Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for 2021

Yanni Gourde Could Return Ahead Of Schedule For Seattle Kraken

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Seattle Kraken could be getting a top-six fixture back in the lineup earlier than expected. General manager Ron Francis reported in his press conference today, on the opening day of training camp for the team, that Gourde’s recovery from injury was progressing “ahead of schedule,” meaning he could be back in the lineup earlier than the previously projected early-December return.

Gourde was Seattle’s selection from the Tampa Bay Lightning in this year’s expansion draft, and he was immediately expected to take on an increased role in Seattle. Serving as arguably the best third-line center in the league behind Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, Gourde brings a hard-working, solid two-way game with 50-60 point upside. Widely projected as the team’s no. 1 or no. 2 center, it was revealed just days after the draft that Gourde would miss the first two months of the season after having shoulder surgery.

It should be noted that Gourde was indeed at Seattle’s first day of training camp today, albeit in a red non-contact jersey.

The 29-year-old (soon to be 30) Gourde is among one of the best undrafted talents in the NHL. He’s brought home the Stanley Cup in two of his four full NHL seasons, all with Tampa Bay. His rookie campaign in 2017-18 saw him elevated into a top-six role due to injury, and he didn’t disappoint. Despite being 26 years old at the time, his 25 goals and 64 points in 82 games was good enough to earn him some Calder votes, finishing sixth overall in voting for the trophy.

Seattle hopes that a healthy Gourde in a top-six role this season can offer similar production.

Training Camp Notes: Kane, Toews, Senators

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Today marked the first day of training camp for the majority of teams across the league. With the first preseason tilt just two days away now, teams are getting fired up and ready to go see at what level players in their organization are able to perform. One team whose offseason led to much fanfare was the Chicago Blackhawks, and the health status of both of their stars were hot topics of discussion today. NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis reports that a nagging injury to star winger Patrick Kane, an undisclosed matter that had appeared before the start of the Edmonton bubble in 2020, hasn’t healed completely. However, neither Kane nor others in the organization are concerned about his ability to play through the matter, as Kane himself remarked today that he’s “optimistic with where [he’s] going.” A great sense of mysteriousness still veils whatever the nagging issue is, as the nature of the injury has yet to be reported.

More notes from today’s opening of training camps:

  • After missing the entirety of 2020-21 due to Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, it was reported earlier in the offseason that Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews was expected to return to play this year. Roumeliotis reports that after summer workouts, Toews rejoined the team today for his first formal practice since 2020. It would be a huge add for Chicago to get their captain back into the fold after an offseason that saw them forge a deeper team throughout. While Toews’ practice today went well, he hopes for but won’t guarantee an opening night appearance when their season opens in Colorado on Wednesday, October 13.
  • The contract negotiation saga of Brady Tkachuk has largely been an arduous, open-to-the-public process that continues to plant nervousness in Senators fans. It’s come to a head in recent days, as training camp has now begun without Ottawa’s best forward in the fold. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that in his absence, they’ve kept the other two-thirds of his line together in Josh Norris and Drake Batherson. While it’s anybody’s guess on who could fill that role during play if Tkachuk misses the start of the season, head coach D.J. Smith used forward Nick Paul in that first-line left-wing role today. Potentially a sign of things to come, it’s still anything but a guarantee.

Minor Transactions: 09/23/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

NHL training camps are off and running, with young players trying to earn attention and playing time across the league. While many of them may end up back on minor league rosters, some will manage to break camp in the NHL. With those battles in mind, AHL teams are still figuring out how to fill their rosters and as always, we’ll keep track of all the notable transactions right here.

