NLA’s EHC Biel-Bienne Pursuing NHL Free Agent Targets
The Swiss season is over, as the NLA has decided to cancel the remainder of its season. However, that will give perennial contender EHC Biel-Bienne even more time to plan ahead for what they hope is an impact off-season. According to Swedish news source Hockey Sverige, the club plans to go after some impending NHL free agent defensemen. The trio specifically named are all Swedes and include the Anaheim Ducks’ Christian Djoos and Joel Persson and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Gustav Forsling.
Djoos, 25, was just recently traded to the Ducks by the Washington Capitals and is set to be a restricted free agent this summer. A former AHL standout, Djoos grew into a regular contributor for the Caps in the previous two seasons, but roster and salary cap pressure forced him back to the minors this year. However, since the trade to Anaheim he has played exclusively in the NHL, recording three points in nine games which is technically a career-high clip albeit in a small sample size. Given Djoos’ history and RFA status, he seems the least likely of the listed names to jump to Switzerland this summer.
Persson, 26, is an entirely different case, other than the fact that he too will be an RFA. Persson has no NHL history other than his 13 games this season with the Edmonton Oilers. An undrafted prospect who turned heads in the SHL, Persson signed with the Oilers back in 2018 but was loaned back to Sweden last season. He was extended and came over to suit up for the Oilers this year, but failed to impress and has spent the bulk of the season in the AHL. Persson was dealt to Anaheim for next to nothing – ECHL goaltender Angus Redmond and a 2022 conditional seventh-round pick – at the deadline and has not played for the Ducks yet. He could very well depart North America after a disappointing year, but may choose to head elsewhere rather than go back to Sweden. Biel could be an attractive option in this case.
Forsling, 23, is the youngest of the players named and is also the hardest to speculate on. After beginning his pro career with considerable NHL action in each of his first three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, the young defender has played exclusively in the AHL this season following an off-season trade to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are exceptionally deep on the blue line and that isn’t about to change. Heading into next season, Forsling will be eighth or ninth at best on the organization’s depth chart. As such, if the team opts to make him a qualifying offer, he could choose instead to depart North America and play a top role somewhere else. However, it’s fair to argue that remaining in the AHL may still be the better decision for his career. Of the players named, Forsling would be the least likely to stay with Biel long-term, but could produce the greatest immediate impact.
At this point, it is difficult to project that any of these three names will end up jumping to the NLA to play for Biel, especially given that all three are restricted free agents and that Djoos and Forsling have considerable NHL experience for their ages. However, if the top Swiss club pushes hard, potentially using this extended off-season to their advantage, they may be able to convince one of these three or another NHL free agent that a move to Biel to play a top pair role is the right call.
AHL, CHL Temporarily Suspend 2019-20 Seasons
March 16: The AHL has advised its clubs that the league will not resume before May. Like the NHL, they have now recommended that players return to their primary residences.
March 12: As expected, and like the NBA G-League did last night following the NBA’s decision, the American Hockey League will also temporarily suspend their 2019-20 season. The AHL will follow the lead of the NHL who paused their season earlier today, with hopes of resuming at some point down the road.
The CHL will also temporarily suspend their season, after a meeting between leadership of the OHL, WHL and QMJHL according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. The USHL and NAHL suspended their seasons earlier today.
It is not clear if the leagues will return at the same time as the NHL, but for now there will be no high level professional hockey nor any major junior hockey played in North America.
NHL Rosters To Be Frozen During Suspended Season
According to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, the NHL will implement a league-wide roster freeze this evening after announcing a new directive for players earlier today. Johnston points to this freeze as the reason for several roster moves today, moving players between the NHL and AHL. We’ll list those moves below:
- The New Jersey Devils have moved both Janne Kuokkanen and Matt Tennyson to the AHL. Both players are on two-way contracts, earning less at the minor league level.
- The Minnesota Wild have moved Matt Bartkowski back to the AHL. He hadn’t played in a single NHL game this season and is on a two-way contract.
- The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Mark Letestu from his conditioning loan in the AHL. He is on a two-way deal, but would need to clear waivers in order to be sent to the AHL full-time.
- The Florida Panthers have moved Sam Montembeault back to the AHL. He is on a two-way deal and is still waiver-exempt.
