Adam Helewka, Laurent Dauphin Sign With Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators have signed minor league forward Adam Helewka to a one-year, two-way contract that will cover the 2019-20 season. Helewka is currently playing for the Milwaukee Admirals after being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes organization earlier this month. The team has also announced a one-year, two-way extension for Laurent Dauphin, who also came over from the Coyotes in that trade. Both Helewka and Dauphin will make $700K at the NHL level in 2019-20.
Helewka, 23, was originally selected in the fourth round by the San Jose Sharks in 2015 and has developed into an effective minor league scoring threat. The 6’2″ winger has 38 points in 48 games this season including seven in seven since joining the Admirals. Helewka was scheduled to become a restricted free agent after this season when his entry-level deal expired, but will not have to deal with a long negotiation. He has yet to make his NHL debut.
Dauphin meanwhile has already has 35 NHL games under his belt after making his debut back in the 2015-16 season. The 23-year old center was a second-round pick nearly six years ago, but has spent nearly the entire season in the minor leagues where he has 24 points in 41 games.
Both players are not expected to play large roles on the Predators moving forward, but will provide inexpensive depth options for their minor league club.
Deadline Notes: Ferland, Vaakanainen, Draft Picks
The 2019 NHL Trade Deadline came and went yesterday and Micheal Ferland remained with the Carolina Hurricanes. Ferland seems destined to test the free agent market this summer, but the ‘Canes opted to hold on to the power forward in the midst of a career years as an “own rental”, writes Pierre LeBrun for The Athletic. However, he adds that it wasn’t an easy decision for GM Don Waddell and company. Early on this season, Ferland’s play was exceeding that of his team and the trade market began to develop for the likely deadline casualty. However, Carolina has been one of the league’s hottest teams since the calendar turned to 2019 and they are now in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race. That improvement all but took them out of “seller” status, but LeBrun states that the team continued to field calls on Ferland write up until the deadline. Specifically, LeBrun says the Nashville Predators made a hard push and he speculates that Ryan Hartman, who was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Wayne Simmonds, was the likely offer. Yet, Waddell stuck with Ferland, who has fit in so well in Raleigh, and hopes that the decision will help the team end their nine-year playoff drought. LeBrun also adds that Carolina, who largely stood pat at the deadline, had interest in Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker. Given the early results of the trade those two teams made earlier this season, it’s no surprise that the Wild weren’t eager to make another deal with the Hurricanes.
- To no surprise, The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver reports that Urho Vaakanainen, Jack Studnicka, and Trent Frederic were hot names in the trade talks that the Boston Bruins had with sellers at the deadline. The trio are arguably Boston’s top three prospects, each one an early draft pick over the past few years. Both Vaakanainen and Frederic have made their NHL debuts this season while mostly playing in the AHL, while Studnicka has been tearing up the OHL. In particular, Divver hears that Vaakanainen was a “non-starter” for the Bruins; the team was unwilling to give him up regardless of the return. The 20-year-old defenseman was the No. 18 overall pick in 2017 and his poise and vision as a two-way, puck-moving defenseman have been apparent both in Providence and with the gold medal-winning Team Finland World Junior Championship entry. With 42-year-old Zdeno Chara potentially retiring at the end of the season and Torey Krug‘s contract expiring at the end of next season, the Bruins likely see Vaakanainen as having a regular role on the Boston blue line sooner rather than later. Not only did Boston avoid trading any of these three, but they landed Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson without surrendering any of their young prospects. The pair came at the cost of second-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks and Ryan Donato, who will be 23 next month.
- The Bruins were an outlier in that regard at the deadline, as the trend this season ended up with teams favoring moving players and prospects rather than picks. On deadline day, 35 players were moved compared to just 16 draft picks. In recent years, those numbers have been much closer as teams have been more conservative with their current assets and more willing to move out the unknowns of a draft selection instead. The change of course could be a reflection of the strength of this draft class; after all, of the picks moved yesterday only six were 2019 selections. The upcoming draft class is considered one of the deepest in recent years with high-end talent likely available even into the middle rounds. As such, even deadline buyers weren’t willing to gamble many of their 2019 picks. Except for the Columbus Blue Jackets, of course, who have just two draft picks remaining this June – a third- and seventh-rounder – after their all-out deadline.
