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Archives for January 2023

Minor Transactions: 01/20/23

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It’s a slow night on the NHL calendar, with just two games set to be played. It’s the second half of a two-game series between the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. In addition to that contest, the Colorado Avalanche are taking on the Vancouver Canucks. While those four clubs do battle, teams across the hockey world are making tweaks to their rosters. We’ll keep track of those moves here.

  • TJ. Brennan, a two-time Eddie Shore Award winner as the AHL’s best defenseman, has signed a two-year extension with his current club HC Ajoie. This is relatively big news for the Swiss side, as Brennan is an extremely accomplished defenseman in European and minor leagues. He signed in Ajoie over the summer from the ICEHL’s Red Bull Salzburg, after a season where he was an ICEHL All-Star, champion, and leader in defensive scoring. Brennan, 33, has 27 points in 39 games this season.
  • Former Ottawa Senator J.C. Beaudin has signed an extension to remain with his current club, Grizzlys Wolfsburg. Beaudin signed in Wolfsburg, a club in Germany’s DEL, this summer, his first signing away from North America in his professional career. The former Rouyn-Noranda Huskies star has 22 NHL games on his resume, and last played on this side of the Atlantic with the Laval Rocket last year. He scored 17 points in 41 games in Laval and has had real success in Wolfsburg, scoring 12 goals and 20 points in 30 games.
  • Former Kitchener Ranger Matthew Greenfield has stolen the show for the EIHL’s Sheffield Steelers this season, posting a .927 save percentage over the course of 32 games. His red-hot form has now had a ripple effect on the careers of two other netminders, as seen by today’s announcement that the Steelers have released Oskar Ostlund and signed Hayden Lavigne. Ostlund had originally been signed from the DEL to a two-year contract with the intention of him playing a major role. But after what the team called a “freak injury” before the Steelers’ first game sidelined him, Ostlund’s spot as the team’s number-one has been seized by Greenfield. Now, Ostlund will be able to continue his professional career elsewhere.
  • The ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets have released forward Neil Robinson. Robinson arrived in Fort Wayne from the Utah Grizzlies via trade in December. Robinson had fallen out of favor in Utah, having scored just five points in eleven games. He didn’t have much success in Fort Wayne, scoring just one assist in eleven games, and now will have to look elsewhere to continue his professional career.
  • The ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings have released forward Brennan Blaszczak today. The 26-year-old had been in the midst of his first extended stint in the ECHL of his career, having spent the prior two seasons in the SPHL with the Pensacola Ice Flyers. Despite being above a point-per-game in the SPHL, Blaszczak couldn’t quite hang on with either the Wings or the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and is handed his release having scored three points in eight total ECHL games.

This page will be updated throughout the day. 

Max Pacioretty Suffers Torn Achilles

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5:04 PM: The Hurricanes have now officially announced the news.

4:55 PM: It turns out Pacioretty’s MRI was done today, not on Monday as originally reported. In what is absolutely awful news for both Pacioretty and hockey fans everywhere, the MRI revealed, as reported by Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer, that Pacioretty tore his right Achilles tendon, just two weeks after returning to action. It’s the same injury he suffered in August, and although no firm timeline has been released by the team, it will in all likelihood knock him out for the rest of the season.

This news likely confirms that Pacioretty will eventually end up placed on long-term injured reserve. While Pacioretty’s health and recovery will undoubtedly be the Hurricanes’ first priority here, this development does impact their roster-building plans for the rest of the season. The additional cap space afforded by a Pacioretty LTIR placement could have a significant impact on the rest of the team’s season and the trade market as a whole.

For Pacioretty, the priority will be getting his health back in a good place. The 34-year-old forward has played some of the best hockey of his career in recent years, but he has been limited to only sporadic availability due to injuries. With this bit of news, it’s clear he now faces another long recovery on his road back to the ice.

12:47 PM: After just five games, Max Pacioretty is back on injured reserve. The Carolina Hurricanes moved the veteran winger after he suffered a non-contact injury last night to the same leg that underwent surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon last summer.

The Hurricanes have not given a timeline for Pacioretty’s recovery, and according to Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer, won’t be making a determination until next week. They’ve moved his scheduled MRI to Monday.

