Anaheim Calls Up Sgarbossa, Kase; Assigns Tokarski To AHL
After a 4-0 drubbing of the Los Angeles Kings last night, the 4-4-0 Anaheim Ducks have decided to make some changes today. According to Helene Elliott of the LA Times, the team has called up Michael Sgarbossa and Ondrej Kase while sending down Dustin Tokarski down to the AHL.
Sgarbossa has played four games for the Ducks this year after spending all year with their AHL team last season. The former Colorado prospect has shown an ability to score at the minor league level but has never found any consistent playing time in the NHL. Only 24, he may yet develop into a useful piece for the Ducks.
Kase is a much different story, as still little has been seen of the Czech forward in North America. While only getting into 25 games last season with the San Diego Gulls, Kase put up 14 points and was a contributor in their short playoff run. The 20-year old was the Ducks’ seventh-round selection in 2014 and is off to a good start with the Gulls this season.
Tokarski had a short-lived stint with the Ducks this year, getting into one game in garbage time in relief of John Gibson last week. The former Montreal Canadiens netminder was dealt to the Ducks last season in exchange for Max Friberg. Tokarski made his first impression on the NHL when he replaced Carey Price in the 2014 playoffs after the Canadiens’ MVP went down with a knee injury.
PHR Originals
Here’s a roundup of all of Pro Hockey Rumors original content for the week:
- Zach Leach examined the precarious position the Pittsburgh Penguins may find themselves in ahead of the expansion draft with Marc-Andre Fleury‘s NMC requiring the team to protect him and therefore leaving open the possibility Matt Murray might be available for Las Vegas to choose should the team not find another alternative.
- Brett Barrett looks at the rookie players currently in the NHL who could see their entry-level contracts slide should they be returned to their respective Junior teams.
- Gavin Lee posts the latest in the Franchise Faceoff series, comparing the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks.
- Zach Leach ponders whether goalie Malcolm Subban, Boston’s first-round pick in 2012, is on the verge of being labeled a bust.
- Brian La Rose continued with PHR’s 2005 Draft Take Two series, asking who the New York Islanders should select if they had a chance to do it all over again.
Snapshots: Oduya, Sproul, Trouba, Fowler
Mike Heika writes that the development of Dallas’ young defenseman has been helped by the presence of Johnny Oduya. The four defenseman standing to benefit, Patrik Nemeth, Jamie Oleksiak, Stephen Johns and Esa Lindell, have the two-time Stanley Cup champion defenseman patrolling the blue line. General manager Jim Nill talked about Oduya’s professionalism and dedication to the sport and how it plays a huge role in the development of younger players:
“It’s hard to tell his age, because he’s in such great shape. He’s a consummate professional, and he’s the kind of guy that players naturally attract to. They want to ask him what he’s eating and why. They want to know how he’s working out.”
Oduya was signed as a free agent by the Stars in 2015 and defenseman Stephen Johns followed from Chicago when he was dealt along with Patrick Sharp to the big D. Johns commented on Oduya’s leadership, especially during a rough series for Johns against Minnesota during the 2016 playoffs. Johns said that Oduya’s words of wisdom were instrumental in his confidence growing.
Though the Stars are 3-3-1, the steady Oduya should help the younger defensive corps bring the Stars back to its expected perch as one of the best in the West.
In other NHL news:
- The Red Wings have guaranteed one of their young defenseman an extended stay with the big club writes MLive’s Ansar Khan. Khan answered a number of questions and regarding young defenseman Ryan Sproul, the club has apparently told Sproul to a find a place to live in the Detroit area. Khan reports that Sproul will duke it out with Alexey Marchenko and Xavier Ouellet for a final spot on the blue line when Niklas Kronwall returns from a knee injury. When Tomas Jurco returns, Khan opines that it will most likely be Ouellet as the odd man out, which would mean being exposed to waivers.
- Khan also answers about the Red Wings’ likelihood of obtaining Jacob Trouba or Cam Fowler via a trade, but from the sounds of it, Trouba is still a far fetched option while Fowler might end up staying in Anaheim after all. Khan says that the Ducks may reconsider moving Fowler should their offensive woes continue. Trouba, on the other hand, will simply cost too much for the Wings to trade for, and the young, left handed defenseman the Jets seek in return is something Detroit cannot provide.
Franchise Faceoff: Anaheim Ducks vs Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks have now long been one of the NHL’s preeminent franchises, winning multiple Stanley Cups and sending player after player to the podium to receive NHL awards. They’ve had to sell off young assets to keep their roster together, but seem to continually have a dangerous team capable of winning it all. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have developed into one of the most potent duos (though they rarely play together) in the league, and they’re supported by a strong secondary cast.
The Anaheim Ducks on the other hand, have built a powerhouse of their own, only to fall short each time they seem poised to take a long post-season run. Their own franchise duo in Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have just as many accolades as Chicago’s while their defense corps may be second to none in the league. For some reason though, they just can’t get it done in the playoffs and as many around the league are expecting a trade, Bob Murray has said he wants to “give this group one more shot” before a possible tear down.