NCAA Notes: Free Agent Market, Fabbro, Briere
With the trade deadline over, the next event for NHL front offices to be focused on is the college free agent market and this year in particular they won’t have to wait very long. Some of the top names on the market belong to teams well outside the top 20-ranked teams in the NCAA and are long-shots for postseason play. With the regular season coming to an end on March 9th and conference tournaments knocking several more teams out thereafter, prominent college free agent signings could be less than two weeks away. Among the early names to watch is NCAA leading scorer Taro Hirose, whose efforts have somehow done little to keep Michigan State out of the basement of the Big Ten Conference. Hirose, 22, is a small, speedy winger with high-end play-making abilities that have helped him accumulate 50 points through 32 games this season. The junior forward could technically return for another college season, but with his stock as high as it may ever be, Hirose is likely to leave. Spartans teammate Patrick Khodorenko, also a junior, is enjoying a strong year as well and could follow Hirose to the pros. The second-highest scoring skater in college hockey is none other than a defenseman out of Mercyhurst University. Joseph Duszak is having a phenomenal year for a little-known program, recording 43 points through 33 games thus far and routinely showcasing elite puck-moving ability that is turning heads. Diszak is a junior as well, but is very likely to move on. Another top top defenseman is the University of Miami’s Grant Hutton, who spurned NHL offers as a junior last year to return for his senior campaign, but now nothing is stopping him from turning pro. The season hasn’t gone as Hutton may have hoped, both for he and his team, but the well-rounded two-way defender can at least look forward to an NHL contract soon. One final name to watch is Boston University forward Bobo Carpenter. BU hopes that they can overcome a disappointing regular season with a Hockey East Conference tournament win, as they did last year, but otherwise the Terriers could be done early this season. Carpenter, the son of former NHLer Bobby Carpenter, is the senior captain of the team and has been a dependable scorer for four years who is almost certainly in line for an NHL chance. These five players are only some of the undrafted NCAA stars who could sign pro deals, but they have the distinction of being among the best available and likely to have wrapped up their seasons in a matter of weeks. Look out for signing sooner rather than later.
- Carpenter’s teammate at Boston University, defenseman Dante Fabbro, is an interesting player to watch in the coming weeks, whether he signs or not. The Nashville Predators’ first-round pick in 2016, Fabbro is one of the top defensemen in college hockey is more than ready to move on to the pro game. With the Terriers’ season potentially over in short order, he could sign with the Predators and make his NHL debut before the end of March. The question is whether that’s what he wants to do. Fabbro was a player who some considered a likely trade piece for Nashville at the deadline, but the team opted not to move him. With arguably the best top-four in the NHL and seven veteran defensemen already signed through the 2019-20 season, Nashville is not exactly the land of opportunity for Fabbro. Rather than wait around in the minors, the junior defender could instead opt to return to school for his fourth and final year, after which he could sign with the Predators if the blue line situation is more preferable or instead hold out until August and become a highly sought-after free agent. If Fabbro doesn’t sign with Nashville in the next few weeks, the odds of him signing at all take a significant hit.
- One of the newest teams to the college hockey ranks has received perhaps its most high-profile commitment to date. Carson Briere, son of long-time NHLer and former Phoenix Coyote Daniel Briere, has announced that he is set to join Arizona State University, beginning in 2020-21. Briere, 19, is currently third in scoring in the NAHL with 75 points in 39 games with the Johnstown Tomahawks. A small, but skilled forward, just like his dad, Carson will be a major addition for a Sun Devils program that is already well ahead of expectations and challenging for an NCAA Tournament berth this season. Speaking with The Athletic’s Craig Morgan, Daniel stated that Carson sees the move as “coming home” since he was born in Arizona during Daniel’s early days with the Coyotes after he was drafted in the first round by the team in 1996. Daniel also spoke glowingly of the program’s progress, saying “We believe in what they are building and where they’re heading with their program and Carson wants to be part of it. We have been impressed with their coaching staff and can’t wait to meet everyone that makes it a top destination already after such a short amount of time at NCAA Division I level.”
