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Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/17/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

Central Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings have swapped taxi squad goalies, recalling Kevin Boyle from AHL Grand Rapids while assigning Kaden Fulcher to the Griffins, per a team release. Boyle last saw NHL action with Anaheim in 2018-19 and has just nine AHL games played this season while Fulcher has one career NHL appearance but hasn’t played at all this year while suiting up just twice in the ECHL last season.  The team later tweeted that veteran Frans Nielsen was also recalled from the taxi squad and added that top prospect Joe Veleno, just recently brought over after his season ended in Sweden, will replace Nielsen on the taxi squad after being recalled from the AHL.
  • The Florida Panthers have loaned Aleksi Heponiemi, Lucas Carlsson, and Brady Keeper to AHL Syracuse, per the AHL’s transactions log.  Scott Wilson and Cole Schwindt have been recalled in corresponding moves.  Carlsson was part of the five-player trade that saw Brett Connolly go to Chicago last week.
  • Matt Duchene has been activated from the injured reserve and is set to re-join the Nashville Predators’ lineup tonight. Joining him on the active roster will be forward Tanner Jeannot, who was reassigned to the taxi squad yesterday but is back up today.
  • The Dallas Stars have shuffled forwards just about every day this season. Today, the move is Nick Caamano being recalled from the taxi squad.

East Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced the recall of Carsen Twarynski from the taxi squad. The winger has been up with Philadelphia six other times this season but has played in just four games with the Flyers plus two more in the minors.  He’ll take the place of Tanner Laczynski who is out with a lower-body injury.

North Division

  • The Montreal Canadiens announced that they have returned Michael McNiven to AHL Laval. The move suggests that Carey Price is now ready to play after missing nearly two weeks with a lower-body issue.
  • The Calgary Flames have sent Dominik Simon, Alex Petrovic, and Adam Ruzicka to AHL Stockton, per the AHL’s transactions log.  The Heat, who are based in Calgary this season, play this afternoon and after that, those players will likely be recalled. Justin Kirkland was recalled to Calgary’s taxi squad to bring it back to the minimum four players.
  • Joakim Nygard is on his way back up to the NHL roster, as the Edmonton Oilers announced that he has been recalled from the taxi squad. Nygard has only played in six games with the Oilers this season after suiting up for 33 in his rookie year.

West Division

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Ottawa Senators Sign Cole Reinhardt

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The Ottawa Senators have signed another prospect, inking Cole Reinhardt to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will begin in the 2021-22 season, but Reinhardt is already playing with the Belleville Senators on an amateur tryout. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on the signing:

We’ve been exceedingly happy with Cole’s play this season. For someone who was just recently drafted, he’s already showcased a great combination of strength and speed in addition to excellent hockey sense, which is likely his best attribute.

Reinhardt, 21, was passed over entirely the first two times he was eligible for selection in the NHL Entry Draft, but managed to land himself a sixth-round selection last October. The Senators used the 181st overall pick on the Brandon Wheat Kings forward, who had shown steady improvement offensively and recorded 31 goals and 55 points last season. Impressively, Reinhardt hasn’t looked out of place in the AHL, scoring seven points in his first 21 games with Belleville.

That performance has earned an NHL deal, though obviously, that doesn’t guarantee an opportunity will come at the highest level. Reinhardt will have to continue to work and develop his game, relying on the hockey sense that Dorion points out to create offensive chances for himself and his linemates. If the Senators are able to coax an NHL player out of their last selection in the 2020 draft, imagine how impressive the class–which had three first-round picks including Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson in the top-5–will be.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/16/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

West Division

  • The Arizona Coyotes have sent Ivan Prosvetov to the AHL, giving him a chance to play instead of just serve as a practice squad goaltender. The 22-year-old saw a little bit of action earlier this month but with Antti Raanta’s return wasn’t expected to dress very often.
  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled Alexander Barabanov, Jacob Middleton, and Jayden Halbgewachs from the AHL to the taxi squad, with Halbgewachs actually traveling down and then back up in the same day.

