Anaheim Ducks

Training Camp Cuts: 9/23/17

September 23, 2017 at 9:30 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

The more than fifty cuts made from training camps around the league yesterday was only the beginning. Weekend or not, expect the announcements to keep flooding in, and we’ll keep track of it all right here:

Anaheim Ducks

F Stu Bickel – San Diego (AHL)
F Maxime Comtois – Victoriaville (QMJHL)
F Alex Dostie – San Diego (AHL)
G Olle Eriksson Ek – Farjestad BK (SWE U20)
F Nic Kerdiles – San Diego (AHL)
D Brady Lyle – North Bay (OHL), released from ATO
F Antoine Morand – Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
F Julius Nattinen – San Diego (AHL)
F Kyle Olson – Tri-City (WHL)
F Austin Ortega – San Diego (AHL)
D Turner Ottenbreit – Seattle (WHL), released from ATO
G Angus Redmond – San Diego (AHL)
F Kevin Roy – San Diego (AHL)
F Zach Saar – San Diego (AHL)
F Deven Sideroff – San Diego (AHL)
F Tyler Soy – San Diego (AHL)
D Jeff Schultz – San Diego (AHL)
D Keaton Thompson – San Diego (AHL)

Buffalo Sabres

F Eric Cornel – Rochester (AHL)
F Vaclav Karabacek – Rochester (AHL)
G Jason Kasdorf – Rochester (AHL)
G Jonas Johansson – Rochester (AHL)
D Brycen Martin – Rochester (AHL)
F Steve Moses – Rochester (AHL)
D Casey Nelson – Rochester (AHL)
F Kevin Porter – Rochester (AHL)
F Cliff Pu – London (OHL)
D Devante Stephens – Rochester (AHL)
G Adam Wilcox – Rochester (AHL)

Calgary Flames

F Austin Carroll – Stockton (AHL)
D Josh Healey – Stockton (AHL)
D Oliver Kylington – Stockton (AHL)
F Andrew Mangiapane – Stockton (AHL)
D Adam Ollas Mattsson – Stockton (AHL)
G Tyler Parsons – Stockton (AHL)
D Colby Robak – Stockton (AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes

F Clark Bishop – Charlotte (AHL)
G Callum Booth – Charlotte (AHL)
F Warren Foegele – Charlotte (AHL)
D Tyler Ganly – Charlotte (AHL)
F Gregory Hofmann – HC Lugano (NLA)
D Keenan Kanzig – Charlotte (AHL)
F Steven Lorentz – Charlotte (AHL)
G Alex Nedeljkovic – Charlotte (AHL)
F Andrew Poturalski – Charlotte (AHL)
F Nick Schilkey – Charlotte (AHL)
F Spencer Smallman – Charlotte (AHL)
F Sergey Tolchinsky – Charlotte (AHL)
D Josh Wesley – Charlotte (AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks

D Kyle Baun – Rockford (AHL) (cleared waivers)
G Jeff Glass – Rockford (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Dallas Stars

F Travis Morin – released from PTO, will attend AHL camp
F Greg Rallo – released from PTO, will attend AHL camp

Minnesota Wild

D Zach Palmquist – Iowa (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Montreal Canadiens

D Zach Redmond – Laval (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Nashville Predators

D Frederic Allard – Milwaukee (AHL)
F Derek Army – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Bobby Butler – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Tyler Kelleher – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Justin Kirkland – Milwaukee (AHL)
D Joonas Lyytinen – Milwaukee (AHL)
D T.J. Melancon – Milwaukee (AHL)
F Angelo Miceli – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Trevor Mingoia – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Tyler Moy – Milwaukee (AHL)
D Trevor Murphy – Milwaukee (AHL)
G Matt O’Connor – Milwaukee (AHL)
D Jimmy Oligny – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
G Jake Paterson – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Stephen Perfetto – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
D Rick Pinkston – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Anthony Richard – Milwaukee (AHL)

