Sabres Unlikely To Sign Erik Portillo
The future of Sabres goalie prospect Erik Portillo has been in question going back to before the season. He’s in his fourth year since being drafted, allowing him to become eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer if he so desires even though he’ll have another season of eligibility at Michigan. Will he sign with Buffalo or not? Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek suggests in the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link) that the latter is the likely answer and that it doesn’t sound like he’ll sign with the Sabres and will instead test the open market.
The 22-year-old was a third-round pick by Buffalo back in 2019 (67th overall) and he has outperformed his draft stock since then with an impressive post-draft season with Dubuque of the USHL and now three years with the Wolverines where he has a 2.26 GAA, a .922 SV%, and three shutouts in 66 games over that stretch. At 6’6, he has the size that many teams covet in their goaltenders as well.
It won’t be a case of Buffalo not wanting to sign Portillo but rather him looking for another situation. The Sabres do have a promising young netminder in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen while Devon Levi is a year younger than Portillo and is having another strong season at Northeastern. With those two youngsters in the mix, Portillo likely feels that he can find a more desirable situation elsewhere that could give him a cleaner path to try to make the NHL.
To that end, Marek speculates that it’s possible that Portillo could become a trade chip for the Sabres leading into the trade deadline. If another team was able to work out an agreement for Portillo to join them, that would allow Buffalo to at least recoup an asset for someone they’re likely going to lose for nothing in the summer. With several teams not exactly having a lot of prospect upside between the pipes in their pipeline, there should be a few suitors if and when the Sabres decide to put Portillo on the block in the coming weeks if they haven’t already done so.
Snapshots: Hurricanes, Zohorna, Gavrikov, Lundestrom
The Hurricanes have been a top team in the Metropolitan Division all season long and have recently welcomed back some key veterans in Max Pacioretty and Frederik Andersen in recent days. Even with their current place atop the Metropolitan Division though, don’t expect them to be shopping at the top of the market before the March 3rd trade deadline. GM Don Waddell told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that the team will be looking to add depth both on the back end and up front over the coming weeks. Carolina has a little over $2.2MM in LTIR room per CapFriendly and unlike regular cap space, that doesn’t accrue by the day; they have that much to spend on full-season money now, on deadline day, or anytime in between. Accordingly, they’re in a spot where they don’t have to wait until closer to the deadline for cap reasons so it’s possible that they’ll look to shop for an early bargain on the trade market.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- The frequent shuffling of Radim Zohorna continues as the Flames have returned him to AHL Calgary, notes Flames Nation’s Ryan Pike (Twitter link). The moves are being made to save a little bit of cap space and extend his waiver exemption as long as possible. The 26-year-old has played in eight games with the Flames so far this season with him needing waivers once he gets to ten so his exemption is likely to expire soon, assuming he’s eventually recalled once more.
- The Blue Jackets could get defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov back in their lineup on Thursday against Carolina, relays Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 27-year-old missed Tuesday’s game due to an upper-body injury. The pending unrestricted free agent is likely to be one the more sought-after blueliners leading up to the trade deadline and has nine points and 70 blocked shots in 39 games so far this season while logging 22:29 per game, a career-high.
- Ducks center Isac Lundestrom could be ready to rejoin the team on their next road trip which begins on Monday, reports Eric Stephens of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 23-year-old has been out for more than a month due to a fractured finger and while he was off to a quiet start to his season before the injury (six points in 24 games), getting a developing young player back can only be good for an Anaheim squad that will likely be looking to move out some veterans in the coming weeks.
Five Key Stories: 1/2/23 – 1/8/23
The first full week of 2023 is in the books. It featured a successful Winter Classic (plus an announcement on who gets the next one) plus some notable news on the injury front – both good and bad. Those injuries are among the news highlighted in our key stories.
Back To Junior: With the World Juniors ending, a pair of Canadian-born players won’t be returning to their NHL teams. Seattle assigned center Shane Wright to Kingston of the OHL while Los Angeles did the same with defenseman Brandt Clarke. Wright, the fourth-overall pick last summer, played in just eight NHL games and will have a chance to play a big role in the second half of the season although it won’t be with the Frontenacs who are expected to move him shortly. As for Clarke, the 2021 first-rounder played in nine NHL contests this season, the last of which came more than two months ago so he’ll now have an opportunity to play consistent heavy minutes for a while with the Colts. Neither player played enough to burn the first season of their entry-level contracts.
