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New Jersey Devils Sign Graeme Clarke

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Saturday: Official now, the Devils have signed Clarke to his three-year ELC which is set to begin next season. The team notes in their release that Clarke is currently playing with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils and should remain there for the time being.

Friday: Though the team hasn’t officially announced it yet, Graeme Clarke has signed his entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils. PuckPedia was the first to report the deal, which is a three-year contract that carries a cap hit of $850K. The deal will kick in for the 2021-22 season.

Clarke, 19, was selected with the 80th overall pick in 2019 and like many other prospects has been just trying to get games in wherever he can. In December, he agreed to a loan overseas and played six games in the Slovakian professional league, recording a single point. In early February, while still waiting on the OHL to return, he inked an AHL deal with the Binghamton Devils where he has played in four games. Though he still doesn’t have a point, just getting some on-ice experience is a huge step for a player that saw his 2019-20 season shortened drastically.

In October of 2019, just a few months after being selected by the Devils, Clarke suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. He’d end up playing just 16 games with the Ottawa 67’s thanks to the rehab and early shutdown, meaning it was nearly a lost development year for the young winger. Now, even with a handful of games at the AHL level, his path is still stunted. When the OHL returns in some fashion, Clarke will be forced to return to junior.

The Devils meanwhile still obviously believe in his talent, enough to sign him to an entry-level deal. Had they not, his draft rights would have expired in June.

Bruins Could Re-Sign Tuukka Rask And Jaroslav Halak

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The Boston Bruins have one of the better goalie tandems in the NHL right now and have for several years in the veteran duo of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak. The defending Jennings Trophy winners have shown no signs of slowing down either; Rask finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last season while leading the league in goals against average and Halak currently has a sub-2.40 GAA of his own for his third straight season in Boston. Yet, when the 2020-21 season comes to a close, the Bruins will no longer have either under contract as the tandem are slated for unrestricted free agency. That is unless they re-sign one or both during the season. Appearing on NBC Sports, Bob McKenzie reported that the Bruins are open to extending both Rask and Halak and would considering doing so in-season as well, “if they get the sense from the goaltenders that’s what they want to do.”

Breaking down McKenzie’s report into two pieces, it certainly makes sense that the Bruins would entertain re-signing Rask and/or Halak. Rask, 33, is the player McKenzie acknowledges as the “key” to the future in net in Boston. The Bruins starter is quietly on his way to a Hall of Fame career with a top-five all-time mark in save percentage and the leading save percentage and GAA among all active goalies. Yet, even more important to this conversation is that he is still among the best in the game. While Rask has received criticism throughout his career, he remains one of the more difficult goalies in the NHL to replace. Even with names like Jordan Binnington, Frederik Andersen, and Petr Mrazek potentially available on the open market this off-season, there is no sure thing that the Bruins could confidently replace the play of Rask. Fortunately, Rask is not much of a threat to follow the money to another club. Well-compensated throughout his career and having previously stated that he does not want to play anywhere but Boston, it seems that if Rask wants to keep playing the Bruins will re-sign him.

As for Halak, 35, he may be more valuable to Boston than any other team in the NHL. There is a strong correlation between proper rest and elite performance in Rask’s career and having a dependable backup behind him in Halak these past few years has been an incredible asset for the Bruins. The team’s trust in the aging but productive net minder may just lead to another contract. With plenty of cap space, Boston can afford to pay for a top-dollar backup for another year or two. Of course, the counter-argument to a Halak return is that it would be easier for the Bruins to find another reliable backup in free agency than and they could potentially save money in looking elsewhere. Bringing back such a proven commodity in Halak will also once again block top goalie prospects Dan Vladar and Jeremy Swayman, who each rank in the top ten in the AHL in save percentage so far this season. As the Bruins continue to inject youth into their lineup, the question becomes whether they can give opportunity to the prospects and still provide sound play from the backup position or if the safer route is to simply stick with the tandem that has worked so well.

