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Training Camp Cuts: 09/29/23

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It’s another day in the NHL preseason, meaning it’s another day of cuts and reassignments. Yesterday was a busy one for player movement across North American hockey’s various preseasons, and today could be no different. We’ll track those transactions here.

Boston Bruins (via team release)

D Jackson Edward (to London, OHL)
D Ryan Mast (to Providence, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (via team release)

F Christopher Brown (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Filip Cederqvist (to Rochester, AHL)
F Riley Fiddler-Schultz (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Brandon Fortunato (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Damien Giroux (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
G Michael Houser (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Chris Jandric (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Mason Jobst (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Aleksandr Kisakov (to Rochester, AHL)
F Tyson Kozak (to Rochester, AHL)
F Dominick Mersch (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Michael Mersch (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Zach Metsa (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Olivier Nadeau (to Rochester, AHL)
F Viktor Neuchev (to Rochester, AHL)
D Nikita Novikov (to Rochester, AHL)
D Ethan Prow (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Nicolas Savoie (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Graham Slaggert (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Brendan Warren (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Linus Weissbach (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (via team release)

F Parker Bell (to Calgary, AHL)
D Mikael Diotte (released from ATO)
D Jarrod Gourley (to Calgary, AHL)
D Etienne Morin (to Moncton, QMJHL)
F Brett Sutter (to Calgary, AHL)
F William Stromgren (to Calgary, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (via NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis)

D Josh Healey (released from PTO, to Rockford, AHL)
F Jalen Luypen (to Rockford, AHL)
D Ross MacDougall (released from PTO, to Rockford, AHL)
D Josh Maniscalco (released from PTO, to Rockford, AHL)
D Andrew Perrott (released from PTO, to Rockford, AHL)

Colorado Avalanche (via team release)

F Henry Bowlby (to Colorado, AHL)
F Tanner Kero (to Colorado, AHL)
F Matthew Stienburg (to Colorado, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (via team release)

F Roman Ahcan (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Tyler Angle (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Ole-Julian Bjorgvik-Holm (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Cameron Butler (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Cole Clayton (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Luca Del Bel Belluz (to Cleveland, AHL)
G Eric Dop (released from PTO, to Cleveland, AHL)
F Jake Gaudet (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Samuel Knazko (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Nicolas Meloche (released from PTO)
F Mikael Pyyhtia (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Martin Rysavy (released from PTO, to Cleveland, AHL)
D Thomas Schemitsch (released from PTO)
F Owen Sillinger (to Cleveland, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (via team release)

F Kaleb Lawrence (to Owen Sound, OHL)
F Nathan Burke (released from tryout)
F Sean Tschigerl (released from tryout)
F Ty Thorpe (released from tryout)
D Max Coyle (released from tryout)

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F Kale Kessy (released from PTO, to Iowa, AHL)
D Simon Johansson (to Iowa, AHL)
D Kyle Masters (to Iowa, AHL)
F Greg Meireles (released from PTO, to Iowa, AHL)
F Pavel Novak (to Iowa, AHL)
D David Spacek (to Iowa, AHL)

Nashville Predators (via team release)

D Tanner Molendyk (to Saskatoon, WHL)

New Jersey Devils (via team release)

G Tyler Brennan (to Utica, AHL)
F Filip Engaras (to Utica, AHL)
D Colin Felix (to Utica, AHL)
F Josh Filmon (to Swift Current, WHL)
F T.J. Friedmann (to Utica, AHL)
F Joseph Gambardella (to Utica, AHL)
F Timur Ibragimov (to Utica, AHL)
D Will MacKinnon (to Utica, AHL)
F Xavier Parent (to Utica, AHL)
D Robbie Russo (to Utica, AHL)
F Ryan Schmelzer (to Utica, AHL)
D Topias Vilen (to Utica, AHL)

New York Islanders (via team release)

