Maple Leafs Recall Erik Kallgren On Emergency Basis
With Matt Murray still injured and Ilya Samsonov missing practice yesterday due to illness, the Maple Leafs needed a second goalie on the active roster. That goaltender is Erik Kallgren as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled him while assigning forward Pontus Holmberg to AHL Toronto in a corresponding move.
Kallgren has split this season between the NHL and AHL and actually has fared better with the Maple Leafs than the Marlies. In 10 NHL contests, the 26-year-old has a 2.67 GAA along with a .898 SV% while in 16 minor league appearances, his GAA jumps to 3.33 while his SV% dips to .884. He’s in the final season of a two-year, two-way contract and will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
Holmberg, meanwhile, has acquitted himself well in his first taste of NHL action this season. He has played in 36 games with the Leafs so far, picking up five goals and eight assists but with yesterday’s additions of Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari, playing time was going to be difficult to come by. He’ll return to the Marlies where he has seven points in 16 games so far.
While unannounced by the team yesterday, veteran Wayne Simmonds was also papered to the minors. But even after that, Toronto is currently over the maximum 23-player roster with Kallgren’s promotion. Teams get two emergency goalie recalls per season that allows them to go over the limit for up to 48 hours and barring another roster move, it appears that’s what they’re going with here.
Minor Transactions: 02/17/23
With the trade deadline just around the corner, we’ve reached a busy section of the NHL schedule. Tonight’s matchups feature some divisional rivalries, such as the Anaheim Ducks against the Los Angeles Kings as well as the Dallas Stars against the Minnesota Wild. Additionally, Connor McDavid will continue his chase for 100 points against the New York Rangers. As fans across the hockey world get ready to enjoy tonight’s games, teams in minor and foreign leagues are making roster moves. We’ll keep track of those transactions here.
- 2011 Toronto Maple Leafs first-round pick Stuart Percy will be leaving his current club, HC Motor Ceske Budejovice, at the end of the season, according to a report from Michal Kosturik of iSport.cz. Per this report, the 29-year-old blueliner is likely to remain in the Czech Extraliga, albeit with a new club. If Percy does end up departing Ceske Budejovice, he would end a two-year run there which saw him help lead Budejovice to the Extraliga semifinals, where they lost to HC Sparta Praha. Percy last played in North America in 2019-20, when he got into 5 AHL games for the Belleville Senators.
- The AHL’s Syracuse Crunch have signed University of Waterloo forward Daniel Walker to a one-year AHL contract, per a team announcement. The 23-year-old Walker played four years in the OHL, splitting time between the North Bay Battalion and Oshawa Generals. While led the OHL in penalty minutes with 129 in 2018-19, he found his goal-scoring touch in college, and finishes his time at Waterloo with 24 goals in 35 games. He’ll now begin his professional career in Central New York with an AHL contract in hand.
- The ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings have signed Canadian University defenseman Franco Sproviero, fresh off of an above-point-per-game season with the University of Western Ontario. The five-foot-nine blueliner scored 60 points in his final OHL season with the Sarnia Sting, and will now get the chance to begin his professional career in North America’s third-tier pro league. He joins a Wings team that has had a difficult season and is looking to add some scoring from their back end as their top-scoring defenseman has 21 points in 36 games.
- The ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays have signed forward Ian Mackey, meaning he’ll join his third ECHL team of the season. The 26-year-old has gotten into games this year for the Savannah Ghost Pirates and Atlanta Gladiators and now heads to South Carolina. Last season, Mackey plied his trade playing lower-level hockey in Sweden.
- German youngster Bennet Rossmy is reportedly transferring from the DEL’s Eisbaren Berlin to DEL rival Dusseldorfer EG for next season, according to B.Z.’s Joerg Lubrich. The 19-year-old already has 61 games of DEL experience under his belt despite still being a teenager. He helped Berlin win the DEL last season, and while he hasn’t had a ton of scoring success in Germany’s top league he has been a more impactful contributor at the DEL2 level.
- Czech forward Jakub Izacky is concluding a six-year stint in the Hungarian Erste Liga in order to make a move to the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers for the rest of the season. The 29-year-old heads to the United Kingdom having scored 247 points in 221 career games in the Hungarian league. He has not yet played in the EIHL, and before Hungary the bulk of his experience came playing in Czechia’s second and third divisions. Izacky played one season in North America, scoring 21 goals and 38 points for the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs in 2012-13, which ranked him second in team scoring behind Jonathan Huberdeau, who would go on to win the Calder Trophy later that season.
- Alexandr Peresunko has transferred from the Hungarian Erste Liga to HK Poprad of the Slovak Tipos Extraliga. The 23-year-old Ukrainian scored 37 points in 29 games for UTE Budapest, and heads to Slovakia which puts him a step up in difficulty on the European professional hockey ladder. The move is solid progress for the former Victoriaville Tigre, who scored 31 points in 57 games during the 2019-20 QMJHL season.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Seattle Kraken Reassign John Hayden
The Seattle Kraken have reassigned John Hayden to their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, clearing an open spot on Seattle’s 23-man roster for GM Ron Francis to work with.
