Archives for August 2024

Oilers Trade Cody Ceci, Pick for Ty Emberson

August 18, 2024 at 10:09 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 20 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers have traded defenseman Cody Ceci and a 2025 third-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Ty Emberson. The deal was initially reported by Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, who adds that no salary cap was retained. Spector mentions that moving Ceci’s $3.25MM cap hit could give Edmonton enough space to retain defenseman Philip Broberg while forward Dylan Holloway could be headed to the St. Louis Blues. Both players recently signed two-year offer sheets with the Blues – Broberg’s totaling $9.16MM in salary and Holloway’s totaling $4.58MM.

The two restricted free agents are in similar spots in their careers – yet to vindicate their first-round precedent, though still carving out routine roles in Edmonton’s lineup. They were utilized similarly, averaging roughly 11:30 in ice time this season, though Holloway played 38 games to Broberg’s 12. Retaining both players would cost the Oilers $6.87MM in cap hit – a tough bill to pay for an Oilers team that was already $8.225MM over the cap ceiling. It seems the team is opting to hold onto the defenseman, though it will cost them near-800-game veteran Cody Ceci.

Despite routinely receiving criticism, Ceci was an anchor of Edmonton’s top-four last season, averaging 20 minutes of total ice time and more penalty-kill time than any other Oiler. He ended the year with five goals and 25 points in 79 games this season, adding five points in 24 playoff games – where he notoriously partnered with Darnell Nurse for some of the best and worst moments of the postseason. After three years in Edmonton, Ceci will move to his fifth NHL franchise in this trade. He’ll seemingly – and perhaps surprisingly – become San Jose’s top right defenseman, joining a room occupied by Jan Rutta and Matt Benning. He’ll be the second-most experienced on the blue-line, though leader Marc-Edouard Vlasic – who’s just four games shy of 1,300 career games, though he became a routine healthy scratch last season.

Ceci’s departure opens a big hole in the Oilers’ blue line, which could finally yield the opportunity that Broberg’s been waiting for. He’s only averaged 12:42 in ice time through 81 career games and hasn’t played over 19 minutes in a single game since November of 2021. Broberg has yielded 13 career points in the limited role, though stepping into top-four minutes could be enough to kick the former top-10 pick into high gear.

That could cost them winger Holloway, who’s scored 18 career points – and added seven in 25 games this postseason. Holloway was drafted 14th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, selected after a strong freshman year at the University of Wisconsin, where he totaled 52 points in 58 games over two years in Wisconsin before turning pro in 2021. He has since bounced between the NHL and AHL lineups, showing flashes of promise as a hefty play-driver but never finding his spark. His 6-foot-1, 206-pound frame is just 10 pounds heavier than winger Vasily Podkolzin, who Edmonton acquired for a 2025 third-round pick earlier today. Podkolzin fits into the same conversation as Holloway and Broberg – a former top draft pick struggling to show what he can do at the top level. The size similarities and Podkolzin’s cheap $1MM cap hit seem to back the idea that Holloway could be headed to St. Louis – though nothing is official yet.

Regardless of their decision with Broberg and Holloway, Edmonton emerges from this swap with young defender Ty Emberson, who played through his first 30 NHL games last season, scoring 10 points and showing value as a shutdown defender on a struggling San Jose roster. But a lower-body laceration suffered in February cut Emberson’s rookie year short, leaving Sharks fans guessing where his upside might fall.

Multiple teams have shown interest in Emberson at one point. He was initially drafted by the Arizona Coyotes ahead of a three-year tenure at the University of Wisconsin, where he managed 34 points in 101 games. Emberson turned pro with the Tuscon Roadrunners in 2020, getting a taste of tougher competition before a 2022 trade to the New York Rangers in exchange for Patrick Nemeth and draft picks in 2025 and 2026. New York signed Emberson to a one-year, league-minimum contract but placed him on waivers two months later. San Jose placed a claim as the fourth team on the priority list, ultimately pushing Emberson into his first NHL role. He’ll now move to Edmonton with the chance for even more growth as he battles Broberg and Nurse for ice time on the right-hand side.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Snapshots: Pospisil, Moline, Chabot

August 18, 2024 at 8:04 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

Flames winger Martin Pospisil said last week that he’d be representing Slovakia in this month’s Olympic qualifying tournament, but that may no longer be the case. Pospisil recently told Slovak outlet Dennik Sport that he’s reconsidering his decision after the country’s hockey governing body invited Slovak players from Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League to suit up for the tournament.

