Fabbri, Neuvirth Sent To AHL For Conditioning Stints
The St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers will be getting a pair of players back soon, as the teams announced conditioning stints for Robby Fabbri and Michal Neuvirth respectively. Fabbri will go to the San Antonio Rampage to try and finally make it back into game action, his first since the second half of 2016-17, while Neuvirth is headed for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms before retaking his place beside Brian Elliott in the NHL net.
There’s low expectations at this point for Fabbri, but that wasn’t so just a few seasons ago. The 22-year old forward was a blossoming star in St. Louis after being selected 21st overall in 2014 and scoring 18 goals and 37 points in his rookie season. The versatile forward was dangerous on offense and could play both center and the wing, proving his talents in the postseason with 15 points in 20 games to lead the team in 2016. That excellent play continued early into the next season before Fabbri would suffer a knee injury that sent him to the shelf. As he tried to come back, he re-injured the knee and would miss the entire 2017-18 season.
Now, with just a $925K salary and an uncertain place in the lineup, Fabbri is a wild card for the Blues. The team has built a solid group of forwards that includes several even younger options, and could be dangerous even if Fabbri can’t get back to the level he once showed. There’s a long time for him to still be an impact forward at the NHL level, but he’ll have to prove he can stay healthy and put the knee injury behind him before anyone puts any responsibility on his shoulders.
Neuvirth though is in a very different situation, as he tries to hold on to his role with the Flyers. Philadelphia has several young goaltenders pushing for NHL playing time, and even picked up Calvin Pickard while Neuvirth dealt with his injury. The 30-year old goaltender did record a .915 save percentage last season, but it was only in 22 games and it still only resulted in a 9-7-3 record. In the final season of his current contract, he’ll have to show more than he did last year to stick around and keep the seat warm for top prospect Carter Hart. He’ll need to stay healthy to even do that.
Trent Vogelhuber Retires, Becomes AHL Assistant
The Cleveland Monsters, Columbus’ AHL affiliate, have found a very familiar face to replace their outgoing assistant coach. The team lost Carey Krug earlier this month when he left the team, but will now hire Trent Vogelhuber to take his spot. Vogelhuber has decided to retire from playing in order to take the position, ending a seven year professional career spent entirely in the minor leagues.
Vogelhuber, 30, is a well known member of the Ohio hockey community and was drafted by the Blue Jackets in 2007. Though he was 211th overall, he still put together a solid minor league career that included winning the Calder Cup with the then-Lake Erie Monsters in 2016. He was an alternate captain on that team, but followed his head coach Jared Bednar to the Colorado Avalanche organization the following season.
Now back with the Monsters in a coaching position, Vogelhuber is the exact type of person who could quickly climb the ranks quickly. His youth and experience in the NCAA will only aid him as he tries to communicate with the next wave of Blue Jackets prospects, and he should help them fill the vacancy left by Krug’s departure. Bill Zito, GM of the Monsters released a statement to express his reasoning for the hire:
We are very excited to have Trent join our coaching staff in Cleveland. Trent was a smart, hard-working player and this is a great next step in his hockey career. The timing worked out given Carey’s decision to return to his family and the personal hockey instruction work he does in the Detroit-area.
Los Angeles Kings Send Jaret Anderson-Dolan Back To Junior
The Los Angeles Kings have decided that burning a year of Jaret Anderson-Dolan‘s entry-level contract isn’t worth it at the moment, and have instead sent him back to the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL for the remainder of the season. Anderson-Dolan had played five games so far with the Kings, recording his first NHL point and getting a taste of what life is like in professional hockey. He’ll now return to the junior ranks and likely compete for a spot on Team Canada at the upcoming World Junior Championship. Los Angeles has recalled Sean Walker from the AHL to fill the roster spot.
Even though it may feel that way to him, this isn’t a critique of Anderson-Dolan’s play. The 19-year old forward was actually quite impressive in his short stint, limited as it was. The Kings have decided that averaging just over 11 minutes per night isn’t the optimal development strategy, and if they weren’t about to give him a boost in ice time, sending him back to Spokane was the only other option. Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times tweets that Kings head coach John Stevens didn’t want Anderson-Dolan sticking around in a losing culture, and noted that he’ll be the leader for his WHL team. The Kings are 2-5-1 through their first eight games, and currently have the second worst goal differential in the entire league.