[Chicago Blackhawks Depth Chart vs Anaheim Ducks Depth Chart]
With both teams running into cap trouble due to their aging but still effective superstars, they each have good young players to build their next iteration with. After we looked at two rebuilding teams in Toronto and Edmonton, and two teams trying to get back to the playoffs in Calgary and Montreal, we now ask the same thing of two teams who are perennial candidates for the Stanley Cup.
If you were buying a roster (not all the franchise perks that go with it) to build a championship team, which would you take?
Anaheim Ducks Recall Shea Theodore
After just assigning Shea Theodore to the AHL yesterday to make room for Hampus Lindholm, the team has brought him back up according to Steve Zipay of Newsday. Apparently, Lindholm has a visa issue and could take some time to arrive in Anaheim.
It’s unclear if Theodore even left the team, though since the AHL affiliate for the Ducks is San Diego, he could have easily been sent there and back in the last 24 hours. Neither team played yesterday.
Theodore is one of the league’s top defensive prospects, and is considered ready for the NHL by many outside observers. His poise with the puck and strong positional play make him a candidate for a top pairing down the road, though he’ll have to wait since the Ducks have such a deep blueline at the moment.
While there apparently is no rush to trade Cam Fowler even with the Lindholm extension, Theodore would clearly benefit most from a deal. He plays the same left side as Fowler, and would likely jump above Clayton Stoner quickly if given the chance. Lindholm, also a left-handed defenseman will likely resume his spot on the top pairing with Josh Manson when the team sorts out his visa issue.
Snapshots: Murray, Sceviour, Plager
Matt Murray is finally going to make his 2016-17 debut, it might just have to wait a few more days. Even though the goaltender has been “going full-speed now for almost two weeks” he won’t start this Saturday versus the Philadelphia Flyers. Instead, according to Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Murray will get one of the west coast back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday. The Penguins visit the Ducks and then the Kings in some inter-conference action.
Murray is coming back from a broken hand he suffered during the World Cup when he backstopped the young guns (Team North America) in the tournament. While the Penguins claimed Mike Condon off waivers earlier in the season to replace Murray, they’re hesitant to lose any of the three solid pieces they have in net. They view them all as considerable assets, and don’t want to lose any for nothing.
- Colton Sceviour will be moved up in the lineup according to George Richards of the Miami Herald. After getting a season-high 15 minutes in the Panthers latest loss at the hands of the Maple Leafs on Thursday night, the former Dallas Star will replace Kyle Rau on the second line. The Panthers are without Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad and Jussi Jokinen due to various injuries and have had to move pieces in and out of their top-six in recent games. While Jon Marchessault is thriving on the top line, the unit of Rau-Trocheck-Smith weren’t as effective against the Maple Leafs.
- The St. Louis Blues will retire number 5 in honor of Bob Plager this season. Plager has been with the club for almost 50 years since his addition as a player on June 6th, 1967, holding almost every position possible: player, head coach, director of scouting, director of player development and others. Plager’s #5 will join Al MacInnis (#2), Bob Gassoff (#3), Barclay Plager (his brother and #8), Brian Sutter (#11), Brett Hull (#16) and Bernie Federko (#24) among retired numbers for the Blues.
Anaheim Ducks Assign Theodore, Etem To AHL
With the Anaheim Ducks signing of Hampus Lindholm earlier today, the team has decided to send defenceman Shea Theodore to the AHL along with the recently claimed and then waived Emerson Etem.
Theodore, one of the leagues top defensive prospects, made his debut last season for the Ducks and scored eight points in 19 games. The 21-year old was the team’s first-round pick in 2013 and has blossomed into an excellent puck moving defender capable of putting up handfuls of points while containing the other team in his own end. While there apparently isn’t room on the blueline for him as of now, the team would likely bring him back up if a trade was worked out for Cam Fowler as has been widely rumored.
Etem was only claimed two weeks ago from the Vancouver Canucks, but this time has made it through waivers and will join the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. A former first-round pick in his own right, Etem has never been able to replicate the success he had in junior when he scored 107 points in 65 games. A gifted goal-scorer, he’s never been able to improve enough in the other areas of his game to keep him in the NHL for long. He’ll head back down to continue to work, and at 24 is far from a lost cause.
Snapshots: Trouba, Ducks, Goaltending
In the latest edition of Insider Trading on TSN, the panel of Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun discussed a number of subjects. One of them was Jacob Trouba, and the potential of a trade in his future. While Trouba has insisted all along that it isn’t about money in his contract dispute, the Jets are rumored to be willing to go to six-years, $33MM to get the defenceman under contract.
Even though it seems like most teams would want Trouba, Dreger reports that it doesn’t look like there is a fit anywhere in Canada. The Maple Leafs, Oilers and Canadiens have all been rumored to be interested in the 22-year old in the past.