D Isaiah George (to London, OHL)
F Justin Gill (to Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
G Tristan Lennox (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Zsombor Garat (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Blade Jenkins (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Artem Kulakov (to Bridgeport, AHL)
G Brent Moran (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Dmytro Timashov (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Sam Asselin (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Cole Bardreau (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Tanner Fritz (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Jeff Kubiak (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Seth Helgeson (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Ashton Calder (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Joseph Cipollone (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Riley Piercey (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Jake Pivonka (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Trevor Cosgrove (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Christian Krygier (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Vincent Sevigny (to Bridgeport, AHL)
G Henrik Tikkanen (to Bridgeport, AHL)

New York Rangers (via team release)

D Nikolas Brouillard (to Hartford, AHL)
D Adam Clendening (released from PTO)
F Karl Henriksson (to Hartford, AHL)
D Blake Hillman (released from PTO, to Hartford, AHL)
F Ryder Korzcak (to Hartford, AHL)
F Bobby Trivigno (to Hartford, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (via team release)

F Angus Crookshank (to Belleville, AHL)
F Philippe Daoust (to Belleville, AHL)
F Tarun Fizer (released from PTO, to Belleville, AHL)
D Ryan MacKinnon (released from PTO, to Belleville, AHL)
F Graham McPhee (released from PTO, to Belleville, AHL)
G Leevi Merilainen (to Belleville, AHL)
F Brennan Saulnier (released from PTO, to Belleville, AHL)
D Donovan Sebrango (to Belleville, AHL)
G Mark Sinclair (released from PTO, to Belleville, AHL)
D Djibril Touré (to Belleville, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (via team release)

F Alexis Gendron (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Adam Karashik (released from PTO, to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Nolan Maier (released from PTO, to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Mason Millman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Ethan Samson (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Zayde Wisdom (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Will Zmolek (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (via team release)

F Jonathan Gruden (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Rem Pitlick (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Ty Smith (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Taylor Fedun (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Xavier Ouellet (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Seattle Kraken (via team release)

G Jack LaFontaine (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Jacob Melanson (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Logan Morrison (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Ville Ottavainen (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Tucker Robertson (to Coachella Valley, AHL)
F Ryan Winterton (to Coachella Valley, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release)

F Mikhail Abramov (to Springfield, AHL)
D Jeremie Biakabutuka (to Springfield, AHL)
F Drew Callin (to Springfield, AHL)
G Will Cranley (to Springfield, AHL)
F Tanner Dickinson (to Springfield, AHL)
D Joseph Duszak (to Springfield, AHL)
D Marc-Andre Gaudet (to Springfield, AHL)
F Andre Heim (to Springfield, AHL)
F Mitch Hoelscher (to Springfield, AHL)
D Austin Osmanski (to Springfield, AHL)
F Nick Ritchie (released from PTO)
D Hunter Skinner (to Springfield, AHL)
D Andy Welinski (released from PTO)
G Vadim Zherenko (to Springfield, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per CapFriendly)

F Jakub Brabenec (to Henderson, AHL)
D Daniil Chayka (to Henderson, AHL)
D Lukas Cormier (to Henderson, AHL)
D Christoffer Sedoff (to Henderson, AHL)
G Jesper Vikman (to Henderson, AHL)

Washington Capitals (per team release)

F Andrew Cristall (to Kelowna, WHL)

This page may be updated throughout the day. 

Injury Notes: Guentzel, Klingberg, Olivier

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The Pittsburgh Penguins got some good news this morning, as star winger Jake Guentzel was on the ice today at Penguins practice, sporting a non-contact jersey. Guentzel has been recovering from offseason ankle surgery.

While he’s presumably not fully ready for game action, Guentzel’s return is a crucially important development for the Penguins’ competitive hopes in a cutthroat Metropolitan Division. He’s the team’s best winger, and has scored 76 goals and 157 points in 154 games over the last two seasons. Getting him back up to full speed and into their lineup would do wonders for the Penguins’ top six and the chances of success for their entire offensive attack.

