Minor Transactions: 05/14/21
It’s not exactly a taxi squad shuffle these days, as teams prepare for the playoffs without any roster restrictions. Still, there are a few transactions between leagues to note and we’ll list them here.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned Alex D’Orio to the AHL, where he can help out with the final two games of the season for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The split back-to-back against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Hershey Bears will be over by Sunday, at which point a few minor league players will probably be called up as additional Black Aces.
- The Colorado Avalanche have returned T.J. Tynan, Sampo Ranta, Hunter Miska, and Kyle Burroughs to the AHL for the time being, gutting their taxi squad. The Avalanche don’t start the playoffs until Monday, meaning they have a couple of days to prepare the roster.
- Now that the Los Angeles Kings’ season is over, all the players eligible to help with the Ontario Reign playoff run have been sent back down. Lias Andersson, Troy Grosenick, Cole Hults, Jacob Ingham, Rasmus Kupari, Tyler Madden and Drake Rymsha were all returned to the AHL.
This page will be updated with any further transactions
Ben Groulx Agrees To New Contract With Tampa Bay Lightning
When considering the coaches currently outside of the NHL that could have a future in it, one name is often brought up. Ben Groulx, head coach of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, has been successful at every level so far, but has yet to receive an opportunity at the highest level. Though there are several openings in the NHL this season, it doesn’t appear as though Groulx will be persuing them, as the minor league coach has signed a new contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning to remain Crunch head coach for 2021-22.
Lightning AGM and Crunch GM Stacy Roest released a statement:
We are excited to agree to a new contract and have Ben Groulx return as head coach of the Syracuse Crunch. Over the past five seasons, Ben has proven to be a key part of our organization. His leadership and structure have played an important role in developing our prospects, consistently producing a competitive Syracuse Crunch team and contributing to the success of the Tampa Bay Lightning. We look forward to continued growth with Ben behind the bench.
It’s no exaggeration to call Groulx one of the most successful coaches in the AHL. Over his five seasons, he has compiled a record of 179-100-42 and made the Calder Cup playoffs in each of the three years they were held. In 2016-17, he took the Crunch to the finals, losing in six games to the Grand Rapids Griffins. Deep playoff runs are nothing new for Groulx, who won three QMJHL championships during his time in junior hockey.
He also added a World Junior gold medal as head coach of Team Canada in 2015, a group that included Tampa Bay star Brayden Point. It’s the development of young talent that has made Groulx so valuable for the Lightning, who continue to churn NHL players out of their minor league system regardless of draft pedigree. Players like Yanni Gourde, Mitchell Stephens, Anthony Cirelli, and Mathieu Joseph have all developed rapidly under the tutelage of Groulx in the AHL. Even many that are in other organizations like Carter Verhaeghe and Adam Erne have a lot to thank the Crunch coach for after spending time honing their craft in the AHL.
At least for now, that development system will remain intact, with Groulx staying behind the bench for Syracuse.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 05/13/21
With the playoffs just around the corner, the taxi squad shuffle will start to look a little bit different. Instead of constant swapping between the active roster and taxi squad, teams will likely just make mass additions the way they usually recall “Black Aces.” That is, players who will practice with the playoff roster but aren’t expected to actually suit up for any game action. We’ll still keep track of any moves right here:
- After resting several regulars last night, the Montreal Canadiens have sent Alex Belzile, Jesse Ylonen, Xavier Ouellet and Cayden Primeau to the AHL. The Laval Rocket still have three games to play but their regular season schedule will be finished before the Canadiens actually start their first-round playoff series against Toronto. With that in mind, several players will likely be recalled once again in a few days.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, Andreas Borgman, Cal Foote and Spencer Martin from the Syracuse Crunch, giving them a Black Aces group to help prepare for the playoffs. Syracuse has just one game remaining on Saturday before they shut the doors on a shortened AHL season.
- The Ottawa Senators have sent Olle Alsing, Jonathan Aspirot, J.C. Beaudin, Clark Bishop, Logan Brown, Filip Gustavsson, Parker Kelly and Lassi Thompson to the AHL. That’s a ton of reinforcements for the five games the Belleville Senators have left on the schedule.
- With several starters resting tonight, the Minnesota Wild have recalled forwards Luke Johnson and Kyle Rau and defenseman Dakota Mermis from the taxi squad. All three have suited up for Minnesota at times this season.
This page will be updated with further transactions
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 05/12/21
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 St. Louis Blues have recalled Klim Kostin to the active roster and expect the young forward to make his season debut this evening. The team has also assigned Dakota Joshua to the taxi squad, while moving Nathan Walker to the AHL’s Utica Comets. According to the AHL transaction page, Joel Hofer has also been recalled to the taxi squad.
- The Los Angeles Kings have sent Quinton Byfield to the AHL, where the Ontario Reign still have meaningful games to play this season. The Reign, along with the rest of the AHL’s Pacific Division, will begin a postseason tournament in a week’s time.
