Philadelphia Flyers Part Ways With Scott Gordon
There is another interesting coaching candidate hitting the market. The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they will be parting ways with Scott Gordon, head coach of their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. With Gordon leaving, assistant coach Kerry Huffman has also decided to step down from his role. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher released a statement on the decision:
I would like to thank Scott and Kerry for their service to the organization. Both Scott and Kerry have dedicated their time and effort in developing Flyers prospects and bringing success to Lehigh Valley over the last several years. In speaking with each of them, we felt this was best for the future direction of the organization.
The departure of Gordon from the Flyers organization is a surprising one and may suggest that he has an opportunity somewhere else around the league. The 58-year-old coach is very well respected in the NHL and has led the Phantoms since 2015. In 2018-19 he served as interim head coach for the Flyers, and previously was the head coach of the New York Islanders. He also was head coach of the U.S. World Championship squad three times and assisted at both the Olympics and World Cup in the past.
That’s a long impressive resume for Gordon, whose name has been discussed in regards to vacancies around the league before. With several NHL teams rebuilding their whole staff this offseason, expect his name to be brought up once again.
Minor Transactions: 05/17/21
With the playoffs underway for almost everyone, the taxi squad shuffle has ended. The unique season that saw more daily transactions than ever before is coming to an end, hopefully never to return. Still, there are going to be some moves from teams preparing for their first round matchups, or players signing overseas. We’ll keep track of the notable minor moves right here.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent Mac Hollowell and Scott Sabourin to the AHL, where they can play in the last few games of the season for the Toronto Marlies. The Maple Leafs are expected to be near full health when their series starts on Thursday, with Zach Bogosian, Riley Nash, and Zach Hyman all shedding no-contract sweaters lately. Interestingly, the Marlies will take on the Laval Rocket this evening, meaning Hollowell and Sabourin will be against Brendan Gallagher and Carey Price, who are on conditioning stints with the Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate.
- The Winnipeg Jets have dissolved their taxi squad, recalling Mikhail Berdin, Eric Comrie, Dylan Samberg, Marko Dano, David Gustafsson, Dominic Toninato and Kristian Vesalainen to the active roster. These “Black Aces” aren’t expected to go into the lineup (or at least not usually) but will practice with the team throughout the playoffs.
- Former NHL forward Jordan Szwarz has signed a two-year deal with the Mannheim Eagles of the DEL, transitioning from the KHL where he spent last season. The 30-year-old played in 50 games during his long North American career, dominating at the minor league level but failing to ever get a long run in the NHL. This season he recorded 27 points in 51 games for Nizhny Novgorod.
- Chris Bourque, who once suited up for the U.S. at the Olympic Games, has signed a new contract with ERC Ingolstadt in the DEL for the 2021-22 season. The 35-year-old forward (and son of NHL legend Ray Bourque), was an AHL All-Star for years before taking his talents to Germany in 2019. This season he recorded 42 points in 38 games, finishing fourth in league scoring.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled Antoine Bibeau, Maxime Lajoie and Ryan Suzuki from the AHL, giving them a few more Black Aces for their upcoming series. Suzuki, 19, scored 10 points in 26 games for the Chicago Wolves this season.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 05/16/21
With the playoffs underway, 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:
- With an injury to Vitek Vanecek and no word on the progress of Ilya Samsonov, the Washington Capitals are forced to make a roster move to bring in an extra goaltender in case neither can go. The team therefore, announced they have recalled Zach Fucale from the Hershey Bears of the AHL. Fucale, once considered an elite goaltending prospect, had fared quite well in the AHL, posting a 1.80 GAA and a .932 save percentage in 16 appearances.
- Las Vegas Review Journal’s David Schoen reports that the Vegas Golden Knights have activated forward Ryan Reaves from LTIR and is ready to join the lineup in his familiar fourth-line role. Reaves’ numbers haven’t been overly impressive, but the forward brings intimidation that Vegas needs on the ice. The 34-year-old has one goal and five points in 37 games to go with 141 hits. Reaves has missed the last 16 games with an undisclosed injury.
- With their AHL season complete now, the Florida Panthers recalled four players to their NHL squad to serve as Black Aces, including defenseman Chase Priskie, Lucas Carlsson, Vladislav Kolyachonok and John Ludvig, according to FloridaHockeyNow’s George Richards.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled goaltender Alex D’Orio from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, according to PGSportsNow’s Matt Vensel. D’Orio will serve as the emergency third-string goaltender with Casey DeSmith out.
- The Montreal Canadiens announced that goaltender Carey Price and winger Brendan Gallagher have been sent to Laval of the AHL on an LTI conditioning loan. Both players will be in uniform for Monday’s game against Toronto. Price, who is slated to play half the game, will be making his first AHL appearance since 2008 while Gallagher will be seeing his first AHL action since 2013.
- The Buffalo Sabres assigned forward Arttu Ruotsalainen to the minors, per CapFriendly. The move is basically procedural at this point as the rookie is on his way to play for Finland at the World Championships.
- The Calgary Flames have brought up defenseman Connor Mackey plus forwards Dominik Simon and Adam Ruzicka from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. All three players are expected to be in uniform tonight against Vancouver.
- Speaking of Vancouver, the Canucks have recalled Jonah Gadjovich from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The forward will make his NHL debut against Calgary.
- The Edmonton Oilers have brought up forwards Kyle Turris, Tyler Ennis, and Patrick Russell plus defenseman Philip Broberg from the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. With their regular season over, they don’t need to carry a taxi squad any longer.