Some other injury updates from across the NHL:

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that blueliner John Klingberg will not practice today due to an upper-body injury, and is considered out on a day-to-day basis. Although this injury isn’t at this moment expected to keep Klingberg out of commission for any extended time, an injury at this point in the training camp and preseason could impact Klingberg’s ability to build early chemistry with his new teammates. The 31-year-old six-time 40-plus point defenseman played for two teams last season and is looking for a bounce-back year in Toronto.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda wrote on X that forward Mathieu Olivier hit the ice today at Blue Jackets practice for the first time this training camp, having been held out to that point by a leg injury. Olivier, 26, has two years and $1.1MM AAV remaining on his current contract, and is fighting for a depth role on head coach Pascal Vincent’s opening-night roster. The former Nashville Predator scored five goals and 15 points last season to go alongside 81 penalty minutes.

Minnesota Wild Sign Mats Zuccarello To Two-Year Extension

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The Minnesota Wild have re-signed forward Mats Zuccarello to a two-year, $4.125MM AAV contract extension, set to begin in 2024-25. The deal carries a no-move clause for its entire duration, according to The Athletic’s Michael Russo.

Zuccarello, who turned 36 on the first day of the month, commits the next two years of his playing career to the Wild, the place where he’s enjoyed the most productive seasons of his career.

Zuccarello has had quite a bit of chemistry with Wild franchise superstar Kirill Kaprizov, and as a result Zuccarello has flown past his previous career highs in Minnesota.

Zuccarello scored 79 points in just 70 games in 2021-22, his first season above the point-per-game mark in his career. Last season, Zuccarello scored 22 goals and 67 points in 78 games.

Even though Zuccarello has been exceptional in Minnesota since the arrival of Kaprizov, this contract does carry some risk. The Wild are in a brutal cap situation thanks to the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, and those buyouts will remain on their books to a degree of over $14MM combined in the first year of Zuccarello’s extension.

While Zuccarello could provide an immense amount of surplus value on a $4.125MM cap hit (a pay cut from his current $6MM cap figure) that only happens if he can maintain his current level of play or decline only slightly. If age starts to really catch up with Zuccarello and he has a poor 2023-24, Zuccarello’s $4.125MM cap number could quickly become a burden.

But from the Wild’s perspective, it’s understandable that they’d avoid taking the pessimistic view of Zuccarello’s next two seasons and instead reward a valued veteran who has more than repaid former GM Paul Fenton’s original investment from the summer of 2019.

There’s risk involved to this deal, but there’s also major upside if Zuccarello can remain a valuable top-six scorer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 09/29/23

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It’s another busy day for player movement in the world of hockey. Not only are more reductions to the size of NHL training camp rosters expected, but numerous teams in both top European leagues and North American minor leagues are expected to add and/or subtract players for the 2023-24 campaign. As always, we’ll keep track of those moves here.

  • Former NHLer and original Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft choice Teemu Pulkkinen signed a one-year contract to return to the KHL, landing with the Kunlun Red Star. The 31-year-old has an exceptional track record outside the NHL, honored as an AHL All-Star twice and named the Liiga rookie of the year. He’s been solid in the KHL as well, with 159 career points in 258 games. Pulkkinen spent last season with Traktor Chelyabinsk, scoring 15 goals and 27 points in 63 games. Kunlun have gotten off to a decent 6-6 start so far in KHL play, and are likely hoping Pulkkinen’s scoring can give their offense the boost it needs to help the club reach the playoffs for just the second time in franchise history.
  • After impressing with the Ottawa Senators’ prospect tournament team, 22-year-old undrafted free agent Tarun Fizer has signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract with the Belleville Senators. The signing is a big opportunity for the former Victoria Royals center, as it’s a chance for him to become a full-time AHLer after spending most of his pro career thus far in the ECHL. Fizer scored 27 goals and 50 points in 62 games for the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies last season, and has now earned a spot in one of the best leagues in the world.
  • Former OHL star Shawn Lalonde made his NHL debut in 2012-13, capping off three consecutive years of hard work and development in the AHL. That offseason, though, rather than stay another year in North America Lalonde made the choice to continue his career overseas, and since that point he’s become an accomplished, well-traveled veteran of the European pro circuit. Two days ago, HC Slovan Bratislava of the Slovak top league terminated its contract with defender Matt Murphy with just one game played, and today the club has announced the addition of Lalonde as his replacement. In Lalonde, Slovan is receiving a player who was once a top offensive defenseman in the DEL and a stable offensive contributor in the KHL. After spending all of last season with the KHL’s Dynamo Minsk (scoring 14 points in 48 games) Lalonde should be able to make a positive impact at a bit of a lower level of competition with Slovan.
  • Yesterday, former ECHL MVP Shawn Szydlowski returned to his old stomping grounds, signing a contract with the Fort Wayne Komets. The former Erie Otters star, 33, has had an exceptional ECHL career, taking home numerous awards (such as an MVP and multiple All-Star honors) as well as a Kelly Cup championship. He has scored 519 points in 528 career ECHL games, which ranks him inside the all-time top-40 of players with the most career points in North America’s third-tier league. Szydlowski took home a Kelly Cup with Fort Wayne in 2021, and now after a season away in Orlando he’s returned with the goal of taking home another one.
  • Defenseman Rinat Valiev, who once played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, has reached a contract termination agreement with his club Neftyanik Almetievsk of Russia’s second-tier VHL. Valiev, 28, has struggled in recent seasons, bouncing between three clubs across the top two levels of Russian pro hockey. Last season, he played in 18 KHL games with Dinamo Minsk, and now he will look for another opportunity after playing in four games for Neftyanik.

