Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

AHL

Carolina Hurricanes Trade Cliff Pu

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes have traded a big part of the return for Jeff Skinner, sending prospect Cliff Pu to the Florida Panthers. While technically not the same trade, the Hurricanes have received Tomas Jurco in return. Jurco is on an AHL contract and had to be involved as a separate transaction.

Pu, 20, had recently been assigned to the ECHL after struggling in his first professional season. The former Buffalo Sabres prospect has just six points in 44 games with the Charlotte Checkers, and will now try to turn his young career around in his third organization. Pu along with three draft picks was the package the Hurricanes acquired for Skinner in the offseason, in a deal that now looks even worse for Carolina.

There’s still plenty of time for Pu to turn things around and develop into the big offensive threat he showed in junior, but the Checkers needed help now for a potential Calder Cup run this season. Carolina apparently believed Jurco’s addition was more valuable, and he will certainly bring a lot of experience to the table. The 26-year old forward has 10 points in 14 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds, and won a Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2013.

Under an AHL contract, Jurco cannot be recalled to the NHL.

New Jersey Devils Place Eric Gryba On Waivers

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Monday: Gryba has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues. The other four players, Chris Driedger, Jeremy Smith, Adam Wilcox and Lee Stempniak also all cleared after signing NHL contracts.

Sunday: While the waiver wire features mostly recently-signed players today, one current player did slip into the mix. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that New Jersey Devils defenseman Eric Gryba has been placed on waivers. The veteran defenseman has cleared waivers previously this season, but could be a more interesting target with the deadline approaching and an underwhelming market for rental defensemen.

Gryba, 30, has had an up-and-down year. Bought out by the Edmonton Oilers this past summer, Gryba signed a one-year deal with the Devils in hopes of continuing his NHL career. Waived initially in late October, Gryba has played in just ten games with New Jersey versus 32 games with AHL Binghamton. Interestingly, Gryba has performed better in the NHL than in the AHL, at least defensively. Gryba is very much a stay-at-home defender with little to no offensive role, but has looked like a reliable depth option during appearances with New Jersey. Meanwhile, his -10 rating in Binghamton is worst among defensemen.

Gryba appears to be a player best suited for a No. 7 or 8 role in the NHL at this point in his career. He’s still solid defensively most of the time and can step in and be a capable presence in his own end, but lacks the offensive contribution or skating ability to play regular minutes, even in the AHL. Fortunately, at this time of year many teams are looking for that dependable deep depth piece. With the defense rental market highlighted by uninspiring names like Adam McQuaid, Michael Del Zotto, Bogdan Kiselevich, and Alex Petrovic, a team might prefer claiming Gryba for the stretch run rather than overpaying for a mediocre addition.

Boston Bruins Sign Lee Stempniak

at CDT | by 14 Comments

The Boston Bruins have announced that they have signed veteran forward Lee Stempniak to a contract for the remainder of the season. Stempniak has been placed on waivers and will remain with AHL Providence, where he has been on a PTO, assuming he clears. Stempniak has been practicing with the Bruins since training camp and his signing has long been expected. Fox Sports’ Andy Strickland adds that it is a minimum $650K contract,  but notably a one-way deal.

Stempniak, 36, is now ready to begin his second career stint in Boston. The Bruins acquired Stempniak from the New Jersey Devils at the 2016 trade deadline from the New Jersey Devils. While Stempniak performed well, recording ten points in 19 games, it wasn’t enough to push the Bruins into the postseason. With the playoffs nearly guaranteed for Boston this year, Stempniak’s second time around will at least be lengthier. His production however is more of a question mark. Although the veteran forward has four points in four games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins over the past two weeks and was one of Boston’s top scorers in the preseason while on a tryout deal, he has not played a meaningful NHL game for more than a year. How he will be utilized by the Bruins down the stretch will be interesting to see.

At the very least, Stempniak is an affordable add that brings plenty of experience and locker room presence. A veteran of more than 900 NHL games, Stempniak brings a smart, well-rounded game up front. The Bruins made a similar addition last season in Brian Gionta, who was used sparingly in the regular season and postseason, but given Stempniak’s familiarity with the team, he may see more action. Boston also has a need at right wing, something that many expected they would fill before the trade deadline. If the Bruins can’t find the right trade to make, that could also increase Stempniak’s role over the remainder of the year.

