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Minor Transactions: 10/05/23

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With the start of the NHL regular season now under a week away, the opening-night rosters of many NHL teams are coming more and more into view. That has a trickle-down effect for the rest of pro hockey, as a player finding out he won’t have his PTO made into a full-time NHL deal could prompt that player to sign a contract with an overseas team, for example. This, alongside the ups and downs of early-season hockey in top pro leagues overseas, has prompted quite a bit of player movement and as always we’ll keep track of those transactions here.

  • Seven years after he was selected fifth overall at the 2016 NHL draft, former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Olli Juolevi has made the decision to return to Europe to continue his professional career. The 25-year-old Helsinki native has signed a short-term contract with the SHL’s Timrå IK, a club off to a strong 4-2 start. The deal is set to last until Liiga’s November break. Juolevi had previously been playing for the Arizona Coyotes on a PTO but failed to earn a full-time contract in Arizona after a few preseason contests. Last season was Juolevi’s first since the year he made his NHL debut that he didn’t skate in a single game at the NHL level, and he ultimately played in 38 games for the San Diego Gulls, scoring 14 points.
  • 2022 Arizona Coyotes second-round pick Julian Lutz has made an interesting move for his development, leaving defending DEL champions EHC Red Bull München in order to play USHL hockey for the Green Bay Gamblers. It’s a somewhat unusual move, as traditionally players move from developmental leagues into top professional leagues, not the other way around. But this move is somewhat understandable for Lutz, who has been buried in a depth role on a stacked Munich team. Going to Green Bay will allow the six-foot-two, 185-pound winger to play against his peers, and will give him the opportunity to have a monster season and put up the kind of box score numbers his resume currently sorely lacks.
  • Former WHL and AHL star Brendan Ranford has signed a one-year contract with HC Slovan Bratislava, the club he previously represented for the 2020-21 season. Since leaving the AHL for Europe in late 2018, Ranford has become an impactful, top-line scorer in three different European leagues. He’s spent the last two seasons in the DEL, posting 95 points across 95 total games. Slovan are likely signing Ranford with the hope of adding an elite scorer, which is what Ranford was when he last played in Slovakia, as he scored 12 goals and 32 points in just 29 games. The historic club based in Slovakia’s capital have gotten off to a slow 2-3-1 start in this 2023-24 Tipos Extraliga season, so perhaps this move will give the club the spark it needs to resume its place among the country’s elite clubs.
  • The ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads have signed two forwards just at the start of their pro careers: Nick Nardella and Daniel Hardie. Nardella, 24, signed an ATO with the Cincinnati Cyclones last season at the conclusion of his NCAA career with Michigan Tech. He ended up scoring one assist in four games in Cincinnati before he moved to the Iowa Heartlanders, where he impressed scoring three goals in three games. Now, he’ll head to Idaho alongside Hardie, who hasn’t yet made his pro debut but was once the leading scorer of a QMJHL team, the 2018-19 Charlottetown Islanders.
  • Former College hockey star Trevor Mingoia, once an NCAA Champion with Providence College, has had his contract with Liiga’s Kärpät terminated by mutual agreement. This wasn’t the winger’s first go-around in the top division of Finnish hockey, although Mingoia’s time with KooKoo Kouvola from 2019-2021 was notably more successful. Mingoia spent two seasons with KooKoo and scored a total of 27 goals and 64 points in 73 games. Kärpät were likely optimistic they would get that kind of form out of Mingoia after he starred for two seasons in the DEL with the Wolfsburg Grizzlys, helping them to the DEL semifinals last season, but it wasn’t to be and now both parties will look elsewhere moving forward.
  • Veteran Swedish forward Robin Alvarez has decided to test himself playing in Finland for the first time in his career, signing a one-year contract with Ilves Tampere of Liiga. The 36-year-old veteran has exclusively played in his native Sweden so far in his career and has logged over 700 career games combined between the SHL and HockeyAllsvenskan levels. Alvarez brings extensive Champions Hockey League experience to Ilves, having played a total of 31 games in the prestigious European tournament. Ilves currently sit fourth in the Liiga table and are looking to gain ground on their neighbors Tappara Tampere, the defending Liiga and Champions Hockey League winners.
  • Defenseman Teemu Suhonen, once a star blueliner for Jukurit Mikkeli in both its Liiga and Mestis days, has signed a one-month contract with a rival Liiga club: Vaasan Sport. The undersized 34-year-old defenseman spent last season with Liiga’s JYP, scoring 15 points in 46 games. Sport said in its announcement of the deal that the club needed to act quickly to respond to an injury to defenseman Carl-Johan Lerby, and their signing of Suhonen should help the team survive Lerby’s absence.
  • Slovakia’s HK Nitra have agreed on an early contract termination with forward Patrick Bajkov, a key summer signing of the club. Nitra were likely hoping that Bajkov’s prolific scoring at the ECHL level (he managed 69 points in 71 games for the Reading Royals in 2021-22) would translate to the top level of Slovak pro hockey. That hasn’t happened, though, and Bajkov will now conclude his tenure with Nitra at six games, a run where he failed to register a point and found himself tagged with a minus-seven plus-minus rating. Bajkov last played for Nitra in their October 1st contest, but skated under 2:30 of total ice time as the club fell by a 9-3 score. As Nitra seek a reboot after a catastrophic start to the season, it’s been agreed upon by both parties that ending Bajkov’s contract is the best path forward for each side, especially seeing as a replacement for Bajkov, Stephen Harper, was brought in a few days ago.
  • The so far undefeated Cardiff Devils have made an addition to their forward corps, signing power forward Brandon Alderson to an EIHL contract. The six-foot-three, 194-pound veteran has been a point-per-game scorer in the OHL, ECHL, DEL2, and Slovak league, and is coming off of an exceptional campaign playing third-division pro hockey in Germany. Alderson scored a whopping 37 goals and 79 points for the Hannover Scorpions, and Cardiff are likely hoping that his track record of high-scoring numbers can translate to the top division of pro hockey in the United Kingdom.