Winnipeg Jets Sign Ken Appleby
One minor move that slipped through the cracks yesterday was the signing of minor league goaltender Ken Appleby. With the Winnipeg Jets busy making more trades on deadline day than any other team, the club opted not to issue a press release solely of Appleby’s signing, but to merely include it among other announcements until it garnered more attention today with the fireworks of the trade deadline now passed. The two-way contract is for the remainder of the season at the minimum $650K. As the deal was processed yesterday though, Appleby is eligible to compete in the postseason for the Jets if need be.
Appleby, 23, joins Evan Cormier, Jeremy Smith, Adam Wilcox, and Chris Driedger as minor league goaltenders who have earned NHL contracts in the past few days to serve as emergency depth for their parent clubs. Appleby has split his time between the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and the ECHL’s Jacksonville Ice Men and has missed some time with injuries as well. While his AHL numbers this year – an .865 save percentage and 4.59 GAA in eight appearances – are unseemly, Appleby is just one year removed from a strong season with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils and three stellar appearances with the New Jersey Devils. In fact, it was a surprise this past off-season that Appleby first was not issued a qualifying offer from New Jersey and then was unable to find an NHL contract. At the very least, Appleby’s brief NHL experience and strong ECHL stats this year make him a passable depth option for the Jets.
The question that Appleby faces that the aforementioned newly-signed keepers didn’t is whether he is even the fourth-string goaltender for the team. Appleby will glady take the contract either way, but he face extremely long odds at seeing NHL ice this season. With starter Connor Hellebuyck and backup Laurent Brossoit both young and healthy and playing well enough this season, chances are that Winnipeg won’t have to dive into their reserves in net. However, if injury did strike one goalie, well-regarded prospect Eric Comrie would be the clear-cut replacement. Comrie has some NHL experience as well and has been the starter for Manitoba all year. If somehow the Jets were down two goalies, it would stand to reason that first year-pro Mikhail Berdin could be the next man up. The 20-year-old Russian netminder has been phenomenal this season, posting a .931 save percentage and 2.31 GAA in ten AHL games to date. While Appleby has the slightly better ECHL numbers of the two this year, as well as the brief NHL experience, who would get the call is a toss up. The Jets certainly hope it doesn’t come to that, but it never hurts to add some extra insurance in net anyway.
Minor Transactions: 02/25/2019
With the trade deadline upon us, roster restrictions have now been lifted so there should be an influx of recalls today. On top of that, there should be plenty of “paper transactions” post-deadline as teams send down and then recall players in order to preserve their AHL postseason eligibility. Only players on AHL rosters at 3pm ET are eligible to play in the league’s playoffs. While all eyes are on the deadline, today is also one of, if not the, busiest day of the season for minor transactions. Try to keep up right here:
- The Canadiens announced the recall of winger Dale Weise from Laval (AHL). He was sent down last week to accommodate the return of Paul Byron from IR but this move was expected with the 23-man roster limit now removed. Weise played in three games with the Rocket, scoring twice. He will likely battle for fourth line ice time down the stretch.
- The Devils have shuffled their forward group, announcing that they have sent wingers Joey Anderson and Brett Seney to AHL Binghamton while recalling forwards Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian, and John Quenneville. Anderson has just three points in 19 NHL games this season while Seney has spent the bulk of the year in New Jersey, collecting 13 points in 50 NHL contests. McLeod, a 2016 first-rounder, has played just once with the big club this season but sits second on Binghamton in scoring and should now get a longer look to assess his development. Bastian has also played just once in New Jersey but leads Binghamton in goals with 17 in 56 games. They also announced that goalie MacKenzie Blackwood has been recalled from Binghamton following the trade of Keith Kinkaid, as well as defenseman Egor Yakovlev, with Eric Gryba heading back to the AHL.
