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Minor Transactions: 08/28/20

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Minor, junior and European leagues continue to prepare for the 2020-21 season with signings, trades and loans. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable transactions right here:

  • It’s been years since Rob Schremp was a notable NHL name, but that doesn’t mean he’s out of the hockey world just yet. The Edmonton Oilers 2004 first-round pick has resurfaced with HK Mogo in Latvia, signing a one-year deal with the club. Schremp last played an NHL game during the 2010-11 season with the Atlanta Thrashers and has since spent time in the AHL, SHL, KHL, EBEL, NLA, DEL and Belarussian league, traveling the world playing hockey.
  • Andrew O’Brien, who was a fourth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2012 will be playing another year overseas, this time signing with Dinamo Riga of the KHL for the 2020-21 season. O’Brien played several years in the AHL before heading to Norway last year and dominating, scoring 45 points in 41 games. Perhaps more notable than his scoring totals though were O’Brien’s penalty minutes, which totaled 309 to more than double the second-place offender.
  • Griffen Outhouse, who spent part of last season with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, has decided to give up his professional career for now and return to school. Outhouse will join the University of New Brunswick on the Canadian college circuit, an eight-time national championship program. The 22-year old goaltender posted an .882 save percentage for the Moose in five appearances.

New York Islanders Loan Simon Holmstrom To Vita Hasten HC

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The New York Islanders are still churning along towards the Stanley Cup, but the front office still has to make preparations for next season. With that in mind, the team has loaned prospect Simon Holmstrom to Vita Hasten HC of the Swedish second league. The team does not specifically state whether Holmstrom will be back for the 2020-21 season in North America, whenever that begins.

Selected 23rd overall in 2019, Holmstrom is part of a prospect pipeline in New York that is still quite well stocked. Even as a teenager this season he was part of a Bridgeport Sound Tigers team that also included Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom, two other first-rounders that are still waiting for their real big break in the NHL. Though he didn’t by any means dominate the minor league, Holmstrom did record 15 points in 46 games as one of the youngest players in the entire AHL.

There is an obvious “wow” factor when you watch Holmstrom, especially when pitted against players his own age. His puck skills and acceleration are excellent and though he wasn’t able to use that offensive upside on a routine basis in the AHL, you can bet he’ll find success playing in the Allsvenskan to start the year.

Holmstrom’s contract will slide this season and can again next year should he fail to play in ten NHL games. That would mean his entry-level deal, signed in 2019, could end up stretching all the way to 2024.

Chris Wilkie Signs In AHL

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Another one of the players who saw their exclusive draft rights expire earlier this month has found a new home, as Chris Wilkie signs a one-year AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs. Wilkie was a draft pick of the Florida Panthers in 2015 but was actually acquired by the Ottawa Senators last October. Unfortunately, the Senators weren’t able to sign him before the August deadline, meaning Wilkie became an unrestricted free agent able to sign with whatever organization he chose.

A sixth-round pick of the Panthers, he was actually the player sent to Ottawa for Jack Rodewald who was subsequently involved in the Brendan Leipsic Instagram messaging scandal, actions condemned by the NHL and the Florida organization. Rodewald will become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this fall, but it doesn’t appear as though the Panthers gave up much of an opportunity anyway when they moved on from Wilkie.

The 24-year old forward actually had an outstanding goal-scoring campaign for Colorado College in 2019-20, scoring 23 times in just 34 games. That dwarfed his previous NCAA high of six goals and earned him some national recognition.

Still, Wilkie will have to start in the minor leagues and continue to work his way up the chain if he dreams of ever playing in the NHL. His AHL contract will not allow the Chicago Blackhawks to recall him, but perhaps he can show enough this season to earn himself an entry-level deal down the road.

