Calgary Flames Sign Tyler Wotherspoon
While Calgary Flames fans wait with bated breath for word on their star restricted free agents Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, they’ve come to an agreement with a lesser known player. Tyler Wotherspoon has been signed by the club to a one-year, two-way deal. General Fanager reports that the deal is worth $625K at the NHL level.
Wotherspoon, 23, was the Flames’ second-round pick in the 2011 draft, 57th overall. While spending most of the past three seasons in the AHL with the ever-changing Flames affiliate (Abbotsford, Adirondack and now Stockton), Wotherspoon has been called up to the NHL on multiple occasions, suiting up in 26 career games.
Not expected to be much more than a seventh defenseman this season, Wotherspoon is no longer waiver-exempt, meaning that he won’t be able to be shuffled up and down without clearing waivers each time. While he’s not a huge risk to be stolen, it’s probably something the Flames would still rather avoid.
[Related: Calgary Flames Depth Chart]
After re-starting their hearts (“Flames sign” is a good way to get attention at the moment), Calgary fans will now continue to wait for the inevitable contracts given to Gaudreau and Monahan. Both have expressed the desire to remain in Calgary long-term, but with each passing day the fanbase becomes more frantic. With just under $15MM in current cap space, the team should be able to fit both players in without making any subsequent moves.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Roster Crunch: Metropolitan Division
We’ve taken a look at three out of the four divisions now, and the decisions they’ll have to make come training camp. The Pacific’s depth on defense, the changes coming up front in the Central, and the mass of young talent set to break through in the Atlantic. Now, we’ll take a look at the what many considered the best division in hockey last year, with four 100-point teams and both the President’s Trophy winner and Stanley Cup Champions.
Washington Capitals – There is probably no team with fewer uncertainties going into the season than the Washington Capitals. After running away with the regular season points lead, the Capitals couldn’t even make it to the Stanley Cup final, but they’ll head into next season with largely the same group. They brought in Lars Eller, whose possession numbers should help the third line, and allowed Jason Chimera and Mike Richards to walk (though the latter remains unsigned). Basically the only battle in camp will be for a fourth line or 13th forward spot; can Brett Connolly do enough to make the squad over Stanislav Galiev? Exciting stuff.
Boston Signs Brian Ferlin To Two-Way Deal
According to Cap Friendly, the Boston Bruins have signed their final restricted free agent Brian Ferlin to a one-year, two-way deal that will pay the winger $725K at the NHL level.
Ferlin, a fourth-round pick who attended Cornell University for three seasons, made his professional debut in 2014-15, spending most of the season with the Providence Bruins. He got into seven NHL games that season, but was limited to the AHL in 2015-16.
Not an offensive force, the 24-year old has 17 goals and 35 points in 83 professional games. He’ll look to improve on his all-around game in Providence this season, and try to crack Boston’s bottom-six at some point during the year.
Roster Crunch: Atlantic Division
Over the past few days, we’ve looked at the final few spots on the roster for both the Pacific and Central divisions. This time, we’ll turn our attention to the East starting with the Atlantic. This division will be in turmoil over the next few years, with clubs like the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs going through slow, deliberate rebuilds, and perennial contending squads like the Detroit Red Wings finally starting to slow down.
Florida Panthers – While the Panthers have pretty much accomplished everything they set out to do this off-season – improving the blueline with Keith Yandle and Jason Demers, getting a capable replacement for Roberto Luongo in James Reimer, and locking up their young core – they failed in one, big $5.5MM way. Dave Bolland failed his physical and therefor couldn’t be bought out. He’ll try to prove he deserves some playing time this season, but may find himself buried in the AHL to make room for Jared McCann, the prize Florida received when they dealt Erik Gudbranson to the Canucks.
East Notes: Pryor, O’Dell, Prior
The Philadelphia Flyers have promoted long-time scout Chris Pryor to assistant general manager, and director of player personnel. Pryor has been with the organization for the past 17 years, joining the club first as a US amateur scout in 1999. He’s held many positions since then, director of hockey operations and director of scouting among them over the years.