North Division
- After activating Frederik Andersen, the Toronto Maple Leafs have returned Joseph Woll to the AHL from the taxi squad. Woll, arguably the team’s top (signed) goaltending prospect, has continued to struggle at the minor league level, posting an .889 save percentage in 12 appearances this season.
- The Montreal Canadiens have recalled both Jesse Ylonen and Xavier Ouellet ahead of their game tonight against the Edmonton Oilers. Now that the Canadiens are locked into the fourth playoff spot in the North, they will rest several regulars including Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli, Eric Staal, Joel Edmundson, Jeff Petry, and Jake Allen.
- The Edmonton Oilers have also made a recall, bringing up Kyle Turris from the taxi squad for today’s game. Turris has played just 26 games this season and just one since April 8.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Logan Brown and Parker Kelly from the taxi squad. J.C. Beaudin and Lassi Thompson will replace them on the taxi squad, recalled from the Belleville Senators.
Central Division
East Division
This page will be updated throughout the day
Christian Djoos Signs In Switzerland
It’s the end of an NHL career for Detroit Red Wings’ defenseman Christian Djoos, at least for now. The 26-year-old Djoos has signed a two-year contract with EV Zug in Switzerland, meaning his time with the Red Wings is over. Though the team can retain his restricted free agent rights this offseason by giving him a qualifying offer, they will expire before this new contract in Switzerland does. He will be an unrestricted free agent the next time he’s looking for work.
Originally selected 195th overall by the Washington Capitals in 2012, it was a longshot that Djoos would even make it to the NHL in the first place. Make it he did, cracking the NHL lineup in 2017-18 and helping the Capitals win the Stanley Cup. The 63 regular season games he played as a rookie would end up being his career-high though, as the Capitals eventually moved him back to the minor leagues and then traded him to the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks placed him on waivers earlier this season and he found himself in Detroit, where Djoos recorded 11 points in 36 games.
Perhaps the Red Wings informed him that he wasn’t going to get a qualifying offer, given that it would have needed to be $1MM, but either way, he has decided to take his talents overseas. Djoos should certainly find plenty of success in the Swiss league, after dominating the AHL during his time in North America. In the 2016-17 season, he recorded 58 points in 66 games for the Hershey Bears, trailing only minor league fixtures T.J. Brennan and Matt Taormina for the lead among defensemen.
Montreal Canadiens Agree To Terms With Rafael Harvey-Pinard
The Montreal Canadiens may be focused on a playoff matchup with one of their rivals, but that doesn’t mean the front office isn’t working on the future. Rafael Harvey-Pinard has agreed to terms on a two-year entry-level contract. The deal kicks in next season and carries an average annual value of $825K.
Harvey-Pinard, 22, was the Canadiens’ seventh-round choice in 2019, 201st overall. He spent this season with the Laval Rocket of the AHL on a minor league contract and showed he was more than ready for the challenge of a professional season. In 32 games, the 5’9″ winger registered 19 points and didn’t receive a single penalty minute.
Once a star at the QMJHL level, Harvey-Pinard won the Memorial Cup with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2019, scoring 27 points in 20 playoff games along the way. That kind of offensive dominance will be difficult to reproduce at the professional level, but the Canadiens obviously believed he was worth an NHL contract slot. Had Harvey-Pinard not signed his entry-level deal by the end of the month, he would have become an unrestricted free agent.
Carolina Hurricanes Sign Cavan Fitzgerald
The Carolina Hurricanes have decided to reward Cavan Fitzgerald with an NHL deal, signing the minor league defenseman to a two-year, two-way contract. The contract will start next season and carries an average annual value of $750K in the NHL. Fitzgerald is playing this season on an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves, serving as an alternate captain. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a short statement:
Cavan has had a great season in a leadership role with the Wolves. This signing helps solidify our defensive depth over the next couple seasons.
Fitzgerald, 24, wasn’t given a qualifying offer from the San Jose Sharks after the 2018-19 season and ended up signing with the Charlotte Checkers, then Carolina’s AHL affiliate. In 25 games last year he recorded five points and was brought back to serve in a leadership role once again. With nine points in 21 games for Chicago, he had a little bit better production but overall played a responsible two-way game.
Undrafted, Fitzgerald signed his entry-level deal with the Sharks in 2015 before he had even left junior hockey. The former QMJHL defenseman never did see any NHL action with the Sharks, playing two seasons for the San Jose Barracuda instead. Now with this second deal, he’ll not only get a chance at an NHL call-up but also secure minor league guarantees of $85K in 2021-22 and $90K in 2022-23.
Tampa Bay Lightning Extend Spencer Martin
May 11: The Lightning have officially announced the one-year, two-way contract with Martin.
May 3: There has been no shortage of goalie moves out of Tampa lately. After signing young keepers Hugo Alnefelt and Amir Miftakhov to entry-level contracts on Saturday and Sunday respectively, the team has yet another name to their 2021-22 stable. CapFriendly reports that the Lightning have signed Spencer Martin to a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K. Martin was set to be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent this summer, but will instead stay in Tampa Bay on a new deal that represents a raise at the NHL and AHL levels.