Minor Transactions: 08/27/20

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Minor, junior and European leagues continue to prepare for the 2020-21 season with signings, trades and loans. As always, we’ll keep track of the notable transactions right here:

  • Andrew Nielsen, whose NHL contract with the Calgary Flames will expire at the end of this season, has decided to take his talents overseas for next year. The 23-year old defenseman has signed in Austria, though the Flames could retain his rights by issuing him a qualifying offer. Nielsen arrived in Calgary via a 2018 trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had selected him 65th overall in the 2015 draft. Nielsen was part of the 2018 Calder Cup champion Toronto Marlies, but hasn’t seen a single game in the NHL.
  • Andrew DeBrincat, the older brother of Chicago Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat is on the move in the ECHL, part of a three-way trade between the Kansas City Mavericks, Cincinnati Cyclones and Worcester Railers. The older DeBrincat, who has never played above the ECHL, will play for the Railers this season.
  • 2008 third-round pick Mathieu Brodeur has returned to the ECHL for the 2020-21 season, inking a one-year deal with the Adirondack Thunder. Brodeur has spent time playing in France and Slovakia the past two seasons but has extensive experience in both the AHL and lower minors. Like Nielsen, he has never reached the NHL.

David Gustafsson Loaned To Allsvenskan

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Among the players being loaned out to European leagues, it’s no longer only prospects that are years away from making an NHL impact. Now teams are starting to find landing spots for young players who have a good shot at making the roster when the 2020-21 season starts too. David Gustafsson, who played 22 games with the Winnipeg Jets this season, has been loaned to Tingsryds AIF of Sweden’s Allsvenskan (second tier).

Gustafsson, 20, scored his first NHL goal with the Jets but was held scoreless otherwise and managed just seven points in 13 AHL contests. Still, he’s a big part of their future after being selected 60th overall in 2018 and making an impact at the SHL level.

This move is a bit curious, given he’s already competed and succeeded at the highest level in Sweden, but it will certainly give Gustafsson a chance to build on his game and get some confidence coming into NHL training camp. The Jets release specifically states that the young forward will return when the 2020-21 season begins in North America.

Nick Merkley Signs In Finland

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One of the players that the New Jersey Devils received in exchange for Taylor Hall was Nick Merkley, a 23-year old forward originally drafted in the first round by the Arizona Coyotes. Merkley ended up playing 28 games for the Devils’ minor league affiliate and four games in the NHL, but will now be playing overseas for the next few months.

Merkley has signed a one-year contract with Assat of the Finnish Liiga, though the deal does have an NHL out-clause that runs through mid-December. The young forward’s entry-level contract is coming to an end in the NHL and he will be a restricted free agent, meaning if he comes to an agreement with the Devils he can be back in time for training camp.

Of course, there’s no guarantee the two sides to come to a deal and even if they do, the uncertainty surrounding the 2020-21 AHL season will be something to consider. If New Jersey wasn’t planning on using Merkley at the NHL level, perhaps they will allow him to play and develop in Finland this season.

The 30th-overall selection in 2015, Merkley has just five NHL games under his belt to this point. He has performed well enough at the AHL level, but still hasn’t quite been that dominant offensive presence that scored 117 points in his draft year or even the one that had 18 goals and 39 points in just 38 games as a minor league rookie.

Minor Transactions: 08/26/20

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Things kick off today with some afternoon hockey between the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers, before a pair of later games this evening. For more than half the league though, plans are being formulated for the 2020-21 season instead (whenever that starts). Minor, junior, and European leagues are also planning their next steps and like always we’ll keep track of those minor moves right here.

  • Ryan Jones has signed with the Rochester Americans after failing to reach an agreement with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 24-year old defenseman became a free agent earlier this month after four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and will instead join the AHL organization to start his professional career.
  • The San Jose Sharks have loaned Josef Korenar to HC Ocelari to start the season, letting him get some game action in the Czech Republic while they wait for the AHL. Korenar posted an .891 save percentage in 33 games this season for the San Jose Barracuda, his second season in North American pro hockey.
  • The OHL’s Oshawa Generals have landed a future NHL prospect in a trade with the Erie Otters. Forward Hayden Fowler, expected to be a mid-round pick in the upcoming 2020 NHL Draft, was acquired by Oshawa for a trio of high picks, the team announced. Fowler, an OHL first-rounder in 2017, recorded 42 points in 52 games this season.
  • Former New York Islanders prospect Kirill Petrov won’t be attempting a North American comeback any time soon. Petrov, now 30, was a 2008 selection of the Isles whose stint with the club lasted just 13 AHL games in 2015-16. Yet, in the four seasons since he returned to the KHL, he has put up strong numbers year after year. However, rather than try his hand at the top level, Petrov has signed a two-year extension with Ak Bars Kazan, the team reports.