This page may be updated throughout the day. 

Morning Notes: Pitlick, Hämeenaho, Jack

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New York Rangers forward Tyler Pitlick is out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, according to the New York Post’s Mollie Walker. Walker also relays word from Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette saying that Pitlick would be re-evaluated today. Pitlick, 31, was an offseason signing of the Rangers and had been in contention for a fourth-line role while playing on a $787.5k cap hit.

One how this injury might impact the ongoing battle for the Rangers’ fourth-line right winger spot, if at all. Fellow offseason signing Alex Belzile was waived and sent to the AHL despite holding the versatility to play both center and wing and having outscored Pitlick on a point-per-game basis last season, so if Pitlick remains out Belzile could get another chance. But what’s more likely is that Belzile remains in the minors as he’s already cleared waivers, with Pitlick’s job instead for the time being going to prospect Will Cuylle, whose situation we covered in the recent Big Hype Prospects piece.

Now for some other notes from across the hockey world:

  • New Jersey Devils prospect Lenni Hämeenaho is off to a blistering hot start in the Finnish Liiga, and EliteProspects’ Lassi Alanen writes on X that Hämeenaho is off to “one of the hottest starts to the season from any 18-year-old in Liiga history.” Playing for Ässät Pori, a quality middle-of-the-pack Liiga team, Hämeenaho has scored eight goals and nine points in just nine games, putting him at a 53-goal pace should he manage to play a full 60-game season. It’s extremely unlikely Hämeenaho will maintain this pace, of course, but what is likely is that Hämeenaho will finish with a far more productive year than the one he had in 2022-23, and it could be the type of season that vaults the 2023 53rd overall pick into top prospect status.
  • The ECHL announced yesterday that its Board of Governors had “approved the Transfer of Controlling Interest in the Allen Americans” to “ALA Hockey, LLC, an entity controlled by Myles and LaSonjia Jack.” For fans of the NFL, that name might be familiar as its of former NFL linebacker Myles Jack, once a key cog in a ferocious Jacksonville Jaguars defense. As our friends at Pro Football Rumors covered, Jack retired in August and now appears to be entering sports ownership alongside his mother. According to the ECHL, this purchase is particularly historic as “Jack, and his mother LaSonjia Jack, are the first African-American majority owners in professional hockey history.” Jack is purchasing a quality team in the Americans, as they’re a two-time Kelly Cup winner, they haven’t missed the playoffs in four seasons, and are Texas’ only ECHL franchise.

Minor Transactions: 10/02/23

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It’s another busy day around the world of hockey, with activity both on the schedule and on the transaction wire. The highlight of today’s slate of games overseas was a contest between SKA St. Petersburg and HK Sochi in the KHL. Top NHL prospect Matvei Michkov’s three-point performance lifted Sochi over St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg is the club that owns Michkov’s KHL rights, and Michkov may have had extra motivation to put together a strong performance as St. Petersburg opened the season with Michkov as a healthy scratch before loaning him back to Sochi.

Beyond just games, today featured quite a few moves in top European leagues as well. As always, we’ll keep track of them here.

