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Archives for November 2019

Minor Transactions: 11/26/19

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After an exciting night that brought us four overtime finishes, the NHL is much quieter tonight with just three games on the schedule. That does however include an old rivalry game when the Boston Bruins travel to face the Montreal Canadiens. Not only do these teams have a long history of hating each other, they’re both currently in Atlantic Division playoff spots and know tonight’s two points are very important. As they and other teams prepare, we’ll track all the minor moves.

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have flipped backup goaltenders, sending Elvis Merzlikins to the minor leagues while recalling Matiss Kivlenieks. The team completed a similar move earlier this month in order to give Merzliklins some extra work in the minor leagues. Kivlenieks is still waiting on his first NHL action.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have sent Sven Baertschi back to the minor leagues, only to recall Nikolay Goldobin. The 24-year old Goldobin has 20 points in 18 games for the Utica Comets after spending all of last season with the Canucks.

Overseas Notes: Bailey, Rasanen, Hiller

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Casey Bailey has certainly had a whirlwind start to the 2019-20 season. The former Penn State standout joined the Washington Capitals in training camp and later their farm team, the Hershey Bears, but failed to land a contract with either club. He signed with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays in October and was loaned to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers earlier this month. After performing well with both teams, it seems Bailey was able to parlay his success into another contract. The Vaxjo Lakers of the SHL have announced that they have signed Bailey to a contract for the remainder of the season. While this is Bailey’s first foray into Swedish hockey, it marks a return to Europe for the 28-year-old, who spent last year with the KHL’s Slovan Bratislava. A two-way right wing with NHL experience, Bailey has never reached the potential he flashed while a member of the Nittany Lions, but brings size, speed, and a track record of strong numbers in the AHL to Vaxjo. Bailey could emerge as a top contributor for the Lakers, who count talented but inexperienced NHL prospects Emil Pettersson (ARI), Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson (BOS), and Marcus Davidsson (BUF) among their best players.

  • Eemeli Rasanen is making an unexpected trip to Denmark for the next month. In a move rarely seen, especially with NHL prospects, the KHL’s Jokerit has loaned Rasanen to the Frederikshavn White Hawks of Norway’s Metal Ligaen, the team announced. It is quite the demotion for the 20-year-old defenseman, a 2017 second-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs who spent a brief stint in the AHL last year. Fortunately, it is just for a month, as the loan agreement expires after Christmas. Jokerit undoubtedly will make some money off of this deal, but also likely hopes that it jumpstarts Rasanen. The big blue liner has split his season to this point between the KHL and minor league Mestis, failing to make much of an impact at either level. He will have a major advantage over the competition in Denmark though, where he hopes to re-discover his game.
  • Former NHL keeper Jonas Hiller is currently playing the final season of a long, successful career. Or is he? The starting goalie for the NLA’s EHC Biel-Bienne is dominating the Swiss ranks at the ripe old age of 37, calling into question whether he is really done. Hiller holds a .933 save percentage and 2.03 GAA through 19 games, the best numbers of his career at any pro level. He leads the NLA in both categories as well. Nicola Berger of NZZ Sport writes that Biel-Bienne is trying to convince Hiller not to retire while he is still at the top of his game. The team does not want to suffer a major drop-off in performance in net, so much so that Berger indicates that they could try to poach New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider if Hiller follows through on his departure. While Hiller has entertained the idea of continuing to play when approached by the media, Berger writes that he would be happy to go out on top, not wanting poor play to instead force his hand. While Hiller’s days in the NHL are undoubtedly over, his continued dominance in Switzerland at his age remains an entertaining story to follow.

Florida Panthers Demote Sam Montembeault

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The plan in net seemed so simple for the Florida Panthers. The team made two huge splashes on the goalie front this summer, signing top available free agent Sergei Bobrovsky to a long-term deal and drafting top available prospect Spencer Knight with the No. 13 overall pick. The team believed they could lean on Bobrovsky, a netminder capable of making 60+ appearances in a season, for many years to come before eventually moving on to Knight as the starter. All they needed was a backup who could put up decent numbers in limited action for a few years while bridging the gap to Knight. They believed the man for the job was Sam Montembeault.

On many levels, that plan has not worked out for Florida and now changes are being made. The team announced that Montembeault has been reassigned to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds with Chris Driedger getting the call as his replacement. Yet, the issues in net truly stem from the keeper not involved in this transaction: Sergei Bobrovsky. After inking a seven-year, $70MM contract this off-season, the Panthers $10MM man has been nothing but a massive disappointment. Bobrovksy is in the midst of the worst season of his career – and it’s not particularly close. He holds an .888 save percentage and 3.44 GAA, both well worse than his existing career lows. Yet, the Panthers have had little choice but to continue playing him over the inexperienced Montembeault. In fact,  Bobrovsky actually leads the league with 20 appearances. He has started 19 of the team’s 24 games despite a paltry .368 quality start percentage.