Hayden, 28, was last on the ice for Coachella Valley on February 4th, when he helped the Firebirds defeat the San Diego Gulls 4-0. That wrapped up a two-game stay in Coachella Valley before he headed back to the Kraken’s roster. He got into two games for coach Dave Hakstol, scoring a goal in the Kraken’s shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets on February 14th.
This season, Hayden has been a priory call-up for the Kraken when they need a reliable veteran forward to fill a down-the-lineup roster spot. He’s scored two goals in five NHL games so far this year, and has nearly 250 total games of NHL experience.
Hayden has been more of a difference-maker in the AHL, helping the Firebirds to an exceptional season. Hayden has 25 points in 36 AHL games, and has scored at a healthy rate whenever he’s been in the AHL in his career. He’ll now head back to coach Dan Bylsma’s squad with the hope that he can continue to play a helpful role for the Firebirds while waiting for his next NHL opportunity.
Boston Bruins Reassign Jakub Lauko
As the Boston Bruins prepare for the imminent return of forward Jake DeBrusk from injury, the team has reassigned forward Jakub Lauko to their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. Lauko last played in the AHL on February 4th, when he scored a goal in Providence’s 4-1 win over the Utica Comets.
Lauko, 22, is a speedy, forceful forward who has earned eleven games with the Bruins this season thanks largely to his off-puck play. A 2018 third-round pick, Lauko has scored moderately well at the AHL level this year, with nine goals and 15 points in 30 games.
In the NHL, Lauko is averaging a shade under nine and a half minutes of ice time per game, and has registered three points, 22 hits, and two blocked shots.
He’s gotten a few looks on the Bruins’ penalty kill during his time on their roster, and has begun to establish himself as an energetic, cheap depth piece for coach Jim Montgomery. Lauko will be eligible for restricted free agency in the offseason, although The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa has speculated that Lauko could be one of the Bruins’ trade chips as they chase upgrades to their team at the deadline. (subscription link)
Now back in the AHL, the best thing Lauko can do is continue being a difference-maker at that level as he bides his time waiting to return to the NHL roster.
New Jersey Devils Reassign Alexander Holtz
The New Jersey Devils have cleared a roster spot by sending prospect Alexander Holtz back to the minor leagues, but don’t get too excited. Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com tweets that there is no imminent trade, and that the team just wanted to get the young forward some game reps.
Holtz, 21, has only appeared in 19 games for the Devils this season, and even when he is in the lineup, he barely sees the ice. Averaging just over ten minutes a game, there have been several matches where Holtz has received fewer than ten shifts. He has just one NHL game since January 7, and has only appeared three times in the AHL this season.
Getting him some actual playing experience is important, especially given how well he transitioned to the AHL last year. In 52 games, Holtz scored 26 goals to lead the Utica Comets and showed that he was already advanced for that level.
Now, with Jack Hughes getting closer to a return and the Devils poking around on other forward additions, Holtz might as well go back to start playing regularly in the minor leagues.
New York Islanders Reassign Otto Koivula
Feb 14: Koivula has been returned to the AHL. He played in one game, but only received nine shifts.
Feb 13: The New York Islanders have made a few roster moves, dealing with a Casey Cizikas non-COVID illness. Samuel Bolduc has been returned to the minor leagues, while Otto Koivula is on his way back up.
Bolduc, 22, has played six games for the Islanders this season, most recently appearing last Thursday. The young defenseman is averaging just 15 minutes a night but did score his first NHL goal against the Seattle Kraken. Bolduc’s ceiling looks rather high, but he may have to wait a little while before he’s a regular in the NHL.
Koivula, meanwhile, hasn’t played at all for New York this season, spending the whole year in the AHL. The big winger has 10 goals and 21 points in 42 games there, but hasn’t been impressive enough to really force his way into the NHL. Through 20 career games, Koivula still hasn’t scored, adding just two assists in the process.
Colorado Avalanche Recall Ben Meyers, Justus Annunen
With Pavel Francouz still out with a lower-body injury, the Colorado Avalanche have recalled Justus Annunen from the minor leagues to serve as the team’s second goaltender. It’s the young netminder’s first call-up this season, and he’ll come along with Ben Meyers, who is back up after a few days in the minor leagues.
Annunen, 22, is Colorado’s top goaltending prospect and has been excellent in his second AHL season. With a 16-8-4 record and .912 save percentage, he has taken a big step forward from last year and now looks on track to push for some NHL playing time in the near future. He received that chance last year, when he appeared in two games and posted an .863.
Given that Francouz is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024 and Alexandar Georgiev the year following, all eyes will be on Annunen to see if he can grow into an NHL starter. The third-round pick may get his chance to play this weekend, as the Avalanche are headed for a back-to-back before their CBA-mandated bye week.