Key Returns: A pair of Metropolitan Division teams welcomed back some key veterans. First, Carolina finally got to use one of their key acquisitions as they activated winger Max Pacioretty from LTIR. Acquired in a salary cap dump from Vegas last summer, the 34-year-old is a consistent scoring threat and already has a pair of goals for the Hurricanes in two games. Meanwhile, Washington was able to bring back two key veterans in center Nicklas Backstrom and winger Tom Wilson. Backstrom underwent hip resurfacing surgery and is now only the second NHL player to play after that procedure while Wilson is back from knee surgery. Both players have been top-six fixtures for the Capitals so their offense will get a big boost once they’re up to full speed.
Ekholm Available? Nashville currently is out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference with the team struggling to score. Accordingly, some are wondering if they might become sellers. To that end, they are believed to be considering moving defenseman Mattias Ekholm. The 32-year-old has been a key cog on the back end for the Predators for the better part of a decade and is in the first season of a four-year contract that carries a $6.25MM AAV. That’s a high price tag for a lot of contenders to afford so it wouldn’t be the typical trade we see in-season that often involves a player for a draft pick but rather a swap that would see a player or two going the other way to help match money. Such a swap might be better for Nashville to make in the summer but it appears they’ll at least look into the possibility of doing something sooner than that.
Key Injuries: It wasn’t all good news on the injury front. St. Louis’ quest to make the playoffs just got a lot harder with Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko landing on injured reserve for extended stints. O’Reilly has a broken foot that will keep him out for at least six weeks while Tarasenko is dealing with a hand injury that will keep him out for a minimum of a month. Both players are pending unrestricted free agents and if the Blues can’t hang around the postseason race in their absence, they’ll become strong trade candidates upon their return. Meanwhile, Jake DeBrusk’s strong performance in the Winter Classic which saw him score both goals in the third to get Boston the win will be his last for a while as the Bruins have placed him on LTIR with hand and lower-body injuries. The good news is that he shouldn’t miss much more than the minimum 10 games/24 days but missing a key secondary piece for a month will hurt.
Vrana Clears Waivers: There was a bit of a surprise when Detroit opted to place winger Jakub Vrana on waivers. His contract, one that carries a $5.25MM AAV, made it likely that he’d clear which he did but it’s still an unexpected situation. Vrana has missed most of the season while being in the Player Assistance Program but was expected to be an important part of Detroit’s core this season. Now, he’ll stick around with AHL Grand Rapids for the time being where he has an assist in six games. The Red Wings will eat a $4.125MM cap charge while he’s with the Griffins.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Evening Notes: Bortuzzo, Wild, Oilers, Ostapchuk
It has been a rough stretch for St. Louis defensemen lately with Torey Krug and Nick Leddy both being injured recently. Those two join Marco Scandella and Scott Perunovich (both haven’t played this season) on injured reserve. Last night, another defender went down in veteran Robert Bortuzzo who sustained a lower-body injury. Speaking to reporters today, Blues head coach Craig Berube told reporters including Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the veteran is currently listed as day-to-day although he’s still being evaluated. Bortuzzo has played in 30 games this season on the third pairing and now their defensive depth will be tested a little more for the time being.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- Prior to tonight’s game, the Wild announced (Twitter link) that winger Jordan Greenway wouldn’t play. No, it’s not another recurrence of the upper-body injury that has plagued him all season. Instead, he’s out with a non-COVID illness. Meanwhile, Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune relays (Twitter link) that winger Mats Zuccarello will accompany the team on their upcoming road trip after missing both Saturday’s game and tonight’s. Between his injury and Greenway’s illness, Minnesota only has 11 healthy forwards on their roster and as a result, had to dress seven blueliners against St. Louis.
- There are teams that will need to move first-round picks over the next couple of months to add a missing piece or two. While the Oilers typically haven’t been one of those lately, Allan Mitchell of The Athletic argues (subscription link) that they should be much more willing to do so this time around. Whoever they get with that selection if they were to keep it likely wouldn’t be ready to play in Edmonton before the contracts of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl expire. Accordingly, with the team in win-now mode, acquiring someone with that pick that can help the current core might be the better way for them to go.
- The big trades in the CHL continue as Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports (Twitter link) that Senators prospect Zack Ostapchuk is being traded to WHL Winnipeg. The 2021 second-rounder played for Canada at the World Juniors and has 10 goals and 19 assists in 21 games this season. The full trade package is unknown but it’s believed to involve three first-round picks.