For Kings fans, it will be hard to see Anderson-Dolan leave in the midst of such a poor start to the season by the team, but there are brighter days on the horizon. The young forward is part of a prospect group that should be making a substantial impact before long, alongside names like Gabe Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, Kale Clague and Akil Thomas. The World Juniors could be filled with Kings prospects this year, and give fans something to cheer for during what is looking like a down year.
Frank Corrado Signs AHL Contract With Toronto Marlies
Some may remember Frank Corrado from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, patiently waiting for a turn in the lineup that never seemed to come. Corrado was in the Maple Leafs organization for nearly two full seasons, but only played 41 games with the club and routinely sat in the press box as the extra instead of even getting playing time at the minor league level. Dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017, he at least was given the chance to suit up more often for their AHL affiliate, though still didn’t receive much NHL playing time.
Corrado is now heading back to that Maple Leafs organization, as the now 25-year old defenseman has signed an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies to try and get his professional career back on track. Coming off a major knee injury, he’ll try to work his way into the defending Calder Cup champions lineup and show he still has enough left to challenge for an NHL role.
Corrado was originally selected by the Vancouver Canucks in 2011, but has played in just 76 NHL games and 175 regular season AHL contests over parts of seven seasons. That’s an impressively low total for a defenseman who has shown at times to be a quality puck-mover and capable of handling himself at both ends of the ice. Though the NHL is now several steps away, he’ll be given another opportunity at the AHL level.
Minor Transactions: 10/22/18
Another week is underway in the NHL and the Nashville Predators find themselves alone in first place with 14 points. Their +12 goal differential also leads the league, as they look to repeat as Presidents Trophy winners this year. While all the other teams around the league try to catch them, we’ll keep track of the minor moves made to get them a little closer.
- Marek Mazanec has been returned to the AHL by the New York Rangers, who have recalled Alexandar Georgiev in his stead. The goaltenders had been swapped to give Georgiev some playing time, and will likely continue to be flipped back and forth throughout the season. Georgiev has played just one NHL game this season and allowed seven goals, but is still expected to be the primary backup for Henrik Lundqvist.
- Troy Grosenick is on his way up to the Nashville Predators to serve as Juuse Saros‘ backup, while the team has sent Miroslav Svoboda down to the minor leagues. Grosenick has a 3-0 record with the Milwaukee Admirals so far this season, and will come up to help Saros fill the skates of Pekka Rinne while he’s on the shelf.
- The Dallas Stars have recalled Justin Dowling, rewarding the minor league veteran for his strong early play in the minor leagues. Dowling hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2016-17 season, but is valuable depth for the organization given his strong offensive history in the AHL.
- Dylan Gambrell is back up with the San Jose Sharks, already his third recall of the young season. Sharks fans will remember the club doing a similar thing with Mirco Mueller in previous years, bouncing a player up and down throughout the year. It looks like Gambrell is that player this season, as he fights to establish himself as a full-time NHL option.
Scott Darling Activated, Sent To AHL On Conditioning Loan
The Carolina Hurricanes are going to have to make a goaltending decision before long, as Scott Darling is almost ready to return to the net. The team activated the injured goaltender today and sent him to the minor leagues on a conditioning stint. Darling will start for the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday evening, but could force the NHL team to waive either Curtis McElhinney or Petr Mrazek before long, unless they’re planning on carrying three goaltenders.
Even though Darling hasn’t been good since joining the Hurricanes before last season, the team still has quite a bit invested in him. Signed to a four-year, $16.6MM contract in the spring of 2017, he’s making $4.75MM this season in the second year of the deal. While that doesn’t put him in the upper echelon of goaltenders around the league, it does make him an expensive asset for a team like Carolina who usually sit near the bottom of the league in salary commitments. Add in that McElhinney and Mrazek are earning less than $2.5MM combined this season and it’s obvious where the Hurricanes need to get some production from.
It’s still not clear if they’ll get that production though, as even with his good preseason Darling is still far from proven in the NHL with the club. Last season saw him register an .888 save percentage through 43 games, putting him among the worst goaltenders in the league. Luckily for him, Mrazek and McElhinney haven’t been much better since arriving in Carolina. Though the latter has a 3-1 record, it’s more thanks to a solid team in front of him than his individual performance in net.