North Division

  • Though the recall of Cole Caufield made headlines, the Montreal Canadiens actually also returned Otto Leskinen to the AHL–a move deserving of its own mention. Leskinen, 24, played one game for the Canadiens this season but was pushed further down the depth chart by some deadline additions. The undrafted defenseman is a restricted free agent this summer and one has to wonder whether he’ll return to Finland given he has spent most of his time in North America toiling in the minor leagues.
  • With the Vancouver Canucks now preparing for action on Sunday, the team has recalled Ashton Sautner and Brogan Rafferty under emergency conditions. Jack Rathbone was also recalled to the taxi squad, giving the team a few extra bodies that may be needed over the weekend. Several Canucks regulars are expected to be held out despite clearing the protocol. Rathbone, who was playing in Utica, will need to go through the seven-day quarantine before actually being added to the Canucks roster.

Central Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings have assigned Frans Nielsen to the taxi squad after he sat out yesterday’s 4-1 win. After winning their last three the Red Wings have climbed up to 26th in the league. While that may not seem like much, turning the corner toward winning is an important part of any rebuild.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned Ben Thomas to the Syracuse Crunch, after making his NHL debut earlier this month. The 24-year-old defenseman played a total of four games but failed to register his first NHL point.

East Division

  • The Washington Capitals have sent Craig Anderson back to the taxi squad, moving Zach Fucale back to the AHL in the process. Ilya Samsonov was listed as day-to-day with his upper-body injury, but this move suggests he could be ready to at least back up tomorrow afternoon.
  • The New Jersey Devils have shuffled several players between the minor leagues and taxi squad, most notably Nolan Foote, who has been recalled for just the second time in his career. Foote is still waiting on his first taste of NHL action but does have 16 points in 20 games for the Binghamton Devils this season. Matt Tennyson has also been recalled to the taxi squad, while Ben Street and Joshua Jacobs are on their way back to the AHL.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Minor Transactions: 04/15/21

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The NHL Trade Deadline may be over, but noteworthy player movement continues. With NCAA and Europeans ending, there are players becoming available with NHL appeal for next season and beyond. Track their movement right here:

  • One of the heroes of the NCAA Champion Massachusetts Minutemen has found his first pro contract. UMass leading goal scorer Carson Gicewicz has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Rockford Ice Hogs that begins next season, hypothetically keeping him with the club through the 2022-23 season. However, if Gicewicz continues to find the back of the net in the pros as he did in his final collegiate season, the Chicago Blackhawks may be forced to make him an entry-level offer before then or else risk losing him to another NHL team. Gicewicz was one of the best goal scorers in the NCAA this season, recording 17 tallies in 28 games. He finished fourth overall, behind such top NHL prospects like Montreal’s Cole Caufield and Colorado’s Sampo Ranta. While Gicewicz was a grad transfer at UMass, following four years at St. Lawrence, making him an older prospect at 24, he still brings plenty of potential to the pros. However, the first step will be to show that this season wasn’t a fluke after his first four collegiate season left a lot to be desired. If Gicewicz keeps it up though, his time on an AHL deal could be short.
  • Vadim Shipachyov has long been an intriguing name to NHL fans. The KHL superstar has been scoring at elite levels for a decade, begging the question of what he could bring to North America. With 637 points in 646 KHL games, Shipachyov has long has the label of one of the best players outside of the NHL. Even after a failed attempt at making the jump with the Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural 2017-18 season, Shipachyov has continued to score at a torrid, league-leading rate in Russia and many still wondered if he could try again in the NHL and find success with another club. Well today that question has been answered, likely for the final time. Shipachyov, now 34 years old, has signed a three-year extension with KHL powerhouse Dynamo Moscow, likely putting to rest any thoughts of an NHL comeback. A two-time Gagarin Cup champion, three-time KHL points leader, and six-time KHL All-Star, Shipachyov will just have to settle for his accolades in Russia having never really given North America a fair shake.
  • The SHL’s Malmo Redhawks have worked quickly to clarify their plans for the off-season following an early playoff elimination. The team has announced that nine of their players on expiring contracts will not return to the team. Among that list is Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno, who obviously will not be back after spending the season on loan with the QMJHL out of action. However, a surprise separation came in the form of Oskar Magnusson, a 19-year-old prospect of the Washington Capitals. The 2020 seventh-round pick has been developing in the Malmo system for many years, but has failed to make much of an impact in his recalls to the top club, so they have cut ties. Magnusson will have to find a new team with which to continue his development, likely still in Sweden but leaving open the option to jump to North America if the Capitals feel that is the best step. One final familiar name leaving Malmo is veteran forward Matt Puempel. Unable to find an NHL contract this off-season, Puempel joined the Redhawks in January. However, he only played in 15 games with the team, recording five points. Without much luck in his first foray into Europe, Puempel could look to return to North America this off-season. With 87 career NHL games and a long history of AHL scoring success, there should be a job for him at some level.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/15/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

