Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

AHL

Montreal Canadiens Sign Emil Heineman

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Montreal Canadiens have added another prospect to the ranks, signing Emil Heineman to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal, which carries an NHL cap hit of $897.5K, will begin in 2022-23. For now, the young player will join the Laval Rocket on a professional tryout and spend the rest of the season in the AHL.

Heineman, 20, has already been included in two trades in his young career. Originally selected by the Florida Panthers, he was shipped to the Calgary Flames in the Sam Bennett deal, and then Montreal in the Tyler Toffoli trade. Less than two years after he was picked 43rd overall, the young forward now has an NHL contract in hand and a pretty clear path the relevance in the Canadiens’ organization.

In 38 games for Leksands IF this season–his second full year in the SHL–Heineman scored 11 goals and 16 points. While those numbers don’t pop off the chart, there is plenty of optimism for his future at the North American professional level, especially after his performance in the Champions League, where he scored four times in nine games. While his overall offensive upside may be limited, there’s a never-ending work ethic in Heineman that should serve him well as he tries to carve out a role with Montreal.

The Canadiens system is about to get awfully crowded, with nearly countless draft picks in the next few seasons. But a player like Heineman has a leg up with his deal already in hand, and can now begin the climb to the NHL ranks.

AHL Shuffle: 04/03/22

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Today is a relatively busy day for games, with two contests having already concluded, including an Ottawa Senators win over the Detroit Red Wings that featured a Josh Norris hat trick. There should be some roster shuffling throughout the day and we’ll keep track of those movements here.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • The Blue Jackets have recalled two players from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Defenseman Jake Christiansen and forward Carson Meyer have been elevated to the main squad. Christiansen’s recall is a regular one, while Meyer’s is an emergency recall, per Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers. Christiansen, 2s2, is an undrafted player who is looking like a savvy pickup for the Blue Jackets, as he has 42 points in 54 AHL games for the Monsters, which leads the team. He also has gotten into four NHL games this year and has a goal. Meyer, 24, was a 2017 sixth-round pick and has 16 goals and 27 points in 57 AHL games this year.

Pacific Division

  • The Oilers have brought up goaltender Stuart Skinner from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis. Mikko Koskinen will miss tonight’s game with a non-COVID illness so Skinner will back up Mike Smith. Skinner has played in 13 games for Edmonton this season, posting a 2.62 GAA along with a .913 SV%.
  • The Kings have returned forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan to Ontario of the AHL, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 22-year-old was brought up on an emergency recall on Thursday but didn’t see any game action. Anderson-Dolan doesn’t have any points in seven games with Los Angeles this season but has been quite productive with the Reign, notching 41 points in 45 games.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Arizona Notes: Ladd, Moser, Imama

at CDT | by 7 Comments

Arizona Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny announced that forward Andrew Ladd would play in today’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center, reports PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan. The veteran has not played since February 20th, after being placed on IR on February 28th. Ladd’s first game back in the lineup will be in a familiar building, as he spent parts of four seasons with the Blackhawks.

It’s been another season of struggles for Ladd, as he has not played up to his previous career numbers and has dealt with his share of injury, a theme that seemed to define his career with the New York Islanders. However, after being traded to the Coyotes in the offseason, Ladd has had a bright spot, being able to play most nights when healthy and mentor the next generation of Coyotes talent. In 42 games this season, Ladd has six goals and three assists.

  • Also from Tourigny, defenseman Janis Moser is not expected back for a few more weeks, reports Jose Romero of AZ Central Sports. The 21-year-old rookie has been out since suffering an injury on March 15th against the Montreal Canadiens. Moser has been a welcomed addition to the Arizona blueline this year, with three goals and nine assists in 33 games so far this season.
  • An interesting suspension was handed out to one of Arizona’s AHL players earlier this week. Tucson Roadrunners forward Boko Imama was suspended for one game after receiving his 10th fighting major of the season. As Morgan explains, this is part of AHL Rule 23.7, which issues the automatic suspension after a player’s 10th fighting major of the season. Per Rule 23.7, a player is automatically suspended for the next game after his 10th through 13th fights of the season, then is automatically suspended two games after his 14th or more fights of the season. If the opposing player in a fight is issued an instigator penalty, then the fighting major will not count towards the player’s total for the season.  For more on the AHL’s rules, follow the link.

