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AHL Shuffle: 10/18/21

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We’re not even a week into the regular season and already there have been two teams forced to play shorthanded due to cap restraints and injury. The Toronto Maple Leafs used Ryerson University goaltender Alex Bishop as the backup on Saturday, while the Colorado Avalanche dressed just 19 players. With so many teams pushed right up against the cap ceiling, the daily up-and-down of minor league transactions won’t stop anytime soon.

Atlantic Division

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have loaned Joseph Woll to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, a good sign that he’s nearing a return from the injury that kept him out most of the preseason. The young goaltender posted an .892 save percentage in 15 games for the Marlies last season. With the injury to Petr Mrazek and Michael Hutchinson’s recall, the Marlies will need the goaltending depth in the coming weeks.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Nick Seeler from the AHL once again, already his fourth transaction since clearing waivers on Oct 11. The depth defenseman played in one game so far for the Flyers and will likely fill in whenever someone is injured this season. Rasmus Ristolainen was skating this morning but is not expected to play tonight.

Central Division

  • Those Avalanche have made several changes to work around their cap troubles, including recalling Mikhail Maltsev and Martin Kaut from the AHL. Dylan Sikura has been sent down in their place, while both Pavel Francouz and Stefan Matteau have been moved to long-term injured reserve. The Avalanche have a little more flexibility now because of those LTIR placements, but it will be a difficult cap dance all season long.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Tommy Novak from the AHL, sending Cody Glass to the minor leagues in his place. Novak has never played a game at the NHL level, but does have strong production in the minors and even registered three points in his first game for the Milwaukee Admirals this season. Glass meanwhile failed to record a point in either of the first two games for Nashville after an offseason trade brought him to the Predators.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Mike Hardman from the AHL, moving Ian Mitchell down to make room. The swap adds a forward to the mix for the team’s home opener tomorrow night, where the Blackhawks will need to turn around a ship that is already taking on water just three games into the year.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have loaned Vladislav Provolnev to the Tucson Roadrunners, recalling Dysin Mayo in his place. The 26-year-old Provolnev was signed out of the KHL but has not played a game yet for the Coyotes. Mayo on the other hand has spent more than five years in the minors for the organization without suiting up for an NHL game.

Pacific Division

Mikko Lehtonen Signs Long-Term Contract In KHL

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The brief experiment of KHL stud defenseman Mikko Lehtonen plying his trade in North America is over, perhaps for good. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that Lehtonen has signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg. At 27 years old, this could mark the end of his NHL career. The move comes less than a week after his contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets was terminated.

Lehtonen’s time in North America was tumultuous, to say the least. Lehtonen signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a one-year deal in May 2020. Despite the future contract being signed in-season, implying that Lehtonen was a player that Toronto had been closely following and had prioritized, his time with the Leafs was short-lived. Lehtonen was traded to Columbus in March after playing in just nine games. He played much more frequently for the Blue Jackets down the stretch, logging 17 games. Yet, he produced the same three points in Columbus as he did in Toronto, totaling zero goals, six points, and a -2 rating to show for his first year. Unsurprisingly, Lehtonen failed to crack the Columbus roster in training camp this season. However, he refused to report to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, leading to a pass through unconditional waivers and a contract termination.

Though some players have contracts terminated and are still able to find another landing spot in the NHL, such as Sami Niku last month, it should come as no surprise that Lehtonen has instead opted to return to Russia. The KHL’s Defenseman of the Year in 2019-20, Lehtonen recorded 17 goals and 49 points in 60 games for Jokerit. He was then a point-per-game player in 17 games with the club before reporting to Toronto last year. A player who has previously produced at a high level in Sweden and his native Finland, Lehtonen simply seems built for the European game. Joining a powerhouse like SKA, Lehtonen is returning to a more comfortable style of play and skill level and will have the surrounding talent to produce and chase a Gagarin Cup every year. Once his current deal is over in 2025, it is doubtful that a then-31-year-old Lehtonen will try to return to the NHL.

Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Yegor Chinakhov

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a hot start this season. The team, which faces few expectations this season, has opened the season with an 8-2 drubbing of the Arizona Coyotes and a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Max Domi are currently among the top-ten scorers in the league and Elvis Merzlikins is 2-0 with a .948 save percentage and 1.47 GAA.  Now, they’re about to get even better.

The Blue Jackets have announced this morning that top prospect Yegor Chinakhov has been recalled from the AHL – and after just one game. The skilled Russian forward is in his first season in North America after recording 10 goals and 17 points in 32 games in his first full KHL season in 2020-21, followed up by five goals and seven points in 21 playoff games en route to a Gagarin Cup title. He was right back at it in his AHL debut, scoring a goal for the Cleveland Monsters in an opening night win. The Blue Jackets have apparently seen enough to try the young forward out at the NHL level and it would not be a surprise to see the dynamic young talent stick on a Columbus roster that is trying to rebuild while staying relevant.

Chinakhov, 20, is already a remarkable story and a testament to Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen and his scouting staff, so it would not be a surprise to see him continue to find success. The No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Chinakov was a much-maligned selection as a relatively unheralded overage prospect. Considered the biggest surprise of the first round, Chinakhov’s name first gained attention for the wrong reasons. He quickly changed the narrative last season, earning a full-time role with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk and not only taking home a championship, but also Rookie of the Year honors with top numbers across the board for U-20 players. Now he is not only a pro in North America in just his second season after being drafted, but preparing for his NHL debut. The perception of Chinakhov has changed dramatically, but he is still playing with a chip on his shoulder and ready to reward Columbus for their faith in him, hopefully for years to come for a franchise that desperately needs loyal, homegrown talent.

AHL Shuffle: 10/17/21

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The NHL is back, taxi squads are gone, and minor league moves are again a major piece of day-to-day roster management. Keep up with all the recalls and reassignments of the day right here:

Atlantic Division

  • After using a local college goalie on an amateur tryout as their backup last night to replace the sidelined Petr Mrazek, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now eligible to use an emergency recall that puts them over the salary cap upper limit. The team has worked quickly to recall veteran Michael Hutchinson from the AHL Marlies. The Leafs are back in action tomorrow night against the New York Rangers.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have demoted defenseman Nick Seeler to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the team announced. This move is likely a precursor to off-season addition Rasmus Ristolainen’s debut for the Flyers; Ristolainen was unavailable to begin the year with an upper-body injury. Seeler himself is also a new face if Philly and did not play at all in 2020-21 but played well in his third pair role in the season opener.
  • Pierre-Olivier Joseph is headed back to the AHL, his third such exchange already this season. The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that the young defender has been reassigned for the second time in the early campaign. Joseph was cut from training camp and assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, only to be recalled on Wednesday and now heading back already. Joseph could be tested as an up-and-down player from much of the season, but once he shows he can be consistent for the Penguins despite this constant shuffle then he could be in line for a more permanent role.

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • A trio of players have been shuttled from the Vegas Golden Knights to their AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, the farm team announced. The group includes Peyton Krebs, Jake Leschyshyn, and Jonas Rondbjerg. Chalk this move up to schedule management for some key young (and waiver-exempt) forwards, as Vegas does not play again until Wednesday.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Simon Benoit from the AHL, while sending down Greg Pateryn, Lukas Dostal, and Roman Durny. Despite clearing waivers, Derek Grant was not among those assigned to the San Diego Gulls.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Minor Transactions: 10/15/21

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With the AHL getting going this weekend, some players are signing contracts in the minors to make sure they have a spot to play.  Here’s a rundown of some of those recent moves plus an update on a Colorado player currently overseas.