“I was surprised by the news, we’ll see how it all develops,” Pospisil said. “It’s hard for me to comment on that, because I found out everything just a while ago. I have to process that information first… It is still an honor for me to wear the national jersey. Sometimes, however, one has to put sports aside, but it’s hard for me to talk about it now. I will decide in the next few days.”

His potential departure from the national squad would be a large blow, as he was one of the few NHL-contracted players who were willing to participate for their respective countries during what’s otherwise the final ramp-up period to training camps. Pospisil finished third on the Slovak team in scoring at the World Championship earlier this year with seven points in seven games, his first appearance for the senior national team. The Slovak roster will still have a decent amount of big-name talent at the tournament and is a favorite to land one of the three spots remaining in men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, namely Devils Simon Nemec and Tomas Tatar and Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary.

Summer Synopsis: Carolina Hurricanes

August 18, 2024 at 7:30 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 4 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes have been the envy of many NHL teams for the past half-decade, building out a sustainable lineup that nicely blended veteran pieces with up-and-coming prospects. Despite the seemingly endless supply of talent, Carolina has never been able to put it all together and go a run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their regular season success over the past 5+ years is nearly unmatched, but the playoff losses have started to lead fans to wonder if this core can be the one that brings the franchise its second Stanley Cup. Carolina saw a lot of turnover this summer and it could lead the team to take a step back next season.

Draft

2-34: D Dominik Badinka, Malmo (SHL)
2-50: F Nikita Artamonov, Torpedo (KHL)
3-69: D Noel Fransen, Färjestad BK (SHL)
4-124: D Alexander Siryatsky, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)
5-133: F Oskar Vuollet, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)
5-156: F Justin Poirier, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
6-168: D Timur Kol, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
6-184: D Roman Shokhrin, Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)
6-188: F Fyodor Avramov, Kapitan Stupino (MHL)
7-220: F Andrey Krutov, Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)

A hectic summer wasn’t enough to knock Carolina off the course of what they do best – win out draft classes. The Hurricanes traded their first-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for a pair of picks in the first round – ultimately resulting in swapping Marek Vanacker for Dominik Badinka and Nikita Artamonov. That value swap would be considered a steal by many public scouting services, who were particularly fond of the feisty and aggressive offensive style that Badinka brings from the blue line. He earned first-round recognition from multiple outlets, including ranking 29^th in Bob McKenzie’s acclaimed final rankings. Artamonov earned similar recognition with very mature and flexible hockey in Russia’s KHL, though his stock slipped over the year as he – and many other top Russian prospects – hit a scoring lull through the middle of the season. Nevertheless, the pair define Carolina’s draft-day haul with success in their country’s top flight.

But the supporting cast around Badinka and Artamonov can’t be counted out. Defender Noel Fransen also worked his way into an SHL lineup this season, with his 20 goals and 44 points in 45 U20 games resulting in four games with Farjestad. He was quiet in those outings but made up for it with strong international performances, ultimately flaunting a strong ability to both initiate and defend the rush through the neutral zone. He’ll need to reign in his aggressive pushes up the ice and find an appreciation for defensive positioning to succeed at the next flight, though Fransen’s upside as a puck-mover would fit well in Carolina’s fast-paced system.

The style matches continue with high-drive forwards Oskar Vuollet and Justin Poirier, who both emerged as their team’s leading forward over the season, though to largely varied results. Vuollet was, narrowly, the higher pick of the two – likely thanks to his heftier build and 15 SHL games this season. But it’s Poirier who carved out the longer season, championing Baie-Comeau to the QMJHL Championship with 18 goals and 27 points in 17 playoff games. It was an impressive run that showed Poirier’s dazzling ability to create plays out of the corners and find space on the outskirts of the slot. His style is reminiscent of former NHL journeyman Steve Sullivan, who carried plenty of power, drive, and play-creating ability in a small frame – and fought his way to a 1,000-game career despite being a ninth-round draft pick. Those are certainly lofty expectations for Poirier – whose physicality is yet to be tested at the top level. If he adjusts well, he could find a niche similar to Sullivan’s. If he can’t, Carolina will fall back on the responsible forechecking and hard-passing of Vuollet, which also looks like it could translate well to North American pros.