- For the time being at least, the Senators have re-assigned defenseman Cody Goloubef, centers Logan Brown and Filip Chlapik, and winger Drake Batherson to Belleville of the AHL, per a team announcement. The team also made forward Rudolfs Balcers and defenseman Christian Wolanin paper transactions for the inevitable reality of last-place Ottawa having an early end to their season, but Belleville continuing on to the postseason.
- The Flyers have brought back defenseman Samuel Morin from his conditioning stint with AHL Lehigh Valley. He has been working his way back from ACL surgery from an injury sustained in the minor league playoffs back in May and played in a pair of games with the Phantoms. It’s likely that Morin won’t be thrown into action with Philadelphia right away but with the roster limit gone, they can have him on the active roster from here on out. The team also made defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Corban Knight paper transactions. The young Myers was the top defender for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantom prior to his recall, while Knight is an experienced AHLer who can lead a team. Their return for the postseason would be a major boost for the Phantoms.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled Matt Donovan from the AHL, placing Dan Hamhuis on injured reserve. Donovan is leading all Milwaukee Admirals defensemen in scoring with 29 points through 55 games, but hasn’t played an NHL game since 2014-15.
- Christian Dvorak has officially been recalled from his conditioning stint with the Tucson Roadrunners, meaning he’ll be back on the ice for the Arizona Coyotes soon. The young forward has missed the entire season up to this point, but could give the Coyotes a much needed offensive boost down the stretch.
- Matt Luff was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings today, only to be returned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign later on alongside Michael Amadio. It’s unclear if this move was intended for AHL postseason means, seeing as the Reign are in last place in the entire league and aren’t going to be heading to the postseason.
- The Vancouver Canucks have returned goaltender Marek Mazanec and forward Zack MacEwen to the AHL’s Utica Comets, the team announced. Mazanec’s demotion is good news for the Canucks; Thatcher Demko has been cleared for action and will dress for the Canucks as the backup tonight.
- Teddy Blueger has been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, but could be on his way back up shortly. With Tanner Pearson shipped out of town, Pittsburgh needs another forward and Blueger has been the next man up. He should get a chance at regular minutes down the stretch.
- Collin Delia will return to the minors upon the activation of Corey Crawford, Chicago announced. Delia has performed admirably in net during Crawford’s absence and even earned a contract extension with his play, but needs the starts available in the AHL rather than sitting behind Crawford and Cam Ward.
- With the Toronto Maple Leafs trading away Par Lindholm today, stating their desire to open up regular NHL minutes for Trevor Moore, it is no surprise that Moore was an emergency recall by the team. Moore has been the epitome of consistency through his time with the University of Denver and AHL Marlies and now hopes to bring that same dependable production to the NHL.
- The Arizona Coyotes made a pair of paper transactions, assigning defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Conor Garland to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners – to ensure their AHL postseason eligibility – and then called them back up.
- The Carolina Hurricanes followed suit, making forwards Saku Maenalanen and Warren Foegele paper transactions, so that they may compete with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers if need be.
- The Dallas Stars are without Mats Zuccarello after just one game with the trade addition. To fill his roster spot for the time being, the team has recalled Denis Gurianov from AHL Texas. Gurianov has shown flashes, but inconsistency in the pros, but now Dallas needs him to be a reliable option over the next four weeks.
- Daniel O’Regan seemed like a likely trade candidate as a young impending free agent who has not been a fit in Buffalo. The Sabres even showcased him this past week, but to no avail. The deadline has come and gone and Regan is still a Sabre, or more accurately a Rochester American after being demoted today. Tage Thompson was a paper transaction for the club.
- Dylan Sikura was made a paper transaction by the Chicago Blackhawks, as well. While the team would like to see what he can do in the NHL over the next month, the Blackhawks are trending away from the postseason, making Sikura’s best bet at postseason play a return to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The move today maintains his eligibility to do so.