  • The Rangers have inked veteran forward Pierre-Cedric Labrie to an AHL tryout. The 35-year-old is no stranger to the minors, playing in 629 games over parts of 13 seasons while recording over 1,100 penalty minutes.  Labrie last saw NHL action with Tampa Bay back in 2013-14 and spent the last two seasons in Germany with Eisbaren Berlin.
  • The Flames aren’t ready to send Ryan Francis back to junior yet as their affiliate in Stockton announced that they’ve inked the 19-year-old to a tryout agreement. Francis was Calgary’s fifth-round pick (143rd overall) in 2019 and had 50 points in 32 games last season in the QMJHL.  As he turns 20 before December 31st, Francis is eligible to play in the AHL this season.
  • Vladislav Kamenev is on the move in the KHL as CSKA Moscow announced they’ve signed the winger to a one-year deal. His rights continue to be held by the Avalanche as an unsigned restricted free agent as the 25-year-old last suited up in the NHL back in 2019-20.  A strong showing in Moscow could get him back on the NHL radar if he wanted to try playing in North America again.
  • Tobias Rieder’s previously-rumored deal in the SHL is now official, per an announcement from Vaxjo. The 31-year-old has inked a one-year deal with the Lakers after spending last season with Buffalo where he had five goals and two assists in 44 games.

Mark Jankowski Signs AHL Contract With Buffalo

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If Mark Jankowski wants to make it back to the NHL, he’ll be going through the AHL to do it as Rochester, AHL affiliate of Buffalo, announced that they’ve inked the 27-year-old to a one-year contract.

Jankowski has not been able to live up to his first-round draft billing (21st overall in 2012) and has struggled the last few seasons.  After being non-tendered by Calgary in 2020, the center quickly signed with Pittsburgh, inking a one-year deal for the league minimum.  The move made plenty of sense on paper as a still relatively unproven player with a bit of upside hoping that a change of scenery would get him going.

However, that didn’t really happen.  Jankowski managed just 11 points (4-7-11) in 45 games last season while playing almost exclusively on the fourth line.  Even though his qualifying offer was only for the minimum this season ($750K), the Penguins opted to non-tender him again, avoiding arbitration in the process.  Unable to secure a guaranteed deal, Jankowski signed a training camp tryout with New Jersey but wasn’t able to land a contract with them either.

Evidently, an NHL two-way offer wasn’t available either which has led Jankowski to the AHL and the Americans.  It will be his first extended action in the minors since 2016-17 when he had 27 goals and 29 assists with Stockton.  This will also be Jankowski’s first real opportunity to play an offensive role in the top six since that season as well and he’s clearly banking that a good showing with Rochester will bolster his shot at landing an NHL contract somewhere either later this season or next summer.

AHL Shuffle: 10/15/21

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An increasingly tight salary cap situation for many teams across the league has expectedly led to a lot of wheeling, dealing, and maneuvering early on this season, especially in the recalls and assignments department. We’ll keep track of all of today’s minor NHL to AHL and AHL to NHL roster moves right here.

Atlantic Division

  • Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards reports the Panthers re-assigned Chase Priskie and Maxim Mamin to the Charlotte Checkers. Priskie was recalled Thursday prior to the team’s season opener against Pittsburgh but was a healthy scratch. Mamin had previously been listed as a non-roster player. Mamin last played in the NHL with the Panthers in 2018-19, playing seven games, but has played in the KHL ever since.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • The Vegas Golden Knights assigned Peyton Krebs, Jonas Rondbjerg, and Jake Leschyshyn to the Henderson Silver Knights ahead of the team’s season opener tonight. All three played in Thursday night’s 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, and they’ll likely be recalled soon as the team continues to deal with injuries and absences in the bottom six.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Casey Mittelstadt And Henri Jokiharju Out A Couple Of Weeks

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Buffalo Sabres head coach Don Granato announced Friday morning that center Casey Mittelstadt and defenseman Henri Jokiharju will both be sidelined for “a couple of weeks” with different injuries.

Mittelstadt left Thursday night’s 5-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens with an upper-body injury. It’s unclear as to when or on what play Mittelstadt sustained the injury. Jokiharju played the entirety of last night’s contest, logging 16:39 of ice time. He’s sidelined with a lower-body ailment.