As for McKenzie’s statement that the Bruins could re-sign Rask or Halak during the season, there is more reason to be more skeptical of that assertion. With Rask and Halak both on expiring contracts, there is no need to protect either in the impending NHL Expansion Draft. Especially given the number of attractive options on the Boston roster available to the Seattle Kraken, the team would not select a UFA goalie. In their current contract state, the Bruins can instead protect Vladar from Seattle while exposing impending RFA fifth-string Callum Booth. Vladar, 23, would otherwise become a potential selection risk if Rask or Halak are re-signed and thus require protection. The young goaltender is enjoying another elite season in the AHL and could very well be the Bruins’ goalie of the future if he can outplay Swayman. Why would the Bruins leave Vladar exposed when they don’t need to?

Well, as McKenzie points out, if there is pressure from Rask or Halak to sign a new deal before the end of the season then that could change the status quo. Additionally, Vladar will drop his waiver exemption next season, meaning that the Bruins could lose him anyway if he is not ready for the NHL. (This is exactly what happened with Malcolm Subban and the Vegas Golden Knights following the last Expansion Draft.) The Bruins may also look at Vladar as worthwhile bait for Seattle to take over one of their many established roster players at forward and defense who will also be exposed. In that case, there is no reason to hold off on an extension for Rask or Halak if the plan would be to protect them as a UFA anyhow in order to expose Vladar.

It remains to be seen what exactly will happen to Boston’s situation in goal, but timing aside it is a safe bet that Rask will be back between the pipes for the Bruins next season and beyond and Halak could be right there with him. If one or both don’t return, it will make for an intriguing off-season in Boston.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/05/21

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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 Colorado Avalanche have swapped taxi squad goaltenders, sending Adam Werner to the AHL and recalling Peyton Jones. Werner is a potential future option for the Avalanche at the NHL level, but still needs seasoning and will get a chance to play some games in the minors. Jones, a 25-year-old undrafted goaltender, has an .891 save percentage in two appearances with the Colorado Eagles this season.  They then recalled Conor Timmins, Kiefer Sherwood, Logan O’Connor, and Dan Renouf from the taxi squad on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly.
  • The San Jose Sharks have done their usual few transactions, this time recalling Stefan Noesen and Noah Gregor to the taxi squad. The Sharks are back in action tonight against the Golden Knights.  Per CapFriendly, recalled from the taxi squad were Alex True, Joel Kellman, Kurtis Gabriel, and Frederik Claesson.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have made their usual flurry of gameday moves in advance of their game versus St. Louis. Tobias Bjornfot and Rasmus Kupari were both recalled from the taxi squad while the Kings also recalled Tyler Madden, Sean Durzi, and Mikey Eyssimont from Ontario of the AHL to the taxi squad with Drake Rymsha being sent from the taxi squad to Ontario.
  • The Anaheim Ducks returned David Backes to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The veteran has only suited up nine times so far this season, recording two goals.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have loaned Adin Hill to AHL Tucson on a conditioning loan, per CapFriendly.  Hill last played on February 26th, just one of two games he has played this season.  The conditioning loan allows him to go down but avoid waivers and can last up to two weeks.  Meanwhile, Michael Chaput was recalled from the taxi squad.
  • The Minnesota Wild have sent Gerald Mayhew back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  One of the top scorers in the AHL last season, he has just one assist in four NHL games so far this year.
  • The St. Louis Blues recalled Dakota Joshua from the taxi squad on an emergency loan and Jake Walman from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, reversing Thursday’s demotions.

North Division

  • Following last night’s loss, the Ottawa Senators have moved Erik Brannstrom to the taxi squad. The young defenseman has five points in 11 games for the team this season and is expected to be back on the roster when the team is back in action later this weekend.
  • The Calgary Flames have moved Byron Froese to the AHL, opening up a spot on their taxi squad for the time being. The team doesn’t play again until Sunday, meaning they can move Derek Ryan to the taxi squad to save some cap space.
  • Eric Comrie has had quite the year so far, moving around the league on waivers and spending more time in quarantine than on the ice. Now, he has been assigned to the AHL by the Winnipeg Jets where he can get some action.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have loaned Guillaume Brisebois to the minors but not to their AHL affiliate in Utica. Instead, they’ve sent him to AHL Laval for the time being. That ensures that Brisebois, who had been on the taxi squad all season, will be able to be recalled without having to go through quarantine while allowing him to get some game action at least.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have returned Paul Byron to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly, their usual non-gameday move.  With him going down, Montreal then returned Cam Hillis to AHL Laval.

