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San Jose Sharks Acquire Christian Jaros

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The San Jose Sharks completed two trades today, ending with the acquisition of defenseman Christian Jaros from the Ottawa Senators. First, the Sharks sent Trevor Carrick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for minor league forward Jack Kopacka, who they then flipped along with a 2022 seventh-round selection to the Senators for Jaros. GM Doug Wilson released a short statement on his newest defenseman:

Christian is a big right-shot defenseman who plays a physical game. He is a young player with 76 games of NHL experience so far and has the ability to grow his game.

This is a rare three-way trade in the NHL, though the Sharks can likely claim that they received the best player in the deal, given Jaros’ previous NHL experience. The 24-year-old defenseman has played in 76 games for the Senators over the last three seasons, including 61 in 2018-19. He was pushed down the depth chart by some of Ottawa’s more veteran additions since then and cleared waivers earlier this month. Yes, the Sharks could have acquired Jaros at that point for nothing but a waiver claim, but clearing actually likely improved Jaros’ trade value. He can now be moved up and down freely between the NHL, taxi squad, and AHL until he plays in 10 NHL games or spends 30 days on the NHL roster.

That flexibility is valuable for a team like the Sharks who just put Jacob Middleton on waivers today, potentially losing him to a claim should someone be interested in the left-shot defenseman. Jaros will become a useful depth piece that could even push for some NHL playing time if younger players like Mario Ferraro or Nikolai Knyzhov falter (though that certainly doesn’t seem likely for the former at this point).

In Carrick, the Ducks are receiving a minor league star, who has routinely put up huge offensive seasons from the back end. The 26-year-old has only ever played seven games at the NHL level though and likely is an addition more for the San Diego Gulls than anything. It just so happens that Sam Carrick, his older brother, is the captain of the Gulls.

Kopacka, the youngest player involved in the deals, spent most of the 2019-20 season with the Gulls, though he also did have a short stint with the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL. A fourth-round pick from 2016, he has yet to play in the NHL or really break out in the minor leagues. The Senators of course are also getting a seventh-round pick, a nice little sweetener for a player that seemed unlikely to see the ice with them this season. Even beyond the NHL roster, the Senators have some younger prospects that will need playing time before long, and moving Jaros has cleared the way.

Anaheim Ducks Looking For Scoring Help

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The Anaheim Ducks have been one of the most anemic offenses in the league this season, scoring just 11 times in six games. Perhaps most notable is the complete lack of effectiveness with the man-advantage, where they have been outscored 1-0 on the season thanks to a shorthanded goal by Ryan Hartman of the Minnesota Wild. The fact that they’re 2-2-2 with such poor offensive production could be seen as something of an encouraging sign if they are able to fix what ails them at the dangerous end of the rink.

It comes as no surprise then when Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports in his latest 31 Thoughts column that the Ducks are looking for scoring help. When 31-year-old Carter Rowney—he of 58 career NHL points—is your team scoring leader, there’s reason for upgrade.

Yes, the easy answer may be to recall Trevor Zegras and feed him as many minutes as possible, but the Ducks obviously have a plan for their top forward prospect’s development path. For now, that’s the minor leagues, as he prepares with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. If you’re another team’s front office that wonders if you could steal Zegras away in exchange for a proven scorer, understand that Friedman also reports that neither he nor Jamie Drysdale were included in Anaheim’s offer for Pierre-Luc Dubois.

Part of the problem is that many of the other young forwards that Anaheim was hoping would take the next step, seemingly haven’t. Max Comtois has three goals in six games (to lead the team), but Sam Steel, Max Jones, Isac Lundestrom, and Troy Terry have all failed to register a single goal through the early part of the season. Even older additions like Danton Heinen and Sonny Milano have been held off the scoresheet in the games they’ve been part of, leading to an almost laughable points chart that includes Rowney and fellow journeyman forward Nicolas Deslauriers at the top.

Where they can find that scoring help isn’t clear. It’s not like teams are just handing out top offensive talents at this point in the season, meaning the Ducks—and the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are also apparently looking for help at forward—may have to dig deep to find a fit. For a team that will have a tough time competing for the Stanley Cup, sacrificing future assets or young players seems like a mistake. Whether the Ducks know they are a rebuilding club—or are willing to act like one—is another question entirely, given it has now been several years since the club had any postseason success. In 2018 the team finished with 101 points and made the playoffs, only to lose four straight games to the San Jose Sharks in the first round. They’ve gone 66-72-21 since then and should perhaps be looking at selling, not buying, even in a shortened season.