Carolina rounded out their draft class with a heap of Russian talent – headlined by a well-rounded defense, including Alexander Siryatsky’s large frame, Roman Shokhrin’s hard-hitting, and Timur Kol’s confident stickhandling from the blue line. All three players have pitfalls ahead of them, but could each use their defining strength to claw up Carolina’s depth chart. They’re complimented by heavy-shooter Fyodor Avramov and nifty scorer Andrey Krutov – who both found success in the MHL, Russia’s premier junior league, that they’ll now try to translate to the country’s pros. The Hurricanes have now drafted 15 players from Russia in just the last three years – showing plenty of confidence in bringing Russian players overseas.

UFA Signings

F William Carrier (six-years, $12MM)
F Jordan Martinook (three-years, $9.2MM)
F Jack Roslovic (one-year, $2.8MM)
F Eric Robinson (one-year, $950K)
F Joakim Ryan (one-year, $775K)*
F Riley Stillman (one-year, $775K)*
D Jaccob Slavin (extended eight years, $51.7MM)
D Sean Walker (five-years, $18MM)
D Shayne Gostisbehere (three-years, $9.6MM)
D Josiah Slavin (two-years, $775K)*

*denotes two-way deal

Carolina may not have lost as much quantity as some NHL teams, but their departing quality is as rich as it gets. That forced first-time general manager Eric Tulsky into a busy July as he looked to patch the many openings in the lineup. The rookie managed the feat well, bringing in highly capable defenders Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere to replace the departing Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce. The new acquisitions might not match the confident offense of Skjei or the stout defense of Pesce, though both Walker and Gostisbehere worked into top-four minutes last season with reliable two-way play. Gostibehere is the particularly exciting of the two, coming off a career year with the Detroit Red Wings that saw him net 10 goals and 56 points in 81 games – a career-high in scoring. He’s entering his second stint with the Hurricanes, having served 13 points across 38 games, combined between the regular season and playoffs, with the team after a 2023 Trade Deadline swap. That could prove good prep as he approaches a Hurricanes season with major roles on the defense up for grabs.

But neither Gostibehere nor Walker will clinch too rich of a role, thanks to Carolina’s lofty re-signing of alternate captain Jaccob Slavin. The newly minted, max-term deal walks the veteran defender to his age-38 season – solidifying his spot as a career Hurricane amid plenty of turnover on the blue line. Slavin continues to stand as one of the most watertight defensemen in the league, offering consistent and reliable impact on both sides of the puck as well as both sides of the ice. Now cemented in the lineup, Slavin will look to carry the torch for Carolina’s restructured defense and will stand as a favorite for the team’s captaincy when long-running captain Jordan Staal calls his career quits. He’ll also get the honor of playing in the same organization as brother Josiah Slavin, who signed a two-way deal with Carolina but projects as a minor-league option.

Carolina complimented a defensive refresh by adding multiple bricks into the offense. Jack Roslovic stands as the most notable signee, joining Carolina after digging his feet into the third-line center role for both the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. That led him to 39 points across 77 games this season, including the playoffs – continuing Roslovic’s flirting with the 40-point ceiling into its fourth consecutive season. He’ll likely make the biggest splash in the lineup, though it’s William Carrier’s six-year extension that stands as Carolina’s most eye-raising addition. Carrier scored just eight points in 39 regular season games last year – and just 25 points in 56 games in 2022-23. He’s now up to 107 points in 413 career games – certainly meager numbers, though he’s continued to find ways into the lineup with quick decision-making and a daunting physical presence. Carrier will now bring those traits into Carolina, looking to carve out a fourth-line role that he can carry through the end of the 2020s.

Eric Robinson, Joakim Ryan, and Riley Stillman will all compete for similar fourth-line roles, though it’d be forgetful not to mention Jordan Martinook, who’s earned a deal rivaling a $10MM total salary after playing in all 164 games and scoring a commendable 66 points, over the last two seasons. Martinook has found his stride with the Canes after slowly rising to prominence through the team’s bottom six. He’ll likely stay in that role moving forward, though his multi-year extension gives the Hurricanes much-needed consistency in their depths.

