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Minor Transactions: 03/02/23

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With all of the excitement of trade deadline week, the shuffling of players between the NHL and minor leagues often gets overlooked. Luckily, we’ll keep track of all that movement right here!

  • The Ottawa Senators have reassigned Jacob Larsson to the minor leagues, as Jakob Chychrun met them on the road in New York. Larsson has played in seven games with the Senators this season, failing to record a point.
  • Darren Raddysh is up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, giving them another defenseman for their road trip after tonight’s game against Pittsburgh. Raddysh hasn’t played in the NHL yet this season but has been incredible in the minor leagues, scoring 50 points in 50 games for the Syracuse Crunch.
  • With several changes made to the Pittsburgh Penguins roster, Drake Caggiula has been recalled for now. The 28-year-old has 37 points in 47 games in the AHL this season, the first time he has played in the minor leagues.
  • Arnaud Durandeau has been returned to the minor leagues by the New York Islanders, as Pierre Engvall jumps into the lineup. The 24-year-old Durandeau failed to register a point in his four NHL games.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have returned Elliot Desnoyers and Olle Lycksell to the minor leagues, after explaining that it was important for their development to join the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ playoff chase. Desnoyers, in particular, seems to have made an impact on the Flyers coaching staff, despite playing just two NHL games so far.
  • Lukas Reichel has been recalled from the Rockford IceHogs, now that Patrick Kane and company have left the building. A top prospect for the Chicago Blackhawks, Reichel scored three points in four games during an earlier call-up.
  • Mason Appleton has been moved to injured reserve by the Winnipeg Jets, meaning Axel Jonsson Fjallby is returning to the NHL.
  • With so many Detroit Red Wings players on their way out, Adam Erne is on his way up. The veteran forward has been recalled today.
  • Curtis Lazar has been activated from injured reserve by the Vancouver Canucks, meaning he can return after two weeks on the sidelines. The depth forward has five points in 45 games this season.

This page will be updated throughout the day. 

Colorado Avalanche Place Cale Makar On Injured Reserve

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In order to facilitate today’s call-ups from their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, the Colorado Avalanche placed defenseman Cale Makar on injured reserve, according to CapFriendly.

This move comes as Makar has dealt with concussion issues, something that has kept him out of the lineup since a February 18th contest with the St. Louis Blues. In that game, Makar collided with Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko, and he entered concussion protocol. That game had been his first since February seventh, when he was also sidelined with concussion symptoms.

While this placement on injured reserve is more about clearing a roster spot than anything else, it is an indication that Makar may still be a ways away from returning to the ice. It was not made clear if the IR placement was retroactive to the date of Makar’s last game, as the Dallas Stars did with today’s placement of Luke Glendening on injured reserve, but regardless one has to assume that Makar’s return to the ice isn’t imminent.

While the Avalanche have remained in the playoff hunt despite Makar’s absence for most of this month, this injury means the Avalanche remain without someone who is arguably their best player. The 24-year-old has shouldered an increasingly demanding defensive role this season and has scored 45 points in 46 games.

The reigning Norris and Conn Smythe Trophy winner is widely considered to be the best defenseman in the NHL, and his return to full health would do wonders for the Avalanche’s odds to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. But concussions are an extremely tricky issue, and the best course for Makar’s long-term personal health, as well as the long-term interests of the Avalanche, may be to be as patient with Makar’s timeline as possible.

Now, with Makar on injured reserve and his roster spot opened for another player to occupy, the team is free to give him as much time and space he needs to recover without the pressures of nightly games and roster math playing a major role.

Chicago Blackhawks Waive David Gust

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March 1: After scoring in his debut and appearing in three NHL contests for the Blackhawks, Gust has been placed on waivers. This is required if Chicago intends to send him back to the minor leagues.

Feb 23: The Chicago Blackhawks have made the dream of a hometown kid come true. David Gust, playing with the Rockford IceHogs on an AHL contract, signed a new two-year, two-way NHL contract with the Blackhawks. The deal will carry an average annual value of $762.5K, and allows the team to recall him immediately.

Gust, 29, is an Orland Park native that played the last two years with the Chicago Wolves, despite them being the affiliate of a different organization. This year he has broken out offensively, scoring 50 points in 51 games with Rockford, earning himself this look at the NHL.