Blue Jackets Closing In On Pierre-Luc Dubois Trade

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What a difference a day can make.  Following Pierre-Luc Dubois’ benching against Tampa Bay on Thursday which saw him post a career-low 3:55 of ice time, it appeared that trade chatter had started to pick up around the Columbus center.  Now, it appears that he could be getting his trade request granted in the very near future.  TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that the Blue Jackets are closing in on a Dubois trade with teams being notified that they’re no longer being considered.  He adds Winnipeg as one of the teams that’s still in the mix.

To that end, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that Columbus plans to make Dubois a healthy scratch for the rematch against the Lightning on Saturday if he’s still on the roster by then.

At this point, the situation is well-known.  While the two sides were able to agree on a two-year, $10MM bridge deal just before training camp, Dubois’ request to be dealt was not rescinded.  Although he claimed that he would continue to play hard while waiting for a resolution, that hasn’t happened yet, leading to what has become a very public benching.

The Jets have a pair of players who are believed to want out as well in wingers Patrik Laine and RFA Jack Roslovic; Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic suggests (Twitter link) that both players could make sense as being involved in the deal if they wind up being the eventual destination.  A return involving those players would certainly allow Columbus to yield a substantial return although it would create a sizable hole down the middle, a position that they’re already weak at.  Meanwhile, Winnipeg would lose some firepower on the wing but would get a controllable second center to put behind Mark Scheifele for the foreseeable future.

In a follow-up tweet, LeBrun adds that the Ducks also remain interested in Dubois.  They’ve had interest since this whole process began and would certainly give them a much-needed boost down the middle.  They have a little more than $6MM in LTIR room at the moment, per CapFriendly, but that amount will be reduced by $800K once Brendan Guhle returns.  That still leaves enough room to absorb Dubois but just barely.  Having said that, they’re not a great fit in terms of providing immediate value in a trade though their prospect pool has several high-quality prospects including center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale.

In his report, Dreger notes that this is a complicated process which can mean several different things.  Depending on who is involved, there could be salary cap elements at play although a deal involving Laine and Dubois is something both teams can afford.  If there isn’t a center coming their way though, it’s possible that another move has to be agreed upon to give them one.  And, of course, there are quarantine issues to deal with and plan around with there being different rules in different jurisdictions.  Dreger suggests that these could be resolved as quickly as Saturday so Dubois’ poor showing last night could wind up being the impetus that ultimately gets a trade completed.

Ducks Still Waiting For Ben Hutton To Receive Immigration Clearance

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Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/22/21

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It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.