This page may be updated throughout the day. 

Ottawa Senators Appoint Steve Staios As President of Hockey Operations

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The Ottawa Senators have made a big move at the top of their hockey operations department, naming former NHLer Steve Staios to be their new President of Hockey Operations.

According to the team announcement, Staios will report directly to new owner Michael Andlauer, and “will preside over the Senators’ hockey department.” A statement on the hire was given by Andlauer, which reads:

I am so excited that Steve is joining me in Ottawa to lead our hockey operations. I have worked with Steve for many years and know first-hand that he will strengthen our team with his hockey acumen, attention to detail, commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for the game and its players. In hockey you can never accumulate too much talent. Having Steve and Pierre leading our hockey department gives us a formidable team.

This move isn’t one that comes as a complete surprise, in large part due to the deep existing ties between Andlauer and Staios. Before he became a special assistant to the GM for the Edmonton Oilers, Staios served as President and General Manager for the Hamilton Bulldogs (Andaluer’s OHL franchise) starting in 2015-16.

Staios’ NHL experience extends beyond his year in Edmonton, as he also worked in player development for the Toronto Maple Leafs and does bring 1,001 NHL games of experience from his playing days.

What this addition means for the Senators is that it’s a first look at how an Andlauer-managed hockey operations department could differ from how the Senators’ hockey operations have been organized for many years. For years, GM Pierre Dorion has been at the top of Senators hockey operations, the unequivocal leader of that department.

Now, there’s another voice of importance there, and one that reports directly to ownership rather than Dorion. While it’s unclear whether this change will materialize into any concrete hockey operations decisions in the near future, this is a hire with significant long-term implications for the Senators franchise.

West Notes: Mukhamadullin, Jets Injury Updates, Blackhawks Camp Battle

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When the San Jose Sharks dealt star forward Timo Meier to the New Jersey Devils last season, a centerpiece asset the team received in return was young blueliner Shakir Mukhamadullin. The 2020 20th overall pick is a rangy six-foot-four, 185-pound defenseman who has spent the bulk of his time developing since his draft date with Ufa Salavat Yulayev in the KHL. Although some fans might be optimistic that Mukhamadullin might break camp with the Sharks’ NHL roster, it appears in reality he’s ticketed for the Barracuda.

Sharks head coach David Quinn told the media today, including Bay Area News Group’s Curtis Pashelka, that Mukhamadullin will almost assuredly start the season in the AHL. Quinn cited a desire for Mukhamadullin to play big minutes in the AHL and develop more confidence on North American ice. Mukhamadullin does, after all, have just 15 games of experience in North American pro hockey, though even if he does begin the season with the Barracuda it would be no surprise to see him eventually make his NHL debut in 2023-24.

