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Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Zach Aston-Reese To PTO

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From the very beginning of the offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to Zach Aston-Reese as a potential bottom-six addition. They’ll get a chance to see him up close now, as he has been signed to a professional tryout and invited to training camp.

Aston-Reese, 28, was also being chased by the Edmonton Oilers, according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet, though this doesn’t necessarily take them out of the running. Like with any other tryout, Aston-Reese is still free to sign a contract with any team in the league but will get the chance to showcase himself in preseason action with the Maple Leafs.

For a team that has been criticized for its physicality and willingness to go to the “dirty” areas of the ice, the former Pittsburgh Penguin may be a good fit. Aston-Reese has racked up 655 hits in his 230-game NHL career, including a whopping 231 last season in just 69 games. Those were split between Pittsburgh and the Anaheim Ducks, where he was traded at the deadline as part of the Rickard Rakell deal.

While he hasn’t brought much of the scoring touch that saw him dominate the college scene at Northeastern and earn him an NHL contract, Aston-Reese is well-liked by the analytical community for his elite (and sometimes surprising) defensive metrics even in a limited role.

In fact, it is somewhat of a surprise that he wasn’t able to find a team that would offer him a regular contract, though perhaps he is looking for a certain situation or destination. For Toronto, who appear to be reconfiguring their bottom-six, a player like Aston-Reese might make a lot of sense.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Calvin De Haan To PTO

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In a surprising turn, the Carolina Hurricanes have signed veteran free agent defenseman Calvin de Haan to a professional tryout, according to CapFriendly. It is not surprising that the Hurricanes would bring in some additional depth, only that de Haan has been down that route before.

Ahead of the 2018-19 season, he signed a four-year deal with the Hurricanes, the longest and most lucrative contract of his career. Before it was even a year old, though, he was shipped off to the Chicago Blackhawks for Gustav Forsling, who would be buried in the minors and never play for Carolina, and Anton Forsberg, who would appear three times for the organization. At the time, de Haan admitted he was shocked by the deal and had been hoping to put down roots in Raleigh with his then-fiancee.

Given that the Vancouver Canucks were rumored to be in the mix for de Haan, and just this morning announced a PTO for Danny DeKeyser, it may have come down to a lack of options for the 31-year-old.

That may surprise some. In the three seasons since he was traded to Chicago, de Haan has continued to provide steady-if-unspectacular minutes, averaging a touch over 19 a game, mostly in defensive situations. In 2021-22 he racked up 172 blocked shots and 146 hits, but just eight points. His offense was never de Haan’s calling card, as he has just 100 NHL points in more than 500 games, but he can still contribute to a penalty kill and provide some experience in a more limited role.

It also might just come down to the fact that he loved living in Raleigh. With a good training camp, perhaps he can return.

Vancouver Canucks Sign Danny DeKeyser To PTO

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The Vancouver Canucks are bringing in some extra defensive depth, signing free agent Danny DeKeyser to a professional tryout. The veteran will attend training camp with the Canucks and try to earn an NHL contract.

DeKeyser, 32, has spent his entire career to this point with the Detroit Red Wings, playing in 547 games over parts of ten seasons. Undrafted, he was a hometown kid that made good, playing for Western Michigan before going almost directly to the NHL as a steady two-way presence.

With a career-high in points set way back in 2014-15, there isn’t a lot of offense left in the veteran. DeKeyser registered just 11 assists last season and failed to score a single goal. But for experience and defensive ability – especially on a PTO – you could certainly do worse.

The Canucks, who are currently over the salary cap ceiling, may even have a deal done with DeKeyser, whose agent told ESPN just a week ago that he was confident his client would get a contract before training camp. As we’ve seen in the past, sometimes teams that have little cap flexibility bring a veteran in on a PTO only to sign them just as the season begins, once some other mechanisms (like in-season LTIR) can be used.