  • 2010 13th overall pick Brandon Gormley has found a team for 2023-24. According to an official announcement, he’s signed a one-year contract with the Iserlohn Roosters of the DEL. Gormley heads to Germany to reinforce the blueline of a Roosters team that has struggled early on in this DEL campaign. They have currently surrendered the most goals in the DEL through six games of league play, so the hope will be that Gormley can translate his extensive experience in top European leagues into defensive stops for the Roosters.
  • The SHL’s IK Oskarshamn have struggled mightily at the start of this SHL campaign, so the club has responded to its injuries and underperformance by agreeing to a short-term contract with veteran forward Olli Palola. Palola, 35, is a highly experienced name in European hockey, having represented his country at two IIHF Men’s World Championships. He’s led the Finnish Liiga in goals before and is a former Liiga All-Star, so perhaps his addition will serve as a spark that will help improve the club’s form. Palola split last season between the SHL’s Timra IK and HIFK Helsinki, scoring a total of 13 points in 35 games.
  • After spending a season playing in Italy, Shawn McBride has made the decision to return to the North American pro circuit. He’s signed a one-year ECHL contract with the Idaho Steelheads, the club he spent 2021-22 with. McBride floundered in pro hockey until arriving in Idaho, where he would score 12 goals and 35 points in 69 games. That solid showing earned him a contract in the AlpsHL with the Broncos in Italy, and scored 16 goals and 36 points in 36 games there, and now he’s back in the ECHL for another go-around with the Steelheads.
  • Veteran defenseman Anton Mylläri has signed a contract containing a three-month trial period with the Lahti Pelicans, the club he played for last season. 2022-23 was Mylläri’s first full season in Liiga, and he acquitted himself well, helping the Pelicans reach the league finals where they would ultimately fall to Tappara Tampere. Mylläri was a top-four defenseman for the Pelicans last season, averaging 18:00 time on ice per game, and now will get a chance to resume that role for a Pelicans team that has got off to a slow start in 2023-24.

This page may be updated throughout the day. 

Brandon Sutter Announces Retirement

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The Edmonton Oilers have announced that veteran forward Brandon Sutter has been released from the PTO he signed with the club, and has decided to retire from professional hockey. He provided a statement, which reads:

I’m grateful for the opportunity that Ken, Jay and the Oilers organization have provided to me the past few weeks. You need to be 100 percent healthy to compete in the NHL, and although my health continues to improve, in consideration of my health and family, I am officially retiring from hockey.

Thank you to the Oilers, Canucks, Penguins and Hurricanes, as well as all my past coaches, trainers and teammates for the incredible experiences throughout my 13 seasons in the NHL.

Sutter, 34, had not played since 2020-21, but was hopeful that he could earn a depth role in Edmonton. But the time away from the game appears to have been to big a barrier to overcome, so as a result, he has elected retirement.

Although injuries dulled his effectiveness in the later years of his career, Sutter had long been valued as a two-way center who brought defensive ability, sneaky goal-scoring touch, and the kind of leadership qualities that make a lasting impact on a locker room.

During his time with the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Carolina Hurricanes, Sutter made a few deep playoff runs and scored 15 or more goals three times.

Part of the famed Sutter family, he ends his career with a few honors, including wearing a letter as part of the leadership group for three different franchises and a IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal.

While it certainly will end up a disappointment to Sutter and Oilers fans that he won’t be able to suit up for more NHL games, one can certainly respect the health considerations that went into Sutter’s decision. He leaves behind a playing career to be proud of, and we at PHR would like to extend our best wishes to Sutter for whatever he chooses to do now that his days on an NHL roster have ended.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Big Hype Prospects: Edstrom, Cuylle, Silayev, Konyushkov, Dvorský

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Welcome to PHR’s Big Hype Prospects series. Like the MLB Trade Rumors series of the same name, we’re taking a look at the performances of top prospects from across the hockey world. We’ll look at drafted prospects who are rising, others who are struggling, and prospects for the upcoming draft who are notable.

Five Big Hype Prospects

David Edstrom, C, Vegas Golden Knights (Frölunda HC, SHL)
7GP 2G 4A 6pts 13:13 ATOI

Drafted with the final pick of the 2023 first round, Edstrom was chosen on the back of a strong season at the J20 Nationell level in Sweden that included 11 games in the SHL with Frölunda’s senior team. A professional two-way center with a well-rounded game, there was a general belief that both Edstrom’s tools and overall style would translate seamlessly to the pro game, which is far more physically and mentally demanding than playing junior hockey against peers.

This season, Edstrom has so far passed all tests with flying colors. The rangy six-foot-two pivot has flown out the gates for Frölunda, tied for the team lead in scoring with six points in seven games. He’s flashed some serious skill along the way, and if he can keep up this kind of offensive production the public scouting sphere, which widely ranked Edstrom within the first-round/second-round bubble, may need to re-think what his true offensive upside looks like at the highest level.

