Evgeny Svechnikov Signs AHL Contract
The Manitoba Moose have signed free agent forward Evgeny Svechnikov to a one-year, AHL contract for the 2021-22 season. While that may be surprising to many after his history in the NHL, there’s more to the story. Sportsnet contributor Ken Wiebe reports that Svechnikov will attend Winnipeg Jets training camp on a professional tryout and will be given an opportunity to earn a two-way NHL contract should he prove healthy enough.
Svechnikov, 24, was not tendered a qualifying offer from the Detroit Red Wings earlier this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. That was a far fall for a player selected 19th overall in 2015, but a not totally unexpected one after so many injuries. The young forward has just 41 games of NHL experience under his belt, 21 of which came this past year, and has scored just five goals so far.
That doesn’t mean his career is over though. If Svechnikov can prove he’s fully healthy and ready to contribute, there’s no doubt that his talent level deserves an NHL contract. If he doesn’t earn that NHL deal and instead spends the year with the Moose, he’ll still be a very interesting player to watch. Should he stay healthy and productive, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent again next offseason looking for a new deal and new opportunity.
Pat Verbeek Named AHL GM
After the news that Ryan Martin would be leaving the Detroit Red Wings organization to take a job with the New York Rangers, there was an opening that needed to be filled. The Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate, was left without a general manager. Instead of hiring someone new for the job, the Red Wings have decided to pass the reins to Pat Verbeek, one of the team’s current assistant general managers. Verbeek will continue in his role as AGM for the Red Wings, but take on this new challenge leading the Griffins.
He released a statement on the new opportunity:
The Griffins are a first-class organization, and Grand Rapids is a fantastic market for hockey. Both of those factors are critical in the successful development of prospects in the American Hockey League and the ability to help them get to the next level. I look forward to continuing the winning culture in Grand Rapids and providing our prospects every necessary resource to develop as professionals and become impactful players in the NHL.
Grand Rapids won the Calder Cup in both 2013 and 2017, both with Martin attached in some management fashion. He served as AGM during the first championship and GM for the second, bringing an experienced voice to the table for more than a decade. Now Verbeek’s challenge will be continuing that history of success, while taking on a role that moves him one step closer to being an NHL GM one day.
Remember, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman brought Verbeek over from the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, where he had previously served as AGM and director of player personnel. The two have basically been inseparable during their time in management, as Verbeek first joined the Red Wings scouting department in 2006, the same year Yzerman retired and moved into the Detroit front office. While Julien BriseBois was perhaps the “right-hand man” in Tampa Bay and the obvious choice to take over when Yzerman left the Lightning, Verbeek’s role shouldn’t be overlooked. He’ll now take over the minor league operations, a new step on his management journey.
Minor Transactions: 08/19/21
Another day, another set of minor league, junior and European teams filling out their rosters for the upcoming season. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable moves right here:
- As expected, Sasha Pastujov has committed to the Guelph Storm for the upcoming season. Instead of going to the University of Notre Dame as originally planned, Pastujov signed his entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks and will play in the OHL this season. The third-round pick has huge offensive upside and very well could be one of the top scoring threats in the OHL, depending on linemates and team strength.
- Garrett Wilson has signed an AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for 2021-22, meaning he’ll be spending another season entirely in the minor leagues. The 30-year-old forward has 94 games of NHL experience including 54 during the 2018-19 season, but has played the last two exclusively in the AHL. Last year with the Phantoms, he had just one goal and nine assists in 27 games.
- Kale Howarth has signed an AHL deal with the Rockford IceHogs, after becoming an unrestricted free agent a few days ago. By not reaching an entry-level deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who drafted Howarth 148th overall in 2017, he hit the open market and was free to sign anywhere. The 24-year-old played three seasons at the University of Connecticut, scoring five goals and seven points in 18 games this year.
- The Springfield Thunderbirds have signed Shawn Cameron and Nic Pierog to one-year AHL deals, bringing aboard the pair of ECHL talents. Cameron had ten points in 23 games for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits last season, also seeing some time with the Utica Comets, while Pierog finished among the league leaders with 45 points in 61 games for the Indy Fuel.
- After being left unqualified by the Florida Panthers, Jake Massie has signed an ECHL contract with the South Carolina Stingrays. The 24-year-old was signed out of college but was never even able to establish himself at the AHL level, spending last season entirely with Greenville.
- The Iowa Wild have signed Doyle Somerby to a one-year AHL deal, after he split last season between the Stingrays and the Tucson Roadrunners. In 24 games with Tucson, the big defenseman recorded one goal and seven points.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Minor Transactions: 08/18/21
While we wait for news on some of the big trade targets still on the market, the NHL hot stove has cooled significantly. Still, European and minor leagues continue to fill their rosters and tweak lineups in preparation for a full season. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.
