KHL Off-Season Opening Day Round-Up
The KHL off-season opened today and the league did not waste any time in making moves that have meaning to NHL fans. A number of familiar names have hit free agency today and some are already agreeing to new deals. Meanwhile, others are being traded on the first day to do so, including the rights to some players currently in North America. Keep up with all of today’s action as the KHL’s clubs get their summers started early with significant moves:
- One of the first players to sign with a new team early this morning was former NHL forward Teemu Pulkkinen. A Detroit Red Wings draft pick who also spent time with the Minnesota Wild, Arizona Coyotes, and most recently the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18, Pulkkinen will be entering his fourth season in the KHL and is already on to his fourth different team. After splitting this season between Dynamo Moscow and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, collecting 30 points in 46 games, Pulkkinen has signed a two-year deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk. The 29-year-old has scored at a .67 per-game clip in his KHL career and shows no signs of slowing down.
- SKA St. Petersberg and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod have made an interesting futures swap, trading the rights of two current NHLers. Torpedo received the rights to Edmonton Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi (as well as minor league forward Danil Voyevodin) while SKA landed the rights to young San Jose Sharks goalie Alexei Melnichuk. The deal is tricky on a number of levels; while Puljujarvi is undoubtedly the biggest name in the trade, it is Melnichuk who commanded the larger side of the return. It was also KHL powerhouse SKA who received the prospect netminder and gave up the established scorer. This could be a simple case of different likelihoods of those player rights having any value. While Puljujarvi previously left the Oilers for Europe, he has finally found his NHL stride in his return this season and is unlikely to leave again. Even if he does, Puljujarvi may just return home to the Finnish Liiga as well. On the other hand, Melnichuk was born and bred in the SKA system and the team may have some insight into his future plans. The 22-year-old keeper is valued by the Sharks and even made his NHL debut this year in his first season in North America, however his AHL play has underwhelmed and he doesn’t look like a realistic full-time NHL option for San Jose next season. If the young goalie grows tired of playing in the minors in North America, he would probably be happy to jump back to his old team and take on a starting role in the KHL.
- Former Boston Bruins forward Joonas Kemppainen has signed a one-year extension to remain with SKA. The Finnish power forward didn’t work out in his lone NHL season back in 2015-16, recording five points in eleven games with Boston, but has been a productive player in the KHL for five years now. That includes a 15-goal, 29-point campaign with St. Petersberg this year that earned him an extension. The 33-year-old veteran is not a candidate to ever return to North America, but still has plenty to offer in Russia.
- Vladimir Zharkov feels like ancient New Jersey Devils history at this point, but the former top prospect continues to produce in the KHL. Zharkov, 33, spent four seasons with the Devils early in his career and was a nice fringe piece, but lacked starting upside. In the KHL since 2012-13, Zharkov has become a reliable two-way forward and locker room leader, spending many years with top programs like CSKA Moscow and Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Now he’s off to the top team in the league, signing a two-year deal with recently-crowned Gagarin Cup champions Avangard Omsk, replacing the veteran presence of the departed Ilya Kovalchuk.
- Torpedo jumped right back into the action, signing an exciting forward to a one-year deal. Marek Hrivik gave his all to a career in North America, developing in the QMJHL and spending six seasons primarily in the AHL for the New York Rangers and Calgary Flames. However, he never could earn a full-time opportunity and returned home to Europe in 2018. Even then, his first go-round in the KHL did not go all that well. However, after back-to-back stellar season in Sweden, he is ready to give it another try with Torpedo. Hrivik totaled 81 points in 90 games with the SHL’s Leksands IF these past two years and if that can translate to the KHL then the 29-year-old could become a star in Russia.