RFA Re-Signings

F Martin Necas (two-year, $13MM)
F Jack Drury (two-years, $3.4MM)
D Jalen Chatfield (three-years, $9MM)

While Carolina can rest on an energetic UFA window, their RFA signings are coated in bore after emerging forward Martin Necas, once the top name on many different trade boards, ultimately decided to re-sign in Carolina. The new deal walks Necas to unrestricted free agency, giving him the chance to handpick a new team at his earliest convenience, but it’ll come at the cost of two more seasons in Carolina. That’s certainly not much to complain about – after all, Necas has grown into his own with the Hurricanes, netting a career-high 28 goals and 71 points in 82 games during the 2022-23 season after a pair of 40-point years. He succeeded the career year with 24 goals and 53 points in 77 games this season, though even with the step back in scoring, Necas’ ability to fit in with Carolina’s offensive stars was clear. Necas was a center before being drafted but was quickly swapped to the wing by Carolina. Despite some intrigue in returning to his natural position, it’ll be the flanks that offer the most opportunity in Carolina – with Necas privy to even more ice time now that the team has lost Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen.

Carolina’s other RFA signings are much more par for the course – featuring reliable and growing depth pieces Jack Drury and Jalen Chatfield, who are both cutting their teeth on Carolina’s bottom lines and special teams. Chatfield’s multi-year deal gives Carolina blue-line exciting upside from top to bottom on the right side. While the 28-year-old is still early into his NHL career, his 22 points in 72 games this season and growing confidence as a physical presence have made him a gut punch down the depth of Carolina’s lineup. While the defense will inevitably shift around as new additions find their role, Chatfield’s grit should make him a steadfast feature on the bottom pair.

Departures

F Jake Guentzel (traded to Tampa Bay)
F Evgeny Kuznetsov (waived)
F Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago, three-years, $16.2MM)
F Stefan Noesen (New Jersey, three years, $8.25MM)
F Eric Staal (retired)
F Max Comtois (unqualified, signed with Dynamo of the KHL)
D Brady Skjei (Nashville, seven-years, $49MM)
D Brett Pesce (New Jersey, six years, $33MM)
D Tony DeAngelo (unrestricted free agent)
D Dylan Coghlan (traded to Winnipeg)
G Antti Raanta (unrestricted free agent)

The strength of this year’s departing Hurricanes would rival some of the NHL’s basement dwellers. Carolina is losing irreplaceable talent as they say goodbye to Skjei, Pesce, Teravainen, Kuznetsov – and, most notably, star winger Jake Guentzel, who’s donned the title of Steven Stamkos’ replacement in Tampa Bay. Guentzel was one of the headliners of this year’s Trade Deadline, making the first move of his career after eight years with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Carolina had to part with a laundry list of talent to reel him in, including winger Michael Bunting and multiple top prospects. Guentzel vindicated the asking price with 34 points across 38 games with the team, including tying for third on the team in postseason scoring. The Hurricanes are uniquely positioned to handle such a big blow, thanks to the emergence of Necas and the looming return of oft-injured Andrei Svechnikov, who’s scored 316 points in 406 games but hasn’t played 80 games in a season since 2019.

The Hurricanes are also saying goodbye to Eric Staal, who signed a one-day contract with the team to retire a member of the team that started the fruitful careers of both he and brother Jordan Staal. Eric made his debut with the Hurricanes in 2003 and quickly jumped off the page. He managed 100 points in his sophomore season as Carolina steamrolled their way to the 2006 Stanley Cup. He went on to total 775 points in 909 games with Carolina before continuing his stellar NHL career through stints with five teams, including the Minnesota Wild.

Salary Cap Outlook

Carolina enters the last stretch of the summer with just under $6.44MM in projected cap space, which could be enough room to sign their remaining RFA, Seth Jarvis, if they elect to offer him a bridge deal. But, if both sides elect to go to a maximum-length deal, Carolina’s cap situation could get spicy. The Hurricanes lost a lot of personnel this summer and will enter next season with several new faces; it’s likely the team has concerns about starting the season without Jarvis as a lot of the new pieces will be looking to acclimate, and it could lead to a slow start in Carolina. The Hurricanes don’t have a ton of bad contracts on the books and could make a move before the start of the regular season in case they need to clear space for Jarvis’ long-term pact.