New York Islanders

D Sebastian Aho – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Casey Bailey – released from PTO
D Kyle Burroughs – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Michael Dal Colle – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Scott Eansor – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Tanner Fritz – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Ben Holmstrom – released from PTO
F Ross Johnston – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Jeff Kubiak – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
D Kane LaFranchise – Bridgeport (AHL)
G Eamon McAdam – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Kyle Schempp – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Travis St. Denis – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F John Stevens – Bridgeport (AHL)
D Devon Toews – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Yannick Turcotte – released from ATO
D Mitchell Vande Sompel – Bridgeport (AHL)
D Parker Wotherspoon – Bridgeport (AHL)

New York Rangers

D Alexei Bereglazov – Hartford (AHL)
G Alexandar Georgiev – Hartford (AHL)
D John Gilmour – Hartford (AHL)
F Ryan Gropp – Hartford (AHL)
G Chris Nell – Hartford (AHL)
D Vince Pedrie – Hartford (AHL)
F Malte Stromwall – Hartford (AHL)
F Adam Tambellini – Hartford (AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers

D Mark Alt – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
D T.J. Brennan – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Greg Carey – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Corban Knight – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
G Alex Lyon – Lehigh Valley (AHL)
D Will O’Neill – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Phil Varone – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Ottawa Senators

G Chris Driedger – Belleville (AHL)
G Marcus Hogberg – Belleville (AHL)
G Danny Taylor – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
D Erik Burgdoerfer – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
D Cody Donaghey – Belleville (AHL)
D Andreas Englund – Belleville (AHL)
D Macoy Erkamps – Belleville (AHL)
D Christian Jaros – Belleville (AHL)
D Patrick Sieloff – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Chris DiDomenico – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Vincent Dunn – Belleville (AHL)
F Gabriel Gagne – Belleville (AHL)
F Nick Paul – Belleville (AHL)
F Francis Perron – Belleville (AHL)
F Ben Sexton – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Kyle Flanagan – released from PTO (Belleville)
D Jordan Murray – released from PTO (Belleville)
F Jack Rodewald – released from PTO (Belleville)
D Charles-David Beaudoin – released from PTO
F Brendan Woods – released from PTO
F Drake Batherson – Cape Breton (QMJHL)
F Parker Kelly – Prince Albert (WHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Shane Conacher – Released from PTO
F Alex Gallant – Syracuse (AHL)
F Kevin Lynch – Released from PTO (Syracuse)
F Otto Somppi – Halifax (QMJHL)
F Carter Verhaeghe – Syracuse (AHL)
D Mat Bodie – Syracuse (AHL)
D Reid McNeil – Released from PTO (Syracuse)
D Matt Spencer – Syracuse (AHL)
G Connor Ingram – Syracuse (AHL)
G Michael Leighton – Syracuse (AHL)

Eastern Notes: Van Riemsdyk, Bellerive, Mete, Antipin

September 16, 2017 at 3:34 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

While major roster moves at this point in the season are unlikely, it sounds like Toronto could be looking to make some moves later in the season, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. The Maple Leafs who are overloaded with forwards and will have to worry about salary cap issues for the impending future (the currently are $4.58MM over the cap) might be willing to move some of their veteran forwards whose contracts are close to expiring. According to Dreger, the team might be looking to move James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov during the season to get some value for them.

Van Riemsdyk would be a valuable trade chip for the Maple Leafs. The 28-year-old put up 29 goals and 33 assists last year and will be making $4.25MM in his final year of his contract. Trade speculation surrounding van Riemsdyk isn’t surprising. There was plenty of that last year. With all the contracts the Maple Leafs have, including the deal to sign Patrick Marleau as well as an eventual long-term deal that will go to Auston Matthews, Toronto will likely be forced to make some moves.

