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Oilers Recall Sam Gagner And Adam Erne

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The Oilers will have some extra depth on hand for their final couple of games of the season.  The team announced today that they’ve recalled forwards Sam Gagner and Adam Erne from AHL Bakersfield.

Gagner had an extended PTO with Edmonton back in training camp but was converted to a full-season deal back at the end of October.  Since then, he has split time between the Oilers and Condors.  The 34-year-old has been reasonably productive in limited minutes with Edmonton, tallying five goals and five assists in 27 games while averaging a little over ten minutes a night.  He has fared better in the minors on a per-game basis, collecting three goals and six helpers in 15 contests.

As for Erne, he also signed in-season with the Oilers, inking a two-way deal back on October 13th.  The 28-year-old has suited up 23 times for Edmonton so far but has just two points along with 67 hits while logging less than eight minutes a night.  Meanwhile, in Bakersfield, Erne has six goals and six assists through 35 contests.

Both players are set to become unrestricted free agents in July and aren’t expected to be in the lineup tonight against Arizona.  However, they could suit up on Thursday versus Colorado if the team decides to rest some forwards heading into the playoffs.

Five Key Stories: 4/8/24 – 4/14/24

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With the playoffs now just days away, there was plenty of news of note around the hockey world.  We recap the biggest news from the past seven days in our key stories.

Coyotes To Salt Lake City? Early in the week, it came out that an alternate schedule was being drafted that had the Coyotes playing out of Salt Lake City.  Soon after, momentum increased toward a full relocation and while it hasn’t officially been announced yet (that should come as soon as this week), things are trending in that direction with players reportedly being told that the move is happening.  With an uncertain arena situation in Arizona, this is an outcome that the league and NHLPA will both likely be pleased with.  However, this might not be the end of NHL hockey in Arizona.  Outgoing owner Alex Meruelo is believed to have a five-year window to trigger an expansion franchise, giving him ample time to secure a new arena, whether it’s by winning the current auction that will end in June or on another site altogether.

Golden Knights Get Stronger: Vegas got a big boost to their lineup early in the week when they activated center Tomas Hertl off LTIR.  One of their key deadline pickups, Hertl will give the Golden Knights another impact center and some more firepower.  When they acquired him, it was expected that Hertl would be available for the stretch run, allowing him to get some games in before the playoffs.  Meanwhile, captain Mark Stone has been cleared to return to practice as he works his way back from a lacerated spleen.  Vegas used Stone’s LTIR savings to make their trade deadline additions so they won’t be able to activate him now as they did for Hertl.  However, with a full week next week of practice, the winger might be available when the playoffs get underway.

Sticking Around: One of the other players Vegas added at the deadline using Stone’s LTIR placement is defenseman Noah Hanifin.  He won’t be a short-term rental after all, however, as he signed an eight-year, $58.8MM contract extension.  The $7.35MM AAV will make the 27-year-old the second-highest-paid blueliner on the Golden Knights behind Alex Pietrangelo ($8.8MM).  Hanifin has seen his offensive output increase in recent years while remaining a strong defensive blueliner, making him a relatively safe bet for this long of an extension.  Worth noting is that Vegas now has over $85MM in commitments for next season already, per CapFriendly.  While Robin Lehner’s $5MM will likely stay on LTIR giving them a bit more wiggle room, Jonathan Marchessault, Anthony Mantha, and Chandler Stephenson are among the players who need new deals and it will be near-impossible to keep all of them around.

Not Sticking Around: When the buzzer sounds at the end of the game on Thursday against Vegas, Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg’s NHL career will come to an end as he announced he plans to retire from the NHL.  The 33-year-old started his career with Ottawa but was moved to Anaheim the following season and has stayed there ever since, spanning 11 seasons.  In his prime, he was an impactful two-way player with a stretch of four 20-goal seasons in five years.  Since then, he has become more of a depth piece and rather than search for a new contract in free agency, Silfverberg will instead return to play back home in Sweden.

