Washington Capitals Extend Mike Vecchione
The Washington Capitals have signed Mike Vecchione to a one-year, two-way extension that will keep him in the organization through 2022-23. The pending free agent forward will earn a $750K salary in the NHL, and a $275K salary in the AHL next season.
Vecchione, 29, has played just one game for the Capitals this season, his first NHL experience since originally signing out of the NCAA in 2017. Once a highly sought-after college free agent, the minor league veteran has now settled into a top role in the AHL, where he’ll likely play out most of this new contract.
In 46 games with the Hershey Bears this year, Vecchione has 38 points, taking his AHL total to 162 in 257 games. This new contract means he won’t have to fight for a new contract in the summer when he would have hit free agency and keeps him with the same organization–something that has been out of reach the past few seasons.
While he doesn’t provide any real impactful depth for the Capitals, there is at least a chance that he could see some more NHL time. If he does, he’ll cost just the league minimum, a handy option to have as Washington and the rest of the league continue to deal with a relatively flat cap.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Hanson, Murray
The NHL has released its Three Stars for last week, with Cam Talbot of the Minnesota Wild taking the top spot. The Wild went out and landed the best reigning Vezina Trophy winner at the deadline, but the incumbent started managed to post a 3-0 record with a .959 save percentage last week. Talbot now has 27 wins on the year and carries a .911 save percentage into the stretch run.
Second and third went to two Alberta superstars, as Johnny Gaudreau and Leon Draisaitl take home the honors. The Calgary Flames forward ended up with ten points in three games including a five-assist effort against Edmonton, and now has reached 90 points for the second time in his career. Meanwhile, the Oilers had their own star in Draisaitl, who added six goals and two assists last week. That takes him to 47 of each on the year, setting him up for the third 100+ point season of his career, should he stay healthy down the stretch.
- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have signed a pair of college free agents to professional tryouts, adding goaltender Darion Hanson from the University of Connecticut and Will Riedell from Ohio State. Neither one has signed NHL or even AHL contracts to this point, but will get a chance to taste professional hockey down the stretch before deciding what comes next. Hanson, 24, had a .923 save percentage in 35 starts for UConn this season.
- Matt Murray was back on the ice this morning for the Ottawa Senators, as he works his way back from an upper-body injury. The veteran netminder has been out since earlier this month, leading to the Senators recalling and taking Mads Sogaard on the road with them to Nashville for tomorrow’s game. Murray, 27, has had a nightmare season, losing 14 of 20 appearances and seeing time in the minor leagues. While he had been seemingly turning things around in late February, two early starts in March saw him allow 13 goals on 53 shots before going back on the shelf.
Carolina Hurricanes Acquire Tarmo Reunanen
The AHL trade deadline frenzy continues, this time with the Carolina Hurricanes adding some interesting defensive depth from the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes have acquired Tarmo Reunanen in exchange for Maxim Letunov. Because this deal was done after the NHL trade deadline, both players are no longer eligible to play in the NHL this season. They can however continue to play in the AHL, where they will report to their new teams.
Reunanen, 24, is in the final year of his entry-level contract, originally signed with the Rangers in 2019, and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. The fourth-round pick actually played in four NHL games last season, but has been limited to minor league action this time around, recording 17 points in 40 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack. He’ll now join the Chicago Wolves, who happen to be the best team in the AHL so far, sitting first in the Central Division with a 39-11-10 record.
This is an interesting move for the Hurricanes because of Reunanen’s contract status, even though he could potentially return to Finland in the offseason. Adding an RFA for Letunov, who will be a Group VI unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, seems like at the very least a nice swap of assets for Carolina.
The 26-year-old Letunov has been a good minor league player over the last few years, but has seen his offensive output drop considerably this season. In 60 games with the Wolves he had just 23 points, something that will be easily replaced by Richard Panik, who was also loaned to the team today from the Bridgeport Islanders.
That’s not to say the Hartford Wolf Pack are throwing in the towel, though. Letunov was a second-round pick in 2014 and has shown a scoring touch in the past, even reaching 40 points in 50 games during the 2019-20 season. That same season he managed three games with the San Jose Sharks, where he scored his first (and only) NHL goal. With Hartford still firmly in the playoff chase in the AHL’s Atlantic Division, he should help their offensive output down the stretch.
Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues Complete Minor League Trade
Though the NHL trade deadline was last week, the AHL’s is today, with players dealt today still eligible to suit up down the stretch and into the playoffs. While there usually isn’t a ton of action, today did see Brady Lyle traded from the Providence Bruins to the Springfield Thunderbirds in exchange for future considerations.
Lyle, 22, is in the first season of his two-year, entry-level contract that he signed with the Boston Bruins last spring. He has yet to earn a recall to the NHL at all, and had just nine points in 48 games for Providence this season. He will not be eligible to play for St. Louis for the rest of the season, but can help Springfield as they continue their chase for the Calder Cup. The Thunderbirds are currently in first place in the Atlantic Division, six points ahead of Providence–though they’ve played four more games than the Bruins.
Boston clears a roster spot with the deal, though they already had five empty slots to work with this spring when it comes to undrafted signings. Lyle was one of those signings a year ago, after going undrafted out of the OHL. The 22-year-old finished his junior career with 65 points in 62 games for the Owen Sound Attack in 2019-20, but hasn’t been able to find that kind of offense at the professional level.
AHL Shuffle: 03/28/22
Before you know it, the NHL regular season is going to be over. The Vegas Golden Knights have already played 68 of 82, and several others will join them at that number this evening. One of those is the Washington Capitals, who will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in a potential playoff preview. If the playoffs started today it would be the Florida Panthers facing that second wild card spot, but things are awfully tight at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, meaning games like tonight’s could have serious implications on seeding. As they and others prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- The Detroit Red Wings have sent Chase Pearson back to the AHL, even though he wasn’t actually a part of that 11-2 debacle last night. Pearson played his only NHL game a few days ago, seeing just under eight minutes of ice time against the New York Islanders. The 24-year-old will now return to the AHL, where he has seven goals and 17 points in 47 games.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Kyle Clifford and Carl Dahlstrom from Toronto of the AHL on an emergency basis. Clifford has played in 13 games with the Maple Leafs (plus two more with St. Louis) so far this season while Dahlstrom made his Toronto debut back in January. There’s no word on which players were injured to trigger the emergency recall.
Metropolitan Division
- With several days off, the New Jersey Devils have sent Kevin Bahl and A.J. Greer back to the AHL for the time being. The team doesn’t play again until Thursday in Boston, before returning for another four-game homestand to begin April.
Central Division
- The Arizona Coyotes have once again recalled Jan Jenik from the minor leagues, after sending him down a few days ago. The 21-year-old forward has played three games for the Coyotes this season but is still looking for his first point of the year. In 46 games with the Tucson Roadrunners, he has 39 points.
Pacific Division
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Pavel Dorofeyev once again, adding the young forward ahead of their game Wednesday. In an interesting quirk of the schedule, the Golden Knights will actually play two consecutive games in Seattle this week, before continuing their road trip to Vancouver. Dorofeyev gives them another healthy forward to put in the lineup, should they need it.
- The Anaheim Ducks have sent Lukas Dostal back to the AHL, this time after making a start on Saturday night against the San Jose Sharks. The young netminder is now 1-2 in his four NHL appearances, though does still hold a .907 save percentage.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Anaheim Ducks Sign Josh Lopina
After his University of Massachusetts was eliminated from the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament on Friday, 2021 draft pick Josh Lopina signed his entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks today, per the team. Lopina will sign an amateur try-out contract (ATO) with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls for the remainder of the season, getting a sneak peek of hockey life within the Ducks organization. The terms of his NHL deal are not yet available.
Lopina was a bit of a surprise pick last year in the fourth round, but the double-overager came into the draft with a strong freshman season at UMass under his belt (23 points in 29 games) and an NCAA championship. He’s improved on those numbers this season, scoring 12 goals and 27 points in 27 games, the first time at any recorded level that Lopina has had a point-per-game season.
Undoubtedly a late bloomer, Lopina will get a chance to continue his upward rise in the Ducks organization. Likely destined for a full-time AHL role next season, he’ll get a chance to grow there alongside other Ducks youngsters like Jacob Perreault and the newly-acquired Drew Helleson.