- The Rochester Americans have signed Dominic Franco, Mitch Eliot, Nick Boka, and Matthews Cairns to one-year AHL contracts for the upcoming season. If you recognize Cairns name, it might be because he was a third-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2016 whose draft rights expired this month. The 23-year-old defenseman never did develop any offense while in college, scoring just three goals and 12 points in his four seasons.
- Josh Wilkins, who played most of last season with the Tucson Roadrunners, is heading to Sweden after signing with Vasterviks IK. He did not receive a qualifying offer from the Nashville Predators at the end of the year, making him an unrestricted free agent. In 25 games with Tucson, he scored five points.
- This season, Keegan Lowe is off to Italy to play for HC Bolzano after a long career in the minor leagues. The son of six-time Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Kevin Lowe, Keegan managed just four appearances at the NHL level. He played this season with the San Diego Gulls, recording six points in 44 games.
- The Toronto Marlies have signed former Chicago Steel captain Matteo Pietroniro to a one-year AHL contract. The 22-year-old defenseman spent last season in the ICEHL with HC Bolzano, recording four points in 31 games. Toronto happens to have just hired Ryan Hardy as senior director of minor league operations, who was GM of the Steel in 2018-19 when Pietroniro wore the “C.”
This page will be updated throughout the day
Marc Michaelis Signs AHL Contract
Last offseason, one of the interesting undrafted college free agents on the market was Marc Michaelis. He was coming off an outstanding career at Minnesota State-Mankato, which ended with him as a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. The German-born forward is second on the school’s all-time career scoring list with 162 points in 148 games, including an outstanding 20 goals and 44 points in his 31-game senior season.
When the Canucks signed him, it appeared as though they had a pro-ready bottom-six talent who could help on the penalty kill and add some secondary scoring. After all, Michaelis had set a school record with ten career short-handed goals and had even played well at the 2019 IIHF World Championship for Germany. Instead, the college star failed to score a single point in 15 games with Vancouver, registering only three shots on goal. He averaged nine minutes a night and was never used on the penalty kill.
This offseason Michaelis, now 26, was not issued a qualifying offer when his one-year deal expired. That made him an unrestricted free agent once again, but came with a much more unsuccessful recent history. He’ll get a chance to rebuild his stock in the minor leagues, as the Toronto Marlies have signed Michaelis to a one-year AHL contract.
This isn’t a prospect that the Marlies are signing, but it is still one with an uncertain ceiling. After 15 games playing limited minutes, most often skating with Jayce Hawryluk and Tyler Graovac, it’s still not entirely clear that Michaelis can’t handle the NHL. If he can show an ability to dominate the minor leagues like he did the college ranks, there could very well be another NHL contract in his future.
Mikael Hakkarainen Placed On Unconditional Waivers
The Vegas Golden Knights have placed Mikael Hakkarainen on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a mutual contract termination, according to CapFriendly. Hakkarainen was the sole return for Marc-Andre Fleury in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks earlier this summer, though even the press release at the time indicated that he would remain with the Rockford IceHogs instead of joining the Henderson Silver Knights. Now he won’t even be under contract with the Golden Knights, becoming an unrestricted free agent when the termination goes through tomorrow.
Hakkarainen, 23, had one year left on his entry-level contract but had struggled to find playing time in the Blackhawks minor league system. This season he split the year between the Indy Fuel of the ECHL and Rockford, playing six games for each. In those contests, the fifth-round pick recorded just a single assist. His time in the AHL could be over, as he failed to score a single point in 14 games for the IceHogs since joining them in 2019.
He will be free to sign anywhere, though it’s unclear where his professional future lies at this point. A return to Finland perhaps, though he hasn’t played there since the 2014-15 campaign. Hakkarainen was the 139th overall pick in 2018, after spending two seasons in the USHL.
With Hakkarainen now set for release, the Golden Knights officially have nothing but cap space to show for the Fleury trade.
Mason Shaw Signs With Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have signed minor league forward Mason Shaw to a two-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay him $750K at the NHL level in both years. His AHL salary in 2021-22 will be $100K, while it increases to $125K in 2022-23.
Shaw, 22, was a restricted free agent this offseason but ineligible for salary arbitration. His entry-level contract, originally signed in 2018 after being the 97th overall pick in 2017, came and went without a single NHL game to his name. The former WHL star initially struggled to make the transition to the AHL, but came on this season, posting 22 points in 30 games for the Iowa Wild. Standing 5’9″ it will be hard for him to ever really make it as an impact player in the NHL, but that’s not for lack of effort. The undersized forward is usually the first on the puck in the offensive zone, relentlessly creating turnovers and trying to make a play for his linemates.
It’s going to be difficult to find many opportunities in Minnesota this season, given how many depth pieces they have, but perhaps another strong start with Iowa will allow Shaw to climb up the chart a bit. If the NHL club runs into several injuries, he could potentially earn a call-up. It’s the second year of the deal that’s likely Shaw’s best chance at making it though, given how many players in the system are on expiring deals. Victor Rask, Nick Bjugstad, Kyle Rau and Nico Sturm are all pending UFAs, meaning someone will have to fill those spots. A big season in the AHL could put Shaw on the radar, all you can ask for as a minor league player.
