East Notes: Kane, Pacioretty, Highmore
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
College Notes: Croteau, Doyle, Copponi, All-American Teams
Canadiens prospect Emmett Croteau has entered the transfer portal, relays Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. The 20-year-old was a sixth-round pick by Montreal in 2022, going 162nd overall. Croteau recently finished his freshman year at Clarkson but only suited up six times and struggled, posting a save percentage of just .835. With Clarkson adding Ethan Langenegger – a fifth-year transfer – via the portal, playing time for Croteau wasn’t going to be coming next season so he’ll try his luck at landing a better opportunity elsewhere.
Other news from the college ranks:
- Kings prospect Braden Doyle has entered the transfer portal, relays Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. It’s the second time he’ll be on the move as he went from Boston University to Northeastern in 2022. The 22-year-old blueliner was a sixth-round pick back in 2019 (157th overall) but was limited to just 13 games this season where he had just one goal.
- Oilers prospect Matt Copponi is transferring to Boston University, reports Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal (Twitter link). The 20-year-old middleman had a strong showing this season at Merrimack, picking up 32 points in 30 games. Edmonton drafted Copponi last summer, selecting him 216th overall after Copponi’s sophomore campaign and now he’ll have a chance to play at one of the more prominent college hockey programs next season.
- On Friday, the American Hockey Coaches Association announced the All-American First and Second Teams, featuring 25 players in total (the Second Team East had six skaters and a goalie). Montreal’s Lane Hutson was the only player to land on a First Team for the second straight year while San Jose’s Collin Graf and Philadelphia’s Massimo Rizzo, who made Second Teams, landed on one of the teams for the second straight year.
Maple Leafs Assign Matt Murray To AHL On Conditioning Loan
For the last several weeks, Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray has been skating with the team as he works his way back from bilateral hip surgery performed back in October. He’s now taking the next step in the rehab process as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned Murray to AHL Toronto on an LTI Conditioning Loan.
At the time Murray had the surgery, the expected recovery timeline was six to eight months and it appears the 29-year-old will be on the shorter end of that. Last season, Murray was limited to just 26 games where he posted a 3.01 GAA and a .903 SV% and didn’t play at all in the playoffs after suffering a late-season concussion; he was relegated to third-string status upon his return.
That had the veteran as a speculative buyout candidate but the hip injury would have taken that option off the table had the team tried to pursue it. Instead, they elected to do with surgery, delaying that procedure until the start of the season which helped the Maple Leafs from a salary cap perspective as they were able to spend his $4.6875MM AAV in full on replacement players rather than having to keep it available for a midseason return.
With this being an LTI loan, there are some more stringent rules than a typical conditioning assignment. Murray can be with the Marlies for up to three games and six days and if he needs more time, the team can request a one-time two-game extension. That should be ample time to assess if Murray has indeed fully recovered and the original allotment is enough to get through the end of the regular season with him still on LTIR, removing any salary cap concerns.
Even if Murray does well in that stint, it would be surprising to see him see any action with the Maple Leafs in the postseason who are set with Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll as their tandem with veteran Martin Jones waiting in the wings as well. But a decent showing there could certainly help his cause as he’ll test unrestricted free agency for the first time this summer.