Central Division

East Division

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Drew O’Connor to the minor leagues; Anthony Angello and Josh Currie have been moved to the taxi squad. After carrying a huge load through the early part of the season, Joseph’s role on the Penguins has been greatly diminished recently and he will now get a chance to get back on the ice in some minor league tilts. The 21-year-old has five points in 16 games this season.
  • The New Jersey Devils have moved Michael McLeod to the taxi squad, recalled Brett Seney from the AHL to the taxi squad and re-assigned Joshua Jacobs from the taxi squad to the AHL. The Devils got stomped by the Rangers yesterday and have an afternoon rematch tomorrow.
  • The Boston Bruins recalled Trent Frederic and Jack Studnicka from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The two youngsters have been up and down frequently this season to save cap room but Frederic has played in all 20 games while Studnicka has suited up 11 times.
  • The Buffalo Sabres assigned Jacob Bryson to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Considering that the defenseman led the Sabres in ice time on Thursday, it’s safe to say that this is just a cap-saving move and that he’ll be recalled for their game on Saturday.
  • With the New York Rangers off, they made a long list of roster moves, per CapFriendly.  Anthony Bitetto, K’Andre Miller, and Libor Hajek were all sent back to the taxi squad while Jonny Brodzinski and Patrick Newell went from the taxi squad to AHL Hartford.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers loaned Connor Bunnaman to their taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  Despite frequently moving up and down, the 22-year-old has played in 15 games with the Flyers so far this season.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Blackhawks’ Ivan Nalimov Leaving KHL To “Continue His Career In The U.S.”

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March 5: The mystery of where Nalimov will play has been solved. The young goaltender has signed an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs for the remainder of the season. He will not be eligible to play for the Blackhawks but can get into the organization and start playing in North America.

March 1: The KHL regular season is over and, for those teams fortunate enough to qualify, the Gagarin Cup playoffs are set to begin on Tuesday. Dinamo Riga is not among one of those lucky teams. In fact, the Latvian club finished dead last in the league standings by a considerable margin. For several of their impending free agents, Riga has opted not to make them wait until the KHL off-season officially begins. The team announced multiple contract terminations today. Among them was goaltender Ivan Nalimov, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect and a late addition to Dinamo in December who took over the starting role in the latter half of the season. Per Riga’s release, Nalimov was granted an early termination to “continue his career in the USA.”

What exactly this expected move to North America means for the 26-year-old Nalimov remains to be seen. Having never made the jump prior at any point since Chicago drafted him in the sixth round in 2014, Nalimov remains property of the Blackhawks – a label with an indefinite length. However, the team has previously seemed hesitant to sign the Russian netminder, despite good KHL numbers. In fact, at one point Nalimov formally requested a trade to another NHL team. Whether this was prompted by Chicago refusing to offer Nalimov a contract or whether he simply did not see a path to NHL opportunity was never clear and Nalimov later rescinded the request. This off-season, without much experience at the goalie position, it seemed as good a time as any for Chicago to sign Nalimov and it seemed that he realized this as well, waiting to re-sign in the KHL. It was only after the NHL’s return to play plans were formalized and it became clear that Nalimov was not in the Blackhawks’ plans for this season that he signed in Riga. Despite much skepticism, Chicago’s play in net as been stellar this season, led by a breakout campaign from perceived third-string Kevin Lankinen. With Lankinen, Malcolm Subban, and Collin Delia all signed through next season, the logjam in net has seemingly returned to Chicago. Is there no room for Nalimov? Or has the emergence of Lankinen opened the club’s eyes to take a chance on their European netminders?