If DeKeyser does land a spot with the Canucks, he would be joining a defense corps that has both aging veterans and young talents. Quinn Hughes leads the way and Travis Dermott was brought in as a younger option, but Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Tyler Myers, and Luke Schenn are all on the wrong side of 30 and likely not bringing as much to the table as they once did.

Adding another piece for a low cost (even perhaps league minimum in this case), certainly seems prudent, especially when Tucker Poolman’s status is still up in the air.

Minor Transactions: 09/09/22

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Another week down and we are getting closer and closer to the start of the regular season. Things kick off in less than a month when the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks battle in Prague, Czechia on October 7 and 8. The regular season in North America begins a few days later.

As we inch toward the starting line, all of the notable minor moves will be covered here.

  • Joseph Blandisi, a player with more than 100 games of NHL experience, has decided to take an AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies, staying put after a strong minor league campaign. The 28-year-old had 29 points in 43 games for the Marlies last season, playing very close to his hometown of Markham, Ontario.
  • Defenseman Devante Stephens, a fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Tucson Roadrunners. Stephens spent last season with the Abbotsford Canucks, scoring 15 points in 59 games. After spending the beginning of his pro career in the ECHL, Stephens’ play in Abbotsford has seemingly established him as an AHL-caliber player and landed him this one-way AHL deal with the Roadrunners.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Last 10 Restricted Free Agents

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And then there were ten. After Cayden Primeau inked his deal yesterday, there are now ten restricted free agents who have not yet signed contracts for next season. These players must be signed by December 1, or they will not be eligible to play in the NHL at all.

Jason Robertson, the young Dallas Stars forward, leads the way as the most impressive name, though many others represent key players for their respective teams.

The Los Angeles Kings, for instance, have two young defensemen on the list who each showed last season that they could be big parts of the future. Michael Anderson and Sean Durzi were each key in the team’s playoff run, with the former averaging more than 20 minutes a night during the regular season.

Arizona’s Barrett Hayton is a bit of a headscratcher, given how much cap space the team has, but his development has been anything but normal to this point, so it fits the pattern. The 22-year-old forward has played in 94 games at the NHL level and just 35 in the minor leagues since he was selected fifth overall in 2018.

The full list is:

Arizona Coyotes

Barrett Hayton

Calgary Flames

Adam Ruzicka

Dallas Stars

Jason Robertson

Edmonton Oilers

Ryan McLeod

Los Angeles Kings

Michael Anderson
Sean Durzi

New York Islanders

Parker Wotherspoon

Ottawa Senators

Alex Formenton

Toronto Maple Leafs

Rasmus Sandin

Vegas Golden Knights

Nicolas Hague

Several of these players are likely already signed, with teams only waiting to clear additional cap space before officially filing the deals. Others may end up missing part of training camp or even the regular season, as they try to work out the best contract for the present and the future.

West Notes: Oilers UFA Possibilities, McLeod, Rookie Faceoff

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The Edmonton Oilers added a quality AHL scorer in Justin Bailey to their organization, bringing him in on a PTO and an AHL deal. That doesn’t mean they’re done adding, though, and The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman reports via a team source that the Oilers are considering adding a forward on a league-minimum deal, similar to the contract Ryan Murray recently signed. (subscription link) Per Nugent-Bowman, the Oilers are discussing three players: Zach Aston-Reese, Riley Nash, and Jake Virtanen.

Aston-Reese, 28, is likely the name Oilers fans would most want to see on their roster out of that group of three. Aston-Reese, whose free agency our John Gilroy profiled last month, is a capable defensive winger and someone who could chip in as a safe, reliable bottom-six option. Nash, 33, represents the most experienced option, as he has over 600 NHL games under his belt. Nash split time between the Syracuse Crunch, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Arizona Coyotes last season, and managed to get into eight playoff games on the Lightning’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. The recent not guilty verdict in Virtanen’s sexual assault trial could be the reason why Virtanen’s name is coming up again for NHL opportunities after a year in the KHL. Virtanen, a former top prospect who scored 18 goals in 2019-20, is the player of the three who would likely present the most on-ice upside to the Oilers but also come with his fair share of baggage and controversy.