- The Colorado Avalanche made dependable depth forward Sheldon Dries a paper transaction, but the reassignments of fellow forwards A.J. Greer and Andrew Agozzino were not just formalities. The pair will head back to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, having presumably lost their roster spots to the healthy Colin Wilson and the acquisition of Derick Brassard.
- Goaltender Harri Sateri, defenseman Filip Hronek, and forward Filip Zadina were all made paper transactions by the Detroit Red Wings. Sateri and Hronek are currently filling in as injury replacements and will likely return to the AHL for real in short time, but Detroit wants to see what top prospect Zadina can do in the NHL down the stretch. The Red Wings surely won’t be making the playoffs though, so they made sure the trio can all still experience a postseason run this year.
- The Edmonton Oilers made veteran minor league forwards Brad Malone and Josh Currie paper transactions. The duo is currently helping out in the NHL, but with the Oilers’ playoff hopes all but dead, their major role the rest of the way will likely be as experienced leaders guiding the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors into the postseason.
- Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, and new addition Ryan Donato were all made paper transactions today by the Minnesota Wild. The trio is very much part of the Wild’s immediate plans this season, as well as their future, but Minnesota may not make the playoffs this year and the forwards could benefit from making a run with AHL Iowa.
- New York Islanders defenseman Devon Toews was another paper transaction. Toews has carved out a role for himself with the club, which currently leads the Metropolitan Division, but should be be available to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers come playoff time, a return to the team at a critical time would only further his development.
- Lukas Radil was a paper transaction for the San Jose Sharks today. The Sharks are hoping to make a deep playoff run this year, but on the off chance that doesn’t materialize, the experienced forward Radil would be of benefit to the AHL Barracuda.
- The Vancouver Canucks currently have defensemen Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois on the roster as the team battles injuries. However, to make sure the AHL’s Utica Comets were not stripped of two of their top defenders this season, Vancouver made the pair paper transactions today.
- The Winnipeg Jets announced that they have reassigned defenseman Tucker Poolman to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose today. The move was expected after the Jets traded for not one but two defenseman today. The move also serves to ensure Poolman can play in the AHL postseason if need be. The same goes for forward Mason Appleton, who was also sent down.
- Peter Cehlarik and Karson Kuhlman have both been returned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, but it remains unclear if this is a paper transaction or an actual move by Boston. With the deadline passed and roster restrictions nullified, one would think that Cehlarik and Kulhman – who have both player regular minutes for the Bruins of late – would be back up. However, no such move has been made and perhaps the team simply wants to give the duo some more ice time in the minors now that their NHL roster includes several more veteran members up front.
- The Anaheim Ducks have demoted defenseman Andy Welinski and forward Sam Steel in favor of defenseman Korbinian Holzer and goaltender Angus Redmond. The move may have something to do with AHL playoff eligibility, but more than anything it is about Redmond’s recall. The Ducks, who continue to struggle with injuries in net, will dress Redmond as their backup tonight with Ryan Miller sidelined with a lower-body injury. It is the first NHL experience for a keeper who has played almost exclusively in the ECHL as a pro.