It is brutal news for a player that worked so hard to come back, especially given how well he had fit into the Carolina lineup. Pacioretty had three goals in his first three games with the team, though was also held out for two games recently due to a lower-body injury.

If it is another torn Achilles, Pacioretty would be out for the rest of the season. Injuries have become something of a pattern for the 34-year-old in the back half of his career. A player once known for his durability and consistency, Pacioretty has now played just 44 games since the start of 2021-22.

Even worse, his contract will expire at the end of this season, making him an unrestricted free agent. If the injury is as serious as it seems, another months-long rehab will be a difficult pill to swallow, with no guarantee of a financial or competitive future.

For the Hurricanes, it could mean they suddenly have some extra cap flexibility to play with. Should Pacioretty head back to long-term injured reserve, the team could make any number of moves at the deadline. His entire $7MM salary could essentially be replaced if he is not going to return this season.

Jeff Petry, Tristan Jarry Activated From Injured Reserve

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The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting both Jeff Petry and Tristan Jarry back, activating the pair from injured reserve today. To make cap and roster room for their return, Kris Letang has been moved to long-term injured reserve, Jan Rutta has been moved to regular injured reserve, and Dustin Tokarski and Taylor Fedun have been reassigned to the AHL.

It’s been more than a month since Petry appeared in a Penguins lineup, last playing on December 10 against the Buffalo Sabres. The 35-year-old defenseman had been seeing a ton of ice time for the club, averaging over 26 minutes in the five games previous to his injury. While that kind of usage may not immediately come into play, Petry’s return is an important one for the Penguins, who have struggled to get much consistent offense from their blueline this season.

Despite missing a month, Petry is still just one point behind Marcus Pettersson for second among Penguins defenders and sits ahead of Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Brian Dumoulin, and Rutta, who have all played at least 40 games. The veteran was practicing with the first powerplay unit today, as they await the return of Letang.

Jarry, meanwhile, hasn’t played since being pulled from the Winter Classic after just 15 minutes of action against the Boston Bruins. The 27-year-old netminder had been struggling for a few games before that outdoor action, and now hopefully will get his game back on track after spending the last few weeks on the sideline.

Through 25 appearances, Jarry has posted a .918 save percentage, almost exactly in line with last season’s performance that earned him some down-ballot Vezina consideration. Given his status as a pending unrestricted free agent, Jarry is essentially playing for his next contract and can’t be missing huge chunks of the season if he can help it.

Letang and Rutta have both been moved to injured reserve retroactively, meaning they can return much sooner. Letang’s LTIR stint is backdated to December 28, meaning his 24-day window is almost up. Rutta’s is backdated to January 14, meaning his seven-day minimum is also about to expire.

Snapshots: Karlsson, Muzzin, Matheson

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Erik Karlsson wants to win. That’s what he told Pierre LeBrun and Ryan Rishaug on the Got Yer Back podcast, explaining that if a trade was brought to him that included joining a contender, he’d have to consider it.

Karlsson, through all of the trade rumors and speculation, has never indicated a desire to leave the San Jose Sharks organization, where he has settled down with his family. He holds a no-movement clause and can determine his fate, even if a team does step up with the massive asking price that has been rumored. After a four-point effort on Wednesday, Karlsson leads the league in assists and is on pace for 110 points.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t given any update on the status of injured defenseman Jake Muzzin, and Chris Johnston explained on TSN’s Insider Trading yesterday that there has been no movement toward a return to play. When he went down to a cervical spine injury, the team explained that he would be re-evaluated in February. Clarity on his status will be important, given the Maple Leafs’ cap situation. If Muzzin misses the rest of the year, they can continue to use his $5.625MM cap hit for a replacement.
  • Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson has been fined $5,000 for his interference on Florida Panthers forward Eric Staal in last night’s game, which became a bit of a circus. Ninety penalty minutes were handed out between the two teams, though none of them were for directly tied to the incident in question. Matheson and Matthew Tkachuk would fight later in the game.

St. Louis Blues Reassign Nikita Alexandrov

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The St. Louis Blues have made a couple of roster moves today, starting with the loan of Nikita Alexandrov to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. Room on the NHL roster was needed for Logan Brown, who has been activated from injured reserve.