Bobrovsky may be on pace for 65 starts, but Florida still likely did not plan for Montembeault to have made five starts and two relief appearances at the quarter pole of the season. The 23-year-old was supposed to have a sheltered role, but has instead been exposed frequently early this season; and it shows in the results. Montembeault has been just as bad as Bobrovsky, posting an .889 save percentage and 3.31 GAA. The young keeper, who can still be moved to the minors without needing waivers, has been asked to do too much and now the team has opted to send him to the AHL, where he can hopefully see some consistent action and re-discover his game against weaker opposition. Whether or not they trust him to be back as Bobrovsky’s backup anytime soon remains to be seen.

If there is one silver lining to this situation, it is that Driedger will get a chance to show what he can do at the highest level. Two of Driedger’s three NHL appearances have been shutouts, but that hasn’t stopped him from also spending time in the ECHL in five of the past six seasons as he has continually been passed up on the depth chart. Driedger has earned a real chance in the NHL, especially as he sports a .983 save percentage and 2.08 GAA in 14 appearances for Springfield this year. The 25-year-old former Ottawa Senators prospect will undoubtedly get another NHL opportunity soon given Bobrovsky’s play and his edge in experience over the previous backup Montembeault. Who knows, he could even be a candidate for a Jordan Binnington-esque storyline this season if the Panthers’ starter continues to falter. The Panthers could use that sort of breakout, as they undoubtedly are already re-thinking this summer’s big investment.

Snapshots: Letang, Brouwer, Rantanen

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will have Kris Letang back in the lineup tonight after he was activated from injured reserve today. The veteran defenseman has been out since November 4th, but the team actually went 4-1-3 without him and are still in good shape in the Eastern Conference standings.

Letang has dealt with injuries almost every season of his career, but still sits as one of the most productive defensemen in the league whenever he is on the ice. If he can get back to full speed quickly the Penguins should be a real contender for a Metropolitan Division playoff spot, though they’ll have to catch one of the three leaders to secure one.

  • Troy Brouwer’s work visa issues have been resolved, meaning he is ready to jump into the lineup for the St. Louis Blues. Klim Kostin has been returned to the minor leagues to make room for Brouwer, after just scoring his first NHL goal on Saturday night. Kostin obviously wasn’t long for the NHL if he was going to get just a handful of minutes every game, as the team wants him to continue to develop as a top-end player.
  • Mikko Rantanen has watched every Colorado Avalanche game in a suit for the past month, but that might be coming to an end very soon. The big Finnish forward practiced today and wasn’t completely ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. Even if he is eventually held out for that game, his presence back on the ice is a good sign he will be returning soon. Rantanen had 12 points in his first nine games before suffering a lower-body injury and will likely go right back to the top line beside Nathan MacKinnon upon his return.

New Jersey Devils’ Tom Fitzgerald To Serve As Assistant Coach

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November 25: After a little more than a month serving as assistant coach, Fitzgerald will move back upstairs to serve as assistant GM once again.

October 16: The New Jersey Devils haven’t fired their head coach, but they have made a change behind the bench. Assistant GM Tom Fitzgerald will be joining John Hynes’ staff as an assistant coach, obviously putting even more pressure on the head coach.

Fitzgerald actually has experience with this kind of situation, previously serving as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins while still holding his AGM title. This move will give Devils’ GM a sort of inside-man, but will also lend a hand to Hynes as the team tries to turn around their early season struggles.

The Devils are off to a dreadful start, allowing an Eastern Conference-leading 29 goals through six games and putting up a 0-4-2 record. First overall pick Jack Hughes still hasn’t recorded a single NHL point, while P.K. Subban has struggled to make the sort of impact the team had hoped.

With more than 1,000 NHL games played, Fitzgerald can lend his expertise and leadership to a group that is floundering at the moment.

Calgary Flames Activate T.J. Brodie From Injured Reserve

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The good news continues for T.J. Brodie and the Calgary Flames, following his recent episode at practice. The defenseman has been activated from injured reserve, while Brandon Davidson has been sent to the minor leagues.

Brodie collapsed during a practice earlier this month and was taken to hospital. When all tests came back negative and team doctors diagnosed it as a fainting issue, Brodie slowly returned to practice and will now rejoin the lineup when the Flames take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Calgary won their last game but are still 3-6-1 in their last ten and sitting in sixth place in the Pacific Division. Brodie’s return will be a welcome addition, though the team needs more from the rest of the guys on the ice as well.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Draft Rankings, McKee

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The NHL has released their Three Stars for last week and once again a member of the Boston Bruins “Perfection Line” has taken the top spot. Brad Marchand is the first star after a seven-point week, taking him to 39 on the season in just 23 games. Marchand also leads the NHL in +/- with a +17 rating and looks like he could be in legitimate contention for the Hart Trophy this season.