Undrafted, the undersized winger has never appeared at the NHL level and has played nearly his whole career on minor league contracts. He’ll now not only get a chance to make some extra money, but do it with his hometown team.

Winnipeg Jets Sign Evan Cormier

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The Winnipeg Jets have added some goaltending depth, signing Evan Cormier to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level. Cormier had been playing in the organization on an AHL contract but has been limited to ECHL action. This deal allows him to be brought to the NHL as an emergency backup, though it also required him to be placed on waivers today to stay in the minor leagues for now.

Cormier, 25, was a fourth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2016, but wasn’t given a qualifying offer after his entry-level deal expired in 2021. He’s rarely even appeared at the AHL level, and has a .905 save percentage in 27 games with the Kalamazoo Wings this season.

With Mikhail Berdin playing overseas, this is simply a move to give the Jets a little more depth at the position so that they aren’t in an emergency spot at some point down the road. Cormier isn’t expected to dress for the Jets unless several injuries happen simultaneously.

Coyotes Scratch Nick Bjugstad, Recall Laurent Dauphin

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The Coyotes announced (Twitter link) that they’ve scratched center Nick Bjugstad tonight for trade-related reasons, joining defenseman Jakob Chychrun on that front.  Taking Bjugstad’s place on the roster will be center Laurent Dauphin who has been recalled from AHL Tucson.

Bjugstad opted to sign a one-year, $900K contract with Arizona last summer in the hopes of playing a regular role and rebuilding some value after three straight quiet, injury-riddled seasons.  The move has turned out to be a good one for the 30-year-old who has posted 13 goals and 10 assists so far in 59 games while winning just over 47% of his faceoffs.  He also is averaging two hits per game.  With a low price tag, Bjugstad is the type of fourth liner that teams will certainly be looking to add to shore up their depth between now and Friday’s trade deadline and the Coyotes are making sure he’ll be available to be traded over risking him getting injured in tonight’s game against Chicago.

That decision gives Dauphin his third opportunity with the Coyotes this season.  The 27-year-old signed a one-year, two-way deal with Arizona in the summer but has only gotten into three NHL contests so far after suiting up in 38 with Montreal in 2021-22.  However, Dauphin has been productive in the minors with the Roadrunners, tallying 16 goals along with 25 assists in 48 games so far.

Devils Recall Graeme Clarke

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Graeme Clarke has played his way into becoming one of New Jersey’s more intriguing prospects and he was rewarded for his efforts as the team announced (Twitter link) that he has been recalled from Utica of the AHL.

The 21-year-old was a third-round pick by the Devils back in 2019 (80th overall) but has outperformed his draft stock since then.  He’s actually in his third season of professional hockey already – a rarity for a major junior-drafted player – and has shown steady improvement.  After putting up 24 points in 52 games last season, Clarke has been considerably more productive this year with 20 goals and 24 assists in 51 contests; his 44 points place him first on the Comets in scoring.

This will be Clarke’s first opportunity at the NHL level and it’s possible that it will be a short-lived one.  Recently acquired winger Timo Meier isn’t yet ready to play as he continues to battle an upper-body injury and Clarke may simply be up until Meier is ready to make his debut.  New Jersey had an open spot on their roster thanks to them losing Scott Harrington on waivers to Anaheim earlier today so no further moves needed to be made to bring Clarke up.

New York Rangers Make Multiple Roster Moves

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The New York Rangers have announced a few moves today ahead of their anticipation acquisition of Patrick Kane. They’ve recalled defenseman Braden Schneider from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, re-assigning forward Ryan Carpenter in his place. In addition, the Rangers have traded forward Austin Rueschhoff to the Nashville Predators in exchange for future considerations, per the team.

PuckPedia notes these transactions won’t be registered until tomorrow for cap reasons related to the Kane trade.

Schneider, New York’s first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, has solidified his role full-time in the NHL this season after splitting last year between the Rangers and Wolf Pack. He was sent down yesterday in a brief cap-related move. Still just 21, the right-shot D-man has five goals and 15 points in 59 games this year, along with solid defensive play.