Minor Transactions: 08/17/21
We’re headed into the quietest part of the year for the NHL, as rosters are mostly set and general managers aren’t looking to make splashy trades. That’s not necessarily the case for the AHL and other professional leagues though, as they continue to try and work through free agent negotiations. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.
- The Manitoba Moose have signed Evan Polei to a two-year AHL contract, while also inking Philippe Desrosiers, Tristan Pomerleau and Dean Stewart to one-year AHL deals. The quartet gives the Moose quite a bit of a depth upgrade, especially in net where Desrosiers brings starter-level talent. The 26-year-old goaltender spent the entire 2020-21 season on the Florida Panthers taxi squad after posting a .916 save percentage in 29 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2019-20.
- The Toronto Marlies have signed Matt Hellickson to a one-year AHL contract, following his senior season with the University of Notre Dame. The 23-year-old defenseman was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 2017 and actually played five games for their AHL affiliate this spring. Since the Devils failed to reach a contract with him this summer, he was a free agent that could sign anywhere.
- Christopher Merisier-Ortiz has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, now that he has aged out of the junior level. The 20-year-old defenseman split this season between the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL, racking up 36 points in 39 games.
- The Abbotsford Canucks have signed defenseman Alex Kannok Leipert to a one-year AHL deal. The 21-year-old was a sixth-round pick by Washington back in 2018 but didn’t sign with the Capitals. Kannok Leipert spent his entire junior career with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, captaining that team for the past two years. He had 18 points in 22 games last season.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Ottawa Senators Sign Scott Sabourin
The Ottawa Senators are bringing back a familiar face, signing Scott Sabourin to a one-year, two-way contract. Sabourin will earn $750K at the NHL level (despite the press release indicating $700K, the league minimum is $750K for 2021-22) and $200K in the AHL. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a short statement on the deal:
Scott is a player and person with whom the organization has familiarity. He plays hard, has a physical presence, is respected on the ice and maintains strong leadership qualities. We’ll look to him to help guide our younger players and prospects.
Sabourin, 29, played 35 of his 36 career NHL games with the Senators in 2019-20, working his way up to the big leagues after a long career in the minors. The undrafted forward has never been known for his scoring ability, but is a well-respected teammate and physical presence. His role with the organization will be to help protect the young players with the Belleville Senators, with the odd appearance in the NHL if the team feels like it needs some extra toughness.
It’s the fourth one-year, two-way deal that Sabourin has signed in his career, but this one is actually coming with a slightly lower minor league salary than what he earned with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. That’s the one that matters most, as it’s unlikely Sabourin will get more than a handful of days at the NHL level if any at all.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm
The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed one of their 2020 draft picks, inking Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm to a three-year entry-level contract. Bjorgvik-Holm spent part of this season with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL on an amateur tryout contract. PuckPedia reports the breakdown of the deal, which has a cap hit of $845,000, is as follows:
- 2021-22: $750,000 NHL salary, $85,000 SB, $15,000 games played bonus, $80,000 minor league salary
- 2022-23: $750,000 NHL salary, $87,500 SB, $37,500 games played bonus, $80,000 minor league salary
- 2023-24: $775,000 NHL salary, $90,000 SB, $35,000 games played bonus, $80,000 minor league salary
Selected 145th overall in last year’s draft, Bjorgvik-Holm has had quite an interesting hockey career to this point. After playing in his native Norway through 2017-18, he came to North America to join the Colorado Thunderbirds, a AAA U16 team. He also played two games during the 2018-19 season with the Tri-City Storm and that’s where it seemed like his next step would be. But in the 2019 CHL Import Draft, the young defenseman was selected 32nd overall by the Mississauga Steelheads and less than two weeks later he was committed to the OHL club.
With 19 points in 57 games for the Steelheads, he earned that fifth-round selection and likely would have been back in the OHL this season. Unfortunately, the junior league didn’t have a season thanks to COVID restrictions, meaning Bjorgvik-Holm had to find somewhere else to play. Back to Norway he went, where this time he suited up at the professional level. He had an impressive 10 points in 22 games for Manglerud, before coming back to North America to play for the Monsters. At the end of the season, he was back on an airplane to Latvia to compete for Norway at the IIHF World Championship, lining up against NHL talent.
It’s not often that fifth-round picks make an impact, but there is real hope that Bjorgvik-Holm can quickly climb the ladder and be an NHL option for the Blue Jackets. He held his own in the minor leagues even at just 18 years old and is already physically mature. The interesting thing about him is that since he established himself in North America and was selected out of the OHL, the Blue Jackets actually only held his rights until June of next year. Another interesting situation will come in the next few months, as that draft status also should make him ineligible for the AHL. He may need to go back to the CHL (or play overseas again), though there have been exceptions made for European players in the past.