Some other notes from the Western Conference:

  • The Winnipeg Free Press’ Ken Wiebe relays word from Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Rick Bowness on the health status of several Jets players. Mason Appleton, Nate Schmidt, Kyle Capobianco, Nikita Chibrikov and Danny Zhilkin are all out on a day-to-day basis due to lower-body injuries, while Nikolaj Ehlers is nearing a return to the ice with the aim of playing in Monday’s preseason contest against the Calgary Flames. While no injury seems to be a long-term issue for any of the players listed, the health of these names will be something to monitor as the Jets ponder how to construct the roster they’ll open the regular season with next month.
  • Chicago Sun Times’ Ben Pope took a look at a fierce battle for a roster spot currently underway at Chicago Blackhawks training camp, with forwards MacKenzie Entwistle, Boris Katchouk, Reese Johnson, Joey Anderson and Colin Blackwell all battling for a job as one of the team’s spare forwards, looking to avoid a waiver placement and potential assignment to the AHL. Each player spent notable time on the Blackhawks’ NHL roster last season, but currently find themselves out of head coach Luke Richardson’s top-four lines. It’s an open question as to which player ends up winning the job, though what is known for certain is that a few players who played regular NHL minutes last season will be available on waivers thanks to the Blackhawks’ many offseason additions up front.

Andrei Vasilevskiy Out Two Months After Back Surgery

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ESPN’s Kevin Weekes has reported that Tampa Bay Lightning superstar goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy underwent successful back surgery, and is expected to be out of commission on an eight-to-ten-week timeline. The Lightning confirmed the news, with GM Julien BriseBois stating that Vasilevskiy is expected to miss “the first two months of the regular season.”

Vasilevskiy hasn’t been a regular participant in Lightning camp in recent days, with head coach Jon Cooper previously telling reporters that Vasilevskiy was out day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

This is obviously a major blow to the Lightning, who have come to rely on the brilliant goaltending provided by Vasilevskiy in order to remain among the top teams in a highly competitive Atlantic Division.

While this development is something of a surprise, it doesn’t come completely out of nowhere.

Vasilevskiy has in the past commented on how his high workload has impacted his body, which is something to be expected given the number of deep playoff runs the Lightning have made in recent seasons, led by Vasilevskiy in the crease on a nightly basis. The hope here will be that Vasilevskiy can make a full recovery before the new year, and get back to playing like one of the league’s best netminders.

The 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner’s injury thrusts new backup Jonas Johansson into an unfortunate spotlight. It’ll be up to him to keep the Lightning competitive in the Atlantic for the first two months of the regular season, which is something of a tall task for a player with a career .887 save percentage in the NHL.

That being said, Johansson’s more recent form does provide reason for optimism. He posted a .932 save percentage playing in parts of three NHL games last season, and had a .920 save percentage in the AHL.  But with only 35 total games of NHL experience, a massive test is coming up for the 28-year-old.

Behind Johansson on the depth chart is Hugo Alnefelt, who has just 20 minutes of NHL experience, and Matt Tomkins, a player who represented Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing but has never skated in an NHL game.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Waivers: 09/28/23

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As training camps and the preseason continues, teams are trimming down their roster and getting closer to the final group of players they’ll bring into opening night. We’ll keep track of the names that hit the waiver wire here. Today’s list comes courtesy of CapFriendly.

Colorado Avalanche

F Callahan Burke

Pittsburgh Penguins

F Jonathan Gruden
F Rem Pitlick
D Ty Smith
D Taylor Fedun
D Xavier Ouellet

Vancouver Canucks

G Spencer Martin

Smith is the biggest name here is Smith. Smith was a 2018 first-round pick of the New Jersey Devils and became a star WHL blueliner for the Spokane Chiefs. He turned pro in 2020-21, scoring 23 points in 48 games. That performance landed him on the NHL’s All-Rookie team, as well as some down-ballot Calder Trophy votes.