- The Anaheim Ducks have sent both Jani Hakanpaa and Anthony Stolarz to the AHL. Both players are actually on one-way contracts, meaning they don’t earn any less at the minor league level.
- The Colorado Avalanche have sent Logan O’Connor to the AHL. The 23-year old is on a two-way contract.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have sent Keegan Kolesar and Brandon Pirri to the AHL. Pirri is on a one-way contract, while Kolesar is still on his two-way entry-level deal.
NHL, AHL Not Likely To Follow Same Course For Potential Return
While it has been clear that the AHL would follow suit to the same policies that the NHL would put in place when it came to the suspension of play and how they would operate beyond that, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that in the wake of the ECHL cancelling their season due to the COVID-19 epidemic, it’s likely that the AHL will not mirror the NHL when it comes to a potential return to the ice this season as they would have some big challenges in front of them.
Whether that means that the AHL will also cancel their season in the upcoming days is unknown. However, Johnston points out that while the NHL has the reserves and the power to push the playoffs off to the summer, if necessary, the AHL may not have that ability. The league has a number of obstacles, which includes travel and revenue issues that it would have to deal with to postpone the rest of the 2019-20 season and the Calder Cup playoffs further into the season.
The AHL has a number of upper-level teams hoping their season will continue with the Milwaukee Admirals, the Nashville Predators’ affiliate, leading the way with a league-leading 90 points this season as it hopes to get a chance to win the Calder Cup. The AHL decided to suspend their season on Thursday.
Minor Transactions: 03/12/20
Nothing could be more “minor” today than daily recalls and reassignments when the entire NHL and its minor league affiliates have closed their doors for the foreseeable future. However, for the sake of keeping things as hockey focused as possible during these trying times, here are the roster moves made today prior to or in light of the official shutdown announcement:
- Dealing with injuries up front, the Vegas Golden Knights recalled a trio of forwards late last night: Keegan Kolesar, Brandon Pirri, and Nicolas Roy. The group are among the best per-games scorers on the AHL’s Chicago Wolves this year. However, given the NHL’s break, the team may get healthy enough to avoid using any of them once play returns.
- CapFriendly reports that the Carolina Hurricanes have sent Morgan Geekie, the team’s sudden rookie standout, and goaltender Anton Forsberg back to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Geekie recorded three goals in his first two NHL games this week and looks like another bright young prospect for the ‘Canes to build around.
- After being called up yesterday, Colorado’s Martin Kaut, Dallas’ Joel Kiviranta, and the Rangers’ Steven Fogarty have all been reassigned today, per CapFriendly. This likely comes as a response to the shutdown. Kiviranta, signed out of Finland this summer, has played in eleven games with Dallas thus far, but has found more offense in the minors. The team would love to see signs that his scoring ability can translate to the top level before the postseason begins – whenever that is – as depth is crucial in the playoffs. Kaut is in a similar boat with the Avalanche, although the 2018 first-round pick is not as pro-tested and has not produced as well in the AHL this year. Fogarty, the veteran of this group, is in his fourth year with the Rangers’ organization out of Notre Dame and is no stranger to the up-and-down nature of his AHL depth role and is always ready to step in when needed.
NHL Cancels Practices, Will Issue Update On Season Status
The NHL has issued a directive for teams to cancel all practices, morning skates and media availability today while they continue to work through their response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The league’s board of governors is scheduled to have a conference call at noon according to Darren Dreger of TSN, after which there will likely be an announcement.
Last night, the NBA suspended their season indefinitely after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). The Jazz and several other NBA teams that had recently played them were instructed to self-quarantine, but there are also concerns that it could spread to the NHL given that teams in several cities use the same arenas for both basketball and hockey. Since then another Jazz player, Donovan Mitchell, has also tested positive.
The AHL and ECHL have also not made an announcement yet, but are expected to follow the NHL’s lead.
Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post has tweeted that teams around the league have been told the season will be suspended, while Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic has heard that on-ice officials have been told to book flights home.
Troy Brouwer, Aaron Ness Clear Waivers
Wednesday: Both Brouwer and Ness have cleared waivers and can be sent to the minor leagues.
Tuesday: Even though the season is almost over, teams are still making tweaks to their rosters. Today, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that both Troy Brouwer and Aaron Ness have been placed on waivers.
