Jimmy Lambert Signs AHL Contract
April 19: Lambert has now agreed to an AHL contract for 2022-23. Trevor Cosgrove and Koby Bender, who are also with the Islanders on tryout contracts, have also agreed to minor league deals for next season.
April 18: After a successful four-year career at the University of Michigan, Jimmy Lambert has turned pro, signing a tryout contract with the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL. The undrafted forward will be able to test the waters of professional hockey, before finding a full-time contract for next season.
Lambert, 25, already has ties to the organization through his uncle Lane Lambert, who serves as associate coach of the New York Islanders. He’s been the right-hand man of head coach Barry Trotz for years now, going back to their days with the Nashville Predators. Bringing in his nephew is a nice reward for the family, one that will be involved in some more headlines later this summer.
That’s because Jimmy’s cousin (and another Lane nephew) is Brad Lambert, a top prospect for the 2022 draft. The Finnish-born forward was ranked fifth among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting and has been considered a first-round talent for quite some time. The Islanders, who were eliminated last night in a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, will be in the draft lottery this season as they try to put a disappointing campaign behind them.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Lambert is coming to the Islanders after his best offensive season, though that was still just six goals and 14 points in 39 games. The hard-working forward did wear an “A” as alternate captain and racked up 42 penalty minutes, but doesn’t figure to be an impact player at the next level.
Aatu Raty Assigned To AHL
The New York Islanders have brought over a very interesting prospect, assigning Aatu Raty to the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL after his season overseas came to an end.
Raty, 19, was selected with the 52nd pick in 2021, a far fall from where he was once expected to go. As a junior player, some believed he could challenge for the very top of his draft class, but after some poor results in his first taste of Liiga and a development path that appeared stalled, he dropped all the way to the bottom of the second round.
That pick looks brilliant now, as Raty exploded this season in Finland after a move to Jukurit, scoring 13 goals and 40 points in 41 games. Adding in the one point he had for Karpat before the trade has his 41-point season ranked 14th in the entire league, with his point-per-game rate even higher than that. It was a very impressive performance from a player that had so recently been written off–at least somewhat.
The next step will be transitioning that offensive performance to the AHL where things are a lot different, but Raty certainly is back on track to becoming an impact player in North America. Signed to his three-year entry-level deal last August, it will slide this season and keep him under contract through 2024-25.
Carter Savoie Signs AHL ATO
After just two years at the college level, Carter Savoie has decided to turn pro. The Edmonton Oilers prospect has signed an amateur tryout with the Bakersfield Condors for the rest of the 2021-22 season, allowing him to play AHL games down the stretch. Had he signed an entry-level deal with the Oilers for this season, he would not have been eligible to be assigned to the minor leagues. Instead, his ELC will likely follow for 2022-23.
Savoie, 20, is fresh off a national championship with the University of Denver, where he quickly turned himself from a fourth-round afterthought to a legitimate NHL prospect. At times considered just “the older brother” of Matthew Savoie, a top prospect for the 2022 draft, Carter quickly showed he should also be considered a future NHL option. In 39 games for DU this season, he scored 23 goals and 45 points, earning a Hobey Baker nomination and now a chance to hit the professional ranks.
It’s not like offensive success is anything new for the young forward. In his final year in the AJHL, a junior league that allowed him to maintain his NCAA eligibility, Savoie racked up 53 goals and 99 points in just 54 games for the Sherwood Park Crusaders. Even as a freshman at Denver he scored 13 times in 24 games, showing off his uncanny ability to arrive in the right spot at the right time in order to finish plays.
For an organization that has had so much trouble developing mid-round picks over the last decade-plus, Savoie looks like something of an anomaly in the Oilers’ system. He’ll now face his biggest test to date, transitioning to the AHL level where his size–he stands just 5’9″–still could be an obstacle.
AHL Shuffle: 04/18/22
Six games are on the NHL schedule this evening, including an all-important matchup between the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver has been essentially on a must-win streak for a while now, but have managed to keep it up, notching victories in each of their last five games. They sit seven points behind Dallas and the Nashville Predators, who hold the last two wild card spots, and six behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final Pacific Division position. As the Canucks and others prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Chase Pearson once again, his second recall in three days. The 24-year-old forward has appeared in two games for the Red Wings this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
- Jack Ahcan is back with the Boston Bruins, recalled today after going down over the weekend. The 24-year-old undrafted defenseman has made his way quickly up the organization’s depth chart, becoming a regular injury call-up this season. In five games with Boston this year, he has one goal.
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Chicago Blackhawks have returned Cale Morris to the AHL, after a few days with the big club. The 25-year-old netminder has actually spent most of the season in the ECHL, posting an .896 save percentage in 19 appearances with the Indy Fuel. Collin Delia, who had been away from the team on bereavement leave, was back today.
Pacific Division
- After signing his entry-level contract earlier this month, Noah Philp has now officially joined the Bakersfield Condors on his amateur tryout. The 23-year-old has spent the last few years playing for the University of Alberta, after a short stint in the AHL with the Stockton Heat in 2018-19.