2019 Trade Deadline Day Recap
The trade deadline for the 2018-19 season has come and gone, with teams all around the league loading up for a Stanley Cup run. This year saw a nearly unprecedented level of skill available, though things got started quite early. Before deadline day, names like Matt Duchene, Brandon Montour, Mats Zuccarello, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist and Nick Jensen all switched teams. However, the day was no disappointment; a slow pace early on ended in fireworks right before the deadline and as deal trickled in right after. Below is a complete list of the 21 trades featuring all but seven of the NHL’s teams made on February 25th alone (chronologically):
To Anaheim Ducks:
D Patrick Sieloff
To Ottawa Senators:
F Brian Gibbons
To New Jersey Devils:
2022 fifth-round pick
To Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Keith Kinkaid
To Winnipeg Jets:
F Kevin Hayes
To New York Rangers:
F Brendan Lemieux
2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
2022 conditional fourth-round pick (if Winnipeg wins Stanley Cup)
To Montreal Canadiens:
F Jordan Weal
To Arizona Coyotes:
F Michael Chaput
To Florida Panthers:
F Cliff Pu
Future Considerations
To Carolina Hurricanes:
F Tomas Jurco (AHL contract)
Future Considerations
To Colorado Avalanche:
F Derick Brassard
2020 conditional sixth-round pick (no pick if Brassard re-signs)
To Florida Panthers:
2020 third-round pick
To Columbus Blue Jackets:
D Adam McQuaid
To New York Rangers:
D Julius Bergman
2019 fourth-round pick
2019 seventh-round pick
Winnipeg Jets Trade For Alex Broadhurst
The two busiest teams at this deadline just had to squeeze in one last deal. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that the Winnipeg Jets have acquired forward Alex Broadhurst from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for future considerations. This is the sixth trade of the day for Winnipeg. Broadhurst will report to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
Broadhurst, 25, has played exclusively in the minors this season. The two-way center has 29 points through 48 games this year and has produced consistently over his six-year AHL career. Broadhurst is unlikely to play for the Jets this season, but is a decent depth pickup. The Blue Jackets gave Broadhurst a two-game audition in the NHL last season, so he would not be without experience at the top level if called upon by Winnipeg.
Locked in to Group 6 free agency this summer, Broadhurst will have the option of going anywhere in the league if he so chooses. However, if he fits in well with the AHL’s Moose, the former London Knights standout may look to stay in Canada and re-sign with Jets.
Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Chris Wideman
Defenseman Chris Wideman is on the move for the third time this season. The impending free agent has been traded by the Florida Panthers to the Pittsburgh Penguins, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. TSN’s Bob McKenzie adds that forward Jean-Sebastien Dea heads the other way to Florida.
Wideman began the season with the Ottawa Senators, but was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in November for a sixth-round pick. After he wasn’t a fit in Edmonton, Wideman was sent to the Florida Panthers as part of the package for Alexander Petrovic. He now joins his fourth team of the season in Pittsburgh, but it may be his best opportunity yet at play time. Having played just six games combined since leaving Ottawa, Wideman now joins a team that is currently without Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, and Olli Maatta and will ask he and another new acquisition, Erik Gudbranson, to help make up for their absences. For now, Wideman will report to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but will likely be recalled if Letang and Dumoulin remain sidelined.
Meanwhile, Dea has also been on the move frequently this year. The 25-year-old forward played 20 games with the New Jersey Devils after being claimed on waivers earlier this season, but returned to Pittsburgh via waivers afterward. Dea has spent the majority of the season in the AHL, only playing three games for the Penguins. He now heads to Florida where he will try to prove he is worthy of regular play time. Dea is currently a candidate for Group 6 free agency at the end of the season, so his time with the Panthers could be short-lived.
San Jose Sharks Acquire Jonathan Dahlen
The Vancouver Canucks have moved on from prospect Jonathan Dahlen, trading him to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Linus Karlsson. Both players have yet to make their NHL debuts. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet spoke with Dahlen’s agent J.P. Barry about how the trade came about:
There was frustration on both sides. We had numerous discussions on how to improve the situation. More recently a possible move was discussed as an option.
Dahlen, 21, has spent the entire season in the AHL where he has 29 points in 50 games. Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators 42nd overall in the 2016 draft, he was acquired by the Canucks when they traded Alexandre Burrows at the 2017 deadline. That seemed like an early win for the Canucks as Burrows would eventually be bought out by the Senators while Dahlen would find success overseas. Now that he’s in North America, the young forward obviously was looking for an opportunity at the NHL level but will have to hope he finds it in San Jose now.
Even though Dahlen didn’t work out for Vancouver, they aren’t getting nothing in return. Karlsson was selected 87th overall just last June and has recorded 17 points in 48 games in the Swedish second league this season. The 19-year old center is undersized but has a chance to be a bottom-six player in the NHL if he continues his development curve over the next few years. It’s important to note though that Karlsson still needs to be signed to his entry-level contract and convinced to come over to North America.
Carolina Hurricanes Trade Cliff Pu
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.