  • With no other real options, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Pierre-Olivier Joseph from their taxi squad under emergency conditions. The young defenseman is expected to make his NHL debut tonight against the  New York Rangers. Joseph, 21, was the 23rd overall pick in 2017 and recorded 17 points in 52 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have elevated Nathan Gerbe from the taxi squad, moving Emil Bemstrom down in his place. The 33-year-old Gerbe hasn’t played yet this season but recorded ten points in 30 games last year for the club.
  • After clearing waivers, Brandon Pirri was re-assigned to the Chicago Blackhawks taxi squad. Carl Soderberg and Brandon Hagel have both been moved to the active roster. Soderberg, 35, has yet to play this season and is expected to make his debut tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.
  • The Washington Capitals have recalled Brian Pinho from the taxi squad as they try to fill out a roster card without their four Russian stars. Pinho, 25, scored 20 goals and 37 points in 62 games for the Hershey Bears last season and made his NHL debut in the postseason bubble.
  • Givani Smith has been recalled from the Red Wings taxi squad, giving them another forward option as more players find themselves on the COVID list. The Red Wings start a two-game series with the Blackhawks tonight with a chance to climb even further up the Central Division table.  Taro Hirose was also brought up to the taxi squad.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have activated James Neal off injured reserve, meaning someone needed to go to the taxi squad. That someone is Joakim Nygard, who has been moved off the active roster. Olivier Rodrigue, who had been serving as the taxi squad goaltender, has also swapped places with Dylan Wells. Rodrigue will report to the AHL while Wells is now the third-string option for Edmonton.
  • Samuel Morin has been moved back to the taxi squad as the Philadelphia Flyers wait for their next game. Morin, who is making the switch from defense to forward this season, has yet to get into a game.
  • Brogan Rafferty has been moved to the taxi squad by the Vancouver Canucks, as they continue to try and work out their defensive issues. Rafferty had been up on emergency loan while the Canucks dealt with several injuries, but is now back down on the team’s day off.
  • Victor Soderstrom is expected to make his NHL debut tonight after being recalled from the taxi squad by the Arizona Coyotes. The team has moved Jordan Gross down for the time being, allowing their young phenom to get into a game. Soderstrom, 19, was the 11th overall pick in 2019 and quickly became one of the top defensive prospects in the entire league.  Aaron Ness was sent to the minors while Ivan Prosvetov was added to the taxi squad.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have assigned both Lias Andersson and Jaret Anderson-Dolan to the taxi squad while the team prepares for a four-game road trip that takes them to St. Louis tomorrow. The Kings are coming off their first win of the season and looking to continue to hold their own in a tough West Division.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Mathieu Olivier from the taxi squad while also activating Mikael Granlund to the active roster after he completed his quarantine protocols.  Olivier leads the Preds in hits in the early going this season with eight while Granlund will make his season debut.
  • Anaheim has made a long list of moves, per CapFriendly.  The Ducks have recalled David Backes, Max Jones, and Josh Mahura to the NHL roster while Anthony Stolarz and Isac Lundestrom are now on the taxi squad.  Sonny Milano has been placed on IR while Lukas Dostal has been sent to AHL San Diego.
  • The Boston Bruins have shuffled Trent Frederic and Jack Studnicka back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The two have been shuffled multiple times already this season to bank cap room and will likely be recalled for tomorrow’s game against Philadelphia.
  • Colorado has recalled Martin Kaut on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly.  Conor Timmins was sent back to the taxi squad in a corresponding move.  Erik Johnson isn’t expected to play tonight and Kaut’s addition will allow the Avalanche to dress 12 forwards and six defensemen.
  • The Islanders have shuffled Kieffer Bellows back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  The winger has played in all four games this season but with them off until Sunday, New York can save nearly $15K in salary by sending him back for two days.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have flipped defensemen again as Andreas Borgman has been recalled with Luke Schenn going to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly.  While they’re so deep into LTIR where the small cap savings will be irrelevant, doing so extends Schenn’s waiver exemption a little longer.
  • Vegas has recalled Cody Glass from the taxi squad, notes David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  Nicolas Hague has been sent back down to the taxi squad, meaning the Golden Knights will go back to dressing 13 forwards and just five defensemen.

This page will be updated throughout the day as more moves are officially announced. 

Ducks Sign Madison Bowey To AHL PTO

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  • The Ducks have signed defenseman Madison Bowey to a minor league PTO agreement, their AHL affiliate in San Diego announced (Twitter link).  He spent the bulk of last season with Detroit, notching 17 points in 54 games while logging nearly 18 minutes a game.  Considering he’s still just 25, it’s a bit surprising that he had to settle for an AHL tryout but at least he has a team for now to try to work his way back to the NHL.

Josh Manson Out With Oblique Injury

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The Anaheim Ducks will be without one of their top defensemen for the next six weeks. Josh Manson has been ruled out with an oblique muscle injury suffered on Monday against the Minnesota Wild and has been placed on injured reserve.

Manson, 29, was forced from the game on Monday after just six minutes of ice time but has long been one of the most important players on the ice for Anaheim. Combined with Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, and Kevin Shattenkirk, he formed an exceptional top-four that was expected to carry most of the defensive responsibility. In his absence, Jani Hakanpaa has been pushed up the depth chart, logging 19 minutes in each of the last two games. Though Hakanpaa has certainly held his own so far, the 28-year-old has just nine games under his belt at the NHL level, a lack of experience that will certainly be tested over the next six weeks.

Anaheim is already without Brendan Guhle, who was given his own six-week recovery timeline in early January after spraining his MCL. Suddenly, the Ducks defensive depth is quickly disappearing with only seven names between the NHL roster and taxi squad. For a team that was already in tough against a West Division that includes several top teams, losing part of the team’s biggest strength will be a challenge.

West Notes: Ekman-Larsson, Johnson, Vegas, San Diego Gulls

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While there was some concern that he might miss significant time, Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said that defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who took a big hit from San Jose’s Evander Kane (video here), Saturday, is considered to be day-to-day with a lower-body injury, although he is expected to skip the road trip to Las Vegas, according to azcsports’ Jose Romero. That likely means he will miss at least two games.