Bozak had 18 goals and career-high 55 points last year and could also be a key trade asset for the franchise. There were plenty of rumors surrounding the 31-year-old center this offseason in which both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers were interested in bringing him. Komarov also had a solid year for the Leafs as the 30-year-old center put up 14 goals and 18 assists.

Dreger said that while it is unknown whether the franchise intends to eventually move one or all three, but suggested that a team like the Anaheim Ducks might be the perfect trade candidate for Toronto as the Ducks might be looking to add a third-line center.

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have signed undrafted 18-year-old Jordan Bellerive to a three-year entry-level contract. The 5-foot-10 center put up 27 goals and 29 assists for the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes last year, but to many people’s surprise did not get drafted. He joined the Penguins for the 2017 Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, New York and led the prospects with seven points (four goals, three assists) in three games. He is expected to return to his junior team this season.
Eric Engels of Sportsnet writes that the Montreal Canadiens are taking a serious look at defensive prospect Victor Mete as a potential line partner with veteran Shea Weber. Mete, a fourth-round pick in 2016, put up 44 points in 50 games last year for the OHL’s London Knights. The scribe reports that the 19-year-old has not looked out of place next to Weber and is a perfect complement to him.
John Vogl of the Buffalo News writes that former KHL defenseman Viktor Antipin, who signed with the Sabres this offseason, is working hard to earn a spot on the Sabres’ defensive rotation. The 24-year-old has been paired so far in camp with defensive-minded Justin Falk, which many believe is a perfect pairing. The offensive-minded Antipin scored 24 points in 59 games for Magnitogorsk Mettallurg last year.

Ryan Carter Announces Retirement

September 15, 2017 at 6:15 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Give Ryan Carter credit. Around this time last year, it seemed as though the veteran forward’s career was already over. Carter had been unable to secure a guaranteed contract for the 2016-17 season, but was working toward a new deal with the Minnesota Wild by way of a PTO. However, when a nagging shoulder injury – a torn labrum to be exact – ended his attempt, Carter decided that he needed to move forward with surgery and, at 33, did not know if he would play again. Yet, Carter underwent his procedure, rehabbed, and by mid-February, he was back skating with the Wild. Carter ended up playing in 18 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and was one of Minnesota’s “black aces” come playoff time, though he never did get to fully make his NHL return.

It took a lot of effort just to get close to a comeback in 2016-17 and another try just wasn’t in the cards for Carter this year. The Athletic’s Michael Russo was the first to report that the ten year veteran has decided to hang up his skates. The Minnesota native can rest easy in retirement, knowing that he got to play his final two NHL seasons with his hometown team and gave it all he had to return for a third. Along the way, the Minnesota State standout also suited up for the Anaheim Ducks from 2006 to 2011 and the New Jersey Devils from 2011 to 2014, with brief stops with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers in between.

A hard-working, two-way threat, Carter was known more as a defensive specialist best-suited for a bottom-six spot and key penalty killing role than he was a point-producers. Yet, Carter finished his career off strong with a career high 15 points with the Devils in 2012-13 and three more double-digit totals to close out his NHL tenure. Carter will also be remembered for a very strong postseason performance for New Jersey in 2012, nearly matching his regular season production as the team charged to a Stanley Cup final appearance. In total, Carter notched 41 goals and 52 assists in 473 NHL games. While his scoring was far from the pace he exhibited in his college days in Mankato, Carter was still able to provide consistent two-way play, work ethic, and character throughout an NHL career built off of solid bottom-six play.

No Timeline On Ryan Kesler’s Return

September 15, 2017 at 12:59 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Anaheim Ducks took to the ice for the start of training camp today, and they were without several of their key players. While Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen work to come back from shoulder surgeries, Ducks’ GM Bob Murray told reporters (including Eric Stephens of the Orange Country Register) that there is no timeline on Ryan Kesler’s return from hip surgery. Murray said he hopes to have his center back by Christmas.