West Division

  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled Greg Pateryn to the taxi squad, returning Nicolas Meloche to the minor leagues in the process. Meloche, 23, has played in six games for the Sharks this season but is now rejoining the San Jose Barracuda for the time being.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have returned Austin Strand to the AHL, given he hasn’t played an NHL game in more than a week now. The 24-year-old defenseman has 13 NHL games under his belt, all this season, but has managed just a single point.

North Division

Central Division

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled Josh Dunne from the taxi squad and are expected to put him in the lineup tonight against the Stars. Dunne, 22, signed his entry-level contract a few weeks ago following his junior season at Clarkson University and has recorded three points in seven AHL contests since.

East Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Wade Allison from the taxi squad, bringing up Andy Andreoff from the AHL to fill his spot. Allison is expected to make his NHL debut tonight after just eight games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The former Western Michigan University star is in his first year of professional hockey and made quite an impression in the minor leagues, scoring nine points in his eight-game AHL stint.
  • The New York Rangers have recalled Gabriel Fontaine to the taxi squad, sending Jonny Brodzinski back down to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Fontaine, a sixth-round pick from 2016, has yet to make his NHL debut.
  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Ben Street to the taxi squad, not for the first time this season. The veteran forward has been up and down throughout the year, but hasn’t actually gotten into the NHL roster.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Michael Houser from the taxi squad, but they won’t be recalling an extra goaltender to take his place. The league has given permission for the Sabres to use an emergency backup goaltender as their taxi squad option due to their current injuries.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Prospect Notes: OHL, U18, Kostin

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The Ontario Hockey League hasn’t played a game in over a year. The junior league is the last member of the CHL still not playing, but there was hope that that could change in the next few weeks and allow young players to get back on the ice. That looks unlikely now, as David Hains of Queen’s Park Briefing reports that due to the changing health situation the OHL season has been “benched until further notice.” Ontario’s Minister of Sport Lisa MacLeod told Hains that it would be “irresponsible” to send the young players back into action right now.

It seemed in March as though things were moving towards a shortened season, with MacLeod even confirming that the OHL and the province had reached an agreement on the return to play that has since been thrown out. Though the door hasn’t been completely closed, it is looking less and less likely that there will be any meaningful OHL season.

  • The 2021 U.S. U18 roster has been announced for the upcoming World Championship, scheduled to take place in Frisco and Plano, Texas starting later this month. The group includes Jack Hughes–no not that Jack Hughes (or even that Jack Hughes)–who is one of the top prospects for the 2022 draft. Hughes, 17, is committed to Northeastern for the 2022-23 season. The rest of the roster includes many other top prospects and should be an impressive group for the upcoming tournament.
  • Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic pointed out on Twitter that Klim Kostin is currently playing game seven in the KHL conference finals, and could be headed to North America should his club fail to advance. The 21-year-old Kostin signed his entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues way back in 2017 but went to the KHL on loan this year when there was still uncertainty surrounding the NHL and AHL seasons. In four games with the Blues last season, he scored a goal and could be an option down the stretch for them once he sorted out visa and quarantine issues. (As of this writing, Kostin’s team is up 2-1 and he has an assist.)

Snapshots: Calgary Event Centre, Marlies, Canucks

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The new arena development in Calgary has hit a snag, as Tom Ross of 660 News reports. Kate Thompson, CEO of the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation released a statement about budget issues:

At this early stage in the project, there is a difference in the current budget estimate and the program requirements for the facility. Given the significance and importance of the project, the parties have jointly agreed to pause the project team to allow time to resolve these challenges. The decision to take this pause is the responsible and prudent approach to ensure we find the best solutions to move the project forward successfully, without incurring any additional costs on the project while these discussions progress.

