Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for January 2021

Devin Shore Signs With Edmonton Oilers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

He’s earned a spot. Devin Shore that is, who today signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Edmonton Oilers after attending training camp on a professional tryout. Shore will earn $700K at the NHL level but is on waivers today to give the Oilers more flexibility in his placement. If he clears, he would be able to be placed on the taxi squad or sent to the minor leagues.

The 26-year-old Shore scored just 12 points last season but does represent an NHL option for a team that is trying to add depth up front for a postseason run. The versatile forward has played 288 games at the highest level and actually hasn’t spent any time in the minor leagues since the 2015-16 season. The fact that he was flipped for Sonny Milano last season surely isn’t forgotten, given that he could be a deadline chip for the Oilers again this year if things don’t go according to plan.

It’s unlikely that he plays in the majority of the games this season, but Edmonton’s fourth line is certainly not written in ink at this point. Even Jujhar Khaira, who was signed to a two-year $2.4MM deal in 2019 was put on (and cleared) waivers recently and could find himself on the outside looking in at some point. Shore’s relative youth combined with his ability to penalty kill makes him an attractive option, even if it is just bottom-six depth.

St. Louis Blues Place Vladimir Tarasenko On LTIR

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The St. Louis Blues had to wait until the first day of the regular season, but as expected, Vladimir Tarasenko has been placed on long-term injured reserve. The move allows them to recall both Jordan Kyrou and Mackenzie MacEachern from their taxi squad.

Tarasenko, 29, will miss the first part of the regular season following his multiple shoulder surgeries and is set to be re-evaluated in February. The powerful winger was able to play in just ten regular season games last season but did manage to return for four postseason contests. He seemed a shadow of himself in those matches, recording zero points and now it’s unclear exactly what kind of season he’ll be able to put together in 2021.

The Blues have now used long-term injured reserve for both Tarasenko and Alex Steen, though as CapFriendly explains on Twitter they actually were unable to maximize the relief available. Moving Tarasenko to LTIR gives them his full $7.5MM in room, at least until he returns to the lineup later in the season. That’s why Kyrou and MacEachern can move back to the active roster.

The team will now be able to fill those two taxi squad spots with other names, providing even more depth for the NHL team to travel with.

Dylan Larkin Named Captain Of Detroit Red Wings

at CDT | by 2 Comments

It comes with plenty of hype and little surprise; Dylan Larkin is the next captain of the Detroit Red Wings. The team announced the selection today on the eve of their season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes. Larkin will be the 37th captain in franchise history, succeeding Henrik Zetterberg who was last to wear the “C.”

 

From the moment he burst onto the scene in 2015 with his blazing speed and scoring touch, Larkin was destined to take over this role. In the 2015-16 season he scored 23 goals, leading the entire Red Wings team even as a rookie, and trailing only Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk in points. It was as obvious then as it is now that Larkin would be the next face of the franchise, following in some heavy footsteps.

Now heading into his sixth NHL season, the 24-year-old becomes captain after scoring 266 points in 389 career games. He hasn’t been able to lead the Red Wings back to the playoffs but will be an anchor in the middle of the rebuild as GM Steve Yzerman starts to fill the roster up with talented youngsters. He has three years left on his current contract, one of just two players signed through the 2022-23 season and his next task will be to help the Red Wings become competitive again.

Given the high draft picks that Detroit has used the last few seasons, picking star prospects like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, there’s a chance that Larkin isn’t the most talented player on the roster by the end of this contract. But there’s also a chance he gets back to the 32-goal, 73-point performance he had in 2018-19 and puts himself among the league’s all-stars once again.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

J.T. Miller And Jordie Benn Unavailable To Canucks To Begin Season

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Right after the NHL shares good news in the form of low positive testing numbers during training camp, COVID-19 rears its ugly head yet again. And in a major way for the Vancouver Canucks. GM Jim Benning announced this evening that forward J.T. Miller and defenseman Jordie Benn will not be available to the Canucks for the start of the new season as they comply with COVID-19 protocols. Benning did not provide a timeline as to when the pair will re-join the team, but promised more information will be shared soon

Benning did say that this is a reality that his team and many other will have to accept this season. Yet, it is still a harsh blow at the very outset of the new campaign. This may not be a matter of a few games’ absence, either. TSN’s Matthew Sekeres hears that Miller and Benn could miss a couple of weeks while quarantining. He adds that Miler has been staying with Benn which is likely how the two were exposed. GlobalBC’s Richard Zussman was told that one player has had a series of contradicting results and the other is considered a close contact.