This page is updated throughout the day
Buffalo Sabres Sign Josh Bloom
The Buffalo Sabres will have another prospect under contract next season, as they have signed Josh Bloom to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will start in 2022-23, and for now, Bloom will report to the Rochester Americans on an amateur tryout.
Still just 18, Bloom was the 95th overall selection in the 2021 draft and one of the younger players selected. That pick was something of a shot in the dark, given how little he had actually played at the OHL level. As a rookie in 2019-20, the Oakville native played a depth role on the Saginaw Spirit, scoring just six goals and 14 points in 54 games. The following season, 2020-21, he didn’t play anywhere because of the canceled OHL season. That means the Sabres were spending a third-round pick on a forward with just 14 points at the major junior level, though he has quickly rewarded that faith.
This season, still with Saginaw, Bloom has 30 goals and 61 points in 67 games, showing off his blazing speed on a regular basis. Given that he won’t turn 19 until June, the young forward will not be eligible to play in the AHL next season. That means this handful of games on an ATO will be his only professional experience for a while–unless he somehow makes the Sabres out of camp in 2022-23.
Danil Gushchin Assigned To AHL
With the OHL regular season coming to an end today, several players signed to entry-level contracts will soon be joining their AHL affiliates to get a taste of professional hockey. Because the Niagara IceDogs failed to qualify for the postseason, that exodus has begun with Danil Gushchin, assigned today to the San Jose Barracuda.
Gushchin, 20, was selected in the third round of the 2020 draft by the San Jose Sharks, picked out of the USHL where he was playing with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The Russian-born forward moved to the OHL this season to play for Niagara, where he exploded onto the scene with 41 goals in just 51 games. That tied him for tenth in the entire league, despite the IceDogs having a brutal season overall. In fact, the next closest player to Gushchin in terms of goal scoring in Niagara was Liam Van Loon, who had just 19 tallies.
A Hlinka-Gretzky gold medal winner, a USHL All-Star, and now a standout in the OHL, Gushchin has never really shown any signs of slowing his development. He’ll now face the biggest test of his hockey career, transitioning to professional hockey. Unfortunately, the Barracuda only have a handful of games left themselves, as they will miss the playoffs after a tough season. He’ll have to wait until 2022-23 to really get a full slate of game action.
AHL Shuffle: 04/17/22
It’s another busy Sunday for the NHL, with six games on the schedule including an afternoon tilt between the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings. Later, the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators do battle in an important Central Division matchup, while Auston Matthews continues his chase for 60 goals against the New York Islanders. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Zachary Senyshyn from the AHL, one of their interesting deadline pickups. The 25-year-old forward was the 15th overall selection in 2015 but has just 14 NHL appearances to his name. In 13 games so far with the Belleville Senators, Senyshyn has just two points.
Metropolitan Division
- With Frederik Andersen‘s status still questionable after an injury last night, the Carolina Hurricanes have made a move to shore up their crease. Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov has been recalled from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves on an emergency basis, presumably to back up incumbent number-two netminder Antti Raanta. Kotchetkov, 22, was the 36th overall pick in the 2019 draft and has been brilliant this season. He has a .921 save percentage in 15 AHL games and a .923 in 23 KHL games this year.
Central Division
- The Winnipeg Jets have reassigned Mikey Eyssimont back to the AHL, where the Manitoba Moose are set to battle for the Calder Cup. Eyssimont has played just a single game in the NHL so far, recording fewer than six minutes of action last week. The 25-year-old forward has been good for Manitoba though, with 15 goals and 35 points in 53 appearances.
Pacific Division
- The San Jose Sharks have recalled Santeri Hatakka from the AHL, giving the young defenseman another chance in the AHL. Hatakka has played in eight games with the Sharks this season, recording two points.
- Jiri Patera has been reassigned to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, Vegas announced. The move is a likely precursor to Robin Lehner‘s return to the Golden Knights lineup. Patera has played in 20 AHL games and 15 ECHL games this season, but has yet to make his NHL debut.
This page is updated throughout the day
Winnipeg Jets Sign Wyatt Bongiovanni
The Winnipeg Jets announced that they have signed forward Wyatt Bongiovanni to a two-year, entry-level contract that is set to begin next season. According to Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe, Bongiovanni has also agreed to an amateur tryout with the Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate, for the remainder of this season (link). The contract carries an average-annual value of $802.5K.
The 22-year-old Bongiovanni recently finished up his fourth season at Quinnipiac University, where he put up 16 goals and 18 assists in 42 games for the Bobcats. Before college, Bongiovanni played three seasons in the USHL, spending a season each with the Des Moines Buccaneers, the Tri-City Storm, and the Muskegon Lumberjacks, totaling 32 goals and 47 assists in 152 games over that span. Bongiovanni then began with Quinnipiac in 2018-19, where he would play four seasons. Not previously drafted in the NHL, the forward then chose the Jets as his destination.
One key detail for the Jets in Bongiovanni is his leadership, as he spent the 2021-22 season as Quinnipiac’s captain, a team that would go to the final eight of the Men’s College Hockey playoffs before being eliminated by Michigan.