The phrasing of Riga’s press release, as translated from Latvian, seems to indicate that there is a specific plan in place for Nalimov, one that prompted the early termination of his contract. It could be that with the window opening today to sign contracts for the 2021-22 season that the Blackhawks have an agreement to sign Nalimov to a contract beginning next year. In the meantime, he could sign an AHL contract for the remainder of this season. There is also a chance that Chicago, hopeful for a playoff berth this season, will add Nalimov on an NHL deal immediately as a depth option. Beyond their NHL trio, the club’s only other goaltender under contract, Matt Tomkins, has struggled in his young pro career and has had a woeful start to this season in the AHL. In either case, it would mean Nalimov has come to terms with the Blackhawks’ depth chart and there is no further animosity between he and the team. If this is not the case, it could be that Chicago has promised to trade Nalimov before next season and at this point he is ready to play wherever in the league (or minors) he might end up.

Assuming Nalimov is indeed ready to begin the next stage of his career in North America, there is certainly upside for whichever team signs him. That is, if you overlook this season. Playing for a poor Riga team, especially as a late addition, Nalimov struggled this year with an .877 save percentage and 3.58 GAA. However, this is a steep outlier from the rest of his KHL career. Nalimov had maintained a high level of play over his previous six seasons, playing for a number of different teams. While his frequent movement in recent years has prevented him from taking on a workhorse role, he has played just as well with limited appearances for a team as he has as their undisputed starter. KHL goaltenders have found success transitioning to the NHL in recent years and Nalimov could be the next in line.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/04/21

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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 Los Angeles Kings have sent Daniel Brickley and Markus Phillips back to the AHL, while recalling Rasmus Kupari to the taxi squad. Kupari, 20, has dominated at the minor league level so far this season, scoring nine points in his first eight games. The 2018 first-round pick is still waiting on his first NHL appearance.
  • Logan Thompson, the AHL’s Goaltender of the Month for February, is nevertheless still a ways away from challenging for an NHL spot in Vegas. After a brief recall, the Golden Knights have reassigned Thompson to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights.

North Division

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Braydon Coburn from the taxi squad ahead of their game tonight against the Flames. Coburn, 36, played just under 17 minutes the last time these two teams met.
  • Winnipeg is looking to get some of their top forward prospects more play time. The Jets announced that Kristian Vesalainen and David Gustafsson have been reassigned from the taxi squad to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. Heading the other way is fellow forward Joona Luoto. 
  • Marc Michaelis will make his NHL debut on Thursday after the Vancouver Canucks announced that he had been activated from the Season-Opening Injured Reserve and placed in the lineup. Rookie defenseman Olli Juolevi has been reassigned to the taxi squad to make room for the forward Michaelis.

Central Division

  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Mathias Brome and Evgeny Svechnikov from the taxi squad, suggesting the Svechnikov-Svechnikov battle is finally going to happen. Evgeny and his brother Andrei Svechnikov from the Carolina Hurricanes will do battle tonight.
  • The Dallas Stars continue to shuffle their forward depth, this time returning Ty Dellandrea to the taxi squad and recalling Joel Kiviranta and Tanner Kero. The team hopes to find the right combination up front to get back on track with this season.
  • Things are changing in Nashville. With Ryan Johansen activated from COVID Protocol and Juuse Saros headed to the injured reserve, the Predators have taken this time to make a flurry of additional changes as well. The team announced that defenseman Ben Harpur and goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo have been promoted from the taxi squad to the active roster while forward Brad Richardson has been activated from the IR to the roster. Heading down to the taxi squad is defenseman Alexandre Carrier. Joining Carrier on the squad is a trio of recalls from the minors. Forward Rem Pitlick and defenseman Jeremy Davies have been recalled from temporary AHL affiliate Chicago, while goalie Devin Cooley has been recalled from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. Meanwhile, forward Tanner Jeannot has been reassigned to the AHL’s Wolves from the taxi squad. Anything else Nashville?