Carpenter, on the other hand, has seen about equal time with the Rangers and Wolf Pack this year after multiple consecutive seasons as a full-time NHLer. The 32-year-old forward has a goal and two assists in 22 games with the Rangers this season, but he’s been in Hartford since the middle of January. Like Schneider, he was moved between leagues yesterday for cap-related reasons.

With the Rueschhoff trade, the Rangers move out a contract as they prepare to make a big add. In the midst of his third season with the Wolf Pack, the 25-year-old undrafted free agent will likely report to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. The former Western Michigan University standout had 20 goals, 23 assists, and 43 points in 113 games with Hartford across three seasons and has yet to make his NHL debut.

Michael Houser Clears Waivers

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Feb 28: Houser has cleared, but Harrington was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks.

Feb 27: The Buffalo Sabres have signed Michael Houser to a midseason contract for the third season in a row, and placed him on waivers for the purpose of an assignment to the minor leagues. Houser was playing with the Rochester Americans on an AHL deal (again), and would need to clear waivers to remain there. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets reports that Scott Harrington, recently acquired by the New Jersey Devils, is also on waivers.

Houser, 30, has actually been incredible in his limited NHL opportunities with the Sabres, stepping into emergency situations and playing very well. Last season in two games he allowed just four goals on 77 shots, winning both appearances and posting a .948 save percentage. He’s never been that effective at the minor league level but has now cashed in with three consecutive one-year NHL contracts.

It is unclear why exactly the Sabres are signing him now, but it could suggest one of their other goaltenders will be traded away in the coming days. There has been some rumbling that Craig Anderson has drawn a bit of interest, and Eric Comrie’s contract is likely one the team is ready to move on from.

This was always the likely scenario for Harrington after joining the Devils, as he won’t have a full-time NHL role with his new team. That doesn’t necessarily mean he will spend the rest of the season in the minor leagues, but at this point the team doesn’t need him on the active roster and can stash him in the AHL. That is, of course, unless a team wants to take him, but Harrington already cleared waivers twice this season, so the risk seems minimal.

Nashville Predators Reassign Kevin Gravel

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The Nashville Predators have loaned Kevin Gravel back to the AHL after he cleared waivers on the weekend. He’ll be joined there by newcomer Isaac Ratcliffe, who was also assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals after being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers last night.

Gravel, 30, has played in 14 games for the Predators this season, most recently suiting up last night for all of 12 shifts. The coaching staff has never shown much trust in the rangy defender, but he still represents some valuable depth as a player with over 120 games of NHL experience.

With the Predators returning home for a game tomorrow night and Cal Foote coming in to give the team another option on defense, Gravel—who was up under emergency conditions—was no longer needed. Foote’s arrival gave them eight defensemen, though that may not last long, given the rumors swirling around Dante Fabbro and Mattias Ekholm.

If Nashville does move multiple defensemen before Friday’s deadline, Gravel will likely be right back up to help fill in down the stretch. The veteran is in the first season of a two-year deal he signed last summer.

Columbus Blue Jackets Activate Carson Meyer, Yegor Chinakhov

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have activated Carson Meyer and Yegor Chinakhov from injured reserve, immediately sending them both down to the minor leagues. The pair have each missed at least 20 games and will need some time in the AHL before any further action with the Blue Jackets.

Chianakhov, 22, last played on December 19, lasting just one shift before going down to a serious ankle injury. The young forward had recorded 13 points in his first 30 games and had recently been moved up the lineup to receive more ice time. Now, with the months-long setback behind him, he’ll try to get back on track and re-establish himself as an NHL talent going into next season.

Meyer, meanwhile, last played on January 10 and was already getting only a handful of shifts per game. The 25-year-old forward failed to record a single point in his 13 games with Columbus this season, but is an excellent piece for the Cleveland Monsters. While he might get another chance with the Blue Jackets, his activation will be a big boost for an AHL club struggling to stay relevant in the Calder Cup chase.

Incredibly, the Blue Jackets still have five players on injured reserve even with the two activations. It has been a catastrophic season for the club that expected to challenge for the playoffs after signing Johnny Gaudreau last summer. It should be noted that activating and sending Chinakhov and Meyer down does open up some extra cap room for Columbus, who are currently operating in the LTIR relief created by Zach Werenski’s season-ending injury. If they wanted to add at the deadline, these moves only help.

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