The Devils dealt Smith and a third-round pick to the Penguins in exchange for John Marino, who went on to have a stellar 2022-23 season. Smith, on the other hand, played in only nine NHL game for the Penguins. He spent most of last season in the AHL, scoring 24 points in 39 games, and now the AHL is where he’ll be once again assuming he can clear waivers.

Given the promise Smith showed earlier in his career and his pedigree as a former top prospect, it would not be shocking whatsoever to see a team put a claim in on Smith, who is playing on a one-year, league-minimum cap-hit.

In terms of the other names on the waiver wire, Martin’s placement comes as no surprise after the Canucks’ acquisition of Casey DeSmith from the Montreal Canadiens. Martin posted a dreadful .871 save percentage in the NHL last season, but fared far better in the AHL. The Canucks will hope he’ll clear waivers so he can provide quality goaltending alongside prospect goalie Artūrs Šilovs in AHL Abbotsford.

Another recognizable name on the waiver wire is that of Rem Pitlick. Pitlick scored 37 points in 2021-22 on the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, but struggled in 2022-23. He was dealt to Pittsburgh by Montreal as part of the Erik Karlsson trade with the hope, from Pitlick’s perspective, that the Penguins would provide a solid change-of-scenery NHL opportunity.

He now finds himself on the waiver wire, though, and his $1.1MM cap hit could be a barrier towards another team putting in a claim. The versatile forward scored at an above-point-per-game rate in the AHL last season, and could end up an impact player for AHL Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 09/26/23

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It’s another busy day across the world of hockey, both in the NHL and in Europe. In the NHL, the slate of preseason games today is highlighted by a rivalry contest in New York between the Islanders and Rangers.

Overseas, there are a few intriguing contests including a Liiga matchup between Ilves Tampere and KalPa Kuopio where NHL second-rounders Jani Nyman and Oliver Kapanen will do battle, as well as some quality games in Switzerland such as a battle between two top teams, Patrik Nemeth’s SC Bern and Derek Grant’s ZSC Lions.

As the schedule becomes more and more packed with hockey, player movement across the hockey world remains as active as ever. We’ll keep track of notable moves here:

