Yakov Trenin Linked To KHL
The Nashville Predators may end up losing prospect Yakov Trenin if they aren’t willing to give him a one-way contract. The 23-year old’s agent posted a picture of Trenin with a SKA St. Petersburg jersey earlier today, and then followed up with Adam Vingan of The Athletic to explain that they would not accept a two-way deal. The agent, Shumi Babayev, told Vingan that the chances are not great of him returning to Nashville, though he hasn’t technically signed in the KHL just yet.
Trenin, a second-round pick from 2015, finally broke into the NHL this season after several years in the minor leagues. Russian-born but drafted out of the QMJHL, he ended up playing 21 games for the Predators in 2019-20 and scored six points. Trenin’s entry-level contract is set to expire and he obviously believes he deserves more than just the two-way deal many prospects have to accept with little NHL experience. With little leverage as an arbitration-ineligible restricted free agent, Trenin’s only real out would be heading to Russia. Even then, the Predators could retain his rights with a qualifying offer, one that would be a two-way contract worth just $787,500 at the NHL level.
Of course, this could be just a negotiating tactic if Trenin hopes to stay and compete for a roster spot next season on a Nashville team that will be looking for cheap options upfront. His waiver-exempt status will expire after this season, meaning even if he does sign a two-way deal he could very well end up at the NHL level all year. An interesting young player that dominated the AHL level this year, it seems unlikely that the Predators would risk him to waivers in order to send him down even if he’s not playing every night for them.
Lukas Vejdemo Signs With Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have announced a new contract for one of their pending restricted free agents, signing Lukas Vejdemo to a one-year two-way deal. The contract carries a $700K salary at the NHL level, while Vejdemo will earn just $105K in the AHL.
Now 24, Vejdemo made his NHL debut this season, suiting up for seven games and scoring his first goal. That opportunity came after a relatively solid AHL rookie season in 2018-19 after he finally decided to leave the SHL. A third-round pick in 2015, Vejdemo will actually already qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency next offseason should he fail to play in 73 games this year with Montreal.
Still, he represents a depth option for the club as they continue what could be a very busy offseason. The Canadiens have already made a trade to acquire Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues and have a huge collection of draft picks for more upgrades if necessary. Montreal has 12 picks in the 2020 draft and 11 picks in 2021, meaning they could easily package together some futures for more immediate roster help.
In the meantime there are many other restricted free agents for the Canadiens to sign. Max Domi and Victor Mete lead the way, but there are 12 players on expiring deals, eight of which can elect arbitration.
Minor Transactions: 09/03/20
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:
- The departing captain of Minnesota State University (Mankato) has signed his first professional contract, inking a deal with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. Nick Rivera spent four years with the Mavericks, serving as captain the final two and scoring 60 points over 151 NCAA games.
- Trevor Murphy, former NHL defenseman and long-time minor leaguer, has signed a new two-year contract with Kunlun Red Star in the KHL. Murphy, 25, had 27 points in 60 games for Kunlun last season, his first overseas after bouncing around the AHL for the last several years.
- Two prospects for the 2020 draft are heading overseas to play in the Swedish third league. Connor McLennon and Ridly Greig, who both spent the 2019-20 season in the WHL, will play for Karlskrona HK this season amid the uncertainty in Canadian junior hockey. While both are likely to be picked in the upcoming draft, Greig’s name will draw much more interest as he could climb into the first round. The 18-year old forward was ranked 14th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.
Alexander Alexeyev Loaned To Yulaev Ufa
The Washington Capitals have decided to let Alexander Alexeyev play in the KHL for the next few months, loaning him to Yulaev Ufa to begin the 2020-21 season. Alexeyev is expected to return to North America for NHL training camp, though it is not clear yet when that will actually take place.
Now 20, Alexeyev was the Capitals first-round pick in 2018 following their Stanley Cup victory. Selected out of the WHL, he played another year with the Red Deer Rebels before joining the Hershey Bears of the AHL for the 2019-20 season. Standing 6’4″, the two-way defenseman put up 21 points in 58 games as a minor league rookie.