It certainly won’t be easy. Unless the team puts him in tomorrow’s afternoon tilt against the St. Louis Blues, it means Annunen is likely to face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in his season debut on Sunday. Welcome back to the NHL, kid.
Snapshots: Sharks, DeBrusk, Smith
The San Jose Sharks may be prepared to buck a recent trend among the NHL’s sellers. Head coach David Quinn has not talked to the team’s general manager, Mike Grier, about benching players for trade-related reasons, he told reporters, including The Athletic’s Corey Masisak, today.
Quinn emphasized that both of the Sharks’ high-profile trade targets, Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson, are currently under contract or team control for the next season, and the team is not obligated to trade them by the March 3 trade deadline. However, given the fervent pace of recent rumors surrounding both players, it would be shocking if neither were moved. While the financial hurdles to a Karlsson trade are understandable, Meier’s status as a pending restricted free agent gives his acquiring team some control in dictating his financial future, and a trade seems inevitable.
- Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery is reportedly optimistic about the return of winger Jake DeBrusk, says The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont. DeBrusk has been out of the lineup since January 2 due to a fractured fibula and is two weeks behind schedule. Still, Montgomery is hopeful that he’ll be able to return for their game against the New York Islanders on Saturday. DeBrusk’s return will be a welcome addition to the Bruins lineup, as his 0.83 points per game rank fourth among Bruins forwards. He’s excelled with significant playing time on the top line alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.
- In a puzzling move, the Tampa Bay Lightning today loaned forward Gemel Smith to the Henderson Silver Knights, the AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights. Tampa’s affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, announced the news this afternoon. Smith hasn’t played with the Lightning this season, but has lit up the minors with 37 points in 35 games with Syracuse thus far. It’s unclear what, if any, compensation Syracuse might receive for losing their third-leading scorer to a different organization.
Arizona Coyotes Reassign Dysin Mayo
After he was called up earlier in the week, the Arizona Coyotes assigned defenseman Dysin Mayo to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, per the team.
Mayo has played 15 games for the Coyotes this season, but he’s been held without a point and averages under 12 minutes of ice time per game. In his limited playing time, Mayo’s defense has seen a marked improvement from last season and has been a solid contributor.
The 26-year-old Mayo has been with the Coyotes for almost a decade after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. The decision to assign Mayo to the Roadrunners doesn’t come as a significant surprise, given his role. However, he did log significant minutes for the Coyotes blueline in 2021-22, earning a three-year extension in the process.
The Roadrunners are currently sixth in the AHL’s Pacific Division, with a record of 21-25-4. That’s despite having the AHL’s leading scorer, Michael Carcone, who has 63 points in just 43 games in Tucson. Mayo’s return should shore up some defensive depth for Tucson, which has allowed the third-most goals in the league this season.
This last call-up to the Coyotes saw Mayo get into the lineup on two occasions, registering a shot on goal, a minor penalty, and a -1 rating.
In 24 games with the Roadrunners this year, Mayo has two goals and five assists for seven points in 24 games after the Coyotes first sent him down back in December 2022. He’s among the longest-tenured players with the team, playing 277 games in a Roadrunners uniform over seven seasons.
Kailer Yamamoto Expected To Play Tomorrow
The Edmonton Oilers have something up their sleeves. For a week now, the hockey world has been wondering how they would clear enough cap space to activate Kailer Yamamoto. The overwhelming sentiment was that Jesse Puljujarvi would end up on waivers. Either he would be claimed by another team, removing his entire $3MM cap hit, or buried in the minor leagues, giving them the needed $1.125MM.
Today, Puljujarvi was missing from practice but did not appear on waivers. The wire was silent, meaning something else would have to happen if Yamamoto is going to play tomorrow. He looks healthy and even told reporters that he is “feeling really good right now.”
According to head coach Todd Woodcroft, who spoke with reporters, including Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic, a roster move is coming, and Yamamoto will play tomorrow. He also called it a “maintenance day” for Puljujarvi, who played a little over 11 minutes last night.
That means a trade is in the pipe, or someone else is going on long-term injured reserve to make room. Either way, all eyes will be on Edmonton over the next 24 hours given how many big names they have been connected to over recent weeks.
The team has shown (sometimes limited) interest in Erik Karlsson, Jakob Chychrun, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Patrick Kane, among others.
There is one other way that they could fit Yamamoto in, without making a trade or waiving someone. Edmonton could send two of their three waiver-exempt players to the minor leagues, and hold a 20-man roster. Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg, and Vincent Desharnais can all be loaned back to the AHL without clearing and could create enough cap space, according to PuckPedia.
Carrying a 20-man roster is extremely difficult for any length of time, given how one small injury can leave you shorthanded. Perhaps it is the only way to get around this problem at the moment, or maybe the Oilers have something else coming down the pipe.