Martin, 25, has not played in an NHL game since 2016-17 and yet his extension comes as almost no surprise. The Lightning had little choice; the team needed another goalie signed beyond this season to expose in this summer’s NHL Expansion Draft in order to protect all-world starter Andrei Vasilevskiy. Of the numerous options to re-sign, Martin seemed like the most likely. Backup Curtis McElhinney, 37, may be done after this season after finally showing his age. Anders Nilsson, acquired this off-season, has been sidelined by an injury all season. Christopher Gibson was the other extension option alongside Martin, but the former Islanders third-string has spent less time with the organization and has a more open market interest, leaving Martin as the more likely name to serve as expansion fodder.
That’s not to say that Martin doesn’t have value in his own right though. The 2013 third-round pick has served as a starter in the AHL for a number of years and has produced consistent numbers in net. That pro experience, including three NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche, makes him a useful mentor to Alnefelt and Miftakhov in the minors as well as in a third-string capacity. The Lightning will likely seek a new backup this summer, but could reward Martin for his loyalty and willingness to help the organization with the expansion draft by finally giving him another NHL shot before too long.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 05/11/21
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 sent Tristen Robins back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. In a corresponding move, Jacob Middleton was sent back to the minors. Robins, a 2020 second-round pick, spent the season with Saskatoon of the WHL.
North Division
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have cleared some taxi squad room, sending Timothy Liljegren, Stefan Noesen and Michael Hutchinson to the AHL. The team also recalled Mac Hollowell to the taxi squad, giving them three players on it before activating any injured names.
- The Ottawa Senators have reassigned Cody Goloubef and Vitaly Abramov to the AHL, while recalling Logan Brown to the taxi squad. Brown, 23, has played just 23 NHL games since being the 11th overall pick in 2016 and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
- The Winnipeg Jets have sent Eric Comrie and Mikhail Berdin to the minors, per CapFriendly. The assignments give them a chance to play in Manitoba’s final three games before they are recalled for the NHL playoffs.
Central Division
- The Carolina Hurricanes have made a pair of moves involving defenseman, per CapFriendly. Joey Keane has been sent back to the minors after making his NHL debut on Monday while Roland McKeown was recalled from the taxi squad.
- With their season over, the Chicago Blackhawks have sent down John Quenneville, Chad Krys, Evan Barratt, and Cam Morrison from the taxi squad to AHL Rockford, per CapFriendly. Of the four, only Quenneville has seen NHL action and his 42 games all game before this season.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Christopher Gibson and Ben Thomas from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The moves give them some extra depth as ‘Black Aces’ for the playoffs.
East Division
- The Washington Capitals have recalled Philippe Maillet from the taxi squad, suggesting he’ll get into his second career game this evening. The Capitals assigned Garrett Pilon to the taxi squad.
- With the Boston Bruins giving basically half of their team the night off, they’ve brought up Jack Studnicka, Jack Ahcan, Greg McKegg, Urho Vaakanainen, Dan Vladar, Cameron Hughes, Oskar Steen, and Zach Senyshyn from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
- With their season over, the New York Islanders made their final recalls. Per CapFriendly, they’ve recalled Kieffer Bellows, Austin Czarnik, and Thomas Hickey from the taxi squad while promoting Ken Appleby, Cole Bardreau, Dmytro Timashov, Samuel Bolduc, Anatoly Golyshev, Simon Holmstrom, Grant Hutton, Otto Koivula, and Bode Wilde from the AHL.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have sent Cam York, Felix Sandstrom, and Wade Allison back to the AHL, per CapFriendly. Lehigh Valley has three games left in their season so these moves give the three a chance to get a few more games in before calling it a season.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 05/10/21
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
- Sam Carrick has been sent back to the AHL by the Anaheim Ducks, now that their season is over. Carrick can take part in the Pacific Division postseason, the only minor league playoffs that will be held this season.
North Division
- The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Eric Comrie and Dominic Toninato from the taxi squad under emergency conditions. Comrie was just announced as the team’s Masterton Trophy nominee, after a season that saw him claimed and then reclaimed on waivers, with very little playing time to show for it.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have reassigned Denis Malgin to the taxi squad after his outstanding season in Switzerland. The 24-year-old scored 19 goals and 42 points in 45 games for Lausanne HC and is now back in North America to give the Maple Leafs a little more playoff depth.
Central Division
- After clearing waivers, Calvin Pickard has been reassigned to the AHL by the Detroit Red Wings. Pickard has played six games for the Red Wings this season, posting an .874 save percentage.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Joey Keane from the AHL and expect him to make his NHL debut this evening. The 21-year-old defenseman has 12 points in 21 games with the Chicago Wolves this season.
- With several players sitting out tonight, the Nashville Predators have recalled forwards Rem Pitlick and Michael McCarron, defenseman Tyler Lewington, and goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo from the taxi squad.
East Division
- The Washington Capitals have sent Paul Ladue and Michael Sgarbossa to the AHL, while recalling Pheonix Copley, Martin Fehervary, and Philippe Maillet to the taxi squad.
This page will be updated throughout the day