Key Questions

Is Their Forward Depth Strong Enough? The Hurricanes’ forward depth took a beating this offseason, and they lost the likes of Jake Guentzel, Stefan Noesen, and Teuvo Teravainen. The team scrambled for replacements on the free agent market, bringing Jack Roslovic as potential center depth, as well as Tyson Jost and William Carrier. The departures leave Carolina in a precarious position as their forward group was once the envy of most teams and now looks to be closer to average than it has been in a while.

Can The Goaltending Hold Up? There is no question that Frederik Andersen was spectacular last season for Carolina, but he was limited to just 16 regular season games and was very pedestrian in the playoffs. Andersen has played just 50 regular season games total the past two seasons, and his backup, Pyotr Kochetkov, has played just 69 career games split over three seasons. While both men are capable of holding the fort for Carolina, the question is, can they do it for an entire season? And, more importantly, can they do it in the playoffs? Andersen has been a great regular-season goalie for most of his career, but the story remains his inability to elevate his game in the playoffs, and it is something the Hurricanes will need if they want to take the next step.

Can The Defense Sustain Offseason Losses? Losing your second defensive pairing is never ideal, especially when that pairing is one of the best, which is what Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei were for the Hurricanes. Carolina had the luxury of playing Dmitry Orlov on their third pairing last year but will likely need to elevate him into the top four to navigate their other departures. The team is fortunate that they held onto defensive prospect Scott Morrow and should be able to insert him into the NHL lineup at some point this season, and they were also able to add veterans Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker, who should be able to bring a veteran presence to the Canes back end. Carolina’s defense will look very different next season, and time will tell if that is for better or for worse.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Oilers Acquire Vasily Podkolzin From Canucks

August 18, 2024 at 5:47 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 9 Comments

The Edmonton Oilers have acquired forward Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for the Ottawa Senators’ 2025 fourth-round pick. Edmonton acquired the pick alongside Roby Jarventie earlier this summer, in exchange for sending Ottawa forwrards Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson.

The timing of this deal can’t be ignored. Edmonton recently received two offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues, who are looking to steal away forward Dylan Holloway and defender Philip Broberg. The pair of offer sheets totals $6.87MM – a very difficult pill to swallow for an Oilers team already $8.225MM over the cap ceiling, not including potential long-term injured reserve. While an Oilers trade seemed imminent, this swap is far from what many were expecting – as Edmonton reels in a former top prospect and potential Holloway replacement.

If Podkolzin truly donns that title is yet to be seen. He proved a controversial pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, rounding out what was a loaded Top 10 after fighting his way into KHL ice time. Podkolzin stayed in Russia for two seasons after his draft selection, continuing to grow in a KHL role before moving directly into a middle-six role with the Canucks in 2021. He was productive as a rookie, appearing in 79 games and managing 14 goals and 26 points. But he’s struggled to hold onto that scoring in the years since, totaling just nine points across his last 58 NHL games. That belabored production has earned Podkolzin the first AHL games of his career, to some success. He’s scored 46 points in 72 minor-league games over the last two seasons – enough to earn routine call-ups back to the NHL, but not enough to inspire much excitement.

But that could be set to change in Edmonton. Podkozlin flaunted plenty of skill during his brief KHL career, but struggled to instill much tempo into the offense. That’s perhaps the thing the Oilers do best, largely thanks to just how talented Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins bring to the table. Holloway wasn’t getting much ice time with those superstars as he looked to establish his footing in the NHL, but Edmonton has shown a preference for icing shoot-first bruisers, like Connor Brown or Klim Kostin, with McDavid. Podkolzin stands at a similar frame to Holloway, but has built a bit more of knack for physicality as he’s cut his teeth in the minor leagues. A move to the Oilers offense will represent a chance to start over – potentially filling a recently departed role as the lineup’s young, high-upside winger.

2024 Professional Tryout Tracker

August 18, 2024 at 12:53 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 5 Comments

This year, Pro Hockey Rumors will be keeping a running of list of all players attending training camps on professional tryouts. A few have gotten started in August, and many more will be announced in the coming weeks as unsigned veterans look to find homes and free agent up-and-comers look to get some stability in the lower levels of an organization.

