Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for May 2019

East Notes: Lehner, Lee, Red Wings, Ozhiganov

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After a strong season, Islanders goalie Robin Lehner is set to be one of the more intriguing unrestricted free agents.  He joined New York in what may very well have been a last chance situation and responded with the best numbers of his career and played a big role in them reaching the second round of the postseason.  Despite that, he noted to reporters, including Newsday’s Andrew Gross, that there have yet to be any discussions regarding a contract extension.

That’s not the case when it comes to winger Anders Lee.  The captain took a step back offensively this past season but still had 28 goals and 23 assists in 82 games and he indicated that there have been plenty of conversations between his agent Neil Sheehy and GM Lou Lamoriello.  It was reported back in late February that one potential holdup in discussions may be the length of the deal that Lee is seeking; he’ll turn 29 early in July.

Elsewhere in the East:

  • The Red Wings are one of the finalists to sign Finnish defenseman Oliwer Kaski, agent Todd Diamond acknowledged to MLive’s Ansar Khan. Kaski had a breakout season with Pelicans of the SM-liiga with 51 points in 59 games to lead the league in points by a defenseman.  Columbus is another team that is believed to have interest in the 23-year-old.  Meanwhile, Khan adds that defenseman Libor Sulak is contemplating signing back overseas.  He played in six games with Detroit this past season but spent the majority of it at the minor league level, collecting five goals and nine assists in 61 games with AHL Grand Rapids.
  • Maple Leafs defenseman Igor Ozhiganov has indeed decided to return to the KHL for next season, reports Jonas Siegel of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move had been speculated in recent weeks, especially after he lost his regular spot in the lineup and the fact that his KHL rights were dealt to Ak Bars Kazan at the beginning of the month.  Toronto can issue a qualifying offer to Ozhiganov this summer that would allow them to retain his NHL rights for one more year though he’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency either way in the summer of 2020.

Minor Transactions: 5/6/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

While it has been quiet on the transaction front in the NHL today, there has been a bit of movement when it comes to prospects.

  • The Hurricanes have assigned prospect Jesper Sellgren to their farm team in Charlotte, the AHL team announced. The defenseman was a sixth-round pick of Carolina last June and fared relatively well in his first full season in the SHL with Lulea.  Sellgren has inked a PTO with the Checkers to cover the remainder of their postseason but he remains under contract in Sweden for one more year.
  • The Maple Leafs have released defenseman Eemeli Rasanen from his PTO with their AHL affiliate, per the AHL’s Transactions page. The 20-year-old split the season between Jokerit of the KHL and Kiekko-Vantaa of the Mestis, Finland’s second division before joining the Marlies in mid-March when his season came to an end.  However, he played in just five regular season games down the stretch and has yet to suit up in the postseason.  Rasanen, a second-rounder back in 2017, is already signed with Jokerit for the 2019-20 season.

Mike Babcock To Return As Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach

at CDT | by 11 Comments

Despite plenty of fans calling for his head, and some recent speculation given his connection with Ken Holland, Mike Babcock will be the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019-20. Bob McKenzie of TSN spoke to Toronto GM Kyle Dubas, who gave a full vote of confidence to his head coach:

We’re all in on Mike and Mike is all in on us. We’ve had productive management meetings as an organization and Mike and I have had some really good meetings as well since the season ended. It’s our very strong belief Mike is the one to lead us, that’s the reality of it.

Babcock, 56, still has four years left on his eight-year deal with the Maple Leafs, one which pays him $6.25MM per season. That kind of commitment wasn’t made without considerable faith in the veteran head coach, and won’t be dismissed so easily.

Speculation started when the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round for the third consecutive season, and Dubas refused to guarantee the coaching staff would be back, instead deflecting the question and explaining that everyone from the top down would be evaluated. It still would have been very surprising to see Toronto move on, given the growth they’ve experienced since Babcock joined the team.