  • Former Arizona Coyotes prospect David Tendeck has signed a one-year ECHL contract with the Wheeling Nailers. Tendeck played in 32 games last season for the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators, posting a 12-12-5 record with an .892 save percentage. The 25-year-old 2018 sixth-round pick has posted strong numbers in the AHL (.914 save percentage in nine games) but hasn’t gotten an extended shot in the American League. He’ll look to change that by having a strong season backstopping the Nailers.
  • Anthony Beauregard outscored three future NHLers in his final season with the Val d’Or Foreurs in the QMJHL, (Julien Gauthier, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Anthony Richard) but his first foray into pro hockey was a short one. The undersized scorer ended up in the Canadian University circuit before finally turning pro full-time in 2018-19 with the ECHL’s Brampton Beast. He wasn’t great in Brampton, though, and ended up signing in England with the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers. Beauregard starred in Nottingham, starting a span of three seasons where he went from England to Wichita, Kansas to Switzerland, posting star scoring numbers at each stop. He was especially prolific in Wichita, winning ECHL MVP with 71 points scored. Last season, Beauregard scored 49 points for the ECHL’s Trois-Rivières Lions, and now he’s earned himself a shot to make the AHL on more than a call-up basis. He’s earned a PTO with the Springfield Thunderbirds, per his representation, and will look to earn a spot on the Blues’ affiliate’s roster to finally become a full-time AHL player.
  • Former Tri-City Americans captain Tyler Sandhu has signed a one-year ECHL contract with the South Carolina Stingrays. The 27-year-old made his professional debut this past season after playing four seasons with the University of British Columbia. He began his pro career overseas in Central Europe, skating in 32 games for the ICEHL’s Vorarlberg Pioneers. He scored 19 points in 32 games, earning himself a chance to play full-time in North America’s third tier of pro hockey.
  • After a half-decade of NCAA hockey with the Arizona State University Sun Devils, former Calgary Flames prospect Demetrios Koumontzis seems to have found a place to truly begin his professional career. The 23-year-old blueliner signed a one-year ECHL contract with the Idaho Steelheads, a deal that allows Koumontzis to remain with the club he finished 2022-23 with. Koumontzis appeared in ten regular-season games in Idaho, scoring 10 points, and added three playoff games as well, a solid first step into the world of professional hockey.
  • Veteran Liiga center and one-time Hershey Bears forward Juuso Ikonen has signed a one-year contract with Liiga’s Ässät Pori. Although Ikonen, a former 39-point scorer in Liiga, ended up winning a Liiga title and Champions Hockey League championship last season, he actually only played in 18 games for Tampere. Now he’ll get a chance in Pori, hoping to shore up a spot on a scoring line to help the club reach the postseason, something they have only done once since their championship season in 2012-13.
  • After four strong campaigns in HockeyAllsvenskan with Västerås IK, forward William Wikman finally earned an extended SHL shot with Leo Carlsson’s Örebro HK last season. Wikman’s play in the bottom six and 12 points in 52 games helped Örebro make a run to the SHL semifinals, and now Örebro has extended their relationship with Wikman by two additional seasons.
  • Despite having not even turned 25, Swiss forward Sven Leuenberger has already won two National League titles with his club, EV Zug, a team whose academy he first joined when he was 14. Now, he’s extended his relationship with Zug even longer, signing an extension through 2028 with the team. Never a high-scoring player, Leuenberger has a knack for seeing his production tick up in the postseason and has represented both his club and country in some big moments. He’s been on many deep playoff runs with Zug and also represented Switzerland at two IIHF Men’s World Junior Championships. Now confirmed to play for Zug through 2028, the hope will be that more National League titles will follow.
  • Former Winnipeg Jets prospect Ryan Olsen is returning once again from Germany in order to play in the ECHL. Olsen has signed with the Tulsa Oilers, a team he played three games for in 2016-17. The 29-year-old 2012 Jets draft pick was the DEL’s most penalized player in 2022-23 despite playing in just 39 games, as he racked up 91 PIMs to go alongside 15 points. Olsen’s ECHL experience is strong, as he has 65 points in 81 career games as well as a Kelly Cup championship on his resume. In Tulsa, Olsen will be tasked with bringing his signature combination of grit and offensive touch to the table to help the Oilers have a bounce-back season after a poor 2022-23.

This page may be updated throughout the day.

Injury Notes: Pysyk, Panarin, Chytil

at CDT | by 1 Comment

521-game NHL veteran Mark Pysyk will be out with a “longer term” injury according to Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, as relayed by the Pittsburgh Post-Tribune’s Seth Rorabaugh. Pysyk has been with the Penguins on a PTO, attempting an NHL comeback after missing the entirety of the 2022-23 campaign with an injury to his Achilles.

While the exact nature of Pysyk’s injury is undisclosed, this is a brutal blow for the veteran defenseman. A widely well-liked stay-at-home defenseman, Pysyk’s injury could cost him his chance at a contract with the Penguins, and further cloud his future in a league he’s played in since his NHL debut in 2012-13.

Some other injury notes from across the NHL:

  • The New York Rangers have announced that star forward Artemi Panarin did not practice today due to a lower-body injury, and is out on a day-to-day designation. Panarin, 31, has been the Rangers’ leading scorer and top offensive generator in every season he’s played on Broadway. While there’s no word on how serious this injury is beyond this announcement, the team will need him up to speed on opening night to stand the best chance of pulling ahead in what figures to be a cutthroat Metropolitan Division.
  • Larry Brooks of the New York Post relays word of another Rangers injury. Ascending pivot Filip Chytil left today’s practice with an upper-body injury, and like Panarin is considered day-to-day. While Chytil, 24, is not in the same stratosphere of importance as Panarin, he is an impactful Ranger in his own right. He enjoyed a breakout 2022-23, scoring 22 goals and 45 points. He’s expected to push to shake Vincent Trocheck’s tight grip on the Rangers’ second-line center job this season, though that task may become more difficult should he be forced to battle through injuries.

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