The Capitals don’t have a ton of high-end prospects thanks to more than a decade of success, but the ones they do are quite interesting. Alexeyev has progressed nicely since his pick in 2018 and could potentially compete for an NHL job at some point next season. Washington does have two defensemen on the roster who are scheduled for unrestricted free agency, but it hasn’t been an easy blueline to crack for young players in the past as the organization is focused on contending.
The Russian-born Alexeyev hasn’t played there since 2015-16 but was routinely included in international junior tournaments while he played in the CHL. This KHL opportunity will be his first and one that he’ll likely try to take advantage of to show the Capitals front office he deserves even more of a shot when he comes back over.
Detroit Red Wings Loan Filip Larsson To Almtuna
Filip Larsson is the latest Detroit Red Wings prospect to head overseas, loaned today to Almtuna of the Swedish second league. He follows names like Mathias Brome, Moritz Seider, Gustav Lindstrom, Filip Hronek, and Filip Zadina as they prepare for the 2020-21 season with a few months in Europe.
Larsson, 22, has had quite an interesting path so far in his hockey career. Born and raised in Sweden, he decided to come to North America for the 2017-18 season and play in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm. A league-leading .941 save percentage and 1.65 goals-against average landed him Goaltender of the Year honors with the Storm, while also helping Sweden’s World Junior team take home a silver medal at the World Juniors. Following that outstanding North American debut, Larsson took his talents to the NCAA and played for the University of Denver. A .932 save percentage for the Pioneers earned him All-Rookie honors in the NCHC and obviously opened Detroit’s eyes even more.
The Red Wings signed Larsson soon after his freshman season came to an end and put him into the minor league system. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite as well in professional hockey. Larsson struggled with injury and inconsistency, leading to just an .843 save percentage at the AHL level. That was in just seven games however as he played more often in the ECHL.
Even though 2019-20 didn’t go according to plan, Larsson remains a top goaltending prospect for the Red Wings and one to watch closely as the year progresses. He’ll need playing time and it’s not clear when the AHL season will actually get underway. For now, he’ll have to try and secure the crease in Sweden before getting a chance back in North America.
Pittsburgh Penguins Hire Todd Reirden, Mike Vellucci
The Pittsburgh Penguins have found a pair of names to replace the outgoing assistant coaches and both come with considerable experience. Todd Reirden and Mike Vellucci will be the new assistants for head coach Mike Sullivan, while goaltending coach Mike Buckley has also received a two-year extension. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, who recently fired Jacques Martin, Sergei Gonchar and Mark Recchi, released the following statement on the move:
I am pleased to add Todd and Mike to our coaching staff, and believe they will compliment Mike Sullivan‘s coaching style. Todd is a Stanley Cup winning coach with a decade of NHL experience as both an assistant and head coach. Mike brings championship experience at both the AHL and OHL level, and is very familiar with how we function as an organization.
Reirden will be responsible for the team’s defensive group and power play unit, while Vellucci will oversee the forwards and penalty kill.
Both men come with considerable experience with the other members of the organization. Reirden, who was recently removed as head coach of the Washington Captials, spent four seasons as an assistant with the Penguins between 2010-2014. Those years followed a stint as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate.
Vellucci has that same connection, having served as head coach (and GM) of the baby-Penguins in 2019-20. That’s not where his experience with Rutherford ends, however. In fact, if you go back through Vellucci’s career in hockey, Rutherford is almost everywhere. Before he joined WBS, the 54-year old Vellucci was with the Carolina Hurricanes organization, where he served as assistant GM, head coach of the AHL affiliate and director of hockey operations. He was hired for that job just after Rutherford departed, but it was because of the long connection he had with him and then-Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos. Karmanos also owned the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, which Rutherford oversaw and Vellucci served as head coach and GM. Even before that the two were intertwined, meaning Vellucci comes as no surprise on the bench for Pittsburgh this season.
Because of the promotion for Vellucci, the Penguins have begun a search for the next head coach of their AHL affiliate.
Tim Soderlund Loaned To Almtuna
The Chicago Blackhawks have loaned another young player overseas, sending Tim Soderlund to Almtuna IS of the Swedish second league. Soderlund is coming off his first year in North America after signing his entry-level contract in 2019.