Islanders, Panthers, Sabres Sign Minor League Goaltenders

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Several teams have fortified their depth in net before the NHL Trade Deadline, which also acts as a deadline for players to sign and be postseason-eligible. The New York Islanders have signed Jeremy Smith, the Florida Panthers have signed Chris Driedger, and the Buffalo Sabres have signed Adam Wilcox. All three deals are identical: two-way contracts worth the minimum $650K at the NHL level for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The trio of keepers will need to clear waivers today.

Smith’s signing is the most significant, as the Islanders have all but clinched a playoff spot this season. The 29-year-old journeyman played in ten games for the Colorado Avalanche just two years ago and previous stops also include the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, and Carolina Hurricanes. Smith has had several strong seasons in the AHL, including a two-year stretch with the Providence Bruins a few years back in which he was among the best keepers in the league. While the Islanders have hit the jackpot this season with outstanding performances from Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner, there was a significant lack of depth in net with third-string goalie Christopher Gibson struggling immensely this season in the AHL and having a poor track record in the NHL. With Smith signed, he is likely the new third-string should anything happen to Greiss or Lehner.

Driedger, 24, spent several years with the Ottawa Senators before signing an AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds this off-season. Before the Panthers traded Michael Hutchinson away, Driedger was relegated to the ECHL with Hutchinson and Samuel Montembeault taking the AHL starts. However, he has gotten into 16 games with the Thunderbirds since and has outperformed Montembeault. The promising prospect likely remains Florida’s next man up in net, but given the injury histories of Roberto Luongo and James Reimer, it is certainly possible that both Montembeault and Driedger could see NHL action this season.

The Sabres’ signing of Wilcox is likely in response to a recent rash of injuries in net. Both Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark have had injury scares lately, while young Jonas Johansson recently underwent season-ending surgery. While their postseason hopes are dwindling, it still remains a possibility for Buffalo and adding Wilcox gives them depth behind Hutton, Ullmark, and Scott Wedgewood. Wilcox, 26, is no stranger to being an emergency option; the Sabres were forced to call him up last season – again as the fourth-string option – and were pleased by a shutout performance in his lone appearance.

Penguins’ Brian Dumoulin And Kris Letang Suffer Injuries

at CDT | by 10 Comments

Ahead of last night’s Stadium Series game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field, there was some concern that rain – and the dangerous ice conditions it can cause – would force the Flyers to sit Wayne Simmonds, their top trade chip. With the NHL Trade Deadline only days away, an injury to Simmonds would have made him nearly immovable. Philadelphia decided to take the risk and play Simmonds and the result can only be described as ironic. Rather than Simmonds getting injured, he was the cause of another injury. A high hit by the physical winger on Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin forced Dumoulin out of the game late in the first period.

To make matters worse, Dumoulin’s top pair partner also left the game early. Kris Letang suffered an injury, although it was not immediately clear what happened, in the scrum following the hit on Dumoulin. With Dumoulin and Letang out, the Penguins skated with just four defenseman for much of the game, leaving Justin Schultz and Jack Johnson to each play more than 30 minutes in the game. The effort simply wasn’t enough to overcome the losses, as the Flyers stormed back from two goals down to win in overtime.

As disappointing as the result may have been, one overtime loss is nothing compared to what may happen to the Penguins if both Dumoulin and Letang are out long-term. After the game, head coach Mike Sullivan announced that Dumoulin had suffered a concussion, which was the expected result of the high hit. He also added that Letang was being evaluated for an upper-body injury, but refrained from going into detail. While a concussion is a serious matter, Letang’s injury may be of even greater concern. The All-Star blue liner missed more than a quarter of the regular season and the entire postseason in 2016-17 with a serious neck injury and the understandable worry in Pittsburgh is that it is another neck issue for Letang.