Construction on the new arena development was expected to begin in August after the city of Calgary and the Flames agreed to split the cost in 2019. Ross reports it was due to open in 2024, but does not speculate on what kind of delay this pause will cause. Eric Francis of Sportsnet offers some clarification from a source who says “the arena isn’t in jeopardy.” The Flames have been playing in the Saddledome (currently the Scotiabank Saddledome) since 1983.

  • The Toronto Marlies have shut down their operations for the time being and three games have been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. Matches on April 15, 18 and 21 have been postponed, though no make-up dates have been determined at this point. The Marlies are 10-11-1 through the first 22 games of the season and have lost their last three. It is not yet clear if the entire minor league roster will be unavailable for call-up to the Toronto Maple Leafs—as was the case during other AHL outbreaks this season—or if the protocol is just affecting a select few.
  • The Vancouver Canucks are operating as though their season will resume later this week and today recalled two players from the AHL. Guillaume Brisebois and Arturs Silovs have been recalled to the taxi squad. The Canucks had 16 players still on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list yesterday, though that number is expected to continue to decrease as players finish their mandated quarantine and test negative. The team is scheduled to play on Friday against the Edmonton Oilers.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/14/21

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There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

West Division

North Division

Central Division

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have re-assigned Nicolas Beaudin, Ian Mitchell, and Matt Tomkins to the taxi squad, as both Adam Boqvist and Calvin de Haan are both missing practice due to injury. Beaudin, 21, has 10 points in nine games with the Rockford IceHogs and will likely soon be a staple on the Chicago blue line.
  • Philip Tomasino, one of the Nashville Predators’ top prospects, was recalled to the team’s taxi squad today from the minor leagues. The 19-year-old forward has 20 points in 18 games for the Chicago Wolves in his first year of professional hockey. Tommy Novak has been returned to the AHL in his place.

East Division

This page will be updated throughout the day

Cole Koepke Signs With Tampa Bay Lightning

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After seeing his teammate turn pro, Cole Koepke has also decided to sign his entry-level contract. The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed the University of Minnesota-Duluth forward to a two-year entry-level deal that will start in the 2021-22 season. Koepke has signed a professional tryout agreement with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL for the remainder of 2020-21.

The 22-year-old Koepke was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 draft and has spent the last three seasons racking up goals and points in the NCAA. In 2019-20 he was nearly a point-per-game forward with 33 in 34, and though that rate dipped a bit this season he was still nominated for the Hobey Baker Award as one of the nation’s best players.

He was ranked eighth among Corey Pronman’s list of drafted NCAA prospects who could elect free agency after the season for The Athletic. Normally a player would have to wait four years from his draft year to reach unrestricted free agency, but since Koepke was passed over and wasn’t selected until he had already turned 20, he doesn’t have to wait as long. It doesn’t actually matter now, as Koepke has decided to sign with the team that drafted him and start his pro career with Tampa Bay.

In January, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic suggested that Koepke could potentially develop into a third-line NHL talent. The 6’1″ winger is a volume shooter who put up 15 goals even in this year’s shortened season and continues to drive the puck to dangerous areas. Whether he’ll be able to continue that at the professional level isn’t clear, but even earning an entry-level deal after being a sixth-round pick is a win.

Minor Transactions: 04/13/21

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The trade deadline has passed and movement in the NHL will slow considerably for the next several weeks. Still, deals for college free agents and international players should keep trickling in as players start to make decisions about their hockey-playing future. We’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.

  • The Rochester Americans have signed Brent Gates, Brendan Warren, and Stefanos Lekkas to professional tryouts. Gates, originally selected in the third round by the Anaheim Ducks, has split the last few seasons between the San Diego Gulls and Tulsa Oilers (with a short stop with the Indy Fuel). Once captain of the University of Minnesota, the 23-year-old Gates never signed an NHL deal. Warren comes with much the same story, a third-round pick that spent four years playing college hockey and never signed an NHL deal. Lekkas, a goaltender, also played four years of NCAA hockey, but was never drafted in the first place and has spent the majority of his career so far in the ECHL.
  • According to AHL reporter Mark Divver, the Chicago Wolves have signed Zach Solow to an amateur tryout, an interesting result for a player that some believed would land an NHL contract after his senior season at Northeastern. The undersized forward had 24 points in 21 games this season while serving as captain, but will now have to prove his worth in the minor leagues before earning an entry-level deal.

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