Brennan Menell Signs In KHL

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The Minnesota Wild have lost a promising young prospect, at least for the time being. Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that Brennan Menell has signed a one-year contract with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL. In a follow-up tweet, Russo explained that Russo is “likely gone for good” even though the Wild can retain his rights temporarily by issuing him a qualifying offer. Menell is scheduled to become a restricted free agent when his three-year entry-level contract expires later this fall.

The 23-year old was an undrafted free agent signing in 2017 and quickly became one of the most dynamic defensemen in the AHL. Menell recorded 47 points in 57 games for the Iowa Wild this season and even made his NHL debut, suiting up five times for Minnesota. Named to the First All-Star Team in the AHL this season, it looked like the young defenseman was on a path directly to the NHL at some point in the future.

Now, he’ll head to the KHL where he could very well find even more success. You can bet you’ll hear his name again in the future as a potential signing, but cross him off the list of potential roster players for Minnesota in 2020-21. Even with Menell’s situation resolved, Wild GM Bill Guerin has a long list of restricted free agents to deal with this summer, including Luke Kunin, Jordan Greenway and AHL Goaltender of the Year Kaapo Kahkonen. We recently examined the upcoming offseason and the biggest needs that Guerin faces.

Minor Transactions: 08/25/20

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The playoffs resume with two more games this evening, as the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights look to take commanding 2-0 series leads. For more than half the league though, plans are being formulated for the 2020-21 season instead (whenever that starts). Minor, junior, and European leagues are also planning their next steps and like always we’ll keep track of those minor moves right here.

  • Filip Hallander, the Toronto Maple Leafs newest prospect, had already been loaned to Lulea HF for the 2020-21 season. Toronto GM Kyle Dubas told reporters today that the team will honor that agreement, though Hallander will be back to take part in NHL training camp. Should he fail to make the NHL roster, he’ll be on his way back to spend another season developing in Sweden. Hallander suffered a broken leg in the second game of the 2019-20 SHL season, but still managed to put up 14 points in 27 games by the end of the year.
  • Jan Bednar, a top goaltending prospect for the 2020 draft, has committed to playing in North America this season, signing with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL. Bednar was the 2nd overall pick in the 2020 CHL Import Draft behind only Matvei Petrov and was ranked second among international goaltenders for the upcoming draft.
  • Ryan Bourque, a long-time AHL veteran, has decided to hang up his skates. The 29-year old son of NHL legend Ray Bourque has retired, finishing with just one game at the NHL level. Originally selected in the third round by the New York Rangers, Bourque scored 203 points in 585 career AHL games and represented Canada several times on the international stage, winning gold at both the U18 and U20 World Junior Championships.

Dan Vladar Signs Three-Year Extension

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The Boston Bruins have locked up some of their young goaltending depth, signing Dan Vladar to a three-year contract extension. The deal will carry an average annual value of $750K at the NHL level but is actually a two-way contract for the first two seasons. The goaltender was scheduled to hit restricted free agency at the end of the season.

Vladar, 23, was one of the best goaltenders in the AHL this season, posting a .936 save percentage in 25 games with the Providence Bruins. His save percentage and incredibly low goals-against-average of 1.79 both led the league, though Kaapo Kahkonen of the Iowa Wild actually took home the top goaltending honors. Still, there’s plenty to be excited about in Vladar’s case.

Selected in the third round of the 2015 draft, the Czech-born Vladar quickly came to North America to start playing a little closer to his professional future. He suited up for the Chicago Steel of the USHL in 2015-16, before jumping into the Bruins organization and starting his development in the ECHL. A few years and a lot of hard work later, the 6’5″ goaltender is getting closer to challenging for an NHL spot.

Those NHL spots of course are currently occupied, with both Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak under contract for one more year. The veteran duo are both capable NHL starters, meaning Vladar likely has at least one more minor league season in his future before getting tested at the highest level. This extension though provides some security for the Bruins as they head toward unrestricted free agency with both NHL netminders and approach a tough decision on where the franchise will go in net for 2021-22.

Of course, this deal also helps the Bruins in another way. All teams are required to have at least one eligible goaltender under contract for the 2021 expansion draft, meaning Vladar now fills that need as well. It doesn’t seem likely that the Seattle Kraken would pick him though, given how many other young skaters will be available on the Boston list.

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