If one or both of the top defensemen are set to miss time, the Penguins are ill-suited to handle that absence. With Olli Maatta already on the injured reserve with no timeline for a return, injuries to Letang and Dumoulin leave Pittsburgh in difficult shape on the blue line. Schultz, who himself just returned from injury, should be able to fill a top-pair role if need be. However, Johnson has had a miserable season and would be a major liability if his ice time increased. Youngsters Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola have played well enough, but neither is quite ready for an increased workload. Chad Ruhwedel has only played in 17 games with the Penguins this year as a frequent healthy scratch, while no defenders in the AHL have seen NHL action this year. The likes of Zach Trotman and Ethan Prow are likely the next men up in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Just last month, Pittsburgh felt comfortable enough with their defensive depth to trade Jamie Oleksiak back to the Dallas Stars. Now, the tables have turned and GM Jim Rutherford has about 24 hours to evaluate the initial injury news on Dumoulin and Letang and decide if he needs to add another defenseman before the deadline. The rental defenseman market isn’t very encouraging and the Penguins have limited cap space, but a player like Adam McQuaid or Michael Del Zotto might make sense for Rutherford to pursue if the Penguins will be without one or both of their top defenders for an extended time. However, with the team battling for a playoff spot still – currently tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for the final wild card spot in the East – a minor trade addition may not be enough to save the season if Letang and Dumoulin are out long-term. This could be the beginning of the end for the Penguins’ season.

Minor Transactions: 02/24/2019

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Tomorrow is the NHL Trade Deadline and, if yesterday is any indication, more deals are on the way today. Meanwhile, it’s also the last chance that GM’s have to take a look at their teams in game action and decide what, if anything, needs to be addressed via trade. A dozen teams will hit the ice today, including several top contenders who have yet to make a move. It’s all leading up to a busy day of dealing tomorrow. For now, teams will still need to keep an eye on the day-to-day operations, so keep up with all of the minor transactions here:

  • The Colorado Avalanche announced that they have recalled forward Sheldon Dries from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Dries has been back and forth frequently this season, logging 36 games with the Avs and 13 with the Eagles. Dries is not much of an offensive force, but continues to get the call due to his solid two-way game. Colorado has suddenly re-discovered their offense of late, outscoring opponents 20-4 on their current four-game winning streak, so they can afford to bring in the stable defensive forward now that they’re not as desperate for secondary scoring.
  • With their roster in disarray following two major trades, it is no wonder that the Ottawa Senators are having to make additional moves. The team has announced that defenseman Christian Wolanin has been promoted from AHL Belleville. Wolanin, in his first full pro season out of the University of North Dakota, has played in 12 games with Ottawa versus 35 games with Belleville. He has been very productive at the AHL level and looks to have the makings of an NHL regular. The Senators hope he can display that potential down the stretch.
  • With Mats Zuccarello set to join the team, the Dallas Stars have opened up a roster spot by sending Joel L’Esperance back to AHL Texas, beat writer Mark Stepneski reports. L’Esperance has been enjoying strong production with the Texas Stars in his first pro season, recording 42 points through 49 games thus far. However, the Michigan Tech product was held scoreless in four games with Dallas on his first recall. Regardless, L’Esperance likely remains the next man up for the Stars this season.
  • The St. Louis Blues have announced that forward Brayden Schenn has been placed on the injured reserve and top prospect Jordan Kyrou has been recalled to replace him. Although Schenn’s upper-body injury is not expected to be serious, he has missed the Blues’ past two games so this placement lets St. Louis replace his roster spot in case he has to miss a few more games. Kyrou, 20, has played in 16 games with the Blues in his first pro season, registering three points, and has been a point-per-game player through 36 games with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. The promising forward is expected to be a full-time player in St. Louis sooner rather than later, so this call-up is a preview of what’s to come for the Blues.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled goaltender Harri Sateri from the Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. Sateri was sent down Saturday, but with goaltender Jimmy Howard under the weather still, Sateri will backup Jonathan Bernier for one more game.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets activated winger Markus Hannikainen from injured reserve. The 25-year-old was placed on IR last Tuesday with an illness and is now ready to return. Hannikainen has four goals and seven points in 42 games this season. Unless another move is forthcoming, that will give the Blue Jackets 15 forwards and just six defenseman on their current depth chart, an unusual number.
  • The Anaheim Ducks swapped defensemen, according to CapFriendly. The team promoted Korbinian Holzer from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, while assigning Andy Welinski to San Diego. The 31-year-old Holzer has played in just two games with Anaheim, while Welinski has appeared in 19 games with the Ducks.
  • The New Jersey Devils have moved four players as they announced they have assigned forwards Joey Anderson and Brett Seney to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL and have recalled forwards Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian from the AHL. Anderson, who signed with New Jersey out of Minnesota-Duluth last season had two goals in 19 games with New Jersey, while Seney has had five goals in 50 games. McLeod, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, is in his first season of professional hockey and has six goals and 31 points in 52 games. Bastian, a 2016 second-rounder, has 17 goals in 56 games with Binghamton.