  • The Cleveland Monsters have signed Jake Slaker and Zach Jordan to AHL contracts for the upcoming season. Slaker, 25, spent last season with the Texas Stars after coming out of the University of Michigan and registered 12 points in 27 games. The undrafted center had 104 points in his 147-game NCAA career, but will be hard-pressed to keep up that kind of scoring pace at the professional level. Jordan meanwhile was. with the Monsters last season, scoring six points in 27 games. He’ll be back to try and improve on those numbers in his second season of pro hockey.
  • Xavier Bouchard, a sixth-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights who never signed, has inked an AHL deal with the Milwaukee Admirals for the upcoming season. The 21-year-old defenseman had 24 points in 39 games during his final year of junior, suiting up for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL.
  • The Hartford Wolf Pack have added Cristiano DiGiacinto and Mike O’Leary on AHL deals, the latter returning to the team after playing 16 games with them last season. O’Leary, 23, scored just three points in those games, but will get another chance to prove the skill he showcased at Notre Dame can be carried over to the AHL level. DiGiacinto meanwhile is coming from the Canadian college level, spending four years with Acadia University after winning a Memorial Cup in 2017 with the Windsor Spitfires. The 25-year-old does actually have some pro experience already, having played 12 games with the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL before deciding to go back to school.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets today added goalie Evan Moyse to their training camp roster on a try-out deal. Moyse will play his first full professional season of hockey this year with the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks after playing just six games over four years with Ohio State University.
  • After going undrafted in 2021, forward Lorenzo Canonica has signed an amateur try-out with the Los Angeles Kings. The newly 18-year-old native of Switzerland had 16 points in 24 games with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL last year, which is where he’ll be returning to in 2021-22.

This page will be updated as further transactions are reported

Snapshots: Jets, Makar, Archibald

at CDT | by 16 Comments

The Winnipeg Jets have a deep forward unit, a revamped defense, and one of the best goaltenders in the world, yet they are still sometimes left out of the conversation when it comes to contenders for the 2022 Stanley Cup. Perhaps that’s because they’re from a market in snowy Manitoba that has less than a million people, but it’s also because this same core has disappointed over each of the last three postseasons, reaching the second round just once only to be swept out by the Montreal Canadiens.

If you think that the window may be closing on the key group in Winnipeg, you’re not alone–they know it too. Connor Hellebuyck told reporters today including Murat Ates of The Athletic that the Jets are “not getting any younger” and their “time is running out.” Captain Blake Wheeler will play this season at age-35, while he, Mark Scheifele, and Hellebuyck all have only three years remaining on their respective contracts. The rest of the roster isn’t as young as it once was and there’s no guarantee they are going to be better in the years to come than they are right now. There’s optimism that the Jets can be one of the best teams in the league this season, but they also have some pressure to perform while the clock is ticking.

  • When Cale Makar graced the ice today in a non-contact sweater, Colorado Avalanche fans panicked wondering what happened to their star defenseman. Head coach Jared Bednar told reporters including Peter Baugh of The Athletic that Makar had a procedure in the offseason and the team will take their time getting him up to speed. Bednar didn’t seem concerned, explaining that Makar would be “good to go” soon enough.
  • Josh Archibald has been confirmed as the Edmonton Oilers player that has declined the COVID-19 vaccination, meaning he may miss 30 or more games this season depending on travel restrictions. Archibald wasn’t on the ice today as he finished a quarantine, but is expected to join his teammates tomorrow. Duncan Keith, who was recently vaccinated in the U.S., will not participate in camp until next Friday as he finishes his own quarantine.

Vladimir Tarasenko Fully Healthy, Taking Part In Training Camp

at CDT | by 6 Comments

It’s day one of the on-ice portions of training camp around the league and at the St. Louis Blues skate, there is a participant not many expected just a few months ago. Vladimir Tarasenko was lining up alongside the recently-signed Robert Thomas and newcomer Brandon Saad in the team’s second group after months of speculation regarding a trade request. The veteran winger wasn’t dealt and has deemed himself fully healthy after suiting up for just 34 total games over the last two seasons.

Speaking to reporters including Lou Korac of NHL.com, Tarasenko made it clear that he’s completely committed to the Blues as long as he’s a part of the team:

Everything is good. My mindset is good. It’s good to be with the guys. I have good relationships with the guys. It’s been a weird summer, but it’s going to stay between us (and) between me and Doug. I’m here to work. As long as I’m here, I will work for 100 percent.

In the past, the NHL has seen a few players give less than full effort as they try to navigate a trade request, but it appears as though the 29-year-old won’t fall into that category. He’s keeping the details of his trade request private for now and going about his business as if it never happened.

Still, it did happen, and there will be speculation around Tarasenko’s future all season. The Blues managed to get everyone signed this summer without going too far over the cap and should be able to open the season under the $81.5MM upper limit even with Tarasenko’s $7.5MM on the books. If he is healthy, something that certainly hasn’t been proven to this point, he could once again give the Blues an elite goal-scoring option to go along with the rest of their deep forward group. Tarasenko scored at least 33 goals in five consecutive seasons before multiple shoulder surgeries kept him off the ice more than on it.