Hired in 2015, the former Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings head coach promised pain to the fan base when he joined the club given the state of the team at the time. The Maple Leafs finished last in the NHL during that first season and won the draft lottery for the chance to select Auston Matthews, before immediately surprising the league in Babcock’s sophomore season. Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and other rookies carried the team to the playoffs where they showed plenty of fight against the Washington Capitals, only to lose in six games. Two consecutive seven-game series against the Boston Bruins followed, but the Maple Leafs eclipsed the 100-point mark in each year.

The vote of confidence in Babcock did not extend one way or the other to the assistant coaches, which is important to note given the presence of a Dubas hire sitting in the minor leagues. Sheldon Keefe, who worked with Dubas with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, has the Toronto Marlies undefeated in the Calder Cup playoffs and looking like they might repeat as AHL champions. Keefe could be a potential option for several coaching vacancies around the league, which only fueled the speculation around Babcock further.

Cal Clutterbuck Dealing With Several Back Injuries

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The New York Islanders have some time off to decompress and get ready for next season, but it looks like Cal Clutterbuck will have a summer full of rehab. Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post tweets that Clutterbuck is dealing with a “plethora of things wrong” in his back, and is talking to doctors about surgery. Arthur Staple of The Athletic tweets that Clutterbuck has a stress fracture, two slipped disks and two rotated vertebrae. Cyrgalis notes that it could be four to six weeks, or four to six months depending on the procedure.

Clutterbuck played in three of the Islanders’ games against the Carolina Hurricanes and all four in their first-round sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The physical veteran forward was held without a single point in the playoffs, but still collected 33 hits over the seven contests. Even without much offensive production he is an important part of the Islanders line up, even regularly starting the game for head coach Barry Trotz.

The 31-year old forward still has three years remaining on his current contract but could be in jeopardy of missing the beginning of the season if he does face the six month recovery timeline. The Islanders have plenty of other forwards to worry about over the summer as they try to re-sign Anders Lee, Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle, but will hope Clutterbuck can find his way back to the ice quickly.

Snapshots: Jonsson-Fjallby, Ferschweiler, Penguins

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Washington Capitals have assigned Axel Jonsson-Fjallby to the Hershey Bears, after his Swedish club recently failed to capture the SHL title. Jonsson-Fjallby continued his development in Sweden this season despite having already signed his entry-level contract with Washington, but will now join Hershey as they try to climb out of their 0-2 hole in the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

The 21-year old forward actually played 16 games with the Bears this season before exercising his European Assignment Clause to force a loan back to Sweden. His regular season with Djurgardens wasn’t exceptional, but the fifth-round pick exploded in the playoffs with seven goals and 12 points in 19 games and should be returning to North America with quite a bit of confidence in his offensive game.

  • Frank Seravalli of TSN reports that the Detroit Red Wings have not renewed the contract of assistant coach Pat Ferschweiler, meaning head coach Jeff Blashill will have a new face on the bench this season. Ferschweiler had been with Detroit since 2015-16 when Blashill was promoted to the NHL job, but with Steve Yzerman now in as GM there was always likely to be some changes to the organization.
  • The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have announced a principle agreement on a 10-year arena lease extension, meaning to keep the franchise in Northeast Pennsylvania for the next decade. The team has been the primary AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins since they debuted in 1999 and have experienced nearly unparalleled regular season success. When the team missed the Calder Cup playoffs this season it marked the end of a 16-year run of qualifying for the postseason, and just the third time in team history that they had missed. Despite all of that success, the team is still looking for their first league title.

Philadelphia Flyers Hire Michel Therrien, Mike Yeo

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The Philadelphia Flyers will have an extremely experienced coaching staff next season. The team announced today that joining new head coach Alain Vigneault behind the bench will be Michel Therrien and Mike Yeo, both former NHL head coaches themselves. Scott Gordon, who was serving as interim coach this season will return to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms as head coach, while Ian Laperriere, Kim Dillagbaugh and Adam Patterson will also remain with the NHL coaching staff. Kris Knoblauch and Rick Wilson will not be returning.