Miller, 26, was Vancouver’s best player last season. He led the Canucks with 27 goals and 72 points and his presence was felt even when he wasn’t scoring as he posted a team-leading 59.2% face-off rate and 123 hits in 2019-20. Miller even led all forwards in ice time with over 20 minutes per night and it is easy to see why. The all-around power forward is a major loss for the Canucks as the hope to get off to a hot start. Benn, 32, plays more of a depth role for the Canucks but was to be relied upon to help acclimate rookies Olli Juolevi and Jack Rathbone to the NHL level. Other veterans will need to take on a greater role in his absence.

 

 

Keith Yandle Available For Trade, Will Not Play For Panthers This Season

at CDT | by 28 Comments

The Florida Panthers have made the major decision to move away from one of their veteran leaders. Appearing on TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Frank Seravalli states that the Panthers have told Keith Yandle that he is not in their plans for this season. This appears to be a mere personnel choice for Florida and new GM Bill Zito, as Seravalli reports that he has simply “fallen out of favor”.

However, Yandle’s current contract – a seven-year, $44.5MM pact with three years remaining – contains a full No-Movement Clause. He cannot be placed on waivers without his permission, nor can he be traded without approving the deal. As a result, the only plan for now appears to be making him a healthy scratch. While this will sadly mean the end of Yandle’s NHL-best 866-game “iron man” consecutive games played streak, he will still be a member of the team getting paid in full for his (lack of) services. That clearly cannot last for the Panthers.

Florida has overhauled their blue line this off-season, acquiring Radko Gudas and Markus Nutivaara and more recently claiming Gustav Forsling and Noah Juulsen off of waivers. They appear to content to move forward with this younger, new-look group. That should not however be read as an indictment of Yandle’s ability. The 34-year-old is still a very capable puck-moving defenseman who recorded 45 points in 69 games last season. In terms of per-game scoring, it was right in line with some of Yandle’s best offensive seasons. The veteran is obviously durable, but he is also consistent, good for 40+ points in each of his nine 82-game seasons.  Yandle may be just 24 games away from 1,000 for his career, but he has not lost a step.

A skilled and experienced defenseman who is respected across the league and has shown no signs of slowing down, Yandle should draw trade interest. Even in a season where money is tight and trades are expected to be scarce, the chance to bring in a reliable play-maker like Yandle should intrigue a number of teams. Due to his high salary cap hit and extended term, the Panthers may be required to take back a bad contract or eat a significant portion of Yandle’s salary. However, they have put themselves in this position by publicly moving on from a good player who is still under contract with restrictive terms, hurting their bargaining power. How this situation shakes out will be a major story in the early part of this new season.

NHL Issues Training Camp COVID-19 Testing Results

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With the NHL finally on the precipice of a long-awaited new season, the league has decided to share how their health and safety protocols have done so far in hopes that they can continue to improve as the year moves forward. Through two weeks of training camp for 31 organizations, the league estimates that over 12,000 tests for the COVID-19 virus have been administered. The result: just 27 of more than 1,200 players tested received a positive test, with daily testing ongoing for each club since as early as December 30.

These results – a positive test rate of less than 2.25% –  are obviously great news for the league and all of its stakeholders as the season is about to get underway. Yet, one additional fact makes the results even more impressive. The league notes that 17 of the 27 players to test positive were members of the Dallas Stars. The Stars just returned to practice today after a four-day facility shutdown amid the virus and the league notes that “most of (Dallas’ positive players) are asymptomatic and… recovering without complications.” The Stars already had their opening week schedule adjusted but are on track for their new Opening Night of January 19 in Tampa.

Elsewhere around the league, that leaves just ten positive cases across 30 clubs, 21 of which were not impcted at all – an impressive mark to say the least. Given the struggles that some other major sports leagues had when returning to a non-bubble playing environment, the NHL appears to be on the right track. While the Stars have shown that a team-wide outbreak is possible and there will certainly be increased risks associated with travel, NHL teams, players, and fans all have to feel optimistic about the NHL being able to complete the coming season without major delay.