Oilers Notes: Kane, Broberg, Defense Options
The Oilers suffered a big loss back in early November when Evander Kane had his wrist cut by a skate, resulting in emergency surgery that carried an expected recovery timeline of up to four months. Instead, as Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal notes, the veteran appears to be well ahead of schedule, speculating that he could be back by the end of this month. Kane is in his first full season with Edmonton and had gotten off to a strong start prior to the injury, picking up 13 points in 14 games while chipping in with 51 hits. His eventual return will certainly add another gear to their attack and while it would force some cap-shedding moves to activate him from LTIR, it would also allow GM Ken Holland to have a bit more time to evaluate his top six group before the trade deadline to help determine if any moves need to be made on that front.
More from Edmonton:
- While many expect Edmonton to make a move to add a left-shot defenseman before the trade deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in the latest 32 Thoughts segment (video link) that they plan to give prospect Philip Broberg an extended look first. The 21-year-old has spent a good chunk of the season with the Oilers with his only AHL time being a six-week stretch early in the year (which he was injured for part of). Broberg, the eighth-overall pick in 2019, has two assists in 15 games with Edmonton this season but is averaging just over 12 minutes a game. Ideally, he’s able to step up and lessen their need for help from outside the organization so it makes sense that they’ll try to give him a stretch of games first before pondering a move.
- If and when Edmonton does look elsewhere for a left defender, Arizona defenseman Jakob Chychrun has been a speculative candidate for a while. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector and Adam Vingan examine how the 24-year-old might fit with the team, noting that while, on paper, adding the top blueliner available makes plenty of sense in theory, he might not be the best fit for Edmonton. Instead, one scout posits that a more physical stay-at-home defender such as Montreal’s Joel Edmundson or Vancouver’s Luke Schenn might be the better type of player to try to acquire.
Joe Snively Clears Waivers, Assigned To Hershey Bears
December 8: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Snively has cleared waivers. Snively will head to the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, says Samantha Pell of the Washington Post. No new players were placed on waivers on Sunday, Friedman added.
December 7: With Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson set to return tomorrow, at least one waiver placement was expected from the Capitals today. That has come as NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnson reports (Twitter link) that Washington has placed winger Joe Snively on waivers.
The 27-year-old saw his first NHL action last season and certainly made the most of it, notching four goals and three assists in just 12 games with the Caps. He also was quite productive at the minor league level with AHL Hershey, collecting 15 goals and 23 helpers in 35 contests with the Bears. That was enough for GM Brian MacLellan to commit a two-year, one-way extension worth $800K per season to Snively, a nice reward for the late bloomer.
However, things haven’t gone as well this season for Snively. He has been a frequent healthy scratch, suiting up just six times and just once since mid-November. He has a single assist in those contests while averaging just over 12 minutes a night. The role he was supposed to fill as a bottom-six offensive contributor has since been filled by early-season signing Sonny Milano and now with Backstrom and Wilson set to return, Washington just can’t afford to keep Snively on the roster any longer.
Despite the limited action and production this season, there is a chance that a team is willing to take a chance on Snively. With a cap hit that’s just $50K above the league minimum in 2022-23 (and just $25K above the minimum next season), claiming him would be of little risk to even most cap-strapped squads if they’re looking to try someone else in a depth role. Washington will find out if they’re able to return Snively to Hershey at 1 PM CT on Sunday.
West Notes: Leddy, Dach, Knyzhov, White
The Blues will be without defenseman Nick Leddy tonight against Montreal due to an upper-body injury, relays Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). The 31-year-old is in his first full season with St. Louis after being acquired back at the trade deadline from Detroit last year. While Leddy isn’t putting up the points that he did earlier in his career, he has been a steady presence in the top four, logging more than 21 minutes a night while contributing 11 assists in 39 games. Head coach Craig Berube indicated that this injury is one that has been lingering for a while for Leddy and that he’s not sure how long the blueliner will be out. Leddy joins a rapidly growing injured list for the Blues that also includes Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Torey Krug, among others.
More from the West:
- Blackhawks prospect Colton Dach is on the move as Seattle of the WHL announced that they’ve acquired the 20-year-old from Kelowna for two players and three draft picks. The center was injured while playing for Canada at the World Juniors but is expected to recover well before the playoffs begin in March. Dach has already signed his entry-level deal with Chicago and will be able to play in the minors next season making this a pure rental on the part of the Thunderbirds. Dach has 17 points in 14 games so far this season.
- Sharks defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov appears to be well ahead of schedule as he works his way back from Achilles surgery, reports Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Knyzhov has yet to play in nearly 20 months due to a variety of injuries with this latest one coming in August and carrying a six-month recovery timeline. The 24-year-old was a regular on San Jose’s blueline when he last played in 2020-21 and while he’ll undoubtedly need some time in the minors to get back up to speed, he has been participating in full practices which suggests that game action could be coming sooner than later.