Minor Transactions: 02/23/2019

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the NHL Trade Deadline just two days away, some key match-ups took place last night as several teams jockeyed for playoff position. The Columbus Blue Jackets – and new addition Matt Duchene – Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Calgary Flames, and Winnipeg Jets all picked up important wins, while the Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks suffered frustrating losses. Every result is amplified with the deadline this close and teams trying to figure out what do do before it passes. There are 22 teams in action tonight and each will be trying to gauge their team’s needs and playoff chances and how to address them before Monday afternoon. In that same vein, it will be all hands on deck for every club this weekend, which means several minor transactions are on the way. Track them all here:

  • Heading to Columbus alongside Duchene yesterday was AHL defenseman Julius Bergman. However, he never actually landed in Columbus and may never suit up for the Blue Jackets. The team announced that Bergman has been reassigned to their affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, where he can reasonably expect to play out the season. Then, Bergman is expected to return to his native Sweden next season. His move to the Blue Jackets was simply a way for the Ottawa Senators to open up an additional contract slot for the organization as they continue to deal at the deadline and hope to add multiple pieces in return.
  • The Buffalo Sabres have recalled a pair of forwards and may have some ulterior motive for doing so. The Sabres announced that Danny O’Regan and Scott Wilson have been promoted from the AHL’s Rochester Americans.  O’Regan, 25, has not played in the NHL all season and as a result is headed for Group 6 unrestricted free agency this summer. Wilson, 26, also has yet to make his NHL debut this season and has been buried in the minors of late. He has an additional year remaining on his contract at $1.05MM, but doesn’t appear to have a place in Buffalo’s long-term plans. Without any attachment to either player moving forward, it seems likely this call-up could be used to showcase the capable forwards. Whether the Sabres choose to buy or sell, there’s reason to believe both O’Regan and Wilson could have value to a variety of teams.
  • In a corresponding move, CapFriendly reports that the Sabres have reassigned defenseman Lawrence Pilut to the AHL. The return of Casey Nelson has pushed Pilut to the No. 8 spot on the Buffalo blue line and the team clearly prefers he get some play time in the minors instead. The 23-year-old has shown some flashes of brilliance at times this season, but overall has yet to prove he is an everyday NHLer.  Meanwhile, the team announced that winger C.J. Smith has also been sent to Rochester.  He has played in 11 games with Buffalo so far this season but has been a point-per-game player in 41 contests with the Americans.
  • Henri Jokiharju’s latest stint with the Blackhawks was short-lived as the team announced that he has been returned to Rockford of the AHL.  He was recalled just yesterday but suited up when Carl Dahlstrom (flu) was unable to play.  However, the 19-year-old played just 9:14.  Jokiharju was a regular for Chicago early on but has not had the trust of head coach Jeremy Colliton to the point where they’ve decided he’s better off in the minors for the time being.
  • The Senators have assigned defenseman Maxime Lajoie to Belleville of the AHL, reports TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie.  The 21-year-old rookie surprised many with a strong start to his season with seven points in his first six games.  However, he has cooled off considerably since then with only eight points over his last 49 contests while his ice time has dropped a lot as of late.  A chance to go back to the minors and log some more minutes would certainly be beneficial for his development.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled forward Corban Knight from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL, according to Sam Carchidi of Philly.com. Knight, who has missed most of the season with a broken collarbone, was placed on waivers two weeks ago and sent down to get him some playing time. The 28-year-old has fared well in four games with the Phantoms, posting two goals and six points.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have recalled star prospect Sam Steel from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL and have assigned forward Brian Gibbons there instead, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Steel, the team’s first-round pick in the 2016 draft, had 15 goals and 32 points for the Gulls, but has struggled in Anaheim’s lineup in 13 games this season. The team hopes that after a significant time in San Diego, Steel can contribute the offense the team needs to turn around their season. Gibbons had just two goals and five points in 44 games for Anaheim this season.
  • To make room for Ryan Dzingel on the roster, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have assigned defenseman Adam Clendening to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. The 26-year-old was faring well with Cleveland with three goals and 28 points in 33 games. However, he has appeared in just four games for Columbus this year with no points.

Minor Transactions: 02/22/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

While trade deadline season dominates the headlines, minor moves may actually give hints to what is on the way. Teams often prepare for a trade by moving certain pieces around, and we’ll be here keeping track of all those moves.

