the first time this season. MacEachern is still waiting for his NHL debut, but has 15 points in 31 games for the Rampage this season.
  • With Mike Green returning to the Detroit Red Wings lineup, the team has sent Brian Lashoff back to the minor leagues. Lashoff has been bouncing up and down, but is still waiting for his first chance to actually play in an NHL game this season.
  • Brandon Pirri was returned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. However, hours later, he was recalled to Vegas, per the AHL’s Transactions Page.  Pirri has scored seven goals and ten points in his eight appearances for the Golden Knights, but is in a tough situation as one of the only waiver-exempt players on the roster. Should Pirri play two more games with the Golden Knights he would become waiver eligible again.
  • Troy Grosenick has been recalled under emergency conditions by the Nashville Predators.  He’s taking the place of Juuse Saros who is day-to-day due to illness.

Sergei Bobrovsky Will Not Dress Due To Team Incident

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Columbus Blue Jackets have issued a press release indicating that Sergei Bobrovsky will not dress for the team’s game against the Nashville Predators tonight, citing an “incident” which has caused the team to basically suspend (though not in those words) the veteran goaltender. GM Jarmo Kekalainen explains:

There are certain expectations and values that we have established for our players that define our culture. An incident occurred in which Sergei failed to meet those expectations and values, so we made the decision that he would not be with the team for tonight’s game. This is an internal matter and we will have no further comment at this time.

In Bobrovsky’s place the team has recalled Jean-Francois Berube while also moving Brandon Dubinsky and Markus Hannikainen to injured reserve. The veteran goaltender is expected to be back with the team at practice on Friday, and head coach John Tortorella would not go into any more detail about the situation when pressed by media.

The development is certainly an interesting one given the situation that is brewing in Columbus. Bobrovsky is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and has been considered a potential trade target for months. Pulled in his last game after allowing four goals, the 30-year old goaltender now sits on just a .906 save percentage for the year, a far cry from his career average of .919 or the heights he reached as a two-time Vezina Trophy winner.

Metropolitan Notes: Penguins, Foligno, Vrana

at CDT | by 1 Comment

While Derick Brassard’s tenure with the Penguins hasn’t gone as well as they’d hoped, it doesn’t appear as if GM Jim Rutherford is as eager to shake things up down the middle as he was a year ago.  Speaking with Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Rutherford indicated that he’s not as determined as he was to upgrade that spot compared to this time last season:

I don’t know where things will go on the trade front, but I don’t feel the same urgency as I felt last year to strengthen our center position, which was a big need last year.

Brassard is in the final year of his contract and considering that Vegas is paying 40% of his $5MM salary, he’s not looking like a strong candidate to stick around with the Penguins beyond this season.  However, when he’s on his game, he’s a capable top-six player and having some of those on the third line (his current linemates are wingers Tanner Pearson and Phil Kessel) can only help their chances in the postseason.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • In an appearance on 97.1 The Fan (audio link), Blue Jackets head coach indicated that forward Nick Foligno is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday night. He has missed the last four games while his daughter underwent surgery.  The 31-year-old will be a welcome addition back to the lineup as he sits fifth on the Blue Jackets while ranking fourth among Columbus forwards in ice time.
  • A career season from Capitals winger Jakub Vrana may be enough to earn himself a long-term deal this summer, suggests J.J. Regan of NBC Sports Washington. The 23-year-old has already set a new career mark in goals with 14 and is just three points shy of matching his previous season-best set last year.  Given GM Brian MacLellan’s willingness to lock up core players to long-term deals, it’s certainly reasonable to think they’ll try to do the same here.  However, with over $68MM committed to just 14 players for next season, making room for another significant contract could be tricky.  Vrana will be a restricted free agent this summer without salary arbitration rights.

2018 Year In Review: December

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

2018 was quite a busy year in the hockey world.  There were several big trades and free agent signings, plenty of changes behind the bench, and much more.  Over the past couple of weeks, PHR has looked back at the top stories from around the game on a month-by-month basis.  Last up is a look back at December which featured some notable news around the league.