The league also included in their statement that their policy toward COVID publicity will change moving forward. Although a reason for a player’s absence was not required this summer during the expanded postseason nor during training camp, that anonymity has been removed. The release reads that “Effective with the start on the 2020-21 regular season, the NHL will provide regular updates on the results of tests administered to Players, including the identities of Players.”

Bankruptcy Filing Warns Evander Kane May Opt Out Of 2020-21 Season

at CDT | by 16 Comments

Tuesday: Obviously without commenting on any of his player’s personal financial issues, San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner tells Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports “I don’t think we’re worried” about Kane’s availability this season, nor his ongoing bankruptcy case becoming a distraction. Boughner stated that Kane “seems ready to go” and that “I am assured that he will be here for the whole season.” Of course, the status quo could still change given the ongoing proceedings, but as of right now there does not appear be any risk of missed time. This would lend itself to the idea that Kane’s inclusion of his contractual rights in his bankruptcy filing was a required or otherwise strategic move and less of an actual threat.

Monday: In the middle of a wild and seemingly unrelated story pertaining to San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane, a small note in a legal document could have a major impact on the Sharks’ season. As detailed by The Athletic’s Daniel Kaplan, Kane filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in federal court in San Jose on Monday, citing $26.8MM in dept. In detailing his income, a current seven-year, $49MM contact signed with San Jose in 2018, Kane issues this warning:

Debtor may terminate his contract and he may opt out of the season, as allowed under current rules, because of health concerns given the recent birth of his first child. Should he terminate his contract or opt out at a point in the season, Debtor will not receive his salary.

Now, Kane is not going to terminate his contract with the Sharks. The deadline to opt out of the season, which begins in just two days, was this past Saturday, January 9. However, if Kane’s decision to opt out is motivated by health concerns related to his family, there is already precedent that he will be allowed to do so. Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask opted out of the 2020 postseason after it had already began due to concerns over his own daughter’s health. Kane would not need to terminate his deal to get out of playing this season and that’s unlikely the outcome the Sharks would pursure anyway.

That of course does little to comfort Sharks fans. After a season in which San Jose struggled greatly despite a strong roster on paper, there was hope for a rebound this year. They now face the possibility that the player who was arguably their very best in 2019-20 could miss the new campaign. Kane led the Sharks with 26 goals and was second in total scoring with 47 points, all while missing six games due to injury. He was also the only effective trigger man on the power play, notching 14 power play goals of San Jose’s 33 total. Replacing that offense would be next to impossible for the Sharks. The physical Kane was also expected to pick up some of the slack in the checking game left behind by the departures of Brenden Dillon and Barclay Goodrow. 

Kane clearly has more on his mind than the Sharks’ hopes for the season, what with a newborn daughter as well as a a bankruptcy case that cites gambling debts, civil lawsuits, and claims from upwards of 47 creditors. However, missing the season certainly won’t help the latter and in the long run won’t help the former. All involved are definitely hoping that the resolution to this whole situation involves Kane suiting up for the San Jose this season. His full participation in training camp as well as the unknown intricacies of what he was required to disclose in the bankruptcy filing lend hope that this will be the outcome, but the end result remains to be seen.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Travis Hamonic

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As expected, defenseman Travis Hamonic’s tryout with the Vancouver Canucks has proven successful. The team has announced a one-year, $1.25MM contract with Hamonic. TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal adds that Hamonic’s contract contains a No-Movement Clause.

Hamonic, 30, is not the player he once was, but he can still be an effective contributor and a great value for the Canucks so long as he can stay healthy. Hamonic has been a workhorse ever since entering the league, but in 2019-20, his tenth NHL season, he started to show signs of deterioration. The veteran missed 20 games due to various injuries and his play was effected even when he was healthy. He also has not seen game action since in close to a year after hitting the injured reserve in February and then opting out of the postseason.