AHL Shuffle: 04/02/22

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The first Saturday in April is a busy one with nine games on the docket including what was an eventual matinee game that saw Florida come back from a four-goal deficit in the third to beat New Jersey in overtime.  There should be some roster shuffling throughout the day and we’ll keep track of those movements here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Red Wings announced the recall of center Kyle Criscuolo from Grand Rapids of the AHL. The 29-year-old has played in 49 games with the Griffins this season, picking up 32 points.  With Detroit playing in Ottawa on Sunday, Tyler Bertuzzi will be ineligible to play while Dylan Larkin is day-to-day with a minor injury so Criscuolo will serve as some insurance to make sure they can dress 12 forwards for that game.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • The Coyotes have flipped backup goalies as they’ve recalled Ivan Prosvetov while sending Josef Korenar to Tucson, per the AHL’s transactions log. Harri Sateri was able to join the team recently but will need some time before being game-ready so Arizona is shuffling their backups in the meantime.  Prosvetov has a pair of starts this season for the Coyotes, posting a .893 SV% in those outings.

Pacific Division

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Minor Transactions: 04/02/22

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The NHL Trade Deadline has passed, but key transactions continue to occur. The college free agent market is still going strong with NCAA standouts landing NHL and AHL contracts, while many leagues in Europe are already deep into the postseason with eliminated teams signing extensions and conversely allowing some notable names to become free agents. So while it may seem like the deadline puts an end to all important transactions until the offseason, there are still plenty of “minor” moves worth paying attention to:

  • The Boston Bruins have been busy in the college free agent market, signing Boston College captain Marc McLaughlin to an entry-level contract (he scored in his NHL debut on Thursday), as well as Western Michigan goaltender Brandon Bussi and inking Ohio State defenseman Grant Gabriele to an AHL contract. They are back at it again, announcing a one-year AHL contract for 2022-23 and interim PTO for Omaha forward Joseph Abate. Abate, 23, is leaving college a year early to pursue his pro career. A defensive specialist, Abate only produced 32 points in 85 NCAA games but plays a physical checking game, excelled at the faceoff dot this season, and brings deceptive speed. A project for the Bruins, Abate will be groomed in Providence to potentially play a fourth line role down the road. Interestingly, Abate played junior hockey with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms with fellow Bruins prospects Curtis Hall, Trevor Kuntar, and Riley Duran. 
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have dipped into the college free agent pool, as their Silver counterparts in AHL Henderson announced a PTO and 2022-23 AHL contract for North Dakota forward Connor Ford. A highly sought-after graduate transfer out of Bowling Green, where he played with fellow Knights prospect Brandon Kruse, Ford joined the Fighting Hawks this season and continued to produce. An incredibly consistent scorer through five NCAA season, the 24-year-old Ford appears to have the mature game that will translate to the pros. Ford finished second in scoring for North Dakota behind only Riese Gaber. Vegas certainly won’t mind if signing Ford help to convince the undrafted sophomore sensation Gaber to turn pro and sign with the Knights this year or even down the road.
  • Another NCAA addition is arriving in Lehigh Valley, as the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate announced a PTO and 2022-23 AHL contract with Notre Dame captain Adam Karashik. Karashik, 24, actually played in his first season with the Fighting Irish this season as a graduate transfer, but was named captain based on his veteran leadership and experience and the ability he displayed in four years at UConn. Karashik had always played a sound defensive game on the blue line, but took his offensive game to new heights this season with 16 points, matching his previous three seasons combined. A two-way, right-handed defenseman with a well-developed game, Karashik is a nice piece for the Flyers’ pipeline.
  • Moving overseas, NHL veteran Joakim Ryan isn’t rushing back to the NHL after a year away in Sweden. Instead, the 28-year-old has signed a one-year extension with the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks, the team announced. While Ryan was on an NHL contract for all six of his first pro seasons, including playing 41+ NHL games twice, his value had tailed off before he departed for his native Sweden this past offseason. While he could likely still find a depth role in the NHL, no one will blame him for sticking with Malmo for another year after he emerged as a star for the team in 2021-22. Ryan recorded 31 points in 52 games, second on the team and a top-five mark among SHL defensemen.