Nylander Saga Ends: It took until mere minutes before the December 1st deadline but the Maple Leafs and RFA winger William Nylander were able to agree on a six-year, $45MM contract.  The deal is considerably front-loaded and contains over $24MM in signing bonuses over the life of the contract.  Because of its varied structure and the fact it was signed during the season, the cap hit to Toronto differs significantly this season compared to the next five years.  They’re carrying a cap hit of $10.277MM on the books in 2018-19, a number that drops to $6.96MM for next season and beyond.  The 22-year-old has gotten off to a very slow start since signing, collecting just a goal and two assists in 14 games.

Berglund Suspended, Contract Terminated: In a move that came out of nowhere, the Sabres announced that center Patrik Berglund had been suspended indefinitely for failure to report to the team.  He had missed the previous few games with what was being called an illness but before that, he had been a regular in Buffalo, albeit in a minor role.  Days later, he was placed on unconditional waivers and when he cleared, it paved the way for the team to terminate the remainder of his deal, which carried a $3.85MM cap hit through 2021-22.  Berglund has yet to sign anywhere since then.

More Changes In Philadelphia: After firing Ron Hextall in November, the Flyers found their replacement GM, naming Chuck Fletcher to the role.  One of the immediate questions that surfaced was the future of head coach Dave Hakstol.  While he stuck around for a couple of weeks, a move behind the bench was eventually made as Scott Gordon was promoted from the AHL to take over as head coach on an interim basis for the remainder of the season.  Hakstol’s tenure will be remembered for Philadelphia’s extreme streakiness while his overall record of 134-101-42 wasn’t particularly strong either.  Gordon has parts of three seasons of NHL head coaching experience with the Islanders but he hasn’t been able to turn the ship around as the Flyers are just 3-7-2 since his hire.

Seattle Becomes Official: This decision was expected for a while but the league officially announced that Seattle will become the NHL’s 32nd team after they were granted an expansion franchise for $650MM.  The hope was that they would be able to begin playing in 2020-21 but instead, they will hold off a year and hold their Expansion Draft in June of 2021.  It’s expected that the same rules that Vegas for the draft will be in place for Seattle.  On top of that, the city will also be hosting the All-Star Game and the NHL Entry Draft within the next seven years, league commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters today, including NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika (Twitter link).

Dallas CEO Speaks Out: It’s rare when a CEO of an NHL team speaks out.  It’s even rarer when anyone speaks out as strongly as Dallas’ Jim Lites did.  He took aim at winger Jamie Benn and center Tyler Seguin, their two top players who have failed to live up to expectations this season in a planned expletive-filled tirade.  While ownership has stepped in to say that this isn’t a sign that one could be traded in the weeks to come, this could very well create a chasm between the team and its top players, especially if they continue to underachieve.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Sharks Open To Pursuing Top Rentals

at CDT | by 3 Comments

After making a big splash at the trade deadline last season with the acquisition of winger Evander Kane, Sharks GM Doug Wilson indicated to Paul Gackle of the Mercury News that they’re once again open to going after an impact rental player.  Before Kane’s addition last season, San Jose was typically content with adding role players and shoring up their depth around the deadline but they’re open to a more aggressive approach this time around.

It’s certainly understandable that Wilson is open to trying another big swing.  The Sharks are built to win now and have several prominent unrestricted free agents on the roster already in defenseman Erik Karlsson plus centers Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton.  With Karlsson unlikely to sign a contract extension until after the trade deadline (when he becomes eligible for an eighth year), an impact addition plus a strong playoff run could certainly bolster their chances of keeping him in the fold beyond this season.

However, there are a couple of potential complicating factors here.  For starters, San Jose projects to only be able to add a player making just shy of $4MM on deadline day, per CapFriendly.  Most impact rentals have a higher price tag than that.  Accordingly, the Sharks would either need to send someone off the roster to help offset salary or have the other team retain part of the contract, resulting in a higher asking price.