- Another trade involving NHL property has landed, but this one could have more immediate dividends. Defending champions Omsk have acquired the rights to Boston Bruins prospect forward Peter Cehlarik from Yaroslavl in exchange for the rights to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kodie Curran. Cehlarik, 25, is already in Europe, having left Boston this past off-season to join Leksands IF in Sweden. Cehlarik always showed great promise in the AHL, but couldn’t translate it to the NHL for the Bruins. After recording 20 goals and 40 points in 45 SHL games this season, Cehlarik may want to return to Boston, who continues to hold his rights, in an attempt to prove himself once more. However, the talented winger could be tempted to join the KHL’s current kings this off-season instead. As for Curran, 31, he already did his stint in Europe and made his return to North America. The Calgary native spent the previous four seasons in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden before earning his first NHL contract with the Ducks this past off-season. While he hasn’t see any action in Anaheim just yet, he has 11 points in 17 AHL games this season and his one-way, $1MM contract still has another year remaining. However, if Curran is still not being utilized by the Ducks after next season and doesn’t draw any other NHL offers as a result, he has a new home to return to in Europe in Yarolslavl.
- After signing his entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, Pyotr Kochetkov has inked another deal – a one-year extension with Torpedo. The 21-year-old landed in Novgorod late in the season, but excelled down the stretch and in the postseason with save percentages of .931 and .932, respectively. Kochetkov could very well be in line for the starting role for Torpedo next season while playing on loan from Carolina.
Carolina Signs Goaltenders Pyotr Kochetkov, Eetu Makiniemi
Saturday: The Hurricanes have now confirmed the signings, adding that each young keeper has inked a two-year entry-level contract. The two contracts are financially identical except for one detail: Kochetkov’s deal will carry and $842.5K NHL salary in both seasons, as well as an $185K signing bonus and a $70K AHL salary, while Makiniemi’s is structured the same but includes a raise to $892.5K in the second year. This makes the AAV on Makiniemi’s contract $867.5K.
Perhaps the more important update comes from the KHL’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, who have announced a one-year extension with Kochetkov. This presumably means that the young keeper will spend the first season of his entry-level deal on loan to the KHL. Makiniemi is still expected to make the jump to North America for next season, which could give him an edge in the competition to determine which prospect keeper is the first in line for NHL starts.
Friday: There is about to be a total overhaul in the Carolina net. With Hurricanes goaltenders Petr Mrazek, James Reimer, and Antoine Bibeau all slated for unrestricted free agency this summer, the team is set to sign two talented prospects to join Alex Nedeljkovic in goal. Salary resources CapFriendly and PuckPedia are each reporting that young goalies Pyotr Kochetkov and Eetu Makiniemi have agreed to terms on entry-level contracts with Carolina. The duo are likely slated for the AHL for a season or two, but could challenge for NHL opportunities before too long.
Kochetkov, 21, was a highly-touted overage netminder in the 2019 NHL Draft, selected early in the second round by the ‘Canes. After years of dominating the junior and minor league ranks in Russia, as well impressing on the international stage at the 2019 World Juniors, Kochetkov finally found some success at the top level in the KHL this season. Splitting his season between Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod and Vityaz Podolsk, Kochetkov was a serviceable backup with a sub-2.70 GAA for both teams and a .931 save percentage in the regular season and postseason for Torpedo. Looking to take the next step in his development, Kochetkov appears ready for the AHL and hopes that he can follow a recent influx of elite young Russian netminders and find success in his move to North America.
Makiniemi, 22, was a fourth-round puck by Carolina back in 2017. After years spent in the junior ranks in Finland, Makiniemi finally found a starting role in the Liiiga late last season. He was stellar in seven games down the stretch for Ilves, recording a .936 save percentage and 1.53 GAA. That was enough to earn him the top job for the team this year and while his numbers regressed somewhat, they did so in 34 games plus a playoff run. Having finally honed his ability at the pro level, Makiniemi also seems ready for the AHL. He may begin next season as the backup to Kochetkov, but is a legitimate threat to outplay his counterpart.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/30/21
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
North Division
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Nicholas Robertson and Martin Marincin to the AHL, moving them off the taxi squad for the time being. Though Robertson has a bright future, Toronto increased their forward depth at the deadline, limiting his opportunity to contribute this season.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Filip Gustavsson from the taxi squad as expected, bringing in Kevin Mandolese to fill his spot on the taxi squad. The Senators are dealing with injuries in net once again, meaning Gustavsson may have to keep flipping back and forth until at least one of them returns.