He’ll join general manager Ron Hextall and president Paul Holmgren in the Flyers brain-trust trying to improve on their first-round exit last season. Since Pryor became the director of hockey ops in 2006, the Flyers have had a fairly successful draft history, hitting on top picks like Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk, and unearthing superstar rookie Shayne Gostisbehere with the 78th overall pick (2012).
- While the exodus to Switzerland’s top hockey league is in full effect, another former NHL player will be taking his talents to Russia instead. Eric O’Dell, who played last season with the Rochester Americans of the AHL has signed on with Sochi (Russian translation) for 2016-17. O’Dell has played in 41 NHL games, all with the Winnipeg Jets, scoring eight points.
- The Washington-Las Vegas pipeline continues, as George McPhee has hired long-time Capitals goalie coach Dave Prior, according to Stephen Whyno. Prior spent ten years with Washington, before being let go before the 2014-15 season. He’ll join a organization who has poached former employees of Washington almost exclusively since McPhee came on board.
Roster Crunch: Central Division
Previously, we looked at some of the battles for the last few spots among Pacific Division teams, happening to focus mostly on the third pairing on many teams. With the Anaheim Ducks leading the way with their glut of young defenders, we’ll head to the Central Division next where there are a few teams who might be contenders to scoop up one of extra Ducks pieces.
Dallas Stars – It’s not often you see a team lose three of it’s top-four defenders in one offseason, but that’s what happened to the Stars this summer after Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers and Kris Russell all became unrestricted free agents. While Russell has yet to sign, he was probably miscast as the 24-minute-a-night player the Stars used him as down the stretch. They brought in Dan Hamhuis to fill one of the spots, but it’ll be a battle between Jamie Oleksiak, Stephen Johns, Patrik Nemeth, Jordie Benn and Esa Lindell for playing time this year. Because Johns is the only right-handed member of that group, perhaps Julius Honka, a former first-round pick, will make his NHL debut this season as well.
Week In Review: 8/1/16 – 8/7/16
August is generally the quietest month of the entire calendar year for hockey news stories. The first week certainly reinforced that notion with little in the way of compelling story lines. Nonetheless, here’s your roundup of the week’s news.
Notable UFA Signings
Sam Gagner (Blue Jackets) – One year, $650K
Key Prospect Signings
Olli Juolevi (Canucks) – ELC – Three Years, $925K AAV with $850K in Schedule A bonuses available and $600K in Schedule B bonuses for the 2017-18 season.
Coaching/Management Hires
Former NHL players Jay Leach and Trent Whitfield were added to the coaching staff of the AHL Providence Bruins.
Las Vegas made a number of hires as they fill out their front office. Kelly McCrimmon becomes the team’s assistant GM, while Wil Nichol, formerly a scout in the Washington organization, was hired as the club’s director of player development.
Overseas Transactions
Marc-Andre Bergeron, who appeared in 490 NHL regular season games and tallied 253 points primarily filling the role of power play specialist for seven NHL clubs, was released from his contract with Zurich in the Swiss League.
Snapshots: Shinkaruk, Yamamoto
Just prior to the trade deadline in February, the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks executed an interesting, challenge-type trade. The Flames dealt C Markus Granlund, a player they originally selected in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft, to the Canucks for their 2013 1st round pick, Hunter Shinkaruk.
Granlund had failed to earn a regular role with the Flames and at the time of the deal didn’t seem to be considered much of a prospect anymore. As a more recent draft selection, Shinkaruk still had the look of a solid prospect, even if there may be more risk associated with his development.
Nevertheless, Shinkaruk now gets to suit up in his hometown playing for the team he grew up rooting for and is intent on earning a regular role on the wing in Calgary, according to this piece from the team’s website. Given the talented young pivots the Flames have – Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett specifically – Shinkaruk should have an excellent opportunity to not only make the club but to produce as well.
Now, more from around the NHL, focusing particularly on prospects.
- The Anaheim Ducks have signed their 2015 3rd round pick, RW Deven Sideroff to an ELC. According to General Fanager, Sideroff’s contract will max out at an AAV of $925,000 should he earn his performance bonuses. Sideroff was chosen 84th overall out of Kamploops in the WHL and finished his junior career with 39 goals and 109 points in 141 games. He also appeared in one contest with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, and will likely spend much of the upcoming season there.
- Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News has an interesting piece on 2017 draft prospect Kailer Yamamoto, who some scouts “cautiously” compare to Johnny Gaudreau. Yamamoto, grew up in the Spokane, Washington area and was taught to skate by the mother of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson. Yamamoto is close with Johnson and considers the Lighting sniper to be a “role model”. While it’s premature and probably unfair to compare Yamamoto to any established NHL player, much less one of Gaudreau’s caliber, it does seem quite possible we’ll hear his name called early on during the 2017 draft.
Snapshots: World Cup, Tufte, Grabovski, Penguins
The NHL and ESPN today released the U.S. broadcast schedule for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey. The tournament runs from September 8th to as late as October 1st, should the best-of-three final go the distance. The games will be broadcast in the United States on all four ESPN channels. The Canadian broadcast schedule was previously released in May, and the games will air in Canada on Rogers Sportsnet and CBC.
Here are some more snapshots from around the league:
- Matt Wellens of the Duluth News Tribune writes today on Dallas Stars’ first round pick Riley Tufte, who will miss the remainder of the US national junior development camp with a broken wrist. Tufte, 18, is not expected to miss time during the regular season, which he’ll play at the University of Minnesota Duluth . Tufte had 10 goals, 14 points in 27 games for the USHL’s Fargo Force last year.
- David Holcomb of Today’s Slapshot discusses Mikhail Grabovski and the New York Islanders today. Holcomb writes that after the big financial commitment the Islanders made to Grabovski, the amount of time he’s missed through injuries is difficult to deal with. He’s played well when healthy, but he plays with a fearlessness that gets him into trouble, especially with his lack of size.
- The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey reports on the Penguins’ AHL affiliates, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, have added to their coaching staff. Chris Taylor and J.D. Forrest will be join head coach Clark Donatelli. Forrest, 35, played last year in the ECHL. Taylor, 44, played 149 games in the NHL for the Bruins, Islanders, and Sabres, and spent last year as an assistant coach for the Rochester Americans.
Snapshots: St. Louis, Barrie, Marner
Sixteen years ago today was one to remember for the Tampa Bay Lightning, as on July 31st, 2000 they signed Martin St. Louis after he’d been released by the Calgary Flames. One of the biggest little-men in NHL history, the 5’8″ St. Louis would go on to score 953 points for the Lightning, and helped lead them to their first and only Stanley Cup championship in 2004. Their all-time leading scorer, and a two-time Olympian, St. Louis finished his career with the New York Rangers and is currently #71 on the all-time points list. He’s got a good case for a hall-of-fame induction eventually, and it’s all because Tampa Bay gave the diminutive forward a second-chance in the NHL.
- The only player to have reached salary arbitration this year, Tyson Barrie had his hearing on Friday to determine his cost for the upcoming season. The arbitrator had 48 hours to make her decision, and that window will come to an end at 1:30pm today central time. We profiled Barrie’s case last week, and showed how well he compares to some of the elite offensive defensemen in the league. Now, with only a few hours left (as of this writing) to negotiate a deal, it’s coming down to the wire for the two sides to reconcile their perceived differences.
- Mitch Marner, the sometimes-forgotten uber-prospect in the Maple Leafs system is in an interesting situation this season; the 19-year old is too young for the AHL, and must either crack the NHL roster or go back to junior to play for the OHL’s London Knights. When asked about his possible play at this year’s World Junior Championship, Marner intimated that he’s doing everything he can to stay in the NHL. “It’s not up to me. If I am in the OHL, then I am going to play and look forward to it.” Fellow top-prospect Dylan Strome was much less reserved about his hopes for next year when he was asked the same thing by Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun: “I feel like I’m done with junior, and don’t want to be there next year, but if Arizona thinks it’s best for me, I don’t have a choice.” Strome and Marner were picked third and fourth overall in the 2015 draft, following Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, who have both already made an impact at the NHL level.