The Blues are expected to get Torey Krug back relatively soon, as head coach Craig Berube told Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the injured defenseman is getting close to a return. The same goes for several other injured Blues players, meaning roster space is going to be hard to find.

Alexandrov, 22, has played in 16 games for the Blues this season, scoring four points. The second-round pick from 2019 has been strong for the Thunderbirds, scoring 11 goals in 22 games, and should eventually find himself back in the NHL.

Brown, 24, hasn’t played since December, and even when he does get into the lineup it’s only for a few shifts. In his nine appearances, he’s averaging just over nine minutes of ice time and has generated just five shots on goal. The dreams of the 6’6″ center becoming an impact player at the NHL level may be gone, but after watching Tage Thompson excel in Buffalo, Blues fans may want to give him a few more cracks.

Matthew DeFranks of the Post-Dispatch tweets that Brown was practicing as an extra today, but given that Vladimir Tarasenko isn’t expected to play tomorrow, those lines might be reconstructed.

Seeking Writers For Pro Hockey Rumors

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Last year around this time, Pro Hockey Rumors put out a call for new writers. We were lucky enough to find two excellent candidates and grow the PHR family with the addition of Ethan Hetu and John Gilroy. Now, with the calendar turning to 2023, we’re looking to grow our staff again.

PHR is looking to hire part-time writers with strong evening and weekend availability. The position pays on an hourly basis.

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Exceptional knowledge of all 32 NHL teams, with no discernible bias.
  • Knowledge of the salary cap, CBA, and transaction-related concepts.
  • At least some college education.
  • Extensive writing experience, with professional experience and a background in journalism both strongly preferred.
  • Keen understanding of journalistic principles, ethics, and procedures. Completion of basic college-level journalism classes is strongly preferred.
  • Attention to detail — absolutely no spelling errors, especially for player and journalist names.
  • Ability to follow the site’s style and tone.
  • Ability to analyze articles and craft intelligent, well-written posts summing up the news in a few paragraphs. We need someone who can balance quick copy with thoughtful analysis. You must be able to add value to breaking news with your own insight, numbers, or links to other relevant articles.
  • Familiarity with Twitter, Tweetdeck, and other relevant platforms. In general, you must be able to multitask.
  • Flexibility. You must be available to work on short notice.

If you’re interested, email prohockeyrumorshelp@gmail.com by Friday, January 27, and in a few paragraphs, explain why you qualify. Be sure to attach your resume to the email.

We understand that many of those who read this have applied in the past. If you have previously submitted an application for PHR and are still interested, please submit it again. Many will apply, so unfortunately we cannot respond to every applicant.

(Update: With recent developments for Vox Media and SB Nation affecting many hockey writers, we have re-opened the application process for another week.)

Kasperi Kapanen Out Week-To-Week

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The nightmare season for Kasperi Kapanen continues. The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that Kapanen will be out on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury.

It’s brutal timing for the 26-year-old, as Kapanen had just started to find a consistent level of play. Through healthy scratches, benchings, and demotions, he has 17 points in 35 games so far. While only one of those points had come in his last seven appearances, there were some encouraging signs that he could fit into a bottom-six role for the rest of the season.

Now, with a weeks-long injury, he’s back to square one. The Penguins gave Kapanen a two-year, $6.4MM contract in the offseason when many wondered whether he would even get a qualifying offer. The deal now looks like one of the worst on the team, with Pittsburgh desperate for cap space to make a deadline addition.

An injury of this length could be a worst-case scenario. It might not be long enough to justify long-term injured reserve (and even if it is, they’ll have to keep room open for his activation), but keeps him off the active roster as the deadline approaches.

For other injury updates, the head coach Mike Sullivan called Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling game-time decisions, while Kris Letang, Josh Archibald, and Jan Rutta are not yet ready to return.

Daniil Tarasov Reassigned To Minor Leagues

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have returned Daniil Tarasov to the minor leagues, less than a week after he was activated from injured reserve. The young netminder played once during that time, stopping 26 of 28 shots in a loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday

Through 13 appearances this season, Tarasov continues to show that he has the potential to be a full-time NHL option for the Blue Jackets in the near future. The 23-year-old now has a .914 save percentage in his 17-game career, and has arguably outperformed both Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins this season, even if most of his appearances still result in losses (most of the Blue Jackets’ games do).