Central Division
- Once again, the Detroit Red Wings have bumped Joseph Veleno back to the taxi squad, moving Hayden Verbeek to the AHL. The team continues to flip young waiver-exempt players off the active roster between games in order to save salary, with Veleno being the most recent victim. He will be back for the team’s next game.
East Division
- The New Jersey Devils have returned Nolan Foote and A.J. Greer to the AHL, giving them a chance to play for the Binghamton Devils. Foote, 20, is one of the team’s top forward prospects but wasn’t receiving regular ice time with the big club, averaging just under nine minutes in the three games he has played this season.
This page will be updated throughout the day
AHL Announces Plan For 2021 Playoffs
6:30 PM: Larry Landon, Executive Director of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (which represents AHL and ECHL players), released a statement on the PHPA’s Twitter account today criticizing the decision to go ahead with a divisional playoff in the Pacific Division, suggesting that it goes against the wishes of the majority of the players in that division. Clearly, the decision to go ahead with the playoffs for the Pacific was not a unanimous one.
2:11 PM: There will not be a traditional Calder Cup playoffs in 2021, but that doesn’t mean the AHL won’t be holding postseason contests. Each of the four divisions were given the opportunity to decide a postseason format and while the Atlantic, North, Canadian, and Central will all simply award the divisional champion based on regular season points percentage, the Pacific Division is going to have a playoff tournament.
In an announcement, it was revealed that the Atlantic winner will be awarded the Emile Francis Trophy, the North winner will receive the F.G. (Teddy) Oke Trophy, the Canadian division winner will receive the Frank S. Mathers Trophy and the Central winner will get the Sam Pollock Trophy.
The Pacific, which will announce the format of its postseason tournament at a later date, will battle for the John D. Chick Trophy, not the Calder. That group includes the Henderson Silver Knights, who currently lead with a 21-11 record, the San Diego Gulls, Bakersfield Condors, San Jose Barracuda, Colorado Eagles, Tucson Roadrunners, and Ontario Reign.
Also in the announcement comes news on the 2021-22 season, which is set to begin on October 15, 2021 and conclude on April 24, 2022. The divisions will likely be put back to normal, but an announcement will come later this summer.
The Pacific division finishes its regular season schedule on May 16.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/29/21
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 Colorado Avalanche have returned Keaton Middleton and Adam Werner to the AHL, moving them off the taxi squad after last night’s loss. Werner, who was quite the story last season when he was forced into NHL action without much experience, has a strong .910 save percentage in seven AHL appearances this year. They made several more moves later in the day, per the AHL’s transactions log. Miikka Salomaki, Martin Kaut, and Dan Renouf were all sent from the taxi squad to the minors with Nick Henry and Mike Vecchione being recalled to the taxi squad. Jonas Johansson was also sent to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, suggesting that Philipp Grubauer is ready to return.
- The San Jose Sharks have sent Brinson Pasichnuk and Joel Kellman back to the minors while recalling Ivan Chekovich, per the AHL’s transactions log. Pasichnuk made his NHL debut last night against Arizona. Alexander True and Alexander Barabanov were also sent down to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
North Division
- The Ottawa Senators have bumped down a couple of goaltenders, sending Filip Gustavsson to the taxi squad and Kevin Mandolese to the AHL. Marcus Hogberg took home the win for the Senators last night, but still allowed three goals on four shots. If Anton Forsberg isn’t ready to re-join the team by Saturday, Gustavsson will likely have to be called back up to the active roster.
- The Winnipeg Jets have sent David Gustafsson from the taxi squad to the AHL, giving him a chance to continue his season with the Manitoba Moose. The 21-year-old forward hasn’t scored yet in four NHL games this season but has 13 points in 14 minor league contests.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will start resting some key players after clinching a playoff spot last night. Kristen Shilton of TSN reports that the team will scratch Jake Muzzin, Morgan Rielly, Nick Foligno, and Jack Campbell while dressing Ben Hutton, Pierre Engvall, Timothy Liljegren, and Michael Hutchinson. The latter two were on the taxi squad, so will need to be recalled to the active roster (though could be done as emergency recalls). With those recalls, Veini Vehvilainen and Teemu Kivihalme were recalled to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, while Nick Robertson was sent to the minors.
