Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Ducks Rumors

Minor Transactions: 02/21/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After a busy night in the NHL, the league has just three games on tap for today. Instead, teams might use their time off to cement their status for the trade deadline and make inquiries around the league. All the minor moves we’ll keep track of right here. Refresh the page throughout the day to make sure you stay up to date on all the comings and goings.

Latest On Thomas Vanek’s Trade Market

at CDT | by 9 Comments

When the Vancouver Canucks signed a number of free agents last offseason, at least one of them seem destined to play less than a season with the club. Thomas Vanek, signed to a one-year $2MM deal at the beginning of September, would be suiting up for the seventh team of his career and could easily be flipped a few months later.

Thomas VanekAs Vancouver heads towards the trade deadline, the case for trading Vanek is clear. The Canucks sit near the bottom of the Western Conference once again, and the 34-year old winger has had an excellent season alongside superstar rookie Brock Boeser. With 40 points in 59 games, Vanek could be seen as one of the best plug-and-play offensive pieces on the market. He was dealt last deadline with a similar point total for a third-round pick, which provides good insight into what he might be worth in the next week.

Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver tweets that the Anaheim Ducks could have interest in Vanek, and relates that they considered signing him at one point in the offseason. Dhaliwal reports that Vanek’s representation will speak with Vancouver GM Jim Benning tomorrow about his future with the Canucks.

Obviously, Vanek could re-sign with the Canucks at some point instead. Just recently Benning told the media that he’d be signing some veterans to help his young players develop over the next few years, and with Vanek’s obvious chemistry with Boeser he could be a prime candidate. Trading a player and hoping to re-sign him in the offseason is always tricky, though that possibility remains.

For Anaheim, Vanek has always seemed like a nice fit. The team could use some help on their powerplay which ranks 25th in the league, and a boost of secondary scoring without giving up a ton of assets. Still, Ducks’ GM Bob Murray has been clear that he won’t be spending big on rentals if his team didn’t show they were real Stanley Cup contenders, and despite recent wins still sit right in the middle of a battle for a playoff spot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Red Wings Notes: Trade Rumors, Athanasiou

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Detroit Free Press’ Helene St. James writes that general manager Ken Holland is absolutely cognizant of the fact that the Red Wings are in “seller” mode. St. James quotes Holland as saying:

“I’m working the phones, I’m trying to see what the other teams in the league are thinking,” Holland said. “We are obviously not a buyer, we are not spending future assets to try to get in. We’ll see here over the next week what direction we are going, but I am aware we are eight points out and games are running out.”

The quote is nearly verbatim from last year, where Holland pulled the plug during early February and started dealing at the deadline.  Beating the Anaheim Ducks last night, in a game where the Ducks outplayed and outshot the Red Wings, isn’t anything to mistake as a game that get Detroit into a playoff spot. The issue remaining is whether or not Holland will truly begin rotating players out to stockpile as much young talent and higher draft picks that he can. Where the verbiage has changed is that on a roster that Holland usually gives the nod to a veteran, he seems to be ready to open up spots for younger players:

“I’ve talked to lots of teams over the last week and 10 days, and I’m doubling back with a number of them,” Holland said. “We’d like to get assets, open up spots for a kid or two for next season.”

Holland has been gun shy when it comes to making trades in the Cap era, and he’s still working without a contract extension. With Mike Green, Jimmy Howard, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist, and even Tomas Tatar in trade conversations, it will be interesting to see if Holland really will make the deals he seems to be hinting at.

  • Andreas Athanasiou is ready to make amends for his lackluster play that resulted in a third period benching reports the Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan. Punished for a lack of effort, Athanasiou played just one shift in yesterday’s 2-1 win during the third period. In spite of his athleticism, speed, and gamebreaker ability, Athanasiou has long been made an example by head coach Jeff Blashill when he hasn’t been at his best. Kulfan writes that consistency has been an issue for Athanasiou during his young career, but it’s an interesting take in that several players, especially higher priced ones, have been similarly inconsistent or turnover prone with the puck. Though he hasn’t scored in 11 games, Athanasiou still has more points than Darren Helm, and Justin Abdelkader, and is tied with Frans Nielsen, and Tomas Tatar, who have both played 10 more games than the 23-year-old forward. The combined cap hit for Abdelkader ($4.25MM), Nielsen ($5.25MM), Tatar ($5.3MM) and Helm ($3.85MM) is $18.65MM while Athanasiou makes a fraction of their individual salaries at $1.38MM. He’s also just a point behind Gustav Nyquist ($4.75MM), who also has ten more games to his name. Though it is fair to try and teach the young forward good habits, the larger issue in Detroit is once again giving large contracts to players who simply don’t produce the points to justify such payment.