Now, for some other news from across the Western Conference:

  • The Oilers still have restricted free agent Ryan McLeod left to sign, and Nugent-Bowman reports that the deal should come around a $975K cap hit. That’s a relatively small cost, but since the Oilers have little cap space to work with the deal hasn’t been completed yet. Per Nugent-Bowman, the “inability to make a trade” involving one of the Oilers’ higher-priced players such as Tyson Barrie, Jesse Puljujarvi, or Warren Foegele has held up the progress on finalizing McLeod’s deal.
  • We recently covered how the San Jose Sharks would be hosting a tournament for prospects from six NHL teams. Today, each of those six teams (the Sharks, Kings, Ducks, Coyotes, Avalanche, and Golden Knights) announced their rosters for the camp. There are quite a few notable names to look forward to at that tournament, including first-round picks Quinton Byfield, Mason McTavish, William Eklund, Conor Geekie, Oskar Olausson, and Brendan Brisson, among others.

Offseason Notes: Hurricanes, Lundqvist, Doan

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Although player transactions rightfully take up most of the attention in the offseason, a team’s additions to their coaching staff and hockey operations department can also play a significant role in whether the organization finds success. Today, the Carolina Hurricanes made three additions to their hockey operations department. The team hired Earl Schwartz as a compliance assistant, and Ellen Etchingham and Sidney Morin were named professional scouts.

Schwartz’s title may not make his role on the Hurricanes immediately clear, but based on the team’s description, it seems his work will revolve around the salary cap. The two new professional scouts the team hired, Etchingham and Morin, both have extensive experience in hockey. Etchingham, who Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek called “one of the smartest people” he’s ever met, has written about hockey since 2007, while Morin is a player for the Minnesota Whitecaps of the PHF and an Olympic Gold Medalist.

Now, for some other news from across the NHL:

  • It wasn’t long ago that Henrik Lundqvist was the on-ice face of the New York Rangers, and now in retirement, he’s positioned himself to be the off-ice face of the franchise. Today the Rangers announced that Lundqvist has joined Madison Square Garden in a “unique new role that helps support business operations for each company.” Lundqvist will continue his work as a studio analyst for Rangers broadcasts on MSG Network, as well as work in various roles across Madison Square Garden ranging from alumni relations to the Garden of Dreams Foundation.
  • While the Rangers’ franchise icon is doubling down on his involvement with the organization, the Arizona Coyotes’ face of their franchise is heading in a different direction. Per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Shane Doan is taking a “step back” from his role as Chief Hockey Development Officer for the Coyotes. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports added some context to this move, stating that Doan still “wants to be in hockey ops somewhere” but it likely won’t be with the Coyotes. Of note is the fact that Doan’s son, Josh Doan, was drafted 37th overall by Arizona at the 2021 NHL draft and is currently the captain of the Arizona State Sun Devils hockey team.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Justin Bailey To Professional Tryout

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9/8/22: While CapFriendly reported that Bailey signed a PTO with the Oilers, we now have some more clarity on where Bailey will be playing hockey full-time next season.

Per a team announcement, Bailey has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Oilers’ American League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. So, even if Bailey is unable to earn an NHL deal out of training camp, he will remain within the larger Oilers organization and factor in likely as a scoring-line player for the Condors.

9/7/22: The Edmonton Oilers have added some veteran talent to their training camp roster, signing forward Justin Bailey to a PTO, per CapFriendly.

This move comes after we covered how the Oilers were looking for some additional depth pieces at this stage of the offseason market. After signing Ryan Murray to a one-year league-minimum deal, they have added to their forward depth by getting Bailey into the mix for a job in the preseason.