Vigneault had this to say about his new coaching staff:

I am excited to add Michel and Mike on our coaching staff to work alongside Ian Laperriere, Kim Dillabaugh and Adam Patterson. Both men have enjoyed success at all levels throughout their coaching careers, including working together at the NHL level. Each brings a considerable amount of experience and knowledge to our group, which I have no doubt will help lead our team to immediate success.

The head coach is referring to Therrien and Yeo’s time together with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, when the latter served as an assistant on the former’s bench at both the AHL and NHL levels. That familiarity will hopefully help them as they transition to the Flyers, and lead to a playoff berth as soon as possible. Philadelphia is loaded with young players and prospects, but hasn’t been able to put it all together and contend in recent years.

It is important to note Knoblauch here, as the 40-year old was a highly touted coaching prospect before he joined the Flyers two years ago. He had coached both the Kootenay Ice and Erie Otters to league championships, taking both teams to the Memorial Cup. His overall record as a head coach in the CHL was 298-130-29 and several teams had considered him for their own coaching vacancies in the past.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Two Prospects

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Chicago Blackhawks have agreed to terms with two of their international prospects, signing Mikael Hakkarainen and Tim Soderlund to three-year entry-level contracts. Both deals will carry the maximum $925K cap hit in the NHL.

Hakkarainen, 21, was the 139th overall pick in 2018 and continued his career with the Muskegon Lumberjacks after a single game with Providence College to start the year. The forward left the college after being unhappy with the sport-school balance, and ended up setting a new high with 47 points in 42 games for Muskegon. That apparently impressed the Blackhawks enough to sign him to his entry-level deal, though it is not clear where his next step will be. Hakkarainen could go to the Rockford IceHogs next season or head back overseas to continue his development.

Soderlund, 21, was the team’s fourth round pick in 2017 and played another full season in the SHL. While he only recorded 14 points in 48 games, his skating ability and relentless energy are the traits that will serve him well in a transition to North American hockey. Soderlund stands just 5’9″, but is an excellent forechecker that has found plenty of success at the international level. In 2018 he took home a silver medal at the World Juniors with Sweden, recording five points in seven games.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Ilya Mikheyev

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The decision was made earlier today, and Ilya Mikheyev is on his way to the NHL. The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed the Russian forward to a one-year entry-level contract. The deal will cover the 2019-20 season, after which Mikheyev will become a restricted free agent.

Toronto beat out several other teams for the services of the 24-year old Mikheyev, with the Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks reportedly the other finalists. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet recently noted that his sources doubted that there was ever really a decision to be made, and that the Maple Leafs were always going to be the final destination.

Coming off a 45-point season with Avangard Omsk, the talented winger helped his club to an unlikely Gagarin Cup Final appearance with another 11 points in 13 postseason games. While Mikheyev has played mostly right wing in the KHL, that side is awfully full on the Maple Leafs at the moment with Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen and Connor Brown normally drawing in. Jeremy Bracco, the team’s top forward prospect is also a right winger, and is making a case for an NHL roster spot of his own next year.

Regardless Mikheyev, who is a left-handed shooter, will have to battle for a regular spot at all with the Maple Leafs who boast strong depth up front. His acquisition may actually lead to some more speculation about movement this summer by Toronto, who are heading into a tight cap situation with contract negotiations for Marner, Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson. If the team believes Mikheyev can help right away, it may allow them to move on from one of their other young forwards.

More Changes Coming In Tampa Bay, Detroit Front Offices

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Tampa Bay Lightning recently saw senior adviser Steve Yzerman head home to Michigan to re-join the Detroit Red Wings, leaving GM Julien BriseBois in charge of the ship moving forward. Immediately there was speculation that Yzerman could bring some of the Lightning front office with him, given that he had hired many of them when he took the job in 2010. It seems that speculation was correct, as AGM Pat Verbeek will be heading to Detroit to join Yzerman, while Jamie Pushor, Stacy Roest and Al Murray are all staying with the Lightning. All three have received AGM titles, while Mathieu Darche has also been hired as director of hockey operations.