Anaheim Ducks GM: “I’m Not Really Talking To Anybody”

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Anaheim Ducks sit in fifth place in the Pacific Division, just a few points out of the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference. They have a 32-year old #1 center likely headed to the Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done, and a roster populated with All-Star talents. Still, things aren’t going well.

Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) sat down with Ducks’ GM Bob Murray recently, for an incredibly candid interview on his team’s success so far this season. Murray believes that his team hasn’t shown enough to really be heavy buyers at the deadline, and explains that he’s just watching waiting for something to happen before he commits to any trades.

I’m still kind of waiting for them to show me something and they’re not. We’re very inconsistent. We’re very up and down. So far when it’s come to real, critical big games — we’ve basically [expletive] the bed in the big games. Right now I sit and watch. I’m not really talking to anybody, not really doing anything.

Murray goes on to explain his thought process for the Ducks, and how he feels about the rental market in most seasons. He also announces that even though Ryan Kesler is back playing, he likely won’t be 100% until next year, despite his best efforts.

The Ducks are an interesting team to watch over the next few weeks, as a good stretch could put them right back in the hunt for a high seed in the West. There are only four teams that have a five or more point lead on Anaheim, and three of them reside in the Central Division. Even though Murray says his team isn’t showing him anything, a short hot streak could put them in position for home ice advantage in the first round. A lasting cold streak could push them out of the race entirely.

Anaheim Ducks Place Korbinian Holzer On Waivers

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Anaheim Ducks have decided to make another roster move today, placing Korbinian Holzer on waivers. Dennis Rasmussen, who was put on unconditional waivers yesterday, has cleared and will now have his contract mutually terminated. He’ll forfeit the rest of his salary this season, and be able to return to Sweden to play out the year.

Holzer’s placement on waivers comes as something of a surprise, and could precede another move of some sort. The 29-year old defenseman has played only 14 games this season, but has served as the team’s injury replacement and insurance policy for three years now. In June, he signed a new two-year contract worth $900K per season, a number that can be entirely buried in the minor leagues if he clears tomorrow.

Still, the move would leave the Ducks with just six defensemen on the roster. A trade could fix that, or a call-up of one of their younger options. While Andy Welinski and Jaycob Megna have both played some games this season, it seems unlikely that either of them would depose any of the starting six without injury. Clearing waivers would certainly give them some more roster flexibility, though they’re already carrying only 22 players on the roster.

The Ducks will definitely be a team to watch over the coming days, as they prepare their roster for the trade deadline stretch. Sitting just a point out of a playoff spot, they have the draft capital and prospects to make a big splash if they so choose.

Minor Transactions: 02/13/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

A busy night in the NHL, with 12 games on tap for tonight. Among them are some huge divisional matchups between St. Louis-Nashville and Philadelphia-New Jersey. Both games could have huge implications on the playoffs, with each team trying to take two points in regulation.

  • The St. Louis Blues have recalled Oskar Sundqvist from his conditioning stint ahead of their game. Sundqvist had been a healthy scratch for some time, so was loaned to the San Antonio Rampage to get into some game action. In six games with the AHL club this year, the 23-year old center has six points.
  • According to Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers, the Cleveland Monsters have loaned Andre Benoit to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the remainder of the season. The veteran defenseman returned from Sweden to play in the AHL this season, where he has five points in 31 games.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have sent Andrei Mironov to the AHL, bringing up Duncan Siemens in his spot. Siemens has played just four NHL games so far in his career, despite his high draft position at 11th-overall in 2011. In 45 games with the San Antonio Rampage this season, he has seven points.
  • With the Canucks dealing with several injuries, including one to defenseman Chris Tanev, the team has recalled Philip Holm from the minor leagues. Holm was signed last May out of the Swedish Hockey League, and has found immediate success in the AHL with the Utica Comets.
  • Marcus Pettersson has been given his first NHL recall, brought up by the Anaheim Ducks in place of the waived Korbinian Holzer. Pettersson, a second-round pick from 2014, is in his first season in North America. In 44 games with the San Diego Gulls, the 6’4″ rangy defenseman has 14 points.

Anaheim Ducks Place Dennis Rasmussen On Unconditional Waivers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Anaheim Ducks have placed Dennis Rasmussen on unconditional waivers, which could be followed by a mutual termination of his contract. Rasmussen hasn’t played in the NHL since the middle of December, and could likely find work back in Sweden or another European league.

If they do come to a mutual termination of his contract, the Ducks would receive no cap relief. Rasmussen’s one-year, $725K contract is already completely buried in the minor leagues.