Injury News: The Devils have been without their star center for the last few games as Jack Hughes underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.  The 22-year-old ends his campaign with 74 points in just 62 games, his third straight year of averaging more than a point per game.  Hughes is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp in the fall.  Meanwhile, their state rival got some good news on the injury front as center Filip Chytil was cleared to start skating with the Rangers.  He has missed the majority of the season after sustaining what’s believed to be two concussions with the team shutting him down for the year back in January.  Now, while he’ll undoubtedly be ramped up slowly, the 24-year-old could potentially return at some point in the playoffs which would certainly be a big boost to their lineup.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Kane, Pacioretty, Highmore

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It was only a few months ago that we were talking about Patrick Kane’s free agency before he signed a one-year, $2.5MM contract with Detroit in late November.  Now less than three months out from testing the open market again, the veteran told reporters including MLive’s Ansar Khan that he’s not concerned about his next deal just yet:

Obviously, it’s in the back of your mind. Right now, it’s more about being in the moment, being here with this team and trying to get in the playoffs. I think just with the situation I was in and coming in and being here for maybe three-quarters of the season, it’s just this year and then we’ll see what happens. Hopefully all that stuff figures itself out.

The contract has worked out well for both sides.  Kane is averaging nearly a point per game, notching 20 goals and 26 assists in 48 appearances.  That’s a strong return on Detroit’s investment while Kane has demonstrated that he has fully recovered from his hip resurfacing surgery which should put him in a better position for a pricier multi-year deal in July.  Whether that deal comes with the Red Wings or not will have to wait a little while longer.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • When Capitals winger Max Pacioretty didn’t move at the trade deadline, it came as somewhat of a surprise. Speaking with Sammi Silber of The Hockey News, the 35-year-old outlined his reasons for not waiving his NTC.  On top of staying close to his family, the veteran has enjoyed playing a notable role after missing so much time the last couple of years; it’s quite likely his role would have been more limited had he accepted a move.  Pacioretty has just four goals in 45 games this season but has added 19 assists while averaging over 14 minutes a night.  He’s certainly playing in meaningful games too with Washington in the thick of the race for the final playoff spots in the East.
  • After Saturday’s victory over Montreal, the Senators announced (Twitter link) that forward Matthew Highmore was assigned to AHL Belleville. The 28-year-old missed a little more than a month with an upper-body injury but returned to practice yesterday and has been given the green light to return.  Highmore has played in seven games with Ottawa this season, picking up two assists while adding 29 points in 40 appearances with Belleville, a team that is right in the thick of the playoff race in the AHL’s North Division.

Devils Prospect Samu Salminen Transfers To University Of Denver

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On Saturday, the University of Denver won the Frozen Four, beating Boston College 2-0.  Now, their reloading begins.  Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald notes that Devils prospect Samu Salminen has officially transferred to Denver, a move first reported earlier this month by PHR’s Gabriel Foley (Twitter link).

The 21-year-old was a third-round pick by New Jersey back in 2021, going 68th overall.  He had a strong showing in Jokerit’s junior program, averaging over a point per game in 2021-22 before making the jump to UConn for the 2022-23 campaign.

In his freshman year, Salminen recorded nine goals and eight assists in 27 games, solid production for a first-year player.  However, he was only able to match that this season, notching seven goals and ten helpers in 35 contests, resulting in the decision to try his hand elsewhere.

That Salminen wound up with Denver shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.  On top of the fact they’re now the reigning champions, he actually originally committed there in 2022 before reportedly running into difficulty with their admissions, resulting in the decision to join UConn instead.  Two years later, Salminen now lands as his originally intended destination.

Ducks Sign Cutter Gauthier

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The Ducks have reached an agreement with one of their top youngsters, announcing that they’ve signed forward Cutter Gauthier to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The team confirmed that the first year of the contract will be this season, meaning he will be eligible to play in their final game of the season on Thursday against Vegas.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed but PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that it breaks down as follows:

2023-24: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus
2024-25: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $950K ’A’ performance bonuses
2025-26: $855K salary, $95K signing bonus, $950K ’A’ performance bonuses, $950K ’B’ performance bonuses

That puts the cap hit for Gauthier at $950K and the AAV at $1.9MM.

The 19-year-old was the fifth overall pick back in 2022, going to Philadelphia.  At the time, it looked as if the Flyers had landed a key cog for their forward group for the future.  However, last year, Gauthier informed them that he was not willing to sign with Philadelphia.  The Flyers’ brass made efforts to try to convince him to change his mind but were unsuccessful.