- The Calgary Flames have brought up Byron Froese from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The veteran hasn’t seen any NHL action since mid-February and has a goal in six games this season.
- The Vancouver Canucks have sent Arturs Silovs back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Silovs is currently serving as Vancouver’s third-string option to allow Michael DiPietro to see some regular playing time in the minors.
Central Division
- As expected, Joseph Veleno has been recalled by the Detroit Red Wings and will be back in the lineup tonight. The team has recalled Hayden Verbeek to the taxi squad once again.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Max McCormick and Morgan Geekie from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Both players have frequently been shuffled back and forth this season and as emergency recalls, will likely be returned to the taxi squad on Friday.
East Division
- The Boston Bruins have returned Jack Ahcan to the AHL, giving him to Providence for their game this afternoon. The 23-year-old defenseman has nine points in 15 games for the P-Bruins this season, his first year of professional hockey after a long career at St. Cloud State.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are giving Yegor Zamula a second look as they’ve once again recalled him from the taxi squad. The 21-year-old logged over 19 minutes in his NHL debut on Tuesday. Felix Sandstrom and Derrick Pouliot were also recalled to the taxi squad, per the AHL’s transactions log.
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Kevin Bahl and A.J. Greer from AHL Binghamton, per the AHL’s transactions log. Bahl’s promotion is actually straight to the NHL roster, paving the way for him to make his NHL debut tonight. Connor Carrick was also recalled from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.
- The Buffalo Sabres have brought back Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The 22-year-old will make his third career NHL start tonight against Boston.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Minor Transactions: 04/28/21
The playoff chase is heating up in the NHL, but elsewhere most leagues are winding down. The KHL season came to an end today with Avangard Omsk hoisting their first Gagarin Cup. The SHL, the Swiss NLA, and the German DEL are all down to just four teams apiece following the conclusion of their quarterfinal playoff rounds, while the Finnish Liiga is halfway through their quarterfinals with just six teams still alive. Even the AHL season is coming to a close, with no Calder Cup up for grabs and the regular season schedule over for some North Division teams and ending early next month for all others. As the leagues come to a close and players turn toward the future, it can cause some notable ripples in the NHL market. Here are some of those minor, but meaningful moves:
- After a dozen pro seasons, former NHL defenseman Victor Bartley has called it a career. The 33-year-old made the announcement in the most subtle way possible, changing his personal Twitter account to description to “retired professional hockey player” following the conclusion of his brief season with Unia Oswiecim in Poland. Bartley has spent the past four season in Europe, two with the KHL’s Kunlund Red Star and another with the SHL’s Orebrok HK. However, he spent the previous six seasons under contract in the NHL. Bartley spent parts of five seasons with the Nashville Predators, including skating in 50 games with the team in 2013-14. He also spent time with the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild, totaling 121 NHL games between the three clubs.
- The Boston Bruins won’t be reuniting with Linus Arnesson next season. The 26-year-old defenseman, a 2013 second-round pick, recently became a free agent at the conclusion of his SHL season. A solid stay-at-home defender who played well in a few AHL seasons, there was some belief that Arnesson might look at an NHL return following several strong seasons overseas. However, he has decided to stay at home in Sweden rather than try his luck again in North America, at least for one more year. Djurgardens IF, the program that Arnesson played his developmental hockey with, has welcomed their product home on a one-year deal, the team announced. Perhaps Arnesson will try to re-connect with the Bruins next summer, but his value seemingly decreases with each passing year.
- The Ottawa Senators are hoping that they can finally bring over one of their own second-round picks, 2017 selection Marcus Davidsson. The 22-year-old two-way forward has had somewhat of an up-and-down stretch over the past few years in the Swedish ranks, with 2020-21 as more of a low point, but was once a highly-regarded prospect and has shown flashes of NHL ability. Davidsson finished the season on a strong note though, joining Sodertalje SK of the Allsvenskan for 14 games and recording 8 points and a +5 rating along the way. However, the team announced today that Davidsson will not be remaining with Sodertalje moving forward. This frees Davidsson up to make the jump to North America if he chooses, perhaps getting back on his development track with some time in the AHL for the Senators. Ottawa risks never getting anything out of the high pick if he remains in Sweden and keeps bouncing around and not taking the next step forward in his career.