In Ness’ case, Craig Morgan of The Athletic tweets that the Arizona Coyotes are expecting Jakob Chychrun back this week. Even though teams no longer have a roster limit, Ness is eligible to play for the Tucson Roadrunners and can continue to get some game action in the minor leagues.
For Brouwer, things are a little different. The veteran forward was not recalled until after the trade deadline, meaning he is eligible for AHL playoffs, but he actually hasn’t played a single game at that level this season. It’s unclear if the St. Louis Blues would send him down to the minor leagues in the event he clears waivers.
When it comes to post-deadline waivers, it is important to remember that any claim comes with some restrictions. As CapFriendly pointed out recently, a team changing reserve lists after the deadline is not eligible to play in the regular season or playoffs for his new club. That means even if a playoff team claimed Brouwer or Ness to give them a little more depth, they could not play.
Minor College Signings: O’Leary, Beaudoin, Michigan State
While many of the NCAA’s elite can jump right into an NHL contract, and sometimes the NHL itself, the majority must work their way up through the pro ranks. Minor league contracts and amateur tryout (ATO) contracts are common at this time of year and after a number of those deals were signed yesterday, a few more rolled in today:
- From preseason contender to unranked and out in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, it was a season to forget for Notre Dame. However, senior forward Mike O’Leary enjoyed the best campaign of his collegiate career, recording 23 points in 37 games. The two-way winger is now on his way to the AHL, signing a contract with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
- Another four-year starter up front has found a spot in the pros. Brown senior Brent Beaudoin will stay close to home, joining the ECHL’s Worcester Railers. The New Hampshire native recorded 14 points in 31 games to lead all Brown forwards in scoring.
- Perhaps the best team to have already called it a year, Michigan State sent Patrick Khodorenko to the New York Rangers yesterday and today saw fellow seniors Logan Lambdin and Butrus Ghafari head to the ECHL. Lamdin will stay nearby, as he has inked a deal with the Kalamazoo Wings. Meanwhile, Ghafari joins the Toledo Walleye. The Lebanese-American defender was a dominating stay-at-home presence at times this year.
Minor Transactions: 03/10/20
If you are a fan of an Eastern Conference team fighting for a playoff spot tonight will certainly be of interest, as the Boston Bruins take on the Philadelphia Flyers while the Tampa Bay Lightning battle the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both games could have massive ramifications on seeding, while six other games have meaningful impact as well. As teams prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Matt Tennyson, who will play tonight in place of Fredrik Claesson. Tennyson, 29, has played in 19 games this season for the Devils, recording three points.
- Like most days that end in Y, Nicolas Roy has been involved in another transaction. The Vegas Golden Knights forward is back on the AHL roster along with Brandon Pirri after his latest recalled. Roy has now been brought up or down more than 30 times on the season.
- The Minnesota Wild have returned Gerald Mayhew to the minor leagues after going scoreless in six consecutive games. The 27-year old Mayhew has dominated the AHL this season scoring 39 goals in 48 games, but hasn’t been quite able to carry that production over to the NHL level.
- Sheldon Dries and Martin Kaut have both been returned to the Colorado Eagles, which bodes well for the health of Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche star suffered a lower-body injury but it is not clear how serious it is at this point.
- Perhaps most notable today among the minor moves is the recall of Nicolas Beaudin by the Chicago Blackhawks. The 20-year old defenseman is in his first year of professional hockey after being selected 27th overall in 2018. Through 59 games with the Rockford IceHogs, Beaudin has collected three goals and 15 points.
Mark Letestu Loaned To AHL On Conditioning Assignment
After months of hard work and recovery, Mark Letestu will soon play again in a professional hockey game. The Winnipeg Jets forward has been sent to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose on a conditioning assignment after being diagnosed with myocarditis back in October. At that time the Jets announced that Letestu would only be allowed to do light activity for six months—it has been less than five.
Letestu, 35, played just seven games for the Jets before the diagnosis shut down his season.
Through 567 NHL games, Letestu has scored 210 points and gone to the playoffs on five different occasions. That kind of depth would certainly be welcomed by the Jets as they try to claw their way into the postseason, but it’s hard to know exactly what the veteran forward could provide at this point.
Letestu is on a one-year deal worth $700K at the NHL level and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.