St. Louis Blues Sign Matt Kessel To Entry-Level Contract
The St. Louis Blues announced they have signed 2020 fifth-round pick Matt Kessel to a two-year, entry-level contract that is set to begin in 2022-23. Kessel will report to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL on a tryout, where he will remain for the rest of the season. Additional financial terms of the contract have not yet been made available.
Kessel has spent the past three seasons on the blueline for UMass Amherst, winning a National Title last season. Kessel had six goals and 11 assists in 37 games this season for UMass, however his most impressive season may have been 2020-21, where he logged 10 goals and 13 assists in 20 games. Prior to his time at UMass, Kessel played three seasons in the USHL, including a 19-point, 62-game season for the Sioux Falls Stampede in 2018-19.
For now, Kessel will join Springfield on a tryout where he can adjust to the professional game. His contract will kick in next season, when Kessel can try to establish his place within the Blues’ organization.
AHL Shuffle: 03/27/22
It’s a fairly busy day of hockey in the NHL, with eight games on the schedule. This afternoon, the New York Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning in a rematch of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, and later this evening, an Eastern Conference heavyweight matchup as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Florida Panthers. While the NHL action is happening, there should still be plenty of small transactions around the hockey world to keep updated.
Metropolitan Division:
- A day after sending him down to the Utica Comets of the AHL, the New Jersey Devils have re-called defenseman Kevin Bahl. The hulking defenseman has yet to record a point in five NHL games this season, but has three goals and 12 assists in 49 games at the AHL level.
- The New York Islanders re-called defenseman Grant Hutton from the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL on an emergency basis. Hutton saw his first NHL action back in November amid the Islanders’ COVID outbreak, going without a point in five games. The 26-year-old defenseman will draw into the lineup for the Islanders’ afternoon game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Atlantic Division:
- The Ottawa Senators announced that they have swapped a pair of goaltenders with the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Filip Gustavsson was re-assigned to Belleville, while Mads Sogaard was brought up to Ottawa. Gustavsson made his NHL debut for Ottawa last season, impressing in nine games, but has struggled over 15 NHL games this season with an .886 save-percentage and 3.78 goals-against average. Sogaard, Ottawa’s second-round selection, 37th overall, in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, has yet to make his NHL debut, but has been solid in the AHL this season with a .906 save percentage an 2.87 goals-against average in 31 games.
Central Division:
- The Nashville Predators have activated defenseman Matt Benning off of injured reserve, the team announced. Benning, 27, had been on the injured list since March 13th with an upper-body injury and has no goals and ten assists in 53 games so far this season. The Predators are seeking to punch their ticket to one of the Western Conference’s playoff series’, and Benning’s return should help them get across that line.
Pacific Division:
- Forward Lane Pederson was re-assigned to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL a day after the San Jose Sharks recalled him to play in Saturday’s win over the Anaheim Ducks. Pederson has just two assists in 27 games with the Sharks this season, but does have an impressive six goals and four assists in 11 games for the Barracuda.
This post will be kept updated throughout the day.
AHL Shuffle: 03/26/22
It’s another busy Saturday across the NHL with a dozen games on the schedule. While the daily roster shuffling has come and gone with the four-recall rule now in effect, there will still be some moves made throughout the day which we’ll keep track of here.
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Predators have recalled defenseman Jeremy Davies from AHL Milwaukee, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 25-year-old has been up and down a few times in recent weeks but has spent most of the year in the minors, notching six goals and 25 assists in 54 games with the Admirals.
Pacific Division
- As expected, the Canucks announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled winger Will Lockwood from AHL Abbotsford under emergency conditions (meaning it won’t count against their four allowable regular recalls). He’s needed with Matthew Highmore being listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury that’s not believed to be a concussion. Lockwood has done well in his second professional season, notching 25 points in 46 games with the Heat.
- The Sharks have promoted center Lane Pederson from AHL San Jose, per the AHL’s transactions log. The 24-year-old cleared waivers last month and has been productive with the Barracuda, collecting 10 points in 11 games, a sharp contrast from the two assists he has in 26 games at the NHL level.