- EHC Munich wrapped up their DEL season recently and today confirmed the departures of a number of player. The list reads as a who’s who of former NHLers, including Derek Roy, Chris Bourque, Andrew Ebbett, and Keith Aulie. None of the four are realistic candidates to return to the NHL at this late point in their respective careers, but could still be off to make a difference elsewhere in Europe and potentially to guide current and future NHL prospects.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/28/21
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 Minnesota Wild have assigned Hunter Jones to the taxi squad, while Andrew Hammond deals with an upper-body injury. Hammond has been listed as day-to-day, meaning Jones’ stay with the squad may not be very long.
- The Los Angeles Kings have officially recalled Lias Andersson and Quinton Byfield from the taxi squad, putting them both in the lineup tonight. Byfield will make his NHL debut after scoring 20 points in 30 minor league games.
North Division
- The Vancouver Canucks have recalled Jack Rathbone to the taxi squad once again, though it’s not exactly clear when he had been sent back. Regardless, the former Harvard star is still waiting to receive his NHL debut after signing last spring.
- The Winnipeg Jets have made a whole boatload of transactions, sending Mikhail Berdin and Luke Green to the AHL while recalling Eric Comrie, Ville Heinola, Marko Dano, David Gustafsson and Dominic Toninato to the taxi squad.
Central Division
- After a solid debut last night, Joseph Veleno has been moved back to the Detroit Red Wings taxi squad. Hayden Verbeek has been moved back to the AHL in the process, but this isn’t something permanent. Veleno will likely be back up tomorrow when the Red Wings take on the Hurricanes, but moving him to the taxi squad in the meantime saves the team a bit of cash.
East Division
- The New Jersey Devils announced that they have assigned Marian Studenic and Colton White to the AHL, though Fabian Zetterlund has also been returned on loan according to the AHL transactions page. That leaves the team’s taxi squad quite thin, meaning there are either call-ups coming or players are being moved off the active roster.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/27/21
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 assigned Mitch Reinke to the taxi squad, sending Dakota Joshua to the AHL’s Utica Comets in the process. Reinke has recorded 12 points in 18 games for Utica this season but hasn’t seen NHL ice since 2018.
- The Anaheim Ducks have sent Kodie Curran to the AHL and replaced him on the taxi squad with Trevor Carrick. Neither one has played an NHL game this season, which is somewhat surprising given Curran’s success in the SHL the last two years.
- The San Jose Sharks have sent Ivan Chekhovich and Alexander True back to the AHL where they have spent most of this season. True, a 23-year-old undrafted forward, has 20 points in 27 games for the San Jose Barracuda. Joel Kellman and Fredrik Handemark were also sent down, per CapFriendly, with True being recalled later in the day back to the taxi squad. Greg Pateryn, Joachim Blichfeld, and Alexander Barabanov were also all sent back to the taxi squad.
- The Colorado Avalanche have returned Kiefer Sherwood and Miikka Salomaki to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Sherwood has two assists in eight games with the Avs while Salomaki, a veteran of 167 career NHL games, has yet to suit up with Colorado this season.
North Division
- The Winnipeg Jets have returned Dominic Toninato to the AHL, where he has two goals in two games this season. The 27-year-old played 46 games for the Panthers last season but has yet to play in the NHL this year.
Central Division
- The time has come for Joe Veleno, who the Detroit Red Wings recalled from the taxi squad today. Veleno is expected to make his NHL debut after spending this season in Sweden playing for Malmo in the SHL. The Red Wings have also done their daily goalie swap, recalling Kaden Fulcher to the taxi squad and sending Kevin Boyle back to the AHL. They have also added Hayden Verbeek to the taxi squad.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have returned Joakim Ryan to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Ryan has played in the last three games while on an emergency loan, being shifted back to the taxi squad on non-gamedays.
- The Florida Panthers have recalled Grigori Denisenko and Aleksi Heponiemi from the taxi squad to the active roster, and both will be in tonight against the Predators.
- The Dallas Stars are giving Ty Dellandrea a chance to get some game action in, sending him to the minors. He has played just once since April 9th, hardly an ideal situation for one of their better prospects. The 20-year-old has five points in 26 NHL games this season.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have brought up Callan Foote from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Foote, a 2017 first-rounder, has averaged 13:00 per game in 34 games this season.
