Metro Notes: Johnson, Svechnikov, Butcher, Ristolainen
2021 fifth-overall pick Kent Johnson had a stellar rookie season in 2022-23, scoring 16 goals and 40 points. The British Columbia native is one of the most purely skilled players in the NHL and is capable of creating highlight-reel plays on a nightly basis. Despite that stellar first campaign, it appears Johnson currently sits on the outside of new head coach Pascal Vincent’s nightly lineup.
Team reporter Jeff Svoboda relayed confirmation from Vincent that Johnson is currently considered an extra skater, and although Vincent added that he is “not sure [Johnson’s] not going to play” he maintained that he could only dress so many forwards. At the moment, players such as Emil Bemström and Justin Danforth are projected to hold positions on the team’s second and third lines, respectively, but one would think that Johnson will end up back in the nightly lineup sooner rather than later.
Some other notes from the Metropolitan Division:
- The Athletic’s Cory Lavalette reports that Carolina Hurricanes star Andrei Svechnikov remains in a yellow non-contact jersey, and as a result, is presumably out for tomorrow’s season-opening game. Svechnikov is still working his way back from a torn ACL that cut his 2022-23 season short. When healthy, he’s among the Hurricanes’ best players, and last season was on pace to score a career-high 70 points.
- The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Seth Rorabaugh reports that defenseman Will Butcher skated this morning, a positive development for a player who missed all of training camp and preseason due to injury. Butcher has begun this season on season-opening injured reserve, but when he eventually becomes ready to play it’s likely he’ll find himself waived and sent to the AHL. Butcher signed a one-year, league-minimum deal in Pittsburgh likely with the hope that he would compete for a depth role on the Penguins’ NHL defense, but due to this injury it’s now likely that he’ll have to work his way into NHL consideration with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. 2022-23 was Butcher’s first in the AHL, and he impressed scoring 43 points in 67 games.
- Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is currently on injured reserve, though his stay there could be coming to an end. PHLY Sports’ Charlie O’Connor reports that Ristolainen was on the ice for Flyers practice today, and NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall relays word from Flyers GM Daniel Brière that Ristolainen’s IR placement can be backdated, and he therefore could become eligible to play the team’s season-opening contest against Columbus on Thursday. Ristolainen showed improved form under head coach John Tortorella last season and if he plays his activation could mean rookie Emil Andrae is assigned to the AHL or Felix Sandström gets placed on waivers.
Vancouver Canucks Reportedly Grant Conor Garland Permission To Seek Trade
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland has been given permission “to talk to other teams about a potential trade.”
This news comes after it was reported earlier today by PuckPedia that Garland had switched agents, and is now being represented by Judd Moldaver of Wasserman Hockey.
Per Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma, Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford said “we’re not going to comment on that” regarding the reports on Garland. Today’s news isn’t exactly a surprising development, as rumors have long circulated about a divorce between Garland and the Canucks.
The 27-year-old winger is a holdover from the Canucks’ previous administration, a remnant of the ill-fated Oliver Ekman-Larsson blockbuster trade, a deal that ultimately doomed Jim Benning and Travis Green as key decision-makers in Vancouver.
For quite a few reasons, Garland looks to be the sort of player that would generate quite a bit of interest leaguewide.
Even dating back to his days with the Arizona Coyotes, Garland has scored at a respectable rate. He potted 17 goals and 46 points last season, and had 19 goals and 52 points in 2021-22.
Garland is a shifty winger who blends crafty offensive play with a bit of an agitator quality. There’s a lot to like about his game, and yet at this point a trade out of Vancouver appears unlikely.
Why? For a few reasons. First and foremost: his contract. Garland is set to make $