Controversy Surrounds AHL’s Pacific Division Playoffs
The AHL’s Pacific Division is set to get underway with their postseason tournament on Tuesday, but those most crucial to the playoffs don’t actually want to be there: the participants. Agent Allan Walsh of Octagon Sports revealed that the Pacific Division players were surveyed about their thoughts on playing a postseason this year, as all other AHL divisions opted to end their seasons with a simple regular season champion. The result: 133 of 141 responses (over 94%) stated that they did not want to participate in a playoff.
Given the logistical issues of holding a full league postseason this season, the AHL had opted not to award the Calder Cup this year. Instead, they let each division decide how they would handle crowning a champion. With the AHL broken down into small, regional divisions this season due to the Coronavirus, the Pacific was one of five divisions and one of only three with six or more teams. Yet, the other two – the North and Central Divisions – did not decide to extend their seasons with a playoff tournament. Only the Pacific decided to move forward, despite heavy opposition by the players.
The major issue for the players is that they are not paid for postseason participation. This is true for athletes in all North American pro sports, as contracts only cover regular season performance (aside from postseason bonuses), but usually players have something worth fighting for besides money: a league championship. The Calder Cup is not at stake here and clearly the players do not feel that “2020-21 Pacific Division Champion” on their resume is worth the time and effort. Nor the risk. Health is another major concern, as worker’s compensation will not cover any injuries sustained in the postseason.
The players, with valid reasoning and the backing of their players’ association, did not support the Pacific Division postseason. Yet, the teams proceeded with implementing a playoff structure anyhow and one that includes all seven teams playing at least one game at that. To date, no player has backed out. Why? “That’s career suicide,” one AHL player told InsideAHLHockey.com. With contracts pro-rated for the shortened 2020-21, many AHL contract players are already having a difficult time making ends meet financially and cannot risk blacklisting themselves when they are desperately in need of continued employment next season. As for those on NHL contracts, they are not going to go against the wishes of their organization, either because they are also a veteran who needs another contract or they are a young player trying to stay in their team’s good graces to earn opportunity at the top level. The Pacific Division team had all the leverage in this situation and they used, despite the wishes of the lifeblood of the game. If you’re planning to enjoy the upcoming playoff, just keep in mind – no one wants to be there.
Overseas Notes: Lindholm, Bobkov, Vladar
It’s been an interesting season to say the least for forward Par Lindholm. The veteran sought his release from the Boston Bruins back in February and was granted a contract termination, citing his desire to play a more meaningful role than the 15th or 16th forward on the Bruins’ depth chart. His wish for more commitment and standing was granted almost immediately after he left Boston, returning to his former SHL club Skelleftea AIK on a whopping five-year deal. Lindholm played in 11 games down the stretch for Skelleftea, recording nine points, and then added six points in a dozen playoff games for the semifinalist. Lindholm quickly proved to be an invaluable piece for Skelleftea and with a long-term deal in place, it seemed that it would stay that way for some time. Well, that may not be the case. Skelleftea has announced today that Lindholm has exercised a previously unreported “out clause” in his contract to leave the team for the 2021-22 season. The team notes that the remaining four years on his deal do remain valid and they hope he returns to play out his contract. Where Lindholm is off to next that he considers an upgrade to Skelleftea remains unknown; his time in the NHL showed that the league’s teams do not see him as any more than a bottom-six depth player, so remaining in Europe seems likely. A better offer in Sweden or an opportunity in the KHL could have prompted this decision by Lindholm, but only time will tell.
- So much for the Igor Bobkov NHL comeback speculation. Fresh off of a Gagarin Cup title, Bobkov was granted a release from the newly-crowned champs Avangard Omsk on Monday, with the expectation being that he would be looking to test the NHL free agent market this summer. The former Anaheim Ducks top prospect has dominated the KHL for six years running and at 30 years old could still have had appeal in a second try in North America. Instead, another KHL club, Ak Bars Kazan, has inked Bobkov to a one-year deal, putting an end to any NHL possibilities for next season. Why Omsk, who still had Bobkov under contract for one more year, opted to terminate him instead of trade him to Kazan remains a mystery, but regardless the KHL retains one of its very best netminders for at least the 2021-22 campaign.
- Another KHL club has made an interesting move in net, although they may never reap the benefits. Automobilist Yekaterinburg announced today that they have acquired the KHL rights of Boston Bruins goaltender Dan Vladar in exchange for minor league forward Kirill Pilipenko. Vladar would of course be an excellent addition for Yekaterinburg, that is if he ever leaves North America in his pro career. While Jeremy Swayman has overshadowed Vladar in Boston this season, the latter has quietly been one of the very best goalies in the AHL both this season and last. In fact, he held the best save percentage and GAA mark in the AHL in 2019-20. The 23-year-old was a third-round pick by the Bruins back in 2015 and already has five pro seasons under his belt, including three AHL seasons with a .923 save percentage or better. While Vladar’s early NHL results have not been spectacular, that shouldn’t hurt his value as a prospect as compared to his size, composure, and minor league track record. Heading into next season, other teams may even get a chance to show just how much upside they see in Vladar. The young goaltender will lose his waiver exemption in 2021-22 and if, as many expect, the Bruins go with a tandem of re-signed Tuukka Rask and Swayman next year, the team may try to trade Vladar if they don’t think they can sneak him through waivers. Via trade or waiver claim, Vladar could find himself on an NHL roster on a permanent basis beginning next season. If it goes well, Vladar could be on an NHL roster for much of the rest of his career, as opposed to joining Automobilist in the KHL. Things would have to go south in a major way for the young keeper in order for Yekaterinburg to see any returns on this trade in the near future.
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.