This tracker can be found at any time under the Flame menu for mobile users and under the “Pro Hockey Rumors Features” menu on the right-hand desktop sidebar. It will be updated as new PTO signings come in, as well as when players are released or signed.

Last updated 10/12/24, 9:19 a.m.

Blackhawks Expect Taylor Hall To Be Cleared For Preseason

August 18, 2024 at 10:48 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 2 Comments

The Blackhawks made a splash on the trade market last summer when they acquired top-six winger Taylor Hall from the Bruins, but an injury to his ACL in his right knee derailed his campaign and shut him down back in November. After returning to practice in the final few days of the 2023-24 campaign, Hall told Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times that he’s completed his recovery from surgery and expects to be medically cleared to play by team doctors upon arriving for training camp next month.

Hall, 32, was expected to be Connor Bedard’s primary wingman in the first-overall pick’s rookie season. It’s easy to see why they targeted the veteran, who won the Hart Trophy with the Devils in 2018 and was just one year removed from a 20-goal, 61-point season at the time of his acquisition. He also came at a substantial $6MM cap hit, one that the Bruins needed to get rid of to increase their spending flexibility and one Chicago needed to help them hit the cap floor. But while he fulfilled the latter objective, his on-ice impact was negligible at best, posting just four points and a -3 rating in 10 games before exiting the lineup entirely.

Uncertainty about how Hall may perform coming off knee surgery directly influenced the Blackhawks’ offseason plans. After signing the slightly younger Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen in free agency, Hall will likely be relegated to a second-line or even third-line role as he returns to the Chicago lineup. But if he’s needed to take on extra minutes, the 2010 first-overall pick “intends to come back hungry” after missing so much time, he tells Pope.

“I’m trying to take some rest breaks here and there because I’ve been working out and rehabbing for eight months now,” Hall said about his offseason recovery process. “You want to plateau — you want to be at your best — when training camp starts, and you don’t want to be fatigued from working out all summer. I’m playing around with that. But, in general, it feels like a normal offseason for me.” Notably, Pope says Hall has still yet to participate in any full-contact drills, but that’s expected to come with his clearance next month.

A solid rebound campaign from Hall, a pending UFA, likely has more value for Chicago in trade talks than it does in the standings table. They can comfortably retain up to 50% of his salary, making him a $3MM acquisition on deadline day, and his trade protection is limited to a 10-team no-trade list. Hall, who’s only made the playoffs five times in his 14 NHL seasons, would likely welcome a trade to any postseason contender regardless.

Morning Notes: Maple Leafs, Andersson, Sabres

August 18, 2024 at 9:34 am CDT | by Josh Erickson 1 Comment

Unlike other teams that have recently claimed their offseason checklists are complete, the Maple Leafs are still open for business, general manager Brad Treliving said on TSN 1050 last week. “To me, we’ve still got five weeks or so till camp,” Treliving said. “And, you know, we’re not set yet. We continue to look at ways to make our team better.”

It’s more like four weeks now, but Treliving’s right in that there are still multiple minor moves Toronto intends to make before veterans roll in for training camp. Chief among them is likely finding a home for disgruntled winger Nicholas Robertson, who remains an unsigned RFA after reportedly requesting a trade in June. The 2019 second-round pick finally broke into an everyday role with the Leafs last season after a few years of being relegated to minor-league roles, producing well in a depth role with 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games. That was good enough for 39 points over a full 82-game sample, but his ice time remained limited at 11:23 per game. Going pointless and averaging less than 10 minutes per game in six playoff contests against the Bruins didn’t boost his stock.

That means there’s still an unknown ripple effect on the Leafs’ forward depth. They’ll undoubtedly replace Robertson’s role one way or another, either by recouping a similar player in a swap or making a UFA signing to avoid putting too much pressure on rookies Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten to crack the opening night roster. Doing so would be a tricky fit with the salary cap if injured defenseman Jani Hakanpaa ever puts pen to paper on his reported two-year, $3MM deal, though. As things stand, they only have $1.275MM in space with a roster size of 21, per PuckPedia, which is not enough to be cap-compliant with Hakanpaa on the roster to start the season.