- On Hampus Lindholm and a possible deal of Cam Fowler, LeBrun reports that it might not be as guaranteed as one would think. While it still seems likely that one of the Ducks young defenceman will have to be shipped out, the fact that Simon Despres has hit the LTIR and has no timetable on his return the team has a little more wiggle room under the salary cap.
- In Carolina, Dreger suggests that Ryan Murphy may be on the block, since he’ll likely be exposed at next year’s expansion draft. The 23-year old former first round pick split last season between the NHL and AHL levels.
- On the goaltending front, Los Angeles sounds like they’re putting all their eggs in the Peter Budaj basket for now. They’re waiting for Mike Condon to hit waivers from the Pittsburgh Penguins, but that may not happen for a while as Pittsburgh wants to try and keep or get an asset for the young goaltender.
Ducks, Lindholm Agree To New Pact
According to Bob McKenzie, the Anaheim Ducks have come to terms with RFA defenseman Hampus Lindholm, signing the Swede to a six-year deal with an AAV of $5.25MM. It had been reported in recent days that the chasm between the two sides had shrunk to around $250K annually but that each had “a line drawn in the sand.” Now, with the new pact coming in short of the recent contract inked by Buffalo blue liner Rasmus Ristolainen, it’s fair to speculate it was Lindholm who lowered his salary demands in order to get a deal done.
At this point Lindholm likely concluded it no longer made sense to miss any more paychecks. If the two sides were in fact hung up on just $250K per year, the Ducks defender will earn more than that in four games under terms of his new deal.
Given the two sides seemed to be locked firmly into their relative positions just 24 hours ago, it’s clear significant progress was made last night in order for the deal to be announced this morning. In fact, Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot provides a timeline demonstrating the “shift” in negotiations based on the reports of insiders Darren Dreger, Elliotte Friedman and McKenzie.
Cap Friendly reports that the Ducks are now about $1.4MM over the salary cap ceiling meaning the team will have to make a roster move or moves in order to clear sufficient space. As Cap Friendly further notes, even if the team sends Emerson Etem – who cleared waivers yesterday – and Dustin Tokarski down to San Diego of the AHL, the Ducks will still be approximately $150K over the cap ceiling.
It’s been widely rumored that the team could look to deal a player like Cam Fowler – $4MM cap charge – and that still might be the case; especially if the Ducks can acquire an impact LW in the trade. It’s also possible the club could simply put C Nate Thompson and his $1.6MM cap hit on LTIR. Thompson had surgery to repair an Achilles tendon injury in June and his return date is unknown.
Of course with Simon Despres already on LTIR and temporarily clearing his $3.7MM cap hit from the books, it’s likely the Ducks will still have to trim salary at some point this season when Despres and or Thompson are healthy enough to return.
Despite officially being under contract, Lindholm likely won’t see the ice for Anaheim for at least another week to 10 days, according to McKenzie. Lindholm, who has been in Sweden during the holdout, will require a new work visa and the process, as McKenzie notes, can take up to two weeks.
Lindholm, Ducks $250,000 Apart
According to a report from Darren Dreger, the Anaheim Ducks and restricted free agent defenseman Hampus Lindholm have a “line in the sand drawn” at an annual average value about $250K apart on a long-term extension. After going win-less in their first four games, the Ducks have climbed back to 2-3-2, but would still like to have Lindholm back on the blue line to avoid further struggles. Lindholm meanwhile is sitting out to the tune of what would be under $200K more per season after taxes, and one would think that he would be willing to bend as well. However, if the report is completely true, neither side is willing to budge from their current offers.
Lindholm is a pivotal part of Anaheim’s future on the blue line, which Dreger addressed as well, saying that they have no interest in trading him despite rumblings over the past week. Lindholm is just 22 years old, and has shown in his first three seasons in the NHL that he is a 30+ point scorer, elite puck mover, reliable in his own end, and can eat up big minutes; he’s everything you can want in a young defenseman. Playing on the Duck’s top pair last year, Lindholm established himself as the leader of a strong, deep defensive unit in Anaheim. Other teams can see this value as well, and the longer that the Ducks wait to figure out their salary cap situation and get Lindholm signed, the more likely it is that a competitor could force their hand with an offer sheet or pressure them into a trade. They also stand the risk of a standoff lasting past the December 1st deadline to sign RFA’s, in which case Lindholm could not play in 2016-17.
Whatever the result, both sides need to work toward a resolution. While many would guess that both Anaheim and Lindholm are desperate at this point, their willingness to draw a line at such a narrow margin indicates that these negotiations still have a ways to go. The longer this drags into the season, the more damage it has on the team’s play and the relationship between a supposed franchise player and the organization. The rumors will keep flowing, and if Lindholm is still unsigned come this time next month, don’t be surprised to see some major fireworks by way of a big trade or shocking offer sheet. There will surely be more to come on this topic in the coming weeks…or longer.