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Archives for April 2021

Rangers Sign Lauri Pajuniemi

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The Rangers have agreed to terms on a two-year, entry-level deal with prospect winger Lauri Pajuniemi, CapFriendly reports (Twitter link).  The contract begins next season and carries an AAV of $925K.

The 21-year-old is coming off of his second straight strong offensive showing with TPS Turko of the Finnish SM-liiga.  This season, he was second on the team in goals with 22 and third in points with 38.  Those numbers were actually slightly lower than a year ago when Pajuniemi picked up 26 tallies along with 14 helpers in 49 games, finishing tied for third in the league in goals along the way.  Clearly, he has outperformed his fifth-round selection (132 overall in 2018) already.

With the winger depth that New York currently has, it’s hard to see Pajuniemi contending for a spot out of training camp in the fall despite playing at the professional level back home for each of the past three years.  However, with the scoring touch that he has had thus far in his career, he’s someone that seemingly could play his way into a recall relatively quickly.

AHL Announces Plan For 2021 Playoffs

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6:30 PM: Larry Landon, Executive Director of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (which represents AHL and ECHL players), released a statement on the PHPA’s Twitter account today criticizing the decision to go ahead with a divisional playoff in the Pacific Division, suggesting that it goes against the wishes of the majority of the players in that division.  Clearly, the decision to go ahead with the playoffs for the Pacific was not a unanimous one.

2:11 PM: There will not be a traditional Calder Cup playoffs in 2021, but that doesn’t mean the AHL won’t be holding postseason contests. Each of the four divisions were given the opportunity to decide a postseason format and while the Atlantic, North, Canadian, and Central will all simply award the divisional champion based on regular season points percentage, the Pacific Division is going to have a playoff tournament.

In an announcement, it was revealed that the Atlantic winner will be awarded the Emile Francis Trophy, the North winner will receive the F.G. (Teddy) Oke Trophy, the Canadian division winner will receive the Frank S. Mathers Trophy and the Central winner will get the Sam Pollock Trophy.

The Pacific, which will announce the format of its postseason tournament at a later date, will battle for the John D. Chick Trophy, not the Calder. That group includes the Henderson Silver Knights, who currently lead with a 21-11 record, the San Diego Gulls, Bakersfield Condors, San Jose Barracuda, Colorado Eagles, Tucson Roadrunners, and Ontario Reign.

Also in the announcement comes news on the 2021-22 season, which is set to begin on October 15, 2021 and conclude on April 24, 2022. The divisions will likely be put back to normal, but an announcement will come later this summer.

The Pacific division finishes its regular season schedule on May 16.

COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/29/21

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Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is today’s list:

Anaheim – Adam Henrique
Calgary – Josh Leivo
Detroit – Adam Erne
New Jersey – P.K. Subban, Jonas Siegenthaler

As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol

Players removed today: None

It can’t really be called a win for the league, but at least there are no other Red Wings present on today’s list. Erne appeared yesterday after playing against the Blue Jackets the night before, but neither team has added any players today. Of note, Erne was also included in Detroit’s outbreak earlier in the season, so this stint could potentially be a false positive. No matter why he is in it, he won’t be available for the Red Wings tonight.

*denotes new addition

Carter Hart Out For Rest Of Season

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The Philadelphia Flyers have just seven games left, but Carter Hart won’t be playing in any of them. The team announced today that Hart has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season with an MCL sprain in his left knee.

It’s a fitting end for an extremely disappointing season, in which Hart saw his numbers plummet across the board. The 22-year-old netminder posted a 9-11-5 record in 27 appearances, registering just an .877 save percentage and 3.67 goals-against average. Those numbers aren’t good enough for an NHL backup, let alone one of the most exciting up-and-coming goaltenders in the league that was supposed to challenge for the Vezina Trophy in short order.

The young netminder will have to find a way to put this season behind him and get his career back on track, but this injury certainly won’t help. There was a good chance that even with his struggles he could have been on Team Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championship. Canada’s goaltending for the 2022 Olympics (assuming NHL players attend) is far from set, with names like Carey Price and Jordan Binnington dealing with their own struggles.

Perhaps more importantly, this poor season could have an effect on Hart’s contract negotiations this summer. The young goaltender is a restricted free agent for the first time and will not have arbitration rights. It was assumed that he would be locked up long-term at the first chance Philadelphia had, but most players wouldn’t want to ink a multi-year deal coming off such a poor season. It will be interesting to see if the two sides go for a bridge contract instead, allowing Hart to get his game back on track while also leaving enough cap space to bring in (or back) a proven veteran.

Currently, the Flyers have just a single goaltender—22-year-old Kirill Ustimenko who underwent major hip surgery in December—under contract for the 2021-22 season.

Snapshots: Barabanov, Kladno, Nash

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Usually, when a pending free agent moves at the trade deadline, it’s away from a struggling team to chase the Stanley Cup with a contender. In Alexander Barabanov’s case, it was the exact opposite, going from the division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs to the sub-.500 San Jose Sharks. That move has proven to be a great one for the 26-year-old forward though as he is finally getting a chance in the NHL and has two points in two games to show for it.

When Barabanov’s entry-level deal expires at the end of this season he will be an unrestricted free agent, but perhaps he has found his next home already. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic examined Barabanov’s start with the Sharks and spoke to his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, who explained that “if there was a decent offer for one year, big-boy contract [from the Sharks], I would be for it.” 