East Division

  • The New York Rangers have recalled Patrick Newell from the minor leagues and added him to their taxi squad, while sending the recently-signed Mason Geertsen back down. Geertsen signed an NHL deal and had to clear waivers, but never spent any time with the big club.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins will go back to the well on Thursday night, filling out their lineup once again with the help of forwards Josh Currie and Anthony Angello. The pair have been promoted from the taxi squad.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/03/21

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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

  • Glenn Gawdin has been returned to the AHL by the Calgary Flames after a five-game stint with the big club. The 23-year-old Gawdin is quite the story of perseverance and will get another NHL chance at some point. For the Stockton Heat, who are losing Connor Zary back to his WHL team, Gawdin’s appearance will be most welcome.
  • The Ottawa Senators have reassigned Micheal Haley and Filip Gustavsson to the taxi squad, which could potentially open the door for Ryan Dzingel to make his return after making it through his quarantine. The Senators lost to the Canadiens last night but are still playing better of late, going 6-4 in their last ten.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Joakim Nygard from the taxi squad with Patrick Russell being sent to the taxi squad in a corresponding move.  Both wingers have played in four games so far this season with Russell leading in points with one assist to Nygard’s zero.
  • The Montreal Canadiens assigned Paul Byron to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  It’s a move they’ve made several times in recent days since he cleared waivers but he’s likely to be recalled on Thursday.  Cam Hillis was returned to AHL Laval in a corresponding move.

Central Division

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have assigned Brandon Pirri and Lucas Carlsson to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL, after activating Carlsson from injured reserve. The 23-year-old defenseman had been dealing with a groin injury and likely needs some games to get back up to his previous level. In ten games this season, Carlsson has yet to record a point.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have sent Mathias Brome and Evgeny Svechnikov back to the taxi squad after another loss last night. Detroit now sits at 7-15-3 on the season, but ultimately that is exactly where they want to be in a rebuild. The team isn’t going to make the playoffs this season but will get another high draft pick to add to the prospect pipeline.
  • The Nashville Predators have made their usual daily move, sending Tanner Jeannot, Mathieu Olivier, and Ben Harpur to the taxi squad. The Predators lost again last night, having injuries mounting to their best players and trade rumors swirling about the rest of the roster.
  • The Dallas Stars have assigned Taylor Fedun and Tanner Kero to the taxi squad after last night’s loss against the Lightning. Dallas starts a two-game series against the Blue Jackets tomorrow, at which point they’ll likely make a corresponding move.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have once again returned Alex Nedeljkovic and Jake Bean to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The two have been shuffled back and forth regularly over the past several weeks and will almost certainly be recalled on Thursday for their next game against Detroit.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning returned Ross Colton to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The 24-year-old has a goal in two games so far this season.

East Division

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have sent Frederick Gaudreau back to the minor leagues while moving Drew O’Connor, Josh Currie, and Anthony Angello onto the taxi squad. With the team also moving Jason Zucker to long-term injured reserve, they have a little cap flexibility if they want to go after someone through trade.
  • The Boston Bruins made several roster moves in advance of their game versus Washington, per CapFriendly.  Trent Frederic and Urho Vaakanainen were recalled from the taxi squad while Greg McKegg was sent back to the taxi squad.  Additionally, Zach Senyshyn was recalled to the taxi squad from AHL Providence.
  • The Buffalo Sabres returned Jacob Bryson to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The rookie has certainly held his own in Buffalo’s lineup over the last ten days, averaging nearly 18 minutes per night over his first four NHL contests.
  • Oliver Wahlstrom’s daily shuffling continues as the New York Islanders assigned him back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The 20-year-old is on a five-game point streak and will undoubtedly be recalled for tomorrow’s game against Buffalo.
  • The New York Rangers loaned Igor Shesterkin, Libor Hajek, and K’Andre Miller to the taxi squad in their normal off day cap-saving moves, per CapFriendly.  Keith Kinkaid was recalled to the active roster to meet the two-goalie minimum while Ty Ronning was loaned from the taxi squad to AHL Hartford.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers assigned Connor Bunnaman to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Snapshots: Maple Leafs, Granlund, DeAngelo, Draft