That would be much longer than initially expected, as he was originally only expected to be out 12 weeks. Given the surgery happened on June 8th, that estimate would have put him back on the ice earlier this month, not deep into the season. Initial timelines like that are often misleading, but it’s definitely not good news that Kesler won’t be back on the ice to start the year. The team already had question marks at center behind Ryan Getzlaf and Kesler, and will now likely have to rely on Rickard Rakell in the middle to start the year.

Behind him though, it gets less inspiring. Antoine Vermette will be back, but is a better fit for the fourth line than third, and youngster Sam Steel will almost certainly be heading back to the CHL to captain the Regina Pats this year. Perhaps there is still a move to be made for Anaheim, who have their sights set on the playoffs once again but will have a tough start to the year without some of their star players.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Anaheim Ducks

September 13, 2017 at 7:38 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Anaheim Ducks

Current Cap Hit: $71,684,167 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Ondrej Kase (One year remaining, $670K)
D Brandon Montour (One year remaining, $925K)
F Nick Ritchie (One year remaining, $894K)

Ritchie had a nice first full season that saw him collect 28 points while playing 13 minutes per game. If he maintains that, he’ll position himself for a decent raise but if he can push closer to 40 points and take on a bigger role, he could push closer towards $3MM on a bridge contract. Kase took on a fourth line role and will probably battle for that spot in the lineup again. He’ll be in line for a small raise but nothing too significant.

Montour spent most of last year in the minors but played an important role in the playoffs due to injuries. With a pair of regulars slated to be out for a while to start the season, he should see action early on and could play himself into a full-time role.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Francois Beauchemin ($1MM, UFA)
D Kevin Bieksa ($4MM, UFA)
F Jared Boll ($900K, UFA)
F Andrew Cogliano ($3MM, UFA)
D Josh Manson ($825K, RFA)
F Dennis Rasmussen ($725K, UFA)
F Logan Shaw ($650K, RFA)
F Antoine Vermette ($1.75MM, UFA)
F Chris Wagner ($638K, UFA)

Potential Bonuses

Beauchemin: $600K
Ritchie: $850K

Total: $1.45MM

Cogliano has quietly been an effective secondary scorer in past years and fits nicely into a middle-six role. Those types of players have started to get squeezed out in free agency as teams look to sign top guys and round out the roster with cheap depth. Some players still buck that trend though and if Cogliano can get around 30 points again, he should be able to as well. Vermette has seen his production dip in recent years but remains one of the top faceoff players in the game which means there will always be some sort of market for him. He’s also collecting $1.25MM from the Coyotes so between that and his current cap hit, he will likely have to take a pay cut next season. The other four players on this list project to be depth pieces and won’t be expected to earn any sort of big raise on their next contracts.

On the back end, there are two different types of players. The first are the aging veterans, highlighted by Bieksa. He’s coming off of one of the quietest seasons of his career and has seen his role diminish quite a bit lately. He might garner one more contract based on reputation but it shouldn’t be close to what he’s getting now. Beauchemin has already stated that this is likely his final NHL season and will likely be more of a depth player when everyone’s healthy but value wise, this is still a pretty good contract.

Then there’s Manson on the opposite end of the spectrum. He has been buried behind their other young blueliners but has still managed to establish himself as an up-and-coming top-four option. He should get a chance to play a bigger role this coming season and with it, he’ll have an opportunity to show he’s worthy of a long-term contract like the others. Manson will also have arbitration rights so he is well on his way towards landing a much bigger contract coming off of his bridge deal. A lack of offense will limit the final number (he’ll come in below their top-three) but it will still be a major raise that GM Bob Murray will need to budget for.

Two Years Remaining

G John Gibson ($2.3MM, RFA)
D Korbinian Holzer ($900K, UFA)
G Ryan Miller ($2MM, UFA)
F Jakob Silfverberg ($3.75MM, UFA)

Silfverberg continues to improve by the year and is now a quality second line forward at the very least. He’s already looking likely to get a notable raise two years from now but if he can crack the 50 point mark, he’ll set himself up to be one of the more prominent names out there should he make it to the open market. As for Holzer, he has been a serviceable number six option when called upon and will reprise that role for a couple more years now. His next contract probably won’t be much bigger than this one.