Bailey, 27, was a second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres at the 2013 NHL draft and has spent the past three seasons in the Vancouver Canucks organization. Last year, Bailey split time between the Canucks and their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. For Vancouver, Bailey got into 14 games and registered 12 hits, six penalty minutes, and six blocked shots in just over nine minutes of ice time per game. Bailey also spent time as a healthy scratch for the Canucks.

At the AHL level, Bailey had more success, scoring 15 goals and 27 points in just 30 games. Bailey has long been a quality AHL scorer, ever since he scored 20 goals and 45 points in his first professional season with the Rochester Americans. In 296 career AHL games Bailey has scored 111 goals and 198 points.

In Edmonton, Bailey will have a chance to compete for a spot at the bottom of the team’s lineup. He’ll likely compete with Tyler Benson, Greg McKegg, and Brad Malone for a depth role. With a strong performance in camp and in the preseason, Bailey could earn himself a two-way deal and a chance to get into games for the Oilers this season. Even if Bailey struggles, though, it’s still overwhelmingly likely that he’d have strong interest on an AHL deal.

Minor Transactions: 09/08/22

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The feeling of hockey is starting to come back, as players report to team facilities to get their workouts in and new faces arrive to start familiarizing themselves with the area. In just a few weeks there will be NHL action, meaning time is running out to make those last-second roster changes. As always, we’ll keep track of any notable minor moves right here.

  • The Hershey Bears have agreed to terms with Michael Kim and Matthew Strome, signing them to AHL contracts for the upcoming season. The Strome last name will certainly draw some attention, though he hasn’t been nearly as successful as his brothers when it comes to professional hockey. Selected 106th overall in 2017 by the Philadelphia Flyers, Strome has been playing in the ECHL for parts of the last few seasons, only seeing a full AHL campaign in 2021-22 for the first time.
  • Alexandre Carrier (no, not that Alexandre Carrier) has signed with the Savannah Ghost Pirates for the upcoming season. This Carrier is a 31-year-old ECHL stalwart, who has made a career in the low minors without ever being much of an offensive threat. In 357 games, he has just 23 goals and 71 points but has racked up 615 penalty minutes.

This page will continue to be updated with any further transactions

Jonathan Bernier Not Expected To Be Ready For Start Of Season

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The New Jersey Devils went out and got a goaltender this offseason, trading for and then signing Vitek Vanecek to a three-year, $10.2MM contract. Given that we’re now a few weeks from the start of the regular season with both Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier still on the roster, it was unclear exactly how the position would shake out.

In his latest for NJ.com, Ryan Novozinsky relays that a source close to the situation told him Bernier “definitely won’t be ready for the start of the season.” The veteran netminder had hip surgery in January and appears poised to start the season on the sidelines. It is not clear when he will be back, which will certainly raise some alarms over whether his career is nearing an end.

Bernier, 34, has played more than 400 games in the NHL but just 34 since the start of the 2020-21 season. Incredibly, during that long career, he has never posted a save percentage under .902 in a season in which he appeared at least five times. His .912 career number is impressive, especially when you consider some of the brutal teams he has played behind.

The 2015-16 Toronto Maple Leafs won just 29 games and finished dead last in the league, leading to the selection of Auston Matthews that summer. The team’s leading scorer (Nazem Kadri) had just 45 points. Despite that, Bernier posted a .908 save percentage in 38 appearances. In 2019-20, the Detroit Red Wings won just 17 games, finishing dead last in almost every category during a historically-bad season. Bernier, ever the stable presence, posted a .907 in 46 games.

While he has never been the best goaltender in the league, it’s been a long productive career for the 2006 11th overall pick. Hopefully, this latest injury can be resolved at some point and he can return to the ice.

For the time being, it’s Vanecek and Blackwood in the crease for the Devils, though they do have some additional depth at the position. Both Akira Schmid and Nico Daws played NHL games last season and will be needed if the team suffers another injury.

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