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are the current kings of the NHL, leading the league standings and by a decent margin. In a rare season in which the Leafs don’t have to go through the Tampa Bay Lightning and more importantly the dreaded Boston Bruins early in the playoffs, Toronto is understandably excited about their prospects and willing to load up before the deadline to give themselves their best shot at a title. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the team’s current focus is on bolstering their forward corps. He states that the goal is to add a middle-six forward prior to the trade deadline and, if possible, one that could line up at center on the third line or shift to wing and play higher in the lineup. One potential fit that continues to be linked to Toronto is Nashville Predators forward Mikael Granlund, if you can call him “middle-six”. On a struggling Predators team, Granlund has been one of the few highlights, leading all Nashville forwards in ice time, blocked shots, and Corsi For and second only to Filip Forsberg in scoring. Dreger believes that Granlund, an impending free agent, will absolutely be available as the Predators seem poised to begin a fire sale of sorts and he could be the ideal pick-up for Toronto as a luxury depth addition – a current top-line forward moving into a middle-six role. Of course, given Granlund’s strong play there will be other suitors and Toronto will certainly take a look at additional options should a Granlund deal not prove to be viable.

  • Trade talks have quieted down on New York Rangers defenseman Anthony DeAngelo, as it seems that teams do not want to make the financial commitment this year and next to the polarizing defenseman despite his obvious ability. Yet, DeAngelo wants to get back on the ice. He was told that his time with the Rangers was over and, per TSN’s Frank Seravalli, that extends to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack as well. New York has informed DeAngelo that he will not be assigned to their affiliate; however, they are willing to loan him out to another AHL team. Seravalli reports that DeAngelo and his representation are currently in the process of trying to find a spot for him to play out the rest of this season in the minors. In the big picture, the fact that it has come to this means that a trade elsewhere seems highly unlikely. Expect DeAngelo to be bought out this summer and take a short-term “show me” deal elsewhere.
  • Even as the Canadian junior leagues continue to work towards a full return to play, there are concerns about the 2021 NHL Draft and the pressure on teams due to the lack of complete information on eligible prospects. While European leagues, American junior leagues, and the NCAA have all had some semblance of a full season, the same cannot be said for Canada, the largest producer of NHL talent. A number of teams have expressed support for postponing the draft until later this year or even next year and a number of option have been proposed. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman stated on a recent radio appearance that this change is easier said than done. Due to all of the language pertaining to draft eligibility and rights, all collectively bargained, it will be difficult to postpone the draft, even if it is in the best interests of the teams and many prospects. Friedman notes that the NHLPA presented the league with a number of issues that would need to be addressed before the draft could be delayed and Friedman hears that that there simply may not be enough fight on the league side to figure out the many solutions. Dreger reports that, one way or another, answers are needed soon and there could be a meeting as early as Thursday to discuss all issues and options.

Snapshots: Rutherford, Tortorella, Wolf

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It’s still not exactly clear what made Jim Rutherford suddenly resign his post as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this year. Given that he still has “the bug” to help a front office, as he told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic recently, some have wondered if there was perhaps a philosophical disagreement between Rutherford and his Pittsburgh bosses. When asked on the Cam and Strick Podcast about whether he had tried to trade Kris Letang but ownership stopped it, the legendary executive denied any rumors:

Nope. Not accurate. As a matter of fact, I’ve said publicly a few times. Because you get to a point in a player’s career–should you trade ’em, get something young for them or not–but I’ve actually took the position that because the core guys won Stanley Cups, three Stanley Cups, that [Sidney] Crosby, [Evgeni] Malkin and Letang should play their whole career in Pittsburgh. I wish I could say the same thing about [Marc-Andre] Fleury, but we got squeezed on the cap at an earlier time. But those four guys should have played their whole career in Pittsburgh. There’s three of them still there. That’s how I felt then, that’s how I feel now.

If Letang and Malkin are to play their whole careers in Pittsburgh, they’ll need new contracts before long. Both players are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after the 2021-22 season. Crosby meanwhile is signed through 2024-25, which potentially could cover the end of his career already. He’ll be 34 this offseason, meaning his contract takes him through his age-37 season.