That being said, it’s far from a guarantee that Edstrom will be able to maintain his spot atop his team’s scoring leaderboard. He’s still playing in a somewhat limited role with just over 13 minutes of ice time per game. That could very well be because Frölunda doesn’t want to overwhelm him and give him too much responsibility too soon, or it could also be an indication of how they plan to use him for the rest of the season. Either way, both management at Frölunda and in Vegas could not have envisioned a better start to the season for the 32nd overall pick.

Will Cuylle, LW, New York Rangers (Hartford Wolf Pack, AHL)
69GP 25G 20A 45pts (2022-23)

Unlike most prospects featured in this series, Cuylle has actually already made his NHL debut. The 21-year-old former captain of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires received two NHL call-ups in early 2023, skating in four total games for the Rangers. He didn’t play much (the most ice time he received in any game was 7:46) but made his mark with a total of 10 penalty minutes.

Entering training camp, Cuylle was believed to be most likely heading back for a second season with the Wolf Pack, a team he led in goals last season with 25.

But as the New York Post’s Mollie Walker reports, Cuylle is under serious consideration for a role on Peter Laviolette’s opening-night roster on Broadway. Cuylle beat out veteran signing Alex Belzile to remain on the Rangers’ roster, and could very well end up factoring into the Rangers’ bottom-six mix sooner than expected

A six-foot-three power forward, Cuylle’s game has drawn stylistic comparisons to a player Laviolette coached for the last two seasons: Washington Capital Tom Wilson.

If Cuylle can even remotely resemble Wilson, who is making $6.5MM against the cap through the end of the decade, he could provide the Rangers with some serious value in their bottom-six.

Anton Silayev, RHD, 2024 draft prospect (Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, KHL)
12GP 1G 5A 6pts 17:33 ATOI

Most North American hockey fans aren’t familiar with Silayev, which makes sense. He’s still just 17 years old, plays all the way in Russia, and has virtually no footprint on this side of the Atlantic. But soon enough, hockey fans this side of the Atlantic will come to know the name of Torpedo’s star rookie.

Silayev has been a revelation this season. In a league that is notoriously difficult for young players to succeed in, Silayev has managed six points in 12 games, averaging a healthy 17:33 time on ice per game. That’s earned him the KHL’s Rookie of the Month honors, and shot him up public NHL draft projections. TSN’s Bob McKenzie ranked Silayev ninth overall in his pre-season 2024 NHL Draft rankings, while The Hockey News had him all the way at the number-five slot.

So why is Silayev getting top-five buzz when just a month or two ago he wasn’t even in the conversation? First and foremost, it’s due to his tools. Silayev is a right-shot blueliner, something that is already coveted in the NHL, and he’s also six-foot-seven, 207 pounds. Right-shot blueliners at that size are exceedingly rare, so from a measurable perspective alone Silayev has enough to draw interest.

But that’s not the only aspect of Silayev that’s rare. Not only is a freakish athletic talent, he’s also the rare draft-year KHL defenseman playing regular minutes in Russia’s top league, and putting up points while doing so.

It doesn’t even end there. Silayev is also regarded as a strong skater overall, which is an exceptionally rare trait for someone that big and that heavy. His size and mobility combo makes him something of a “unicorn” prospect, and makes him arguably the most intriguing player to track in advance of the 2024 draft.

Bogdan Konyushkov, RHD, Montreal Canadiens (Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, KHL)
12GP 1G 6A 7pts 24:18 ATOI

Even with all the buzz surrounding Silayev and his potential for the 2024 draft, one could make the argument that it’s Silayev’s teammate, Konyushkov, 20, who has actually had the most impressive start to the KHL season for Torpedo.

Konyushkov went undrafted in consecutive NHL drafts before he was selected 110th overall by the Canadiens in 2023. The Canadiens took a bit of a risk selecting a twice-undrafted player in the fourth round, but Konyushkov’s 2022-23 campaign where he scored 25 points in a regular role on a KHL playoff team likely gave them confidence. Konyushkov has more than validated that faith this season.

So far, the right-shot defenseman has scored seven points in 12 games and is currently leading all KHL defensemen in time-on-ice per game. He’s breaking out as a legitimate minutes-eating, all-situations number-one defenseman in the KHL, an extremely impressive feat for such a young player. While he doesn’t possess the measurables Silayev can boast, his KHL performance so far is extremely encouraging.

Konyushkov is under contract through 2025-26, so the Canadiens have a bit of a wait in store before they can bring Konyushkov to North America. But if he’s already leading KHLers in average ice time, there’s a legitimate possibility that Konyushkov will be able to step right into the NHL once he’s signed to an entry-level deal.