East Division
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Trent Frederic from the taxi squad while sending Jeremy Swayman back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Frederic has played in 36 games so far this season while Swayman has impressed in limited action, posting a .946 SV% in seven starts and should get another chance soon.
- The Buffalo Sabres have brought up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. He’s expected to make his second career NHL start tonight.
- The New Jersey Devils have promoted Nolan Foote and Connor Carrick from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. Foote made his NHL debut earlier this month and has a point in each of the two games he played while Carrick has been held off the scoresheet in five games. In corresponding moves, Colton White was assigned to the taxi squad while Fabian Zetterlund was recalled to the taxi squad.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are giving Yegor Zamula his NHL debut night, recalling him from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The 21-year-old has five assists in 17 games with Lehigh Valley of the AHL this season. Andy Andreoff was also brought up from the taxi squad.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Roby Jarventie Signs With Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators continue to add talented prospects to the organization, this time signing Roby Jarventie to a three-year entry-level contract. CapFriendly reports that the contract carries a $925K cap hit for all three seasons and does not have any performance bonuses. The deal will begin in the 2021-22 season, though since Jarventie is still just 18, it could slide forward again depending on where he spends next year. For the remainder of this season, Jarventie will join the Belleville Senators on an amateur tryout following the required quarantine period.
Senators’ GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on his newest prospect:
We’re pleased to get Roby under contract at such an early stage of his development. He has already demonstrated good promise as a goal scorer while using what is both a good shot and good hockey sense. He’s competitive and has a knack for getting to the net. Acclimatizing to the North American game for the remainder of this season should prove valuable for him.
Jarventie was selected 33rd overall at the 2020 draft, but because of the three first-round picks the Senators had, will join the organization with a little less fanfare than usual for such a high second-round pick. Doubting his upside is a mistake though, as the 6’2″ winger played very well in his first full season in Liiga, Finland’s highest tier. In 48 games for Ilves Tampere, Jarventie recorded 14 goals and 25 points.
Using his big frame to protect the puck, Jarventie can create offense off the cycle instead of being rush-dependant, something that will come in handy at the next level. Transitioning to the speed of the North American game may be difficult at first, but the Senators obviously believe he’s ready to test himself against AHL opponents already. Whether he stays with Belleville next season or returns to Finland isn’t clear, but it is unlikely he challenges for a roster spot in Ottawa during 2021-22.
Joonas Korpisalo Out Rest Of Season
The Columbus Blue Jackets have nothing to play for except pride (and a better draft pick) at this point, after losing nine straight and falling to the bottom of the Central Division standings. Several key players have been ruled out for the rest of the season and now another joins that list. Joonas Korpisalo will not play again this year after suffering a lower-body injury on Sunday. It is not clear if it is a long-term injury, but he will not play again in 2020-21.
The team also announced a handful of other moves. Liam Foudy has been recalled from the AHL, and Matiss Kivlenieks has been brought up from the taxi squad under emergency conditions. Daniil Tarasov has been added to the taxi squad and Cliff Pu is on his way back to the AHL.
Korpisalo, 26, didn’t have the kind of season many expected, posting an .894 save percentage through 33 appearances for Columbus. Those struggles, along with the team’s make an obvious case for the Blue Jackets to move on from the Finnish goaltender in the offseason. Both Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins are on contracts that will expire at the end of next season, leaving them unrestricted free agents able to sign anywhere. If they could get anything in return for Korpisalo, who carries a $2.8MM cap hit, it seems prudent.
Of course, that may be easier said than done. Though he was a strong performer in the 2019-20 season, Korpisalo doesn’t have a very encouraging body of work over his NHL career so far. In 160 appearances he has recorded a .905 save percentage, fluctuating wildly from one season to the next. The potential is there to be a legitimate starting goaltender—he showed that last season when he was selected to the All-Star Game—but it has too rarely shown itself. An acquiring team would need to believe in him and want to extend him past 2021-22 in order for the Blue Jackets to really get much value in trade, especially now coming off an injury.