Granato notes that Arttu Ruotsalainen and Will Butcher will likely draw into the lineup Saturday against Arizona in the place of Mittelstadt and Jokiharju. He also says the team wants “to get everybody in,” making it seem like additional call-ups from the AHL’s Rochester Americans are likely coming to bolster the roster.

It’s an extremely tough break for a Sabres team that got off to an unexpectedly strong start, albeit through just one game. They’ll now have to move forward without their number one center in addition to a top-pairing defenseman for multiple weeks.

If Granato’s “couple of weeks” prognosis holds true, Mittelstadt and Jokiharju could miss six games over the course of the next two weeks. The Sabres have a rather light schedule to begin the season but have a pair of tough matchups against the Boston Bruins on October 22 and the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning on October 25.

 

AHL Shuffle: 10/14/21

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The NHL is not currently using a taxi squad system like last season, but that won’t stop teams from executing daily transactions to save cap and bring fresh bodies to the NHL. While some of the more notable moves may be mentioned elsewhere, we’ll keep track of every recall and reassignment right here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Florida Panthers have recalled Chase Priskie and Matt Kiersted from the Charlotte Checkers, and the latter will be in the lineup for the team tonight. The 23-year-old Kiersted was one of the most sought-after college free agents this spring, and ended up playing seven games down the stretch for the Panthers after his season at the University of North Dakota came to an end.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Andrej Sustr from the AHL, bringing back a former regular after several years away. Sustr, 30, last played for Tampa Bay in the 2017-18 season but has spent the last three seasons in the AHL or KHL, last playing for Kunlun Red Star. The 6’7″ defenseman could replace Zach Bogosian, who is dealing with an injury and could be held out of tonight’s game.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Filip Gustavsson from the minor leagues, sending Erik Brannstrom down to make room. The team will carry three goaltenders for the time being as Matt Murray works his way back from injury. Anton Forsberg is expected to start tonight, while Gustavsson will serve as the backup.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

  • After starting off the new campaign on the Season-Opening Injured Reserve, young defenseman Alec Regula is already back in action. Chicago Blackhawks beat writer Carter Baum reports that the team has activated Regula from the IR and assigned him to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. Regula played in three NHL games as a first year pro and should get another opportunity with the Hawks at some point this season.

Pacific Division

This page will be updated throughout the day

Minor Transactions: 10/13/21

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The NHL season may be officially underway following Tuesday’s opening pair of contests, but many players are still trying to find homes for the 2021-22 campaign. Follow along as we track these and other notable minor moves across the hockey world:

  • Coming off of a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, the fifth NHL contract of his career despite having played only 30 NHL games and zero since 2016-17, veteran defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon wasn’t so lucky this time around. The 28-year-old has settled for an AHL pact, signing a one-year deal with the Utica Comets per a team release. Wotherspoon has extensive AHL experience, including several seasons of strong production and history as a locker room leader, making him an attractive get for the Devils new affiliate. Whether he can turn this opportunity into an NHL deal next season though remains to be seen.
  • Similarly, defenseman Luke Green has been unable to find a new NHL deal after he was not qualified by the Winnipeg Jets this summer. However, Green could not land an AHL gig either. The 23-year-old has signed with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, per the league’s registry. After two years in the AHL and one season in Finland without any production, Green has to prove that he is more than just his junior numbers in the QMJHL by finding some sustained success in the pros.
  • Fredrik Handemark’s stay in Russia has been even shorter than it was in North America. After coming over from Sweden last season and playing in eight games with the San Jose Sharks and another 14 in the AHL, it was somewhat surprising to see Handemark head back to Europe this off-season. However, he was at least heading to one of the best teams outside of the NHL in KHL powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg. Yet, just 15 games into his contract with SKA and despite having totaled six points already, Handemark and the club have agreed to a mutual termination of his contract, St. Petersburg announced. Swedish source Expressen reports that Handemark is expected to return to the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL, where he was captain for several years before jumping to San Jose, and is likely to sign a long-term deal. At 28, Handemark’s days in the NHL (and any other league) are likely over if this is the case.

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