- Stars prospect Gavin White is on the move in the OHL as Peterborough announced that they’ve acquired the blueliner as part of a multi-player swap. The 20-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Dallas last year (112th overall) and was quite productive for Hamilton before this move, averaging a point per game in 22 contests. White, who hasn’t signed yet with Dallas, is eligible to play in the minors next season but could also return for his overage year in junior.
Pacific Notes: Kylington, Golden Knights, Fanti
While the Flames have been without defenseman Oliver Kylington all season so far due to a personal matter, GM Brad Treliving told Sportsnet’s Eric Francis that they’re not giving up on the idea that he will be back at some point in the second half. Kylington had a breakout year in 2021-22, collecting 31 points in 73 games, earning himself a two-year, $5MM contract in the process and his return would certainly be a big boost to Calgary’s back end. At the moment, there haven’t been any discussions with him about when he might be able to return but with the trade deadline now less than two months away, it stands to reason that those conversations will be taking place at some point in the near future as if Kylington isn’t able to return, Calgary may have to make a move to find a replacement for the stretch run.
Elsewhere in the Pacific:
- There’s more help on the horizon when it comes to the Golden Knights. After getting center Jack Eichel and winger Paul Cotter back on Thursday, they could get winger Jonathan Marchessault back in the lineup tonight against Los Angeles, reports Ben Gotz of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 32-year-old has missed six straight games with a lower-body injury but still sits third on the team in goals with 14. Gotz adds that defenseman Alec Martinez also has a chance to return tonight although, with the team off until Thursday after this game, they could opt to give him a few more days of rest. The veteran has been out for four straight games after being injured in the Golden Knights’ first game after the holiday break. He has five assists in 37 contests this season.
- The Oilers have re-assigned goaltender Ryan Fanti to Fort Wayne of the ECHL, per the AHL’s transactions log. Edmonton signed the 23-year-old to an entry-level deal back in March but he has struggled in his first full professional season, posting a save percentage below .900 in both the AHL and ECHL. He had a 3.46 GAA and a .895 SV% in seven games with AHL Bakersfield during his seven-week stint with the Condors.
Oilers Assign James Hamblin To AHL
The Oilers have made a pair of roster moves today in advance of their game tonight against Colorado. The team announced (Twitter link) that forward James Hamblin has been assigned to Bakersfield of the AHL. So too has Justin Bailey after he cleared waivers earlier today following having his AHL deal converted to an NHL one on Friday.
The 23-year-old has been a nice success story for Edmonton this season. After playing well with the Condors last season, the team gave the undrafted free agent a two-year, entry-level contract back in March with the hopes he’d eventually play his way into an NHL opportunity. He had a strong stretch in training camp before being one of their final cuts.
Hamblin got off to another good start in the minors with nine points in 15 games, earning himself a recall in late November. He had been up with Edmonton since then, seeing action in ten games. While he didn’t record a point, he won over 64% of his faceoffs while logging just shy of nine minutes a night. However, Hamblin has played just once in the last two and a half weeks which isn’t ideal for a prospect so he’ll head back to the Condors where he’ll see more regular ice time. As a result of his demotion, the Oilers now have an open spot on their active roster.
Flames Recall Two, Place Brett Ritchie On IR
The Flames announced (Twitter link) a trio of roster moves today in advance of their five-game road trip. They’ve recalled wingers Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr from AHL Calgary and to make room on the active roster, they’ve transferred winger Brett Ritchie on injured reserve.
Pelletier is one of Calgary’s top prospects and will get his first chance at making his NHL debut. The 21-year-old was a first-round pick (26th overall) back in 2019 and has been quite productive at both the junior and AHL level since then. This season, Pelletier sits second on the Wranglers in scoring with 15 goals and 19 assists in 31 games. The only player that he’s behind is Matthew Phillips but the Flames opted to sit the winger for most of the games he was up with the big club for so it’s not surprising that they’re trying Pelletier now instead.
As for Duehr, the 25-year-old has one career NHL appearance under his belt which came in November 2021. This season at the AHL level, he’s tied for third on the Wranglers in goals with ten, just one shy of his output from a year ago in 28 fewer games. This is only his second full professional campaign after signing a two-year entry-level deal with Calgary as a college free agent in 2021.
Meanwhile, Ritchie suffered what appeared to be a wrist injury last weekend against Vancouver and hasn’t played since then. Technically, that means that Calgary could back-date the placement to then, effectively making him eligible to be activated as soon as Sunday’s game in Chicago. The fact they’ve placed him on IR means he’ll be out longer than that but there is no timetable for his return. The 29-year-old has six goals and two assists in 30 games with the Flames so far this season.