Now 22, Soderlund was a fourth-round pick from 2017 that has always been an interesting prospect because of his blazing speed. Before coming to the Rockford IceHogs for this season, he played two full years at the SHL level, also suiting up twice for Sweden at the World Juniors (winning silver in 2018).
The 5’9″ forward scored just three points in 29 games for Rockford, but could be back for his sophomore season if the Blackhawks feel it necessary. Of course, it’s not exactly clear when the AHL season will begin, meaning Soderlund will have to focus on his game overseas for now.
Joni Tuulola Signs In Finland
When the Chicago Blackhawks go to sign their restricted free agents this offseason, they’ll have to convince at least one to return from Europe. Joni Tuulola has signed a one-year deal with KooKoo in Finland, but the deal includes an NHL out-clause should he reach a new agreement in North America.
Tuulola, 24, has spent the last two seasons with the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL, recording 22 points in 110 games. The 6’3″ defenseman was a sixth-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2015 and was part of the 2016 gold medal-winning Finnish team at the World Juniors.
As his entry-level deal is just coming to an end, Tuulola is scheduled to be an RFA this offseason and is arbitration-eligible. In order to retain his rights, the Blackhawks would need to extend him a qualifying offer. For now, he’ll spend his days playing in Europe and continuing his development.
Coaching Notes: Reirden, Ellis, Kim
Todd Reirden may not have to wait very long for his next coaching gig after being fired by the Washington Capitals. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote over the weekend that Reirden is a possibility for both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers as an assistant.
Reirden, of course, spent several years as an assistant with the Penguins before joining Washington after being the head coach of their AHL affiliate. His familiarity with the organization is obviously a factor, though Friedman notes that taking an assistant role would be “pending any head coaching jobs he pursues.” Reirden posted an 89-46-16 record over his two years behind the Capitals bench but was ousted in the first round of the playoffs both times.
- Former Buffalo Sabres forward Matt Ellis has been hired by the organization as their new director of player development. Ellis has been a head coach of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and played 286 of his 356 career NHL games for the franchise. Undrafted, Ellis became one of the most respected leaders in the minor leagues, serving as captain on three different teams.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Sam Kim as their new video and coaching coordinator, taking him away from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Kim has previously served as a video coach for South Korea’s national team, as well as—amazingly—the New York Islanders mascot. The Maple Leafs have retained the services of Jordan Bean, but changed his title from video coordinator to statistical analyst.
San Jose Sharks Announce Several Loans
The San Jose Sharks have announced several loans for young players that will be headed to Europe for the next few months. Josef Korenar, Fredrik Handemark, Timur Ibragimov, Jonathan Dahlen, Evan Weinger and Krystof Hrabik have all been loaned overseas.
Several of these loans had been reported previously, including Korenar who will join HC Ocelari Trinec of the Czech professional league. The 22-year-old goaltender had an .891 save percentage for the San Jose Barracuda this season, but is an interesting prospect to keep an eye on.
Handemark, 27, only signed with the Sharks in May and is on a one-year deal for the 2020-21 season. The veteran SHL forward had 38 points in 52 games last season for Malmo and will return there until training camp opens in North America.
The 19-year-old Ibragimov was a sixth-round pick of the Sharks in 2019 and is headed to TPS in Finland, possibly for the whole season. The young forward has spent the last few seasons in the MHL but will test his skills in the Liiga instead.
Dahlen perhaps is the most well-known of the bunch, as he’s already been involved in a few trades through his short career. A second-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2016, Dahlen was part of the Alexandre Burrows trade in 2017 and then another deal to send him to San Jose in 2019. The 22-year old is actually scheduled to be a restricted free agent, but he’ll be staying with Timra of the Swedish second league for the time being, where he dominated this year. In 51 games, Dahlen scored 77 points and earned the Allsvenskan MVP.
Weinger and Hrabik are both signed to AHL deals with the Barracuda, but will head to TPS (Finland) and Bili Tygri Liberec (Czech) respectively.