Remember, Tarasenko still holds many of the cards when it comes to a trade. He has two years remaining on his contract and holds a full no-trade clause, meaning he dictates which teams are possible destinations. The fact that he’s earning $9.5MM in actual salary this season certainly would be a deterrent for some clubs that are still dealing with financial ramifications from the last year, but when that number drops to $5.5MM in 2022-23, it certainly will become a lot more palatable. Even if there is a trade in the future, it appears as though Tarasenko is present, healthy, and ready to help the Blues for the time being.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Evgeni Malkin To Miss First Two Months Of The Season

at CDT | by 6 Comments

The Pittsburgh Penguins are likely going to be without Sidney Crosby to start the year after undergoing wrist surgery earlier this month that will keep him out a minimum of six weeks. There wasn’t any clarity on Evgeni Malkin’s timeline until today, when Penguins GM Ron Hextall confirmed he will likely miss the first two months of the season as he continues to recover from offseason knee surgery.

That means the Penguins are without their top two centers for the first bit, but Malkin’s considerably longer absence is a bigger concern. The 35-year-old center is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, which saw him record just eight goals–his lowest total–and 28 points in 33 games. Malkin’s ice time dropped to fewer than 18 minutes a night for the first time and he once again missed a huge chunk of the season.

While obviously, the hope is that he comes back at full strength after the first two months and gets back to the player who scored 74 points in 55 games during the 2019-20 season, that may be wishful thinking for the Penguins faithful. The veteran center has dealt with countless injuries over a long career, failing to play in every game of a season since 2008-09 when he won the Art Ross Trophy with 113 points.

Even once Crosby returns, the absence of Malkin leaves question marks at the center position for the Penguins. The team does have Jeff Carter after a deadline deal last season, but he will turn 37 on January 1 and has seen a decline in offensive production in recent years. Teddy Blueger has shown he is likely better suited in the bottom-six, while other options like Evan Rodrigues and Sam Lafferty are not even proven NHL options. The team does have young prospect Filip Hallander, who has shown strong potential down the middle, and veteran Brian Boyle in camp on a PTO, but there will certainly be a void felt while Malkin is on the sideline.

With the ever-competitive Metropolitan Division coming back into play this year, losing Malkin for two months could be devastating. There are at least three teams in the division that are already projected to be equal or better than the Penguins this season, while each of those that missed the playoffs last year are expected to take steps forward. Every game will be important, and now the first 20 or so will be without one of the team’s key players.

Jack Eichel Fails Physical, Stripped Of Captaincy

at CDT | by 60 Comments

As expected, the Buffalo Sabres have announced that Jack Eichel did not pass his physical yesterday and will not be with the team in training camp as he continues to deal with a neck injury. Less expected was what Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said next:

I spoke to Jack two days ago, I spoke to the team yesterday and addressed this, Jack Eichel is no longer the captain of the Buffalo Sabres. From our perspective, the captain is your heartbeat of your team, and we are in a situation where we felt we needed to make that decision.

Eichel was named Sabres captain in October 2018 after a strong sophomore season. At the time, he called it “humbling” a “huge honor” and noted how it showed “how invested [he was] in this city and excited for the future.” Three years later and Eichel isn’t expected to play for the Sabres again.

Adams confirmed that Eichel is not willing to move forward with what the Sabres medical team is suggesting and the two sides will continue to work toward a solution. That solution, it seems, is one of the more difficult trades he’ll ever have to pull off. Eichel is a star player with a huge contract that is set on having a neck surgery that has never been done on an NHL player. The young forward and his team are reportedly pursuing a disk replacement procedure, while the team wants to do a fusion surgery that has been performed on many other NHL players.

At the very least, the Sabres players now have some clarity. Eichel is no longer their captain and won’t be on the ice to help them during training camp.

Logan O’Connor Signs Three-Year Extension With Avalanche

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Logan O’Connor’s ice time has slowly gone up the last couple of seasons and he has been rewarded for his improvement as the Avalanche announced that they’ve signed the winger to a three-year contract extension.  Peter Baugh of The Athletic adds (Twitter link) that the deal carries a $1.05MM AAV.  GM Joe Sakic released the following statement:

Logan is a high-energy player who works hard, competes and brings grit and depth to our lineup. He is a strong skater and penalty killer and has continued to improve his game every year as a professional.