Snapshots: Celebrini, Ovechkin, Avalanche

August 17, 2024 at 8:11 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 8 Comments

The San Jose Sharks are eagerly anticipating first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini, emphasized by new head coach Ryan Warsofsky, who told Tom Gulitti of NHL.com that he’s expecting Celebrini to drive the lineup. Warsofsky said, “He’s so driven. I think at times we’re going to have to reel him back just because he wants to go, go, go, but he’s a super competitive, self-driven young person, which you don’t see a lot this day and age. That’s what impressed me the most.”

There’s certainly plenty of opportunity available in San Jose. The Sharks couldn’t make it to 20 wins last season, largely thanks to their 2.20 goals-per-game – the second-lowest in the NHL since 2017, behind the Chicago Blackhawks’ 2.17 average last season. San Jose has since parted with Tomas Hertl, Anthony Duclair, Filip Zadina, and Mike Hoffman – four of their top seven scorers from last season. They’ve been replaced by new signees Tyler Toffoli and Alexander Wennberg, as well as team captain Logan Couture, who’s expected to return from injury soon, and fellow rookie Will Smith. But those additions pale in comparison to Celebrini, who’s coming off a collegiate season that made him the youngest Hobey Baker Trophy winner in NCAA history – one year after winning the USHL MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in the same season. He’s a driven and impressive playmaker who seems poised for quick success. The Sharks will look to lean into that momentum by putting Celebrini into an immediate premier role in the lineup.

Other quick notes around the league:

Superstar Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin is planning to return to the United States in early September to prepare for his 20th NHL season, agent Gleb Chistyakov shared with MatchTV. Some Capitals have already returned to practices with their teammates, shares Sammi Silber of The Hockey News, though those skates remain informal. Ovechkin has stayed on the ice this summer, participating in a variety of event skates including a recent NHL vs KHL event that pitted Russia’s top pros against a menagerie of NHL stars. He’ll transition back into pro-mode soon, looking to continue his chase for Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record into its second decade. Ovechkin currently sits 42 goals back from the record – a mark he’s reached in 13 different seasons, including in two of the last three years.
The Colorado Avalanche are still working to round out their lineup amid a cap crunch, which could lead the team to take advantage of professional try-outs as September rolls around. Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now posited four different options for a PTO, notably including former Ottawa Senators winger Dominik Kubalik. Rawal shared that Colorado frequently scouted Ottawa’s games last season and could be drawn to Kubalik’s scoring upside. The 28-year-old winger took a hard fall last season, netting just 11 goals and 15 points in 74 games – after scoring at least 30 points in his previous four NHL seasons. His rookie season in 2019-20 still stands as Kubalik’s career year, marked by 30 goals and 46 points in 68 games. He could rediscover that spark in Colorado, though he’ll first have to negotiate a PTO and win out a roster spot – both uphill battles.

Evening Notes: Acciari, Hamonic, Simpson

August 17, 2024 at 7:11 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley 2 Comments

Winger Noel Acciari has joined the list of Pittsburgh Penguins forwards on the trade market, as Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now shares that he and Lars Eller are among the likeliest to be moved. Kingeski adds that Eller could be the preferred option for the Penguins, though moving either player will only serve to open room for recent acquisitions Cody Glass, Blake Lizotte, and Anthony Beauvillier.

Acciari is the younger of the two by three years but could still prove the cheaper acquisition. He’s played for four teams over the last four seasons, scoring just 38 points in 152 games across that span. His per-game scoring decreased in each season, ending with a measly seven points in 55 games with the Penguins this year. Acciari’s aggression and physicality have kept him in the lineup – though he was still subject to healthy scratches last year. Acciari is signed at a $2MM cap hit through the 2025-26 season – $450K cheaper than Eller, who expires next summer – a reasonable price for teams needing to bolster their bottom lines.

Other notes from around the league:

Defenseman Travis Hamonic has fully recovered from the knee injury that cut his 2023-24 campaign in half shares Steve Warne of The Hockey News. Hamonic recorded just six points in 48 games last season, though he also continued a track record of lacking poise with 40 penalty minutes. Hamonic is in the final year of a two-year, $2.2MM deal signed with the Senators last summer – though Warne mentions that he’ll have to fight for a lineup spot as players like Max Guenette and Jacob Bernard-Docker find their footing in the NHL.
Longtime Montreal Canadiens scout and former pro Reid Simpson has stepped down from his role to pursue another opportunity in the NHL, confirms Le Journal de Montréal. The details of Simpson’s new role, including where he’s headed, haven’t yet been revealed, though it will mark his first move as an NHL staffer, after spending the last eight seasons in Montreal. Simpson’s playing career guided him through stints with nine NHL teams – including Philadelphia, Montreal, Nashville, and Pittsburgh. He carried those talents to Vityaz Chekhov of Russia’s top league in 2005, recording a daunting 531 penalty minutes across 77 games and two seasons with the team. Simpson is poised for new opportunity as an NHL staffer, now well past his career as a bruiser and his inaugural stint with the Canadiens.