In fact, the offense in Carolina has been excellent this season with 26 goals through their first eight games. A competent goaltender could push them into the more impressive teams in the Eastern Conference, given their solid defensive foundation and exciting young forward group. If Darling can revert to the goaltender he was in Chicago, where he posted a .923 save percentage through 75 games, they would certainly become serious playoff contender in the Metropolitan Division. Without improved play in the net though, Carolina will have a tough time fending off the rest of a group that includes teams like Washington and Pittsburgh.
Remember that if the Hurricanes decide to place McElhinney on waivers, the Toronto Maple Leafs would get a chance to reclaim him. If the Maple Leafs were to the only team to put in a bid, they could send him right to the minor leagues—an outcome that they could desperately use, given their razor thin depth in net. Mrazek meanwhile would likely clear given his $1.5MM salary, but would then be an expensive asset to sit in the minor leagues. The fact that Anton Forsberg is on waivers today may actually be beneficial to the Hurricanes, given that he could be snapped up by a goaltender-hungry team before they have to make a decision.
New Jersey Devils Recall Egor Yakovlev
After a promising start to the season the New Jersey Devils have dropped back to back games against the Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers, and will now welcome the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Nashville Predators to town on Thursday night. With that in mind, the team has recalled former KHL defenseman Egor Yakovlev from the minor leagues. It didn’t take long for Yakovlev to make an impact with the organization, recording seven assists in his first seven AHL contests including two in his very first game.
Signed last May to a one-year, entry-level contract, Yakovlev is making his North American debut after playing for the last six seasons in the KHL. The mobile defenseman loves to skate the puck out of trouble and found success for years in the KHL and internationally until seeing his ice time drop dramatically in 2017-18 with SKA St. Petersburg. That’s a common occurrence for a player who has indicated he’s on his way to North America, though there’s no confirmation he was sat for that reason.
If he does get into the lineup, the 27-year old will fit in with a defense corps that moves the puck extremely quickly and tries to create tempo all over the ice. The team did have seven other defensemen, but has placed Steven Santini on injured reserve after suffering a broken jaw this weekend when a puck struck him in the face. The club has also recalled forward Kevin Rooney, who had been sent down in a paper transaction yesterday.
Metropolitan Notes: Wang, Darling, Jones
The New York Islanders suffered a loss today as former owner Charles B. Wang passed away Sunday at the age of 74, according to Newsday’s David Schwartz. Wang, best known for keeping the Islanders in the New York area, bought the Islanders in 2000 when the team was in an uncertain future with the idea of bringing the franchise back into a top-class organization.
“We are heartbroken by the news of Charles Wang’s passing. New York Islanders’s co-owners Dewey Shay, Scott Malkin and I were privileged to be selected by Charles to be his partners in the team. Charles loved the Islanders unconditionally. The arena at Belmont Park will be just one of his many legacies left to the team and to Long Island. His unique personality, his wonderful sense of humor and his extraordinary wisdom will be greatly missed,” said Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky.
Wang served as majority owner until 2016 before becoming a minority co-owner. He is survived by his wife and three children. We at Pro Hockey Rumors offer our condolences to the family.
- NHL.com’s Michael Smith writes Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that goaltender Scott Darling, who has been injured since the preseason, is expected to make a rehab start with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL on Wednesday. He could return to the Hurricanes for their Friday game against San Jose. Darling, who struggled in his first year in Carolina with a .888 save percentage last year, will force the team to make an interesting decision as the team already has two goaltenders on their active roster in Curtis McElhinney and Petr Mrazek. Neither goaltender has been stellar so far for the Hurricanes. McElhinney has been their top goaltender so far in four games, putting up a 2.76 GAA and a .876 save percentage. Mrazek has struggled more, posting a 3.07 GAA and a .874 save percentage in four games. Will the team keep three goalies or put on of them on waivers in the next week?
- Seth Jones, who is rumored to be coming close to a return, skated with the team for a sixth consecutive day on Saturday, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required). Then, however, he stayed on for a hard skate with the players who weren’t dressing against the Blackhawks. The scribe writes that Tuesday against Arizona could be a potential return date, which would make it four weeks to the day that he strained a knee ligament. “I can’t give you a specific date,” Jones said. “Nor can the trainers, I don’t think. I don’t know how it’s going to do on Monday at practice. We’ll just see. It’s just day by day, how confident I am on it, with contact and all that stuff.”