In any case, his success early this season gives the Canadiens an intriguing trio of right-shot defensive prospects who have excelled in top European leagues. (Konyushov, Adam Engström, David Reinbacher)

Dalibor Dvorský, C, St. Louis Blues (IK Oskarshamn, SHL)
6GP 0G 0A 0pts 12:15 ATOI

The St. Louis Blues don’t make top-ten picks very often, so when they spent their rare top selection on Dvorsky, it was something of a home run swing. Dvorský had performed exceptionally against his peers, scoring 13 points in just seven games at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships and a whopping 21 points in just 10 games in the J20 Nationell.

But against men in a professional setting, Dvorský couldn’t dominate in the same way. Pro players proved more resistant to Dvorský’s impressive physical tools, and the increased pace of the pro game made his lackluster skating more of an issue. He ended up scoring just 14 points in 38 games in the HockeyAllsvenskan with AIK.

This season, there was hope that more experience and physical maturity would allow Dvorský to succeed in the SHL, a full division higher than the league he played in with AIK last season. So far, that hasn’t happened. Dvorský is currently scoreless through six games with IK Oskarshamn, receiving just over 12 minutes of ice time per night on a team that currently ranks as the worst in the SHL.

There’s still more than enough time for Dvorský to push forward his production, but this early sample size of games does raise questions as to whether Dvorský is truly ready to be a top player in one of the world’s best pro leagues, especially seeing as he wasn’t a difference-maker in Sweden’s second division. He’s still just 18 years old and has all the upside in the world, but these first few games have led some to wonder if Dvorský’s development is best served in the SHL.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Anaheim Ducks Claim Lassi Thomson From Ottawa Senators

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The Anaheim Ducks have claimed defenseman Lassi Thomson off of waivers from the Ottawa Senators, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Through this claim, the Ducks are rolling the dice the 19th overall pick from the 2019 draft. Drafted out of the Kelowna Rockets, a well-respected producer of NHL defenseman, Thomson spent a season playing pro hockey in Liiga with Ilves Tampere, before splitting 2020-21 between Ilves and the AHL’s Belleville Senators.

Thomson scored 26 points in 44 AHL games in 2021-22 and got 16 NHL games under his belt, scoring five points.

Thomson had a solid AHL season last year with 33 points in 56 games, but didn’t get quite as extensive of a look in Ottawa as the team turned to other defensive prospects such as Tyler Kleven and Jacob Bernard-Docker. A solid skater, Thomson has proven to be an impactful AHL defenseman who hasn’t quite made his mark in the NHL.

With this claim, Thomson will presumably get a chance in the NHL with the Ducks and first-year head coach Greg Cronin. Based on how Cronin has talked about defensemen in the past, this waiver claim is actually entirely unsurprising.

Cronin has said he is “really focused on” defensemen who can use their mobility as their main defensive tool, rather than say physicality. He has spoken about prioritizing athleticism, speed, and even aggressiveness with his blueliners, something he put into practice as head coach with the Colorado Eagles.

Thomson fits that ideal mold, as he’s an athletic blueliner whose skating is widely regarded as his best tool. While that’s no guarantee of an NHL breakout, it does explain why the Ducks felt comfortable using their front-of-the-line waiver claim on Thomson.

He does have some competition on the right side of Anaheim’s defense to compete with, especially long-term due to the presence of top prospects like Tristan Luneau. But by claiming him the Ducks have said they believe Thomson has something to offer at the NHL level, and now it’s up to Thomson to prove them right.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Waivers: 10/01/23

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With the start of the NHL season now just nine days away, daily waiver activity will be continuing league-wide. Those waiver placements will be tracked here. Waiver list courtesy of CapFriendly.

Anaheim Ducks

D Trevor Carrick

Boston Bruins

G Michael DiPietro

Buffalo Sabres

D Jeremy Davies
D Joseph Cecconi

Chicago Blackhawks

F Dave Gust
F Mike Hardman
F Brett Seney

Los Angeles Kings

D Kevin Connauton
F Samuel Fagemo
D Joe Hicketts
F Hayden Hodgson
F Mikhail Maltsev
D Jacob Moverare
D Steven Santini
F Akil Thomas
F T.J. Tynan

Minnesota Wild

F Steven Fogarty
F Jake Lucchini
F Nick Swaney
G Zane McIntyre

Montreal Canadiens

F Lias Andersson
F Philippe Maillet

New York Rangers

G Louis Domingue
D Mac Hollowell

St. Louis Blues

F Will Bitten
D Wyatt Kalynuk
F Hugh McGing
F Matthew Peca

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Mitchell Chaffee
D Sean Day
D Philippe Myers

Vancouver Canucks

F Sheldon Dries
D Jett Woo
D Jack Rathbone
D Matt Irwin
G Zachary Sawchenko

Winnipeg Jets

F Jansen Harkins
F Jeff Malott
F Kristian Reichel
F Dominic Toninato
D Ashton Sautner

Washington Capitals

F Riley Sutter
D Chase Priskie

Two names of consequence for Winnipeg are Harkins and Toninato. Harkins is a 2015 second-round pick who has been an AHL All-Star and scored 25 goals and 50 points in just 44 games for the Manitoba Moose last season.