This post will be updated throughout the day.
NCAA Notes: Sanderson, Kleven, Gabriele, Tsekos, UFAs
Though a recent hand injury was an unexpected variable in the situation, there was very little doubt that Ottawa Senators top prospect Jake Sanderson would sign with the team at the conclusion of his season. After North Dakota was bounced from the NCAA Tournament by Notre Dame on Thursday – due in no small part to Sanderson’s injury absence – his signing now seems imminent. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the 2020 No. 5 overall pick is expected to sign his entry-level contract in the coming days. Sanderson may only be 19, but he has little left to gain from the college level. With 26 points in 23 games, Sanderson was not only one of the top scorers for the Fighting Hawks but one of the NCAA’s most productive defensemen. That doesn’t even speak to his top-notch defense either, which may be an even stronger part of his game than his offense. The only question facing Sanderson now is whether he will see NHL action this season, a decision that will be made by the Senators’ medical staff once his contract is signed.
Sanderson’s pair mate at North Dakota and fellow Senators prospect Tyler Kleven is reportedly facing a more difficult decision. Garrioch reports that Senators GM Pierre Dorion suggested to both Sanderson and Kleven that they turn pro after the collegiate season, but Kleven is less convinced. While the two have nearly identical resumes – two years with the USNTDP, two World Junior selections, two years at North Dakota – Kleven is a less developed prospect than Sanderson at this point. While the 6’4″ defenseman may always rely on a heavy, defense-first game, there is a case to be made for finally getting out from under Sanderson’s shadow and trying to develop more of a two-way game at North Dakota next season rather than following him to Belleville and staying in his same role. With that being said, Kleven excels at what he does well and has the size and hockey sense to jump to the pro level already.
- Another top prospect defenseman considering signing his entry-level contract but taking a late-season injury into account is the Boston Bruins’ Mason Lohrei. The USHL’s reigning Defenseman of the Year continued his meteoric rise from being a surprise second-round pick in 2020 to starring for Ohio State this season. Lohrei was second on the Buckeyes in scoring with 29 points in 31 games, demonstrating high-level puck-moving ability, and at 6’4″ and 200 pounds already has pro size. An older freshman at 21, it would not be a shock to see Lohrei turn pro but given that he still has room to grow and would likely be slated for the AHL next season, he could also easily return to Ohio State, especially after the team so narrowly missed an NCAA Tournament berth this year. The Bruins are doing their part to help convince Lohrei to make the transition to the pros now though, adding a familiar face to their AHL lineup. The Providence Bruins have announced that fellow Ohio State defenseman and frequent pair mate of Lohrei’s, Grant Gabriele, has signed an amateur tryout and a contract for the 2022-23 season. The Bruins saw plenty of Gabriele while watching Lohrei and noticed that the senior defender had pro ambitions of his own, recording 20 points in 37 games while playing a solid two-way game. Even Lohrei returns to Ohio State next season, Providence will benefit from at least one Buckeye blue liner.
- The Colorado Avalanche have dipped into the college free agent pool as well with an AHL contract for Zach Tsekos. The Colorado Eagles announced that they were adding the skilled center on an ATO for the remainder of the year and then a contract for 2022-23. Less a prospect and more an immediate minor league depth option, the 25-year-old Tsekos just completed a whopping six-year college career, spending two seasons with Sacred Heart and three seasons with Clarkson. Productive each and every year, Tsekos still saved his best for last with 31 points in 35 games. Tsekos has been nothing if not consistent in his NCAA career and if that translates to the pro level then he could become an NHL option down the road for Colorado.
- The first round of NCAA Tournament games are now complete and a pair of prime undrafted free agents have already seen their seasons come to an end and are now on contract watch. UMass’ Bobby Trivigno and Michigan Tech’s Brian Halonen, both Hobey Baker Award finalists and quite possibly the two best individual efforts in college hockey this season, have both seen their teams eliminated. The senior forwards are likely already fielding contract offers and it should only be a matter of time before their first pro steps are revealed. Meanwhile, other top free agents like Minnesota’s Ben Meyers and Western Michigan’s Ethen Frank are still alive in the tournament – at least until Sunday when one will be eliminated as the two teams square off.