That leads to the other challenge that Wilson will face.  As a result of the Kane acquisition (and subsequent extension), San Jose doesn’t have their first-round pick this season.  They also have to give up the higher of their 2019 second-round picks to Ottawa as part of the Karlsson trade, a move that also cost them their 2020 first rounder.  On top of that, their top two 2021 top picks are presently encumbered from the Karlsson trade as it’s a conditional selection contingent on him re-signing and how far the Sharks go in the playoffs this year.  (There’s also the conditional first-rounder they’d owe if they deal Karlsson to another Eastern Conference team although that’s extremely unlikely to occur.)  That certainly limits their trade chips.

With their pursuit of John Tavares last summer and their eventual acquisition of Karlsson, San Jose served notice that their window to win is now so adding another impact rental player makes plenty of sense.  However, given their shortage of top picks and somewhat limited salary cap space, their options may wind up being more limited than they’d like.

Poll: Where Will Wayne Simmonds End The Season?

at CDT | by 3 Comments

It seems as though the biggest name in the rumor mill of late is that of Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who remains unsigned past this season and could be a huge help to basically any Stanley Cup contender. His unique mix of skills is a difficult thing to come by, and a reasonable cap hit of $3.975MM makes him able to fit into almost anyone’s budget.

That’s not to say that he is guaranteed to be traded. Under former GM Ron Hextall the Flyers had talked about an extension with Simmonds that would keep him in Philadelphia for several more years, but it’s unclear where new GM Chuck Fletcher stands on the matter, though he had previously tried to acquire the winger when in Minnesota. Now, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) reports that Fletcher and agent Eustace King have spoken recently and that another conversation will take place this week.

If he doesn’t re-sign in Philadelphia and the Flyers decide to move him at the deadline, there won’t be any shortage of suitors for Simmonds. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked because of their apparent need for a physical net-front presence and it being Simmonds’ hometown, while Tampa Bay, Winnipeg and Calgary have also been suggested as good landing spots—though no link has been reported between any of them.

The Flyers have lost eight consecutive games and fallen all the way to the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, a clear sign that they will be sellers at the deadline. Simmonds is easily their most attractive expiring contract, though obviously Fletcher could choose to place a bigger explosive in the room and change the entire look of the team.

Where do you think Simmonds will end the season? Does he re-sign with the Flyers and try to help them flip the script next season, or will he be bought by the highest bidder at the deadline for a deep playoff run? Cast your vote below and explain your reasoning in the comment section.

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Snapshots: World Cup, Draft Rankings, Pettersson

at CDT | by 2 Comments

While there is no guarantee that a 2020 World Cup of Hockey occurs given the uncertainty surrounding the CBA talks between the NHL and NHLPA, the staff at The Athletic (subscription required) took a shot at what a Canadian roster would look like anyway. Once again the submitted rosters are overloaded by center talent, with Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Mark Scheifele, Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares, Ryan O’Reilly, Jonathan Toews, Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos all making appearances.

That kind of depth down the middle has long been Canada’s claim to fame on the international hockey stage, though there are certainly more questions around the defensive group that has been suggested. It will be interesting to see what other names work their way into the conversation over the next year.

  • If the next World Cup decides to go with another young North American team, they may be drawing from the 2019 draft class that is loaded with talent. Sam Cosentino of Sportsnet released his latest ranking for the upcoming draft, and while Jack Hughes remains on top, World Junior gold medalist Kaapo Kakko has closed the gap. Finnish forward Kakko scored the golden goal that toppled Hughes and Team USA in the final game, and basically cemented him as a top-2 pick at this point.
  • It seems like the Vancouver Canucks might get their superstar forward back before long, as head coach Travis Green told the media today that Elias Pettersson will skate either Thursday or Friday of this week as he tries to return from a knee injury. Pettersson already missed time earlier this year with a concussion, but as Elliotte Friedman noted for Sportsnet, he’d have to miss a lot more to be caught in the Calder Trophy race.

Anaheim Ducks Make Three Roster Moves

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Anaheim Ducks have made three roster moves on Wednesday, first sending both Ben Street and Josh Mahura to the minor leagues. Street cleared waivers earlier this month and can be assigned to the AHL for now without going through the process again. Meanwhile, with the open roster spots the team has activated Rickard Rakell from injured reserve, ending a month-long stint on the sidelines.