AHL Shuffle: 04/16/22
Today features a major slate of games on the docket, highlighted by some quality contests between playoff teams. The Colorado Avalanche are taking on the Carolina Hurricanes in what very well could be a Stanley Cup Final preview, and in addition, the schedule features other matchups between quality teams such as Minnesota vs. St. Louis, Boston vs. Pittsburgh, and Edmonton vs. Vegas. As there always is in the NHL, there will be shuffling between the NHL and AHL, and we’ll keep track of that here.
Atlantic Division
- The Ottawa Senators have made a swap of backup goalies. The team announced that goaltender Mads Sogaard has been sent down to the AHL’s Belleville Senators, and in his place netminder Filip Gustavsson has been recalled. Sogaard, 21, returns to Belleville where has been for the majority of this season. He has a .906 in 31 games in the AHL and a .889 in two games for the big club. Gustavsson, 23, has been up and down from the NHL and AHL more often this season than Sogaard has, as he has appeared in 15 games for Ottawa and 18 games for Belleville. Gustavsson has a .913 save percentage this year for Belleville and an .886 mark for Ottawa.
- The Boston Bruins have returned defenseman Jack Ahcan to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Ahcan has played in five NHL games this season for Boston, but did not play in this latest call-up, last playing March 10th. The 24-year-old has played more regularly for Providence, posting 22 points in 42 games this season in the AHL.
Metropolitan Division
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled goaltender Felix Sandstrom from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms on an emergency basis. Sandstrom, 25, has appeared in 42 games for the Phantoms this season and has a .901 save percentage. He has also appeared in two NHL games this season and has a .924 save percentage there. Flyers coach Mike Yeo recently signaled that starting goalie Carter Hart may be out for the rest of the Flyers’ season, which would make Sandstrom’s recall necessary.
- The New York Islanders have sent goaltender Ken Appleby back to the Worcester Railers of the ECHL. It was a confusing call-up for some, selecting a goaltender from the ECHL, with the Islanders announcing that goaltender Semyon Varlamov would not be able to play or back-up last night in Montreal due to a non-COVID illness, however as the team explained, Appleby and the Railers were geographically close to the Islanders, playing in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec.
Central Division
Pacific Division
- The San Jose Sharks have brought up winger Jasper Weatherby from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. This will be the 24-year-old’s third stint with the Sharks this season. He has 14 points in 45 NHL games so far while being a bit more productive in the minors with 15 points in 25 games.
This page is updated throughout the day.
AHL Shuffle: 04/15/22
All eyes will be on Montreal this evening, where two emotional moments will be held. Carey Price is expected to return to the Canadiens lineup for the first time this season and for the first time since losing game five of the Stanley Cup Final 1-0 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. His return, even for just a few games at the end of the year, should give the Canadiens fans something to cheer for as they undergo the next stage in a rebuild.
The game will also feature the New York Islanders, a fitting opponent following Mike Bossy‘s passing. The Montreal-born Bossy spent his entire NHL career with the Islanders and joined TVA Sports as a broadcaster after his retirement. There isn’t a better match to be held in his honor. As those teams and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Kristians Rubins from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis, giving them an extra defenseman. Rubins, 24, has played in three games with the Maple Leafs this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
- With Carey Price being activated today, the Montreal Canadiens have sent Cayden Primeau back to the Laval Rocket. Primeau was recalled on an emergency basis when Jake Allen was injured on the weekend but with Price returning, Primeau either had to be sent back down or converted to a regular recall; Montreal only has one of those remaining.
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Troy Grosenick from Providence of the AHL on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly. The 32-year-old has a 2.02 GAA with a .931 SV% in 28 AHL games this season and will serve as Jeremy Swayman‘s backup with Linus Ullmark injured and listed as day-to-day.
Metropolitan Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have brought up goaltender Louis Domingue from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an emergency basis. The veteran won his lone NHL start this season back in January and is needed with Tristan Jarry unavailable for tomorrow’s game against Boston.
- The New York Islanders have recalled Ken Appleby from Worcester of the ECHL, per Kevin Kurz of The Athletic. Semyon Varlamov is day-to-day with a non-COVID illness so Appleby will serve as Ilya Sorokin‘s backup.
Central Division
- The Chicago Blackhawks have brought up goaltender Cale Morris from the Rockford IceHogs, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago. Collin Delia isn’t with the team at the moment due to a death in the family so Morris will serve as Kevin Lankinen‘s backup against Nashville.
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled goaltender Jiri Patera from the Henderson Silver Knights. The 23-year-old has split the season between Henderson and Fort Wayne of the ECHL. Robin Lehner has returned to Vegas due to a health issue for a family member. To stay cap-compliant, forward Jonas Rondbjerg was sent down to Henderson.
- The Calgary Flames have returned center Adam Ruzicka to Abbotsford, per CapFriendly. He had been up on emergency loan but now with those emergency conditions no longer existing, he had to be sent down or converted to a regular recall. The 22-year-old has nine points in 25 games with Calgary this season.
This page is updated throughout the day.