Ekman-Larsson was forced to leave the game and only played 17:11 Saturday, but still managed to pick up three assists. No word on who will be recalled to replace him, but Coyotes’ insider Craig Morgan believes it will either be Kyle Capobianco or Jordan Gross.

  • The Colorado Avalanche got some good news as veteran defenseman Erik Johnson returned to the Avalanche after missing training camp, while dealing with a positive COVID-19 test and quarantining,” according to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh. He is now practicing with the team, although he may need a few more days to get back into game shape. “I had some symptoms, but in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t that big a deal compared to what some people are dealing with. I just consider myself lucky to recover,” Johnson said.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights, who played the first two games of the season with just five defensemen could be ready to make a change. The team’s new practice lines suggest the team could be ready to use Nicolas Hague as their sixth defenseman, despite the team’s success. The Athletic’s Jesse Granger writes that head coach Peter DeBoer likes what he’s seen from his five-man defense, but also said he’s worried about the workload that might create on them. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo played 29:26 Saturday, a lot to ask out of any blueliner.
  • The San Diego Gulls, the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks, announced they have postponed Sunday’s exhibition game against the Ontario Reign out of an abundance of caution due to COVID-19 protocols. This was supposed to be the second exhibition game. The first game, originally scheduled for Saturday, was postponed as well. This game was pushed back for the same reasons. The team will make a decision at a later date on when to play these game.

COVID Notes: Kapanen, Granlund, Gulls-Reign

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Pittsburgh Penguins off-season re-acquisition Kasperi Kapanen has not yet been on the ice with his teammates, but his return is imminent. Kapanen was removed from the NHL’s COVID Protocol on Friday but was still held out of practice on Saturday. However, Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that Kapanen took his fourth COVID test today and a fourth negative result will make it his final test. He will be able to re-join the team immediately, with head coach Mike Sullivan stating that they will have him in uniform as quickly as they can once that test result is received. Kapanen, 24, recorded 80 points combined over the past two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is expected to skate with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel on the Penguins’ top line.

  • Mikael Granlund remains on the NHL’s COVID Protocol list for the Nashville Predators, but progress is being made toward getting him on the ice. Granlund’s return to Nashville was initially delayed due to immigration issues that caused him to miss all of training camp. According to The Athletic’s Adam Vingan, he has now arrived in Nashville and has begun the mandated quarantine following commercial travel. At no point has Granlund tested positive for Coronavirus and he should be eligible to return to the lineup as soon as his quarantine ends. Head coach John Hynes has stated that he expects Granlund to return to a top-six role for the Predators after he recorded 30 points in 63 games last season, more than half of which came after Hynes took over.
  • The San Diego Gulls and Ontario Reign, AHL affiliates of the Anaheim Ducks and L.A. Kings respectively, had intended to begin their preseason tonight with an exhibition game in Irvine, California. However, that game has been canceled due to precautions related to Coronavirus and in adherence with local health protocols. The two teams are scheduled to play on Sunday as well, but no determination has been made on that game yet.

Ben Hutton Signs With Anaheim Ducks

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The Anaheim Ducks have officially signed Ben Hutton to a one-year contract for the rest of the season. The deal is worth $950K according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. It was clear that a deal was coming when Hutton appeared on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list yesterday. It’s not clear when he will be removed from that list so that he’s available to play, but the Ducks have finally announced the deal.

Hutton, 27, was one of the players that felt an offseason squeeze, forced to sign a professional tryout despite a relatively impressive NHL resume. While he likely shouldn’t be deployed on a top pairing, Hutton has nearly 350 games of experience and has averaged just under 20 minutes a night over his five-year career. In 2019-20 he played in 65 games for the Los Angeles Kings and registered 16 points, while putting up strong possession numbers once again.

The Ducks relied heavily on their top two pairs last night to open the season, with Cam Fowler, Kevin Shattenkirk, Josh Manson, and Hampus Lindholm all logging at least 20 minutes. If Hutton can add a little depth to the bottom-pair rotation perhaps they won’t have to put so much responsibility on those top names, at least not every game.

One other thing to remember with Hutton in Anaheim is that he could be another trade deadline piece for them to flip. The one-year, low-money deal will be attractive to contenders partway through the year, especially if he’s able to prove he can still play at a high level.

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