Minor Transactions: 10/21/18
Another Saturday night in the NHL has gone by, and with it another chance for young players to impress their coaching staffs. Now a new day opens and we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves around the league.
- Nick Paul and Christian Jaros have been returned to the AHL by the Ottawa Senators, in another cost-cutting maneuver. The Senators aren’t back in game action until Tuesday night, at which point they’ll likely make following transactions to bring some players back up or activate them from the minor leagues. After Mark Stone‘s game winner last night, the Senators are flying high on early season success.
- Kevin Rooney has been sent to the minor leagues by the New Jersey Devils, likely meaning that Jesper Bratt is getting close to a return. The Devils don’t play again until Thursday, giving the young forward several more days to recover from the broken jaw he suffered just before the start of the season. If he can’t go, expect New Jersey to make a different move in the next few days.
- The San Jose Sharks announced they have assigned center Dylan Gambrell to the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL and is expected to play for them today. Gambrell has been on a roller coaster getting called up and sent back done several times already this year. The 22-year-old hasn’t made an appearance for the Sharks yet this year and has only made two appearances all season for the Barracuda, although he has posted three goals and five points in those two appearances.
Overseas Notes: Tolvanen, Wolski, Phelps
A decision is looming for the Nashville Predators. As TSN’s Bob McKenzie again noted in yesterday’s “Insider Trading” segment, forward Eeli Tolvanen has a European Assignment Clause that would allow him to leave North America after ten games in the AHL. When Tolvanen failed to break camp and was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals, the countdown began. After last night, Tolvanen has skated in all six of the Admirals games and would hit ten by the end of a busy four-game stretch next week. The 2017 first-round pick came over from Jokerit of the KHL late last season and played in three regular season games for the Predators, but did not see the ice in the postseason. He was then expected to be an impact player in Nashville this year, but did not make enough of an impression in the preseason. While the Predators may be equally as disappointed in the situation as Tolvanen, it is the Finnish forward who holds all the leverage. If he opts to leave and return to the KHL, where he would make a much higher salary and play a more important role, he can’t return to the NHL this season. Nashville would lose a valued depth asset for nothing for the remainder of the year. Can and will they offer Tolvanen a full-time spot on the NHL roster? Or will the young forward see the developmental value in remaining in the AHL? If the answer to both of these questions is “no”, a budding star will soon depart from North America this season.
- Could Wojtek Wolski be eyeing a return to North America? It seems unlikely for the former Colorado Avalanche star, who has played in the KHL for parts of the last six seasons. However, Wolski and his most recent club, Mettalurg Magnitogorsk, have come to a mutual agreement on the termination of his contract, the team announced. Wolski has been a valued hired gun in the KHL for some time now, but as he enters the twilight of his career – now 32 years old with a lot of tread on the tires – Wolski could try to land a gig in the AHL or even NHL in an attempt to get back to the top level of pro hockey before his playing days are done. He certainly put on a good show for NHL eyes on the international stage last season, leading Team Canada in goals at the Olympic Games. Wolski last played in the NHL in 2012-13 with the Washington Capitals and was far from the 50-point form he showed early in his career with the Avs, but was nevertheless a serviceable player. Don’t rule out the possibility that he tries his hand at a return. Even if he doesn’t, he won’t remain unemployed for very long.
- Former Boston University forward Chase Phelps has made an interesting career move. A four-year starter for the Terriers, the undrafted Phelps was seemingly unable to land a job in North America this off-season, not showing up on any training camp rosters either. The checking forward was a reliable defensive asset for BU for four years, even if his offensive production never matched up with his USHL No. 21 overall pick tag. Yet, Phelps has found a team willing to give him a chance. French club Anglet has signed the two-way forward, the team announced. Located in the south of France, Anglet plays in the French premiere league, the “Synerglace Ligue Magnus”. Phelps was once a standout for Shattuck St. Mary’s; now moving on from the uber-competitive Hockey East Conference to the French pro ranks, perhaps he can re-discover that scoring touch.