More to come…

AHL Shuffle: 04/01/22

at CDT | by 3 Comments

It’s April, no fooling. The NHL schedule is winding down and playoff races–or, in the case of the Eastern Conference, seeding races–are alive and well. Seven games are on the schedule tonight, including a big matchup between the St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers. Both teams are in third place in their respective divisions, and both teams are being hunted down by a team (or two) right on their heels. In a game that is nearly a must-win for both teams, who will come out disappointed? As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.

Atlantic Division

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have returned Filip Kral to the AHL, after Justin Holl was back in the lineup last night. Ilya Lyubushkin missed the game but also may be returning relatively soon, meaning Kral wasn’t really needed anymore. The 22-year-old is still waiting to make his NHL debut, but has been very good for the Toronto Marlies with 20 points in 51 games.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have sent Felix Sandstrom and Max Willman back to the AHL, as they prepare for a game tomorrow night. It’s something of a curiosity, given the fact that Willman scored in two straight games–but he was left off the lineup card last on Tuesday and now Nate Thompson is healthy enough to return.
  • Defenseman Robin Salo is on his way back to the Bridgeport Islanders. The New York Islanders sent him down today after he didn’t get into game action during his emergency recall.

Central Division

  • Morgan Barron isn’t headed back to the AHL just yet. His emergency recall has been switched into a regular recall for the Jets, who continue to drift further away from the playoff picture. Remember, teams are allowed four regular recalls after the trade deadline until their AHL affiliate is eliminated. Barron played just a few minutes in his Winnipeg debut last night.

Pacific Division

  • Jaret Anderson-Dolan is back up with the big club less than 16 hours after the Los Angeles Kings sent him to the minor leagues. The 22-year-old forward is still looking for his first NHL point of the season, after previously playing in seven games.

This page is updated throughout the day

Bowen Byram Sent To AHL On Conditioning Stint

at CDT | by 1 Comment

In what must come as great news for Colorado Avalanche fans, 2019 4th overall pick Bowen Byram looks set to return to the ice. The Avalanche have announced that they are sending Byram to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles for a conditioning stint. This is Byram’s third attempt this season to get past the concussion issues that have thus far plagued his professional career, and given Byram’s health struggles since he was drafted, it seems like this is a positive development not only for Byram and the Avalanche but also for hockey as a whole.

Byram, 20, is an incredibly talented defenseman who previously starred for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. In his draft year, Byram posted 26 goals and 71 points in 67 games, and he was selected by the Avalanche who were undoubtedly salivating at the thought of adding another young blue-chip defender to a long-term blueline corps that already boasted Cale Makar and Samuel Girard.

But despite those great hopes, Byram’s professional career has been rocky, to put it mildly. Since he finished his junior career having played 188 WHL games Byram has played in a total of 37 contests over two seasons with the Avalanche, a number that illustrates the significant health issues Byram has had as a professional. The Athletic’s Peter Baugh went into detail in a story covering Byram’s first year in Colorado, (subscription required) and in it, Byram reveals that he battled a growing worry that “his career was slipping away” and that he would not be able to continue playing hockey. But Byram overcame those challenges and a bout with COVID-19 to get into the lineup for the Avalanche this season. He has been very impressive in his brief time with the big club, posting 11 points in 18 games, but his ability to succeed kept getting undercut by injury woes. There was a head injury in early November that began to derail his campaign, and he was continually in the process of recovering from injuries only to face new issues. In January, Byram left the team for “personal reasons,” reasons clarified via Baugh to be Byram’s need to deal with the “lingering issues” that stemmed from his original concussions.