Second and third place go to Connor McDavid and Brock Nelson respectively after each posted four-goal weeks. While Nelson doesn’t get quite the same press as a player like McDavid, he has still been quite effective for the New York Islanders this season with 19 points in 21 games including four game-winning goals.

  • Alexis Lafreniere may be the presumptive first-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, but Craig Button of TSN argues that Quinton Byfield and Yaroslav Askarov should both be considered contenders for the spot. Button contends that if a team really values the center position Byfield should be the pick, going so far as to say he “can’t imagine a scenario” where a center-needy team doesn’t go with the 6’4″ pivot. Askarov meanwhile is the best goaltending draft prospect since Carey Price according to Button.
  • The Kitchener Rangers have fired head coach and former NHL defenseman Jay McKee, naming general manager Mike McKenzie the interim bench boss. McKee, who played over 800 games in the NHL, took over as head coach of the OHL’s Rangers in 2016 and took them to the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.

Alexander Kerfoot Suspended Two Games

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The Department of Player Safety has handed out another punishment, this time to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alexander Kerfoot. Kerfoot has been suspended two games for boarding Colorado Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson on Saturday night. As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that Kerfoot is entirely in control of this play. From the moment he hits the hashmarks, Kerfoot sees nothing but Johnson’s numbers. This is not a case of a player turning his back immediately prior to contact in a way that turns a legal hit into an illegal one. Further, while the shove itself was not delivered with exceptional force, it was also not a case where a player puts his hands on the back to guide, direct or engage the puck carrier.

Kerfoot, for what it is worth, immediately expressed regret for the play, telling reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that he is “disappointed” in himself. The 25-year old of course played with Johnson for the first two seasons of his NHL career before an offseason trade brought him to Toronto. He has also never been fined or suspended in that short career, helping to keep the punishment to a manageable number.

The Maple Leafs are still without Mitch Marner and Trevor Moore up front, but do still have some options with Dmytro Timashov and Nic Petan for their games this week. Kerfoot, who was just coming off an injury of his own, will be eligible to return on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres.

Minor Transactions: 11/25/19

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A new week is upon us in the NHL and nine games will kick things off tonight. That schedule includes the struggling Calgary Flames heading to Pittsburgh to try and get another win to slow the bleeding, while the super-hot Dallas Stars welcome the Vegas Golden Knights into their arena. With plenty of action on the schedule we’ll keep track of all the minor moves teams make to prepare.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Matthew Highmore from the minor leagues, his first opportunity at the NHL level since the 2017-18 season. That year Highmore played in 13 games for the Blackhawks and scored two goals, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
  • Riley Stillman has been sent back to the AHL by the Florida Panthers, while the team takes a few days off. Florida doesn’t play again until Wednesday, when they will try to stop their short two-game losing streak in its tracks.
  • After just a couple of days in the minors for cap reasons, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee have been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers. Both players were in the lineup when the Flyers took on the Calgary Flames on Saturday and were sent down just to bank some cap space on the off day.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Jean-Sebastien Dea from the AHL, giving them another option with Evan Rodrigues unavailable for tonight. While Dea gives the Sabres a fine option, the team is really testing their organizational depth with all the recent injuries.
  • Daniel Carr has been recalled by the Nashville Predators, a little more than a month after he cleared waivers and was sent down. Carr absolutely tore up the AHL during that time, posting 21 points in 16 games. The 28-year old is an elite AHL offensive weapon, but has just 103 NHL games under his belt.
  • Jack Studnicka and Brendan Gaunce have both been recalled by the Boston Bruins. The team will not have Patrice Bergeron, Brett Ritchie or Par Lindholm for their two-game road trip that starts tomorrow in Montreal.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Michael Hutchinson, sending Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues. The backup goaltender usage under new head coach Sheldon Keefe isn’t clear, but the Maple Leafs do have a back-to-back situation coming up this weekend.

Antoine Roussel Sent On Conditioning Stint

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The Vancouver Canucks have assigned Antoine Roussel to the Utica Comets on a conditioning stint, a good sign that he is finally nearing a return. Roussel hasn’t played in a single game for the Canucks after suffering a major knee injury at the end of last season.

Vancouver has been impressive this season with their new look group, headlined by the additions of Quinn Hughes, Tyler Myers, J.T. Miller, Micheal Ferland and Jordie Benn. They sit at 12-8-4 on the year and are in good shape for a legitimate playoff run, even if the team still has some growing pains to go through.

Getting Roussel back should help ease those pains, after he made such a strong impression last season. The physical forward had nine goals and 31 points in just 65 games for the Canucks, a career-high for him. Though he won’t be leading many offensive categories, Roussel is another one of the in-your-face options that head coach Travis Green can roll out to get opponent’s on their heels and making mistakes.

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