Between the pipes is certainly interesting. Gibson hasn’t completely established himself as a sure fire starter just yet but based on his improvement over the last couple of seasons, there’s a good chance he’ll be there by the time this contract is up. If that happens, he could push for upwards of $6MM or more. Will the Ducks consider trying to extend him a year from now when the asking price could potentially be a bit lower? Miller was a nice acquisition to serve as insurance; he’s among the higher-paid backups but as someone who can still handle a starting workload if need be, it’s worth paying a bit more to have that option.

Three Years Remaining

F Patrick Eaves ($3.15MM, UFA)
D Sami Vatanen ($4.875MM, UFA)

After being a bottom-six player for basically his entire career, Eaves took off last season and was arguably the most surprising breakout player in the league. The Ducks are banking that he’ll still have at least some of that touch for this season and beyond after signing him before free agency. Eaves doesn’t have to eclipse 30 goals and 50 points to live up to the deal though; if he can even produce third line numbers, it should be a reasonable contract.

Vatanen took a step back offensively last year, scoring just three times. As the league trends towards more mobile defensemen though, his value increases as he is a strong puck-mover and skater so even if the production doesn’t take a big jump, he’ll still be a key player for them. Unfortunately for the Ducks, he will be on the shelf to start this year due to offseason shoulder surgery.

Four Or More Years Remaining

D Cam Fowler ($4MM in 2017-18, then $6.5MM through 2025-26)
F Ryan Getzlaf ($8.25MM through 2020-21)
D Hampus Lindholm ($5.206MM through 2021-22)
F Ryan Kesler ($6.875MM through 2021-22)
F Corey Perry ($8.625MM through 2020-21)
F Rickard Rakell ($3.79MM through 2021-22)

While Perry is typically a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs, his regular season output dipped considerably last year; not only did he not hit 30 goals for the first time in three years, he didn’t even reach 20. When he’s on his game, Perry is still a very strong top line winger but if he’s starting to slow down, this contract could be a problem down the road. Getzlaf isn’t a major goal scorer but he’s still one of the more dominant centers in the league; while his deal is far from cheap, it’s not a major overpayment either, particularly given the demand for top centers. Kesler played up to his new contract last season but at 33 with five years left and his style of play, there’s a good chance those last few years could become burdensome. On the flip side, Rakell’s deal looks to provide very strong value after a career season that saw him score 33 goals despite missing time early on. A contract like his will help them to keep the higher-paid veteran core together a little longer.

It wasn’t long ago that Fowler was the subject of frequent trade speculation. He then went out and had his best season and earned himself a massive extension in the process. As long as he plays similar to how he performed in 2016-17, this should be a reasonable contract at worst over the long run. Lindholm’s offensive numbers have dropped two straight years but there is still some upside. If he can hold down a second or third blueliner role (a fairly safe assumption), then they’ll get good value out of that contract.

Buyouts

D Simon Despres ($1.2625MM in 2017-18, a $338K cap credit in 2018-19/2019-20, $963K in 2020-21, then $663K through 2024-25)
D Mark Fistric ($450K through 2018-19)

Retained Salary Transactions

F Patrick Maroon ($500K in 2017-18)

Still To Sign

None

Looking Ahead

While Anaheim is in good shape cap-wise this season, that will soon change. The team has over $56MM tied up into just 12 players for 2018-19 which doesn’t leave a whole lot of wiggle room to keep some of their pending free agents (plus get Manson’s next deal done). Beyond that, the number of veterans they have on long-term deals will likely price them out of going after top players in free agency or trades for the foreseeable future. The Ducks have been tight to the cap before (they finished with no cap space last year thanks to LTIR) and are likely to be in that spot once again pretty quickly.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Hampus Lindholm Not Certain About Season Debut

September 8, 2017 at 1:44 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

While many pundits and fans alike are picking the Anaheim Ducks to push for one of the top spots in the Western Conference once again this year, one of the biggest question marks heading into the season was the health of top defenders Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen. Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register gives us an update on the former, talking to Lindholm about his recovery and where he’ll be for the start of the season.