He was in contention for a depth role in Winnipeg, but will now head to the Moose to likely be a top scorer there. As for Toninato, he’s a 29-year-old veteran who was in a battle for a fourth-line or spare center role with the Jets. There was some belief that Toninato could be preferred by head coach Rick Bowness over more inexperienced options such as David Gustafsson or Rasmus Kupari, but it seems now that Kupari’s spot on the roster is all but assured, while Gustafsson stands a solid chance of making the opening-night roster as well.

In Vancouver, there are some intriguing players here. Rathbone was once a star defenseman at Harvard University and has impressed at the AHL level, scoring 40 points in 39 games in 2021-22 with an AHL All-Rookie team selection. Injuries and underperformance in the NHL have cost him his prime spot in Vancouver’s future plans, though. Perhaps some team believes it can unlock the upside he has flashed by giving him a fresh start.

Alongside Rathbone is Dries, who saw extended action as Vancouver’s third-line center last season. He was overmatched in that role, but there could a be a team optimistic that he can hold down a fourth-line or spare center job.

Some other intriguing names are Domingue, a quality third goalie with some NHL experience that could interest goalie-needy teams, two-time AHL MVP Tynan, and Fagemo, who scored 23 goals in the AHL last season and was the 50th overall pick at the 2019 draft.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/23

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As the calendar turns to October, more cuts to NHL training camp rosters are expected. As always, we’ll keep track of any of those moves here.

Boston Bruins (via team release)

F Alex Chiasson (released from PTO)
D Frederic Brunet (to Providence, AHL)
F Brett Harrison (to Providence, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (via NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus)

G Mitchell Weeks (to Rockford, AHL)
F Antti Saarela (to Rockford, AHL)
F Michal Teplý (to Rockford, AHL)
F Marcel Marcel (to Rockford, AHL)
D Nolan Allan (to Rockford, AHL)

Florida Panthers (via team release)

F Skyler Brind’Amour (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Kai Schwindt (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Wilmer Skoog (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Patrick Giles (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Evan Cormier (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Mack Guzda (to Charlotte, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (via team release)

F Koehn Ziemmer (to Prince George, WHL)
D Angus Booth (to Shawinigan, QMJHL)
F Martin Chromiak (to Ontario, AHL)
F Samuel Helenius (to Ontario, AHL)
D Cole Krygier (to Ontario, AHL)
D Kim Nousiainen (to Ontario, AHL)
F Francesco Pinelli (to Ontario, AHL)
G Erik Portillo (to Ontario, AHL)
F Taylor Ward (to Ontario, AHL)
G Ryan Bednard (to Ontario, AHL)
G J.F. Berube (to Ontario, AHL)
F Jacob Doty (to Ontario, AHL)
F Ryan Francis (to Ontario, AHL)
F Charles Hudon (to Ontario, AHL)
D Tyler Inamoto (to Ontario, AHL)
G Jacob Ingham (to Ontario, AHL)
F Isaac Johnson (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Modry (to Ontario, AHL)
C Nikita Pavlychev (to Ontario, AHL)
D Wyatte Wylie (to Ontario, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (via team release)

F Adam Beckman (to Iowa, AHL)
F Joël Teasdale (released from PTO and assigned to Iowa, AHL)
F Mike O’Leary (released from PTO and assigned to Iowa, AHL)
D Carson Lambos (to Iowa, AHL)
D Ryan O’Rourke (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (via team release)

F Riley Kidney (to Laval, AHL)
F Sean Farrell (to Laval, AHL)
D William Trudeau (to Laval, AHL)
D David Reinbacher (to Kloten, NL)
G Jakub Dobes (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (via team release)

F Egor Afanasyev (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Anthony Angello (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Tye Felhaber (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Carson Gicewicz (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Joakim Kemell (to Milwaukee, AHL)
FJachym Kondelik (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Zachary L’Heureux (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Navrin Mutter (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Cal O’Reilly (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Reid Schaefer (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Fedor Svechkov (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Kevin Wall (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Jasper Weatherby (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Kevin Gravel (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jordan Gross (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jake Livingstone(to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Griffin Luce (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jack Matier (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Luke Prokop (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Spencer Stastney (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Keaton Thompson (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Adam Wilsby (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Yaroslav Askarov (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Gustavs Grigals (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Troy Grosenick (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Dylan Wells (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New York Rangers (via team release)