It hasn’t been a good match for Anaheim and the 27-year old forward. Though he had ample experience at center in the past, the Ducks rarely used Rasmussen in the middle and limited his ice time through the first part of the season. Registering four points in 27 games, the former Chicago Blackhaws forward could head back to the SHL where he was once a top scoring threat for Vaxjo. In 139 NHL games, he had just 21 points.

Minor Transactions: 02/09/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As always, we’ll keep track of all the league’s minor transactions right here. Check back often throughout the day for updates.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Carl Dahlstrom from the minor leagues, moving Jan Rutta to injured reserve retroactive to February 6th. Should Dahlstrom get into a game, it would be his NHL debut after spending the last few seasons in Rockford. This year, the 23-year old defenseman has 23 points in 47 AHL games.
  • Ryan White has been signed to a professional tryout by the Iowa Wild, after being released by the San Diego Gulls a few days ago. White finished last season with the Minnesota Wild after a trade from Arizona, and had nine points in 21 games with the Gulls this season. The 29-year old forward is fighting for another chance at an NHL contract, after playing 313 games in the league since being drafted in 2006.
  • Minnesota has also officially recalled Viktor Loov after acquiring him yesterday. Loov can serve as sort of insurance as the team deals with an injury to Jonas Brodin, though doesn’t offer a ton of upside. The 25-year old defenseman has just four NHL contests under his belt, all coming in 2015-16 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
  • The Ottawa Senators have assigned Mike Blunden and Max McCormick to the minor leagues, as both Mark Stone and Derick Brassard are expected to play tomorrow night against the Maple Leafs. The Senators are on a two-game winning streak, and will look to keep it going if only to build some momentum towards next season.
  • Jason Garrison is heading back to the AHL, where he’s spent most of the season. The 33-year old veteran defenseman has suited up 35 times for the Chicago Wolves, compared to just eight matches for the Vegas Golden Knights. As he heads towards free agency this summer, it seems like he’ll be fighting just for a spot on an NHL roster in 2018-19.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned goaltender Reto Berra to San Diego of the AHL, freeing up the roster spot for John Gibson to be activated off injured reserve.  Anaheim also sent winger Nicolas Kerdiles back to San Diego, just a day after they originally recalled him.

Trade Candidates: Radim Vrbata

at CDT | by 2 Comments

With the trade deadline approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.

The last time that the Florida Panthers went out and added a veteran Czech forward, it worked out perfectly. Jaromir Jagr was an All-Star and the Panthers were Atlantic Division champions. GM Dale Tallon may have been hoping that lightning would strike twice when he added Jagr’s countryman, Radim Vrbata, this off-season. It didn’t. In fact, Vrabta’s tenure in Florida has been an unmitigated disaster, as the 36-year-old is on pace to have the worst offensive season of his long, successful NHL career.

Nevertheless, Vrbata has shown time and time again to be a lethal weapon when he finds the right line chemistry and, despite what they say, even on teams other than the Coyotes. Vrbata’s decline in production could be a sign of his age, but some teams may gamble on it instead being a product of his surroundings and will look to acquire the experienced scorer at a bargain price. The Panthers are not as far out of a the playoff picture as some might think – six points back with two games in hand as of this writing – but that won’t stop them from entertaining offers on several players, especially Vrbata. The veteran forward hasn’t worked out in Florida and wouldn’t be much of a loss for the Cats, so a trade could wind up as a win-win for both sides.

Contract

Vrbata signed a one-year deal with Florida this summer that carries a $2.5MM base salary, his cap hit for the year. Vrbata can earn an additional $1.25MM in performance bonuses and, interestingly enough, a trade to a contender could trigger one of them; Vrbata earns $250K if his team makes the playoffs this season. He also earns $250K each for 10 goals, 15 goals, 20 goals, and 45 points. With just 5 goals and 13 points thus far, he realistically has a shot at only $500K in bonuses for 10 goals and a playoff berth. This overage would count against next season’s cap.

2017-18

The myth surrounding Vrbata has always been that he doesn’t perform outside of Arizona. While past campaigns in Colorado, Chicago, and Vancouver have indicated otherwise, this season in Florida has only added fuel to that fire. Vrbata has skated in 35 games for the Panthers this season, missing five games due to injury, five to illness, and another six (and counting) as a healthy scratch. Even when he’s been on the ice, Vrbata has been invisible. He’s outside the top ten in goals, assists, and points among Panthers and his impressive power play production has dried up, reduced to just four points on the year. On top of that, Vrbata has the third-worst plus/minus on the team and, as he has his whole career, plays with little physical or defensive ability. As a result of his poor play, the 16-year NHL veteran is seeing the least ice time of his career. The Vrbata experiment in Sunrise did not work out and will soon be over, either via trade or the end of the season.