  • Jaromir Jagr has helped Kladno climb back to the top tier in the Czech Republic again after being relegated for last season. The ageless wonder is not only the majority owner of the team but also played for them again this season, scoring nine points in 15 playoff games. Jagr, 49, was helped by some NHL friends including Tomas Plekanec, who led the postseason in scoring and is expected to return for Kladno next year. Even Jagr hinted that his playing career isn’t done just yet.
  • Riley Nash was spotted by reporters including Mark Masters of TSN today, skating for the first time since being acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the deadline. The checking center could potentially return from his knee sprain in time for the playoffs, which Toronto clinched last night with a win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nash is currently on long-term injured reserve but with no salary cap issues in the postseason, could be inserted into the playoff lineup whenever healthy.

Follow Pro Football Rumors For The Latest NFL Draft News

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The 2021 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday. After the first few selections, this year’s draft is more unpredictable than ever and you can stay tuned for every pick, trade, and rumbling with Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors on Twitter).

Trevor Lawrence is headed to Jacksonville with the first-overall pick, but how many quarterbacks will go off the board before any other position? The New Orleans Saints are trying to get into the top 10, but who will be willing to trade down? Do the Bengals take Oregon tackle Penei Sewell to protect Joe Burrow’s blindside, or do they give him the best weapon available in LSU wideout Ja’Marr Chase? Does Florida’s Kyle Pitts become the next top-10 tight end?

For the latest on the draft, free agency, and more from this wild NFL offseason, stay tuned to Pro Football Rumors and follow along on Twitter, @pfrumors.

Mathew Barzal Fined For Diving/Embellishment

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The NHL has issued a $2,000 fine to Mathew Barzal for diving/embellishment, meaning that he has been flagged twice this season for the act. The league issued a warning following the first such incident, which occurred on January 30 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The second happened on April 22 against the Washington Capitals, triggering the fine.

For Rule 64, the supplementary discipline is on a graduated scale that also includes fines for a head coach:

While Barry Trotz is certainly not going to bench a player like Barzal, costing the coach money is never a good idea. The league will be keeping a close eye on the New York Islanders star and his teammates for the rest of the season. Coach fines start kicking in after four are issued to either one player or a club collectively.

Ryan Miller Will Retire After This Season

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When the 2021-22 season begins, for the first time in nearly two decades the NHL will not include Ryan Miller. The Anaheim Ducks goaltender has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of 2020-21. In a team release, Miller explained his decision:

It was a dream come true when I played my first NHL game and it has been a privilege to spend 18 years as a professional. I have decided that I am going to retire after the season having been given more time doing what I love than I could ever have hoped for. Thank you to you my teammates and staff, past and present. I’m thankful to so many who made my career possible and helped me on my journey from youth hockey to the NHL. Thank you to my family for supporting me with so much love and enthusiasm.

Now 40, Miller will hang up his pads as arguably the best U.S.-born goaltender in history. He leads all American goaltenders in wins with 390 over his long career, coming in 14th all-time in the category. His career save percentage still sits at .914 even after the last few years, and he has a cabinet full of trophies. The 2001 Hobey Baker Award winner at Michigan State University, he went on to win the AHL Goaltender of the Year and Vezina Trophy along with adding an Olympic silver medal.

Though he never did get a chance to raise the Stanley Cup over his head, Miller has been a constant presence in the NHL for the last generation and has an outside shot of landing in the Hall of Fame at some point. Of the 13 goaltenders ahead of him on the all-time list, only Curtis Joseph (454 wins) and Chris Osgood (401) have been retired long enough to be eligible but are not in the Hall–Roberto Luongo, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Henrik Lundqvist will all likely get there when eligible.

It is fitting that Miller ends with at least 390 wins, just one ahead of his Buffalo Sabres predecessor Dominik Hasek. Though he may have never reached the spectacular highs of Hasek’s career, Miller’s long, consistent performance is something to marvel. Congratulations on a wonderful career, Ryan!

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/29/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

West Division

North Division

Central Division

  • As expected, Joseph Veleno has been recalled by the Detroit Red Wings and will be back in the lineup tonight. The team has recalled Hayden Verbeek to the taxi squad once again.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Max McCormick and Morgan Geekie from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Both players have frequently been shuffled back and forth this season and as emergency recalls, will likely be returned to the taxi squad on Friday.

East Division

  • The Boston Bruins have returned Jack Ahcan to the AHL, giving him to Providence for their game this afternoon. The 23-year-old defenseman has nine points in 15 games for the P-Bruins this season, his first year of professional hockey after a long career at St. Cloud State.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers are giving Yegor Zamula a second look as they’ve once again recalled him from the taxi squad.  The 21-year-old logged over 19 minutes in his NHL debut on Tuesday.  Felix Sandstrom and Derrick Pouliot were also recalled to the taxi squad, per the AHL’s transactions log.
  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Kevin Bahl and A.J. Greer from AHL Binghamton, per the AHL’s transactions log.  Bahl’s promotion is actually straight to the NHL roster, paving the way for him to make his NHL debut tonight.  Connor Carrick was also recalled from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have brought back Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The 22-year-old will make his third career NHL start tonight against Boston.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

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