O’Connor was frequently shuffled back and forth to and from the taxi squad last season while also dealing with a lower-body injury but still got into a career-best 22 games with Colorado last season where he picked up three goals and two assists in just under 11 minutes a game in playing time.  He also saw action in a pair of playoff contests where he was held off the scoresheet.  To this point in his career, the 25-year-old has primarily been used in a checking role over his 43 total NHL appearances but with the departures of Joonas Donskoi and Brandon Saad this summer, there will be an opportunity for O’Connor to have a bigger role on the depth chart.

The fact that Colorado has handed him this deal now suggests that they expect O’Connor to be more of a regular player this coming season and have opted to sign him now over potentially needing to pay him more had they waited until next offseason.  Either way, O’Connor picks up a nice raise as he is scheduled to make the league minimum of $750K in salary in 2021-22 while actually carrying a cap hit below that price tag at $725K.

Snapshots: Rielly, Tkachuk, Canucks, Memorial Cup

at CDT | by 9 Comments

Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is heading into the final year of his contract and with a $5MM price tag on his current deal, it’s safe to say that he’s heading for a sizable raise on his next deal.  The blueliner spoke with reporters today including TSN’s Kristen Shilton to discuss his situation:

My approach this year is that I don’t really want to discuss it publicly. …You know how I feel about being a Leaf, but at the same time, it’s a business. But being a Toronto Maple Leaf is special to me. …  I’m not going to put any rules on [my agent]. And I’ll take care of what I can do hockey-wise. That’s the best approach for me.

With the price tag for number one defensemen going up considerably this summer, Rielly’s camp could push for a contract upwards of $8MM.  With nearly $68MM in commitments to just 14 players for 2022-23 per CapFriendly, they may have a hard time fitting that contract in with the Upper Limit likely only increasing by $1MM for that season.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • In his latest 32 Thoughts column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wonders if the delay in discussions for Senators restricted free agent Brady Tkachuk is more about structure than actual dollars. Year-to-year distribution has become more important with a high escrow rate now while it declines in future years while signing bonuses and trade protection are always important elements in talks for core players.  Tkachuk is only eligible for trade protection in the UFA-eligible seasons of a long-term agreement and he’s four years away from getting to that point.
  • Canucks forward Justin Bailey will not be available at the start of training camp following a positive COVID-19 test, reports Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston (Twitter link). The 26-year-old played in just three games with Vancouver last season; he spent most of the first month of the year on the taxi squad before suffering a season-ending shoulder surgery.  Meanwhile, GM Jim Benning also indicated that center Brandon Sutter is dealing with some fatigue with the team not fully sure of what the cause of it is at this time but ruled out the possibility of it being the COVID-19 virus.
  • After the event wasn’t held the last two seasons due to the pandemic, the CHL announced that the Memorial Cup will return in 2022 and will be held in Saint John, New Brunswick, a QMJHL city. The event pits the host city against the champions from the QMJHL, OHL, and WHL in a short tournament that will take place in early June.

Cal Foote Will Miss Start Of Regular Season After Surgery

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

There have been several injury updates throughout the league today as training camps get underway and one of them came from Tampa Bay.  GM Julien BriseBois told reporters, including Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link) that defenseman Cal Foote recently underwent surgery to repair a torn tendon in his finger.  He’s expected to miss all of training camp plus the first two-to-four weeks of the season as a result.

The 22-year-old spent most of last season with the Lightning, playing in 35 games during the regular season although he didn’t suit up in the playoffs.  The 14th pick in 2017, Foote was expected to push for a spot on the third pairing in camp and now that he’s waiver-eligible, his days in the minors were likely over.  Instead, he’ll be on the outside looking in once the regular season gets underway next month.

The timetable for a return is noteworthy here.  Tampa Bay is protected to have a roster that’s right up against the Upper Limit even with Brent Seabrook’s eventual transfer back to LTIR and it’s one that will be below the maximum size of 23.  If Foote is expected to return within the first two weeks of the season, he won’t miss enough time to be eligible for LTIR; players need to be out for three weeks or ten games to qualify.  If he’s projected to be out that long, they’ll be able to place Foote on there and bring up a replacement that carries roughly the same $850K AAV that he does.

While there were some injuries from the playoffs for Tampa Bay, Foote is the only Lightning player expected to miss the start of the season.  In a pair of other tweets, Smith notes that defenseman Victor Hedman has fully recovered from his meniscus surgery while winger Alex Killorn is still rehabbing from his broken fibula but is expected to be ready for opening night.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top