  • As the Ottawa Senators prepare to move on from three key forwards, the team has embraced the youth movement. Drake Batherson and Logan Brown have both been recalled while Darren Archibald and Cody Goloubef are on their way to the AHL.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Henri Jokiharju today, as Brent Seabrook will be unable to play due to an abdominal strain. Carl Dahlstrom is also questionable with an illness, meaning Jokiharju could get into his first NHL game this month. The young defenseman is up under emergency conditions, though that could be changed should the team want him to stay even after Seabrook is healthy enough to play.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have called up goaltender Harri Sateri and sent Christoffer Ehn to the minor leagues. Jimmy Howard is dealing with an illness, meaning Jonathan Bernier will get the start tonight.
  • Tyler Gaudet was up for just a single day with the Nashville Predators, and is now on his way back down to the AHL. Gaudet hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2016-17 season, but has 23 points in 41 games for the Milwaukee Admirals this year.

Trade Rumors: Ho-Sang, Simmonds, Bruins

at CDT | by 12 Comments

While the trade deadline generally centers around the teams and the general managers making the big decisions, the players are usually well aware of what is going on and where they stand as well. New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang has been the odd man out this season and knows his time with the club could be be up. He spoke honestly with The Athletic’s Arthur Staple today, saying that he is open to being traded:

I don’t know what’s going to happen, I don’t know what they want to do with me. I’m not opposed to (being traded) if it helps the Islanders get better. For me, obviously I want to play in the NHL, that’s my main focus. For them, if they need to trade me for pieces to go further in the playoffs, improve the great team they have, then I’m all for it.

It’s a well-put statement by Ho-Sang, but one easily interpreted as being from a player ready for a change of scenery. The 2014 first-round pick has only played in ten games with the Islanders this season, after skating in 20+ in each of the past two years. Meanwhile, this has been his best AHL season, as he has scored at a near point-per-game clip through 39 games. Ho-Sang’s game can be streaky and frustrating at times, but his ability is undeniable. As the Islanders move toward adding a top rental ahead of the deadline, a seller will likely be interested in taking a waiver on Ho-Sang’s upside if his time in New York is truly over.

  • It’s been pretty quiet around Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds of late, but TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that “interest has intensified” over the last couple of days. LeBrun speculates that the Flyers’ recent streak of success may have quelled the Simmonds market as the team became re-focused on a playoff push, but he feels the results of their next few games will ultimately determine if and when Simmonds is dealt. More likely than not, the impending free agent power forward will be playing elsewhere by Monday.
  • Even after the Charlie Coyle acquisition, many believe that the Boston Bruins are not done. TSN’s Darren Dreger applauded the trade, but noted that the Bruins did not have to give up much and are likely still in the market for another scoring forward. The Bruins announced this evening that center Trent Frederic has been assigned to the AHL and winger Peter Cehlarik has been recalled, further enforcing the idea that Boston prefers to play Coyle at third-line center. That would still leave a hole on the second line next to David Krejci. Dreger names New York Rangers Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes as among those the Bruins are targeting to further help out their secondary scoring.

Minor Transactions: 02/21/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL has a full slate of action on tap tonight, with 11 matches taking place including a rematch of the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals. The Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks face off in an important game for both clubs as they try to secure playoff berths in their respective conferences. As the league prepares for tonight’s play, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled J.T. Brown from the minor leagues, though Ryan Donato is expected to enter the lineup. Brown has just four points in 35 games for the Wild this season and was sent down to the AHL earlier this month.
  • The Washington Capitals have officially sent Devante Smith-Pelly to the minor leagues after he cleared waivers, meaning he will play his first AHL game since the 2013-14 season. Even with the recent addition of Carl Hagelin, the Capitals could very well bring up Smith-Pelly at some point down the stretch for his playoff experience.
  • Jonny Brodzinski has been activated from injured reserve, and could help replace Hagelin in the Los Angeles Kings lineup. Brodzinski hasn’t played a game for the Kings this season but recorded one goal in a three-game conditioning stint with the Ontario Reign.
  • Landon Bow has been returned to the AHL by the Dallas Stars, which should signal a return to action for Ben Bishop. Bishop hasn’t played a game since February 4th, but will have to play a big role for the Stars down the stretch if they’re to make the playoffs.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top