The Ducks went out and added depth in the form of recently bought-out defenseman Francois Beauchemin this summer, bringing the veteran back to the place his career really took off. While Beauchemin isn’t the defense horse he once was, he’ll have to weather some tough minutes until Lindholm and Vatanen return at some point during the season.

Sam Steel Named Captain Of Regina Pats

August 30, 2017 at 4:40 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

For all the Anaheim Ducks fans hoping that top prospect Sam Steel impresses enough in training camp to move right into the team’s lineup, you may have to wait another year. Steel was named captain of his WHL Regina Pats today, and while that’s not by any means a guarantee that he’ll head back to junior, his team sure believes so.

Steel was selected 30th overall in the 2016 draft and put up a massive, 131-point season last year for the Pats. The question of his ability to jump right to the NHL has been brought up in nearly every one of our live chats, as Ducks fans hope to have an injection of youth in the forward group sooner than later. If he does return to the WHL, he’ll likely remain the odds-on favorite to lead the league in scoring despite losing teammate (and often linemate) Adam Brooks to the Toronto Marlies.

Dan Sexton: A Top U.S. Olympic Option?

August 27, 2017 at 9:36 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

With an NHL-free Olympics all but certain at this point, every country will need to take a different path toward filling out their rosters for the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The field promises to be much more wide open than what the world has traditionally seen in the past 20-odd years. European squads have the benefit of entire leagues worth of talent to call upon, while Canada and the U.S. will be short-handed by not being able to use those in the NHL or even in the AHL on two-way contracts.

Thus far, many have assumed that the North American power houses will draw primarily from AHL contracts, while potentially scooping up those playing in Europe or even some NCAA players as well. For the United States, USA Today estimates that there are 200 Americans playing abroad this season, yet they mention only a few names, such as Mark Arcobello, Drew Shore, and Andy Miele, as foreign options before again turning their attention toward the minors and collegiate game.

However, one name that has seemingly slipped through the cracks in early Olympic consideration is KHL forward Dan Sexton. Far from a household name, the 30-year-old Sexton played college hockey at Bowling Green University before signing with the Anaheim Ducks in 2009. Sexton skated in 88 games with the Ducks between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, recording 32 points in a bottom-six role. Sexton routinely watched from the press box as well, and after four years with Anaheim spent largely in the AHL and as the team’s extra forward, he decided to move on with his hockey career. After a breakout campaign of nearly point-per-game scoring with TPS of the Finnish Liiga in 2013-14, the Minnesota-native signed on with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL and hasn’t looked back. In 2014-15, he kept his torrid pace up, scoring 47 points in 49 games in what many consider to be the best hockey league in the world behind the NHL. After an injury-riddled, albeit still productive, 2015-16 season, Sexton was back at it last year. With 50 points in 51 games, Sexton finished in the top 15 in KHL scoring and was tenth overall in points per game. He was the top-scoring right wing in the entire league. Sexton is far and away the best American in the league, especially with Brandon Bochenski now retired, and will look to hold on to that title through Olympic selection process. Thus far in the early KHL season, Sexton is tied for the league lead in scoring with none other than Pavel Datsyuk with five points in three contests.

With many Olympic candidates lacking the name recognition and pedigree that NHLers would normally bring, the most important qualifier for selection to Team USA will likely simply be “what have you done for me lately?”. The hottest players in the top non-NHL league will most likely get the call. Even though the United States boasts a talented group of young options in the AHL and NCAA, it will be hard to ignore the veteran Sexton if he continues to produce at high level in Europe’s top hockey league. A small, but speedy play-maker who has clearly adjusted well to the international game, Sexton could very well be one of the highlights of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games for American fans.