Since that point, Byram has been working towards an eventual return where he could finally, hopefully, put those issues behind him and truly begin in earnest an NHL career that holds so much promise. That work to get back reached a new checkpoint tonight, as Byram’s loan means that he is ready to resume playing professional hockey. The Avalanche have a strong defense corps, but also one that is not without its injury issues. Girard has been out for an extended period, and Ryan Murray recently was forced out of the lineup with a wrist injury. Getting Byram back (and even potentially acquainting him on a partnership with new acquisition Josh Manson) would be a significant boon for Colorado as they gear up for what the team expects to be a long run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Nick Perbix

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Tampa Bay Lightning have added an Olympian to the mix, signing Nick Perbix to a one-year entry-level contract. The deal will start in 2022-23 and Perbix will play the rest of this season with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL on an amateur tryout.

Perbix, 23, actually could have reached unrestricted free agency had he waited until the middle of August, but he’ll join the team that decided to spend a sixth-round pick on him five years ago.

Before he even played in the USHL, Tampa Bay grabbed the Elk River High captain 169th overall and have watched him turn into a star at St. Cloud State. This season, as a senior, he managed 31 points in 31 games and joined Team USA for the Olympics, suiting up four times.

Perbix’s brother, Jack Perbix, is also a prospect that may land an entry-level contract in the coming weeks. The younger of the two, Jack is a fourth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks who will be in the Frozen Four as a key member of the University of Minnesota squad.

Nick Perbix though is a nice signing for Tampa Bay, especially because of how close he was to the open market. With a long history of drafting and developing NHL talent in the middle and late rounds, the Lightning will hope that his game can translate to the next level quickly.

AHL Shuffle: 03/31/22

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Another busy night in the NHL this evening, as nine games are on the schedule. That includes a battle of the top two teams in the Pacific Division, though the Edmonton Oilers are certainly trying to change those designations. The Los Angeles Kings travel to Calgary to take on the Flames after losing in a shootout to Edmonton last night, and now sit just one point ahead of the Oilers in the division standings. As they and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

  • The New Jersey Devils have activated Janne Kuokkanen and Tyce Thompson off injured reserve, with the latter assigned to Utica immediately. Thompson, 22, has played in two games this season and nine overall for the Devils, but is still looking for his first NHL goal.
  • The New York Islanders have recalled Robin Salo under emergency conditions. The 23-year-old defenseman is in his first season of North American hockey and has entered 18 games for the Islanders already. Selected 46th overall, he has four points in those games. Cory Schneider is also back up, though he never really left.

Central Division

  • Morgan Barron has been recalled under emergency conditions, suggesting he could make his Winnipeg Jets debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. The team is without Kyle Connor and Nate Schmidt because of positive COVID tests, meaning Barron is another forward option as they go on a back-to-back.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have recalled Hudson Fasching from the AHL following the injury to Clayton Keller. Fasching, 26, has played in eight games so far for the team, recording zero points. In fact, he doesn’t have an NHL point since the 2016-17 season, when he registered one as part of the Buffalo Sabres.

Pacific Division

  • The Los Angeles Kings have recalled Jaret Anderson-Dolan, this time under emergency conditions. The 22-year-old forward has 41 points in 45 games this season for the Ontario Reign, but still hasn’t really managed to establish himself at the top level.

This page is updated throughout the day

AHL Shuffle: 03/30/22

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Six games grace the NHL schedule this evening, including an all-important matchup between the two newest teams in the league. The Vegas Golden Knights can’t afford to lose games like tonight’s match against the Seattle Kraken if they have any hope of making the playoffs, as they currently sit a point behind the Dallas Stars for the final wild card position despite having played three more times. Two other important games between playoff hopefuls happen in Edmonton and Vancouver, while several other teams around the league are also in action. As they and others prepare, here are today’s minor league moves.

Atlantic Division

  • The Grand Rapids Griffins have signed a pair of local college free agents, bringing in Drew Worrad from Western Michigan and Trenton Bliss from Michigan Tech on AHL contracts that run through 2022-23. Both players had outstanding offensive seasons this year, scoring 45 and 40 points respectively and will now try to carry over that play to the professional level.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • Connor Dewar has been returned to the AHL from the Minnesota Wild, after last playing on March 19. The 22-year-old rookie has suited up 30 times this season but has just five points to his name, and has averaged fewer than ten minutes of ice time in those appearances. It’s been different in the minor leagues, where Dewar has 11 points in 12 games.

Pacific Division

This page is updated throughout the day

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top