Instead of waiting longer in the hopes he’d eventually have a change of heart, Philadelphia GM Daniel Briere opted to trade Gauthier while his value was at its peak not long after the World Juniors where he tied for the tournament lead in scoring with a dozen points in seven games.  While many teams showed interest, it was Anaheim’s offer that the Flyers accepted, acquiring blueliner Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick in return.

After being a go-to scorer with the U.S. National Team Development Program, Gauthier became an impact scorer with the Eagles right away, recording 16 goals and 21 assists in 32 contests.  This season, he took that even further, notching 38 goals along with 27 helpers in 41 appearances.  While that wasn’t enough to lead the Eagles in scoring – San Jose’s Will Smith was six points ahead of him, he finished second in NCAA Division I scoring.  Gauthier was named a Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalist, NCAA All-American, and a Hockey East First Team All-Star for his efforts.

Gauthier, who spent the majority of the season at center, joins an Anaheim group of middlemen that is quickly becoming one of the deepest in the NHL.  The Ducks already have 2021 third overall selection Mason McTavish, 2023 second overall pick Leo Carlsson, and Trevor Zegras (who went ninth in 2019) among their group of centers.  That allows them to let Gauthier get his feet wet on the wing next season if they want although lots can change roster-wise between now and the time the puck drops on the 2024-25 campaign in October.  Regardless, the Ducks now have another core forward under contract as their rebuild continues.

Kraken Reassign Cale Fleury

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April 14: Fleury was returned to Coachella Valley before today’s loss to the Blues, CapFriendly indicates.

April 12: Earlier today, Seattle returned a trio of young forwards to AHL Coachella Valley so that they can get ready for a potentially long playoff run down there.  There weren’t any corresponding recalls announced at the time but the Kraken have indeed brought a player up from the Firebirds.  However, that move came on the back end as the team announced (Twitter link) that Cale Fleury has been recalled on an emergency basis.

The 25-year-old is no stranger to being brought up under these circumstances as it’s the fifth time he has been brought up on emergency recall since last month’s trade deadline, meaning they haven’t counted against Seattle’s four regular recall limit.  However, Fleury hasn’t seen much NHL action on those promotions, suiting up just once this season, coming last Friday.

Fleury has spent the bulk of the year with the Firebirds and has done quite well, notching seven goals and 27 assists while his plus-30 rating is tied for second-best in the AHL.  Most of the time, he has been returned quickly to Coachella Valley following these recalls; we’ll see this weekend if that recent history repeats itself.

Metropolitan Notes: Dobson, Sandin, Nybeck

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The Islanders were without Noah Dobson for most of Thursday’s victory over Montreal and he will miss at least one more as the team announced (Twitter link) that the defenseman is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury; he wasn’t in uniform this afternoon against the Rangers.  Dobson is in the middle of a breakout year as he sits second on the team in scoring with 10 goals and 60 assists in 79 appearances; his assist total is tied for fifth among all NHL rearguards.  On top of the offensive production, the 24-year-old is also logging a career-high 24:31 per night so his absence is a crucial one with the Isles right in the thick of the battle for a playoff spot.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin didn’t skate on Friday due to his upper-body injury and it’s possible he won’t return before the end of the season next week, notes Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post (Twitter link). The 24-year-old was injured on Sunday against Ottawa.  Sandin has had a good first full season with the Caps, recording 23 points in 68 games while averaging a career-best 21:07 per night.  That helped earn Sandin a five-year, $23MM extension last month.
  • Hurricanes prospect Zion Nybeck has changed teams in Sweden as Oskarshamn in Sweden’s Allsvenskan announced that they’ve signed the forward to a one-year deal. The 21-year-old was a fourth-round pick back in 2020 (115th overall) but the majority of his time professionally has been spent in the second division.  This past season, Nybeck had 17 goals and 27 assists in 52 games with AIK, good for second on the team in scoring.  Carolina has until June 1st to sign Nybeck and the fact he’s staying in Sweden suggests that the Hurricanes won’t be doing so.

Kings Assign Carl Grundstrom To AHL On LTI Conditioning Loan

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It has been two months since Kings winger Carl Grundstrom was able to see game action.  That’s about to change as the team announced today (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned Grundstrom to AHL Ontario on an LTI Conditioning Loan.