F Brett Berard (to Hartford, AHL)
G Dylan Garand (to Hartford, AHL)
F Adam Edstrom (to Hartford, AHL)
F Matt Rempe (to Hartford, AHL)
D Matthew Robertson (to Hartford, AHL)
D Brandon Scanlin (to Hartford, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release)

F Sam Bitten (to Springfield, AHL)
F Keean Washkurak (to Springfield, AHL)
D Leo Lööf (to Springfield, AHL)
G Colten Ellis (to Springfield, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (via team release)

F Danila Klimovich (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Aatu Räty (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Vasily Podkolzin (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Max Sasson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Linus Karlsson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Arshdeep Bains (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Tristen Nielsen (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Josh Bloom (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Aiden McDonough (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F Chase Wouters (released from PTO, will report to Abbotsford, AHL)
F John Stevens (released from PTO, will report to Abbotsford, AHL)
D Akito Hirose (to Abbotsford, AHL)
D Filip Johansson (to Abbotsford, AHL)
D Quinn Schmeimann (released from PTO, will report to Abbotsford, AHL)
G Nikita Tolopilo (to Abbotsford, AHL)
G Arturs Silovs (to Abbotsford, AHL)

Washington Capitals

F Pierrick Dubé (to Hershey, AHL)
F Ethen Frank (to Hershey, AHL)
F Ryan Hofer (to Hershey, AHL)
F Henrik Rybinski (to Hershey, AHL)
F Alexander Suzdalev (to Hershey, AHL)
F Bogdan Trineyev (to Hershey, AHL)
D Logan Day (to Hershey, AHL)
D Nick Leivermann (to Hershey, AHL)
D Jake Massie (to Hershey, AHL)
D Jon McDonald (to Hershey, AHL)
D Aaron Ness (to Hershey, AHL)
G Garin Bjorklund (to Hershey, AHL)
G Mitchell Gibson (to Hershey, AHL)

The biggest-name cut here comes from the Montreal Canadiens, who have sent 2023 fifth-overall pick Reinbacher back to his club in the Swiss league, EHC Kloten. It’s not exactly a surprising decision, as the Canadiens had before commented on Kloten being the best place for Reinbacher’s development in 2023-24, though there was belief by some that he may have received a nine-game trial in the NHL. He impressed with his poise and calmness in the preseason and training camp, and even managed to earn his first point in North America with an assist on a Josh Anderson goal.

But with the Canadiens’ blueline already well-stocked with talent meriting placement on the NHL roster, it seems that simply letting Reinbacher get back to Kloten where he’ll resume the minutes-eating all-situations role he played last year was the decision Montreal felt was most appropriate.

Beyond Reinbacher, Trudeau had also impressed at training camp, but fell victim to the same defensive roster crunch that likely cost Reinbacher a shot at a nine-game trial. Since he’s still exempt from waivers, the Canadiens have opted to let Trudeau get a head start in Laval, where he’ll potentially be the team’s number-one defenseman.

In years past, when the talent in the Canadiens’ pipeline of young blueliners was less abundant, a player like Trudeau may have been able to parlay his exceptional training camp and preseason performance into an immediate NHL opportunity.

A big wave of cuts hits the Canucks as they inch closer to the roster they’ll bring into their opening-night contest. Some big names were sent to Abbotsford, including 2019 10th overall pick Podkolzin. The hope was that Podkolzin would seize a regular NHL role and begin to deliver on the promise that got him drafted so high, but it wasn’t to be. He’ll instead start the year in the AHL, where he scored 18 points in 28 games last season.

Alongside Podkolzin is Hirose, who impressed in a short cameo with the Canucks late last season. The 24-year-old Minnesota State-Mankato product registered three assists and figures to be a top callup option should injuries strike the right side of Vancouver’s defense.

One other storyline to monitor regarding the Canucks is the fact that former Michigan Wolverine Cole McWard has survived this round of major cuts. He has spent training camp stapled alongside franchise defenseman Quinn Hughes, and the undrafted 22-year-old could now be under serious consideration to remain in that role for the start of the regular season.

This page may be updated throughout the day. 