Yzerman had this to say about Verbeek:

Pat Verbeek is one of the brightest minds and hardest workers in the game and has been a trusted and valued resource to me throughout my management career. He played a pivotal role in helping build the Lightning into a Stanley Cup contender throughout his tenure with the organization. I’m very excited to have Pat on board in Detroit and look forward to continuing to work alongside him.

The two have been together for some time, with Verbeek serving as a pro scout for the Red Wings between 2006-10 before following Yzerman to Tampa Bay. Even before that the two were teammates with Detroit, and obviously bring a great working relationship to their new task. Verbeek has consistently been mentioned for possible GM roles of his own, but will join Yzerman in trying to turn around the Red Wings and build them back into a Stanley Cup contender.

For Tampa Bay, holding onto some of their core staff was key. The three men work in separate divisions of the front office, as Pushor serves as director of player personnel, Roest is director of player development and Murray is director of amateur scouting. Each of them have proven their worth over the years, turning late-round picks into NHL stars while maintaining a tenable cap situation. BriseBois has some tough decisions to make over the next few months after a disappointing playoff exit, but will at least have a good chunk of his team still in place to help.

Five Key Stories: 4/29/19 – 5/5/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As the calendar flipped to May, there was quite a bit of news around the hockey world.  The top ones are covered here in our key stories of the week.

McCrimmon Named Vegas GM: Multiple teams were believed to be interested in Vegas assistant GM Kelly McCrimmon but it turns out he won’t be leaving after all.  Instead, the team announced that McCrimmon has been promoted to the GM role with the Golden Knights with George McPhee shifting his focus to his role as president of hockey operations effective September 1st.  This means that Edmonton will be turning to a different direction in their GM search as will Seattle, who was believed to have McCrimmon high on their list.

Johnsson Turned Down Extension Offers: The Maple Leafs are going to be an interesting team to follow this summer as they navigate through a tricky salary cap situation.  It turns out that Toronto GM Kyle Dubas was trying to get some cost certainty with one of his younger players as he offered a pair of different extensions to winger Andreas Johnsson but both were rejected.  The offers were two years at a $2.1MM AAV and four years at a $2.6MM AAV.  Johnsson opted to take his qualifying offer last summer in the hopes of landing a larger payday this offseason and after collecting 43 points in 73 games, he will certainly do so.  He has been a speculative target for a potential offer sheet given the cap issues the Leafs face and with the various threshold levels being revealed, that’s likely going to continue until a deal ultimately gets done.

Rangers Get Fox: After Adam Fox had indicated that he had no intention of signing with Carolina, there was plenty of speculation that he was going to wind up with the Rangers.  That wound up being the case as New York acquired him in exchange for their 2019 second-round pick plus a conditional 2020 third-round selection.  That pick will upgrade by a round if Fox plays in 30 NHL games in 2019-20.  The Rangers then quickly signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The deal will carry the maximum base salary ($925K including a 10% signing bonus) as well as $850K in performance bonuses in each season, the type of contract that is often handed to players selected in the middle of the first round.

Kelly Passes Away: Hall of Famer Red Kelly passed away at the age of 91.  He split his career between Detroit and Toronto and his story was particularly interesting.  After winning four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings as a defenseman, he wound up briefly retiring before joining the Maple Leafs where he won four more titles while playing as a center.  Overall, he wound up playing in 20 NHL seasons and won four Lady Byng Trophies along the way.  Upon retiring, he quickly transitioned to coaching and spent ten seasons behind the bench for three different teams, wrapping up with Toronto in 1977.

Women’s Boycott: Following the surprising folding of the CWHL, more than 200 of the top female hockey players announced they will be boycotting leagues in North America this season until they “get the resources that professional hockey demands and deserves”.  In the short-term, that has put the viability of the NWHL into serious question after they had plans to expand into Montreal and Toronto, a pair of cities that previously had CWHL franchises.  From a broader perspective, it would appear that the players are hoping that the NHL steps up and invests in a more lucrative league, similar to what the NBA does with the WNBA.  That could at least create the potential for a livable wage and insurance, elements that weren’t available in either of the North American leagues.

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

scroll to top