Season Stats

35 GP: 5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points, -8 rating, 14 PIM, 78 shots, 13:05 ATOI, 44.3 CF%

Potential Suitors

So who would want to trade for such an uninspiring asset? Unfortunately for Vrbata, the Coyotes aren’t an option as they are as far from a deadline seller as any team could be. However, Vrbata has found success elsewhere before in his career and he can do so again. Especially at this point in his career, Vrbata is the perfect deadline depth acquisition: a hired gun who doesn’t need to be relied upon to be a team’s best player. With the right fit, Vrbata can score in bunches down the stretch and in the postseason. Several playoff-bound teams are known to be looking for a scoring winger, including the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and San Jose Sharks. All three teams have the infrastructure where Vrbata could settle in to a middle-six role depending on which personnel he fits best with. Top contenders like the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning – if the Bolts are willing to bring Vrbata back for a second go-round after his disappointing prior stint – could also use the luxury of bringing in a veteran winger, but could also survive if he doesn’t work out and ends up a frequent scratch.

However, where Vrbata is likely the best fit is not with a bona fide playoff team, but instead a fringe team looking to make a minor addition in hopes of increasing their odds of seeing the postseason. The Calgary Flames, who won’t trade away any high draft picks, might be happy to take a look at Vrbata if the price is a late pick or low-end prospect. The Colorado Avalanche, the team that drafted Vrbata, and New Jersey Devils have both stated that they won’t derail their long-term plans by chasing expensive rentals, but could pursue the affordable Vrbata, while the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes could also be options if they are closer to a playoff berth come deadline day.

Likelihood of a Trade

Predicting whether Vrbata’s 2017-18 performance will outweigh his career production in the eyes of this year’s buyers is impossible. There is a clear need for a veteran winger with a scoring touch on many teams, including some not even mentioned, but whether they target Vrbata over any number of other options (even including Panthers teammate Colton Sceviour) remains to be seen. If anyone does come calling though, it would be a surprise to see Florida turn down the best offer. The Panthers will continue to push for a playoff spot of their own, but Vrbata won’t play a real part in that plan whether he is traded or not. The signing was a failure, but Florida can still turn it into a positive if they are able to get something back in return for trading Vrbata.

Flames Won’t Part With Picks For Rentals

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Calgary Flames president Brian Burke isn’t one to mince words. So, when Burke told Sportsnet 590 host Bob McCown that the Flames won’t be using picks as trade bait at the NHL Trade Deadline, it’s legitimate:

“We don’t have a lot of picks — we’re not picking until [the third round of the 2018 draft], so we can’t use the deadline to pick up a rental player with a relatively high pick… We’re not going into [2019] picks … unless it’s an extraordinary circumstance.”

Burke’s comments seem to line up with recent reports about Calgary’s current condition. Last week, we took a look at exactly what Burke was referring to – the team’s lack of draft picks. The Flames could potentially have to wait until the fourth round to make their first pick this June and, one way or another, have already surrendered their 2019 second-rounder. Burke is not exaggerating when he says that the team can’t afford to give up any more high picks for rentals this deadline. The team’s unwillingness to move picks also adds some credence to the report that young goaltenders Jon Gillies and David Rittich are on the market. If Calgary wants to make a move, they’ll have to dive into their prospect depth to avoid surrendering further draft picks. In addition to their young goalies, slowly-developing 2013 first-rounders Emile Poirier and Hunter Shinkaruk and young defensemen Oliver Kylington, Rasmus Andersson, and even Brett Kulak could be on the move. One player who won’t be leaving: 2017 first-round pick Juuso Valimaki, who Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says is highly sought-after, but untouchable (Thought 6).

What exactly do the Flames need at the deadline? Burke says a scoring winger and the team’s 20th-ranked offense and 23rd-ranked power play would seem to back that up. Burke seems to think that a return to health for Kris Versteeg could be the solution, but the veteran forward alone is not enough to cure an ineffective bottom-six. Calgary currently sits in the third and final Pacific playoff spot, tied with the Anaheim Ducks and one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, but in fact sit behind L.A. in terms of points percentage. With it looking increasingly likely that the Central Division will claim both Western wild card spots, the Flames can’t help but seek an edge over the Ducks and Kings if they want to make the playoffs. Despite Burke’s hopes of an internal turnaround and the team’s difficult draft pick situation, sitting pat at the deadline will likely spell doom for the Flames’ 2017-18 campaign.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top