With Korpisalo on an expiring deal and Tarasov signed to a new three-year contract last summer, his time is coming. The question now will be whether Merzlikins can bounce back from his dreadful 2022-23 season or if there will be a goaltending controversy in Columbus next year.

For now, it doesn’t really matter who plays for the team. Columbus is destined for the bottom of the standings, and letting Tarasov play in the minor leagues may be a better use of his talent. He won’t be waiver-exempt next year, meaning this is the last chance they have to move him freely between leagues.

Latest On Bo Horvat

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The Vancouver Canucks have an anchor around their necks. The team has lost eight of ten, appear to be on the brink of a coaching change, and seems to be ready to move on from captain Bo Horvat. President Jim Rutherford recently explained that the team’s best offer didn’t line up with Horvat’s performance this season, suggesting an extension wasn’t going to be possible.

One other notable thing about Rutherford is that he often likes to make his big midseason moves well ahead of the trade deadline. He’s often been the first to act in an arms race, and now the spotlight is on him as a seller. On the latest 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet discussed which teams he has heard most connected to Horvat:

I think Seattle’s in it. I think Minnesota’s been around it, but can only do him as a rental. I think Boston’s been around it, but it is not easy for them to do. 

The Carolina Hurricanes have also been linked to the Horvat sweepstakes, especially since Max Pacioretty’s injury last night. Friedman noted several times that the Hurricanes “don’t do rentals,” suggesting that a deal like that would need to come with an extension.

That is perhaps the most interesting part of the Horvat situation. Sometimes, players on expiring contracts are looking forward to testing the full open market. It doesn’t matter where they are or where they end up, the process of free agency is something they want to experience. From the outside, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Horvat’s negotiations in Vancouver. From all reports, he has been working in good faith with the desire to stay long-term with the Canucks – the two sides just can’t find a common ground.

If he is dealt, especially if it is soon, an acquiring team would have a little while to convince him to stay. Friedman reports that as of the podcast taping (Thursday night), no teams have been given permission to talk with Horvat’s representatives on an extension.

There are probably a dozen teams in the league that could use the 27-year-old for a serious playoff run, especially as he works his way through a career year. Already to 30 goals, his assists have also recently started to rack up, giving Horvat 49 points in 44 games. Positional versatility, goal scoring, leadership – all things that teams value greatly this time of year (anytime, really). A Horvat move could legitimately change the makeup of a team’s top-six for years to come, or offer a difference-making third-line pivot for a Stanley Cup run.

Felix Sandstrom Recalled From Conditioning Loan

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Now that his two-week maximum is over, Felix Sandstrom’s conditioning loan has come to an end. The Philadelphia Flyers goaltender has been recalled, with Samuel Ersson reassigned back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in his place.

It’s kind of an odd situation, given how well Ersson has played. The 23-year-old netminder has a .918 save percentage in seven appearances and is 5-0 on the year. But the Flyers, despite their recent play, are still seventh in the Metropolitan Division. The front office knows that securing a higher draft position is important, if they aren’t going to compete for the playoffs.

So up comes Sandstrom, and down goes Ersson. The former has posted an .888 in nine appearances, losing all but one of them this year. There’s little doubt that right now, Ersson is playing better. There’s also a decent chance that Sandstrom would clear waivers if assigned, given his performance so far this year. But it isn’t worth the risk at this point, given where the Flyers sit.

Instead, they’ll go back to Carter Hart handling the lion’s share of the work. His play, like the rest of Philadelphia, has been inconsistent this year. One night he will be dragging the team to a victory, while the next he’s getting pulled early on. A .907 save percentage has resulted in 20 losses across his 33 appearances so far.

Ersson, who missed almost all of 2021-22 with injury, needs to play as much as possible. The fifth-round pick appeared in just five games last season but has shown enough this year for the Flyers to really value his future. He’ll get a lot more playing time in Lehigh Valley than he would as Hart’s backup down the stretch.

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