Fortunately, Vancouver does not need to hand Hamonic major workload, at least not right away. With a deep stable of defensemen including rookie standout Quinn Hughes, new addition Nate Schmidt, and veterans Tyler Myers and Alexander Edler, Hamonic has time to settle in. Myers, a fellow right-handed shot, and Schmidt, who prefers to play on his off-hand side, may even slot in above Hamonic to begin the year, allowing the veteran to get up to speed with bottom pair minutes.

Don’t confuse the late timing of his signing as hesitation on the Canucks’ part, either. Hamonic’s signing, as well as the value of his contract, are strategic moves designed to take full advantage of forward Micheal Ferland’s LTIR placement and give the team maximum cap flexibility entering the new year. Hamonic has been linked to the Canucks for some time and this was always the result. Vancouver fans should be excited about the further strengthening of their defense corps.

Marcus Foligno Signs Three-Year Extension

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Moose isn’t going anywhere for a while. The Minnesota Wild have signed Marcus Foligno to a three-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2023-24 season. The deal carries an average annual value of $3.1MM. Foligno currently carries a cap hit of $2.875MM on the final season of his four-year, $11.5MM deal signed in 2017.

The 29-year-old Foligno may not contribute a ton at the offensive end of the rink, but he is one of the few rare players in the NHL that doesn’t really need to. Standing 6’3″ and close to 230-lbs, the power forward combines speed, power, and fearlessness to create a valuable middle-six winger that punishes defenders constantly while limiting chances against. Foligno posts strong possession numbers every year, averages around 200 hits per season, and even received Selke Trophy consideration in 2019. He’s well-liked by management in Minnesota and this early extension only confirms how committed they are to him.

Interestingly, Foligno actually experienced something of a breakout offensively last season, scoring 11 goals and a career-high 25 points in just 59 games. That’s nice, but it’s not what he’s paid for. Expected to line up beside Jordan Greenway and Joel Eriksson Ek on the Minnesota third line, he’ll hunt down defenders, cause havoc in the corners, and backcheck relentlessly.

Still, and it’s important to note this even if you’re a Minnesota fan happy to keep Foligno around, the Wild have made a habit of committing early to their core players and this new deal only locks up more cap space moving forward. The team now has nearly $58MM on the books for 2021-22 with just 13 players signed, seven of which (including Foligno) will be at least 30 when that season begins. For a franchise that hasn’t experienced any real playoff success in its history, sticking with the same core may not be the best strategy.

Of course, as Michael Russo of The Athletic points out, this new extension for Foligno does not include trade protection of any sort. He’s not guaranteed to stay in Minnesota throughout the deal and in fact, easily could become a target for the Seattle Kraken in the upcoming expansion draft. The Wild have a lot of tough decisions to make before that expansion process is completed, given all of the no-move clauses they’ve handed out over the years.

For now, Foligno has some financial security in hand and a season to play with the team he has known since 2017. Minnesota kicks things off on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings.

Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes Complete Minor Trade

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes are tweaking their depth charts with the season just around the corner, swapping Max Lajoie and Clark Bishop in a minor deal. Bishop cleared waivers a few days ago and Lajoie just yesterday, meaning both can report directly to the taxi squad or minor league affiliate of their new organization (though, because of quarantine restrictions that may take some time). In fact, Ottawa includes in the release that Bishop will be assigned to Belleville.

Lajoie, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Senators back in 2016 but surprised everyone when he made the NHL roster out of camp just two years later. He would play 56 games for the team in the 2018-19 season, recording seven goals and 15 points while averaging nearly 19 minutes a night. The Senators would finish last in the entire league that year and Lajoie would find himself pushed down the depth chart again in 2019-20. He ended up playing just six NHL games last season, spending most of the year with Belleville instead.

In Carolina, he’ll have an even tougher group to crack if he wants to get back to the NHL. The young defenseman is likely ticketed for the Chicago Wolves where he will continue his development and try to make the best of the final year on his entry-level contract.

Bishop meanwhile comes to Ottawa as another forward option after playing 25 NHL games over the past two seasons. The depth center can be some injury insurance in Belleville but doesn’t offer a ton of offensive upside. Selected in the fifth round by the Hurricanes in 2014, Bishop has just 18 goals and 59 points in 201 regular season AHL games but did help capture the Calder Cup in 2019 with the Charlotte Checkers.

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

scroll to top