Injury Updates: Palmieri, Tarasov, Savoie

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Newsday’s Andrew Gross has reported more details on Kyle Palmieri’s preseason absence for the New York Islanders, writing that while Palmieri has begun skating once again, he hasn’t begun practicing yet and is still dealing with an undisclosed injury suffered before training camp. (paywall link) It’s difficult to ascertain the true implications of Palmieri’s current health status, as so much about where he is in terms of readiness to play in the NHL is unknown.

But what is known is the opportunity his absence is giving to other Islanders forwards. Palmieri, who scored 16 goals and 33 points in 55 games last season, is a regular in the Islanders’ top six, and now with him out of commission, the Islanders have slotted Hudson Fasching into Palmieri’s usual second-line role next to Brock Nelson and Pierre Engvall. It’s also possible another winger such as Simon Holmström, Oliver Wahlstrom, or Julien Gauthier could get a shot in the Islanders’ top-six if Palmieri remains injured.

Some other injury updates from across the NHL:

  • Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen commented on the knee injury backup goalie Daniil Tarasov is currently dealing with, telling The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline that they “don’t have a timeframe on Tarasov’s injury right now; it’s a work in progress.” (paywall link) Portzline writes that the knee issue could very well keep Tarasov out into the regular season. Kekäläinen was asked whether the Blue Jackets would consider rostering three goalies (Tarasov, Spencer Martin, Elvis Elvis Merzļikins) once Tarasov returned, to which Kekäläinen replied “that’s not a plan,” meaning recent waiver claim Spencer Martin could very well find himself on the waiver wire once again whenever Tarasov returns to full health.
  • Chicago Blackhawks prospect Samuel Savoie suffered an ugly injury in last night’s preseason game against the Minnesota Wild. After an attempted hit on Wild blueliner Alex Goligoski, Savoie slammed into the boards awkwardly and ended up needing to be stretchered off the ice. The Blackhawks announced today that Savoie “remains in Minnesota for further medical care” and have confirmed that Savoie has suffered a lower-body injury.

Minor Transactions: 10/01/23

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Not only are NHL clubs hard at work preparing for the start of their regular seasons via the training camp and preseason process, but so are clubs in the various North American minor leagues, such as the AHL and ECHL, who also have a regular season to prepare for.

As a result, the transaction wire is expected to be active in those leagues, just as it is in overseas leagues, where the regular season has begun in most top leagues. Teams have injuries to respond to, underperforming squads in dire need of reinforcement, and other events occurring that prompt player movement. As always, we’ll keep track of the resulting transactions here.

  • Former NHL defenseman Madison Bowey was traded in the KHL, shipped away from the struggling Dinamo Minsk to a middle-of-the-pack Traktor Chelyabinsk side. In exchange for Bowey, former AHL blueliner Robert Hamilton was sent to Minsk. This has been Bowey’s first KHL season, and he finishes his time in Belarus with eight games played and two points. Hamilton, 29, was beginning his second season with Chelyabinsk after scoring 18 points in 32 games last season. He has scored one point in nine games so far this year and will now receive a fresh start in Minsk.
  • The AHL’s San Diego Gulls have signed prospect forward Davis Codd to a one-year contract, just in time for the early portion of the club’s training camp process. Codd hasn’t played very much over the last two seasons, skating in a total of just 36 games. His development was further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdown of the 2020-21 OHL season. He likely is chomping at the bit to get some games under his belt so he can continue his development, and that’s exactly what he’ll get in California thanks to this one-year deal.
  • Former ECHL Playoff MVP Stephen Harper has signed in Slovakia, joining HK Nitra after a strong first season overseas. The former Tucson Roadrunner scored 31 points in 54 games for Düsseldorfer EG in the German DEL, helping the club reach the postseason, where he scored six points in seven games. Nitra are in need of urgent assistance as they currently are mired at the bottom of the Slovak league’s standings and have not yet registered a regulation victory, so the hope is likely that Harper can make an instant impact.
  • The ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits have signed defenseman Max Coyle, who was an invite to the Los Angeles Kings’ 2023 prospect tournament roster, to an ECHL contract. Coyle, 25, dipped his toes into the waters of pro hockey last season by playing in three games for the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. Before those three games, Coyle was a steady blueliner for Bowling Green State University, skating in a total of 127 games for the program. The 2018-19 BCHL champion will get his first chance as a full-time pro hockey player in Greenville.
  • Former NHLer Brandon McMillan has signed a one-year contract to play in China with the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star. A longtime KHLer, McMillan has spent the last two seasons HC Ambrì-Piotta in the Swiss National League. He struggled immensely last year, scoring just 10 points in 40 games. But the 33-year-old did score three goals in 4 games to help his team win the Spengler Cup last December, and has had success in the KHL before, so there’s reason for optimism that this signing could work for the Red Star.

This page will be updated throughout the day. 

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