Minor Transactions: 8/26/17

August 26, 2017 at 11:59 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Just as NHL teams have begun to fill out rosters with affordable deals and tryout offers, such as those yesterday for Drew Stafford (New Jersey) and Jay McClement (Pittsburgh), minor league squads are also trying to get their teams in order with the season set to start in just a little over a month. Here are some recent minor moves:

The pro game has not been kind to the Rupert twins, but all hope is not lost. Ryan Rupert, a 2012 sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs and one of the smaller pieces sent to Ottawa alongside Dion Phaneuf in that massive 2016 exchange, was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Senators this off-season and became an unrestricted free agent. After splitting each of his first three pro seasons between the AHL and ECHL, it was unlikely that he would find an NHL contract. However, it was somewhat of a surprise when he and brother Matt Rupert signed ECHL deals with the Indy Fuel back in July. The Rupert twins were both very successful junior players with the OHL’s London Knights, with each wearing the alternate captain “A” for a season and combining for over 400 points during their tenure. After a brief reunion with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in 2014-15, Ryan has amassed 58 points in 149 AHL games and 40 points in 53 ECHL games, while the undrafted Matt has 56 points in 125 ECHL games, as well as a couple AHL games on his resume. The duo seem to at least be worthy of an AHL contract, even if they do spend much of the season in the ECHL. It seems that one team agrees, as the Rockford Ice Hogs have invited the twins to camp on a tryout basis, according to The Sporting News’ Murray Pam. The Chicago Blackhawks’ affiliate is set to have some exciting, young players on the roster this season, but could use a couple hard-working minor league veterans like the Ruperts as well. If the tryout doesn’t pan out, the pair will likely return to Indy for the coming season and try to boost their in-season loan value and free agent stock for next summer.

The San Diego Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate, announced that they have re-signed defenseman Brian Cooper to a one-year contract. Cooper, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Ducks in 2012, but signed a minor league deal with their affiliate last season after not being offered a pro contract by the team. Cooper played four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha after being drafted, delivering modest offense and a solid defensive game, especially given his 5’10”, 196-lb. stature. The Alaska-native brought the same skill set to the AHL in 2016-17, recording 10 points in 37 regular season games for the Gulls and another pair of clutch points in the postseason, all while playing mistake-free in his own end. Cooper is expected to play a larger role for San Diego next season, as he works towards showing Anaheim that he can indeed be an NHL-caliber player one day.

More to come…

Simon Despres Signs In KHL

August 24, 2017 at 12:31 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

Recently bought out Anaheim Ducks defender Simon Despres has decided to take his talents to Russia, signing with Slovan Bratislava for one season (h/t to our friends at Roster Resource for pointing it out).

Despres, 26, was one of the most disappointing stories in the NHL last season, playing just a single game because of concussion symptoms. He started skating with the team late in the season and through the playoffs, and was well enough to be bought out in June. He was just one year into a five-year extension he signed in the fall of 2015, that was worth a total of $18.5MM.

It’s interesting that Despres couldn’t find work in North America, as he was once regarded as quite the young defenseman. After a breakout season in 2014-15 split between Pittsburgh and Anaheim in which he scored 23 points and was quite capable in his own end, nothing has gone right for him. He’ll instead look to prove his health and rebuild some of that value in the KHL, while being paid ~$660K by the Ducks for the season. The team was able to save two-thirds of the remaining salary since the buyout was performed while Despres was still 25.

After missing the KHL playoffs last season Slovan also added Marek Mazanec from the Nashville Predators this offseason, and will try to improve next year. The team is known for giving NHL players chances, and had Jonathan Cheechoo, Jeff Taffe and Kyle Chipchura all playing big roles last year. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Despres return to the NHL in 2017-18 if he proves his injury problems are behind him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Load More Posts

Headlines