  • John Tortorella got the infamous vote of confidence from his general manager earlier today, as Jarmo Kekalainen explained he isn’t looking to make changes to the coaching staff and trusts this group to get the Columbus Blue Jackets out of their recent slump. The Blue Jackets have lost five straight and sit fifth in the Central Division, only ahead of the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, and Dallas Stars (who have only played 16 games, the fewest in the entire league). Tortorella, though respected as a strong systems coach that can get a lot out of a mediocre roster, has been known to eventually have players tune him out in his previous stops. Kekalainen, as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic writes, hasn’t seen that kind of thing yet. A Stanley Cup champion with the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning, Tortorella has been the head coach of the Blue Jackets since the 2015-16 season and has had a winning record in each season with the club.
  • Dustin Wolf has been reassigned back to the WHL, re-joining the Everett Silvertips after a short taste of professional hockey. The 19-year-old goaltender played three games for the Stockton Heat, winning two of them and posting an .895 save percentage. A seventh-round pick in 2019, Wolf is an extremely intriguing prospect trying to break through despite a significant disadvantage–he stands a (generous) 6’0″ and would be one of the smallest goaltenders in the NHL, should he ever make it. So far that size discrepancy hasn’t stopped him, winning CHL Goaltender of the Year and recently taking home a World Junior gold medal. Now that the WHL is returning, Wolf is no longer eligible to play in the AHL.

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/02/21

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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

  • After it was announced that Derek Stepan will miss the rest of the regular season, the Ottawa Senators have made a few roster moves. Erik Brannstrom and Micheal Haley have been recalled from the taxi squad. Braydon Coburn and Matthew Peca have taken their place. Filip Gustavsson has been recalled from the AHL.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Cam Hillis from the AHL, sending him to the taxi squad. The 20-year-old forward is another interesting prospect in the Canadiens system, selected 66th overall in 2018 and coming off an outstanding OHL campaign in 2019-20. He failed to score in his professional debut for the Laval Rocket, but had 83 points in 62 games for the Guelph Storm last season.
  • Tucker Poolman is healthy and has been activated from the injured reserve. The Winnipeg Jets have sent Logan Stanley down to the taxi squad to open up a spot on the blue line.

Central Division

East Division

  • The Boston Bruins have sent Karson Kuhlman to the AHL, where he’s currently playing for the Providence Bruins in an afternoon matchup. Kuhlman, 25, has played three games for Boston this season.
  • Ty Ronning has been recalled by the New York Rangers and placed on the taxi squad. The 23-year-old forward has one goal in two games for the Hartford Wolf Pack this season.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Minor Transactions: 03/01/21

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As a strange season continues, with leagues around the globe at different places in their respective seasons, it does not appear as if there will ever be a shortage of noteworthy transactions. Here is the latest group of minor moves:

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have reassigned a pair of prospects back to their junior clubs in the WHL, with the league finally getting back to work. Gage Goncalves and Jack Finley, both under contract, as well as fellow Tampa draft pick Jaydon Dureau had all been playing in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch, albeit with four total appearances between them. All three will have a greater role as leaders of their junior teams. The trio are all staying in the U.S., as Goncalves returns to the Everett Silvertips, Finley to the Spokane Chiefs, and Dureau to the Portland Winterhawks.
  • The Laval Rocket and forward Kevin Lynch have agreed to a mutual contract termination. Laval revealed that Lynch and his family simply wished to return home to the U.S., so the Michigan native may still wind up with another club this season. Lynch, 29, is a veteran of over 200 AHL games and previously played on a two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018-19.
  • New York Rangers prospect Leevi Aaltonen does not appear too eager to begin his North American career any time soon. The 2019 fifth-round pick just moved to a new Liiga team, Kookoo, for the remainder of this season, the club announced. However, the new contract also includes an additional two years, keeping him under contract in Finland through the 2022-23 season. Fortunately, the Rangers have until June 1, 2023 to sign him to an entry-level contract before they would lose his rights. Aaltonen seems comfortable maximizing his development time at home in Finland before making that decision.

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