Rakell’s return is huge for a Ducks team that reeling at the moment. Losers of eight consecutive games, the team has now fallen 12 points behind the San Jose Sharks for third place in the Pacific Division and are in danger of dropping out of the playoff race entirely. If it weren’t for the recent futility of teams like the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers that would be the case, but luckily Randy Carlyle’s squad can still turn things around. The return of their best pure goal scorer will certainly help that turnaround, though Rakell hasn’t been quite himself this season.

After recording back-to-back 30+ goal seasons, the 25-year old forward found the back of the net just five times in his first 30 games. Much of that has to do with an abysmal shooting percentage, but the team desperately needs him to find his touch around the net going forward. Luckily, Rakell was still producing offensively and returns to the lineup with 20 points in those 30 games. Rakell is one of the most valuable assets in the entire league given his $3.8MM cap hit, and should change at least some of the fortunes in Anaheim.

Carolina Hurricanes, Micheal Ferland “Far Apart” In Contract Negotiations

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Carolina Hurricanes have been the target of much trade speculation ever since Thomas Dundon took over as owner and rapidly changed the front office. The team traded away Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Jeff Skinner in part because they were hoping for a new identity on the ice, but still found themselves struggling to stay relevant through the first part of the season. Recently, that has changed with a five-game winning streak that shot Carolina back into the playoff picture and now has them as potential buyers at the deadline. Still, one pending unrestricted free agent sits on the roster as a potential rental option for another contender out there.

Micheal Ferland was one of the more underrated pieces that came back in the Lindholm-Hanifin deal, but has performed admirably for the team and still sits second in goals with 12. The physical, bang-and-crash winger has dealt with injury but provided more than enough for his $1.75MM cap hit. It’s that cap hit that makes him so attractive on the trade market though, especially if the Hurricanes can’t get him under an extension for next year. Ferland is a pending unrestricted free agent and according to Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, the two sides are “far, far apart” in negotiations.

Friedman mentions the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers as potential fits for Ferland at the deadline, though notes that there will be others. That makes sense given how Ferland has shown an ability to play up and down the lineup without dragging down talented linemates, and can offer a brand of hockey that is greatly coveted in the postseason. The 26-year old forward has 701 hits in 285 games and found his offensive stride last season when he recorded 21 goals and 41 points playing for long stretches beside Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. That kind of versatility is extremely valuable, especially when it comes with such a low salary cost.

It will be interesting to see how Carolina plays the trade deadline though, as they’re obviously in need of more goal scoring if they are to make a playoff run this year. Trading Ferland would certainly take one of their top options away, but if he’s going to walk in free agency anyway there’s little reason to keep him around.

Scott Wilson, Miroslav Svoboda Placed On Waivers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Wednesday: Both Wilson and Svoboda have cleared waivers according to Friedman. The latter will see his contract terminated, while the former has been assigned to Rochester.

Tuesday: According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Buffalo Sabres have placed depth forward Scott Wilson on waivers. Wilson is currently on injured reserve. In addition, the Nashville Predators have placed another player on unconditional waivers, this time heading towards a contract termination with goaltender Miroslav Svoboda who has spent the early part of the season in the ECHL.

Because of his injury status Wilson actually could have gone to the minor leagues on a short-term conditioning stint, but the Sabres are hoping he’ll slip through and provide them with even more flexibility going forward. Should he clear waivers tomorrow he can be assigned to the Rochester Americans for a longer period of time, and be recalled when necessary. Given the expected return of Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart within the next few games, the depth forward wasn’t needed at the current time.

Wilson, who played for three different organizations last season, found a home in Buffalo in the second half. Registering 14 points in 49 games he showed that he could be a reasonably valuable bottom-six player for the club. He’s still waiting for his first opportunity of 2018-19, but there’s certainly no reason to think the Sabres have given up on him. After all, they did sign him to a two-year $2.1MM contract last July. That contract is cheap enough to be buried in the minor leagues if necessary, but also represents a commitment to Wilson that should not have disappeared at this point.

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

scroll to top