Grundstrom has been working his way back from a lower-body injury sustained back on February 13th against Buffalo, one that landed him on LTIR two days later.  He’s the second Kings forward to be sent down on one of these loans this week as Alex Turcotte was sent to the Reign back on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old has played in 50 games with Los Angeles this season, notching eight goals and four assists.  Grundstrom has also chipped in with 115 hits while logging a little under 11 minutes a night.  That’s not a great return on a $1.3MM price tag and Grundstrom will be RFA-eligible for the final time this summer while having arbitration rights.  With the cap situation the Kings have, Grundstrom could be a candidate to be moved out if they want to open up a little more cap room.

LTI conditioning assignments can last for a maximum of three games and six days although Los Angeles can ask for a one-time two-game extension if it’s determined that Grundstrom needs a bit more game action.  Either way, it appears that the Kings will have the gritty winger available to them when the playoffs get underway next week barring a setback while on assignment.

Bruins To Activate Pat Maroon Off LTIR

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The Bruins were relatively quiet at the trade deadline, only making a pair of smaller moves.  While Andrew Peeke has settled into a depth role, their other addition hasn’t even played yet.  That will change tonight as Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that winger Pat Maroon will play against Pittsburgh, meaning he has been activated off LTIR.

Boston acquired the 35-year-old from Minnesota but at the time, Maroon had already been out for a little over a month after undergoing back surgery.  When he had the procedure, the anticipated recovery time was four to six weeks but in the end, it winds up being closer to nine.  However, he’ll at least get a chance to play in their final three games of the regular season which should be enough to get him playoff-ready.

Maroon played in 49 games with the Wild before the swap, picking up four goals and a dozen assists along with 71 hits and 60 penalty minutes, numbers that are reasonable for a fourth liner.  Boston undoubtedly had interest in his postseason experience as well as Maroon is tied for eighth among active NHL skaters with 150 playoff appearances including a trio of Stanley Cup titles between 2018-19 and 2020-21.

In order for Boston to formally activate Maroon, they need to be cap-compliant to do so.  They were able to accomplish that on Friday when they re-assigned defenseman Mason Lohrei to AHL Providence so no further roster movement will be needed.

Atlantic Notes: Husso, Motte, Maple Leafs, Highmore

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Ville Husso’s conditioning stint isn’t exactly going as planned.  The Red Wings sent the netminder down to AHL Grand Rapids earlier this week to get him some game action.  However, as MLive’s Tyler Kuehl details, Husso left during the pregame warm-up on Friday night and ultimately didn’t dress for the contest which suggests he either re-aggravated his lower-body injury or sustained some other injury.  There was no update on Husso’s status following the game but at the moment, it’s fair to say that Detroit can’t be counting on the 29-year-old to return down the stretch.  Husso has struggled when he has played with the Red Wings this season, posting a 3.55 GAA with a save percentage of just .892 in 19 appearances.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • Lightning winger Tyler Motte is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, relays Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. He left Thursday’s game after blocking a shot and did not return.  While he might not be back for Tampa Bay’s final regular season contests, the injury is not expected to prevent him from being available for the playoffs which kick off next weekend.  Motte has played in 69 games this season, notching six goals and three assists along with 97 hits.
  • Despite missing Friday’s practice with an undisclosed injury, Maple Leafs center Max Domi will play tonight against Detroit, notes David Alter of The Hockey News (Twitter link). The 29-year-old is just one of two Toronto players who have played in every game this season (William Nylander is the other).  Domi has picked up 47 points in 79 games so far.  Meanwhile, Alter adds that defenseman Joel Edmundson won’t play tonight; head coach Sheldon Keefe indicated that “something popped up” regarding the veteran.  Edmundson has been limited to just eight appearances with Toronto since being acquired last month at the trade deadline.
  • Senators forward Matthew Highmore took part in a full practice today, reports Sportsnet’s Wayne Scanlan (Twitter link). The 28-year-old has missed a little more than a month with an upper-body injury.  Highmore has played in seven games with Ottawa this season, picking up two assists but won’t suit up tonight despite having the full game-day skate.  The pending unrestricted free agent also has 29 points in 40 appearances with AHL Belleville.

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