Red Wings’ Goaltending Future Seems Clear

August 17, 2024 at 5:57 pm CDT | by Gabriel Foley Leave a Comment

The Detroit Red Wings did little to solidify their goaltending room this summer, after a confusing 2023-24 campaign in net. Starter Ville Husso was besieged by injury and cold streaks last season. He was replaced by 31-year-old Alex Lyon, who performed admirably in what was the first full NHL season of his career. But both goalies are set for free agency in 2025 and, rather than committing to either party, the Red Wings instead signed 37-year-old Cam Talbot to a two-year, $5MM deal this summer. Detroit now carries a trio of fringe-starting-caliber goaltenders, all set to expire by 2026, making it clear that the team isn’t much worried about their current status in net – they’re already looking towards the future.

It’s hard to blame the Wings, who carry two of the world’s top goalie prospects in Trey Augustine and Sebastian Cossa. Both players have been revered prospects for years, with Cossa even earning rare first-round acclaim in 2021, while Augustine was taken in 2023’s second round.

Cossa quickly vindicated his early selection, supporting the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings to a league title in 2022 with a .913 save percentage in 46 games. He turned pro in the following year, though he’d join a Grand Rapids Griffins team that utilized eight different goalies in the 2022-23 season. That crowd relegated Cossa to a starting role in the ECHL where he perfectly matched his stat line with the Oil Kings. A strong start to the pros and proud showing at 2023’s training camp earned Cossa the starting role in Grand Rapids in this past season. The position awarded Cossa 40 games and he – call it a trend – once again posted a .913 as part of a winning year.

Meanwhile, Augustine kicked off his college career in style, serving as the freshman starter for a Michigan State team that won a conference championship and the Frozen Four quarterfinals. Augustine tallied a .915 in 35 games along the way – enough to earn him a nomination for Big Ten Goalie of the Year, though the award ultimately went to Wisconsin senior Kyle MacLellan. Perhaps motivated by that snubbing, Augustine proceeded to work his way onto Team USA’s World Championship roster, becoming the youngest goalie ever to represent the States at the event. When Red Wings teammate Alex Lyon went down with injury, Augustine then went one step further and actually played games – setting an impressive .929 save percentage in four games. The gravity of Augustine’s appearance at Worlds can’t be understated. Only a handful of U21 goalies have played multiple games at the event, placing Augustine among company like John Gibson, Arturs Silovs, Ilya Sorokin, Jesper Wallstedt, and Jacob Markstrom.

Cossa ceded 34 games to Grand Rapids’ backups last season, and will now look to maintain his .913 save percentages in a larger share of starts, amid competition like Carter Gylander, Gage Alexander, and Jack Campbell. Augustine will be in a similar position in collegiate hockey – confidently set for a starting role but looking to maintain strong play behind a Spartans defense that replaced Artyom Levshunov, Viktor Hurtig, and Nash Nienhuis with Vladislav Lukashevich and Owen West. That setting certainly presents a challenge, but it’s hard to imagine Augustine crumbling under pressure after such an electric freshman year.

Continued strong play could put both goalies on the fast track to the NHL as Detroit’s current crease heads to free agency. The inevitable question seems to be which top prospect is headed for the lion’s share of games when they finally break into the Red Wings lineup. Cossa carries the upper-hand in early projections, thanks to his 6’6” frame and proud pro experience up to this point. But Augustine’s athleticism and agility seem second-to-none – and his ability to perform with the spotlight on was made clear at the World Championship. The duo have an exciting position battle ahead of them, set to form a tandem that could be hard to forget. With one goalie relying on frame and positioning, and one on athleticism and skill, the Red Wings will hope they’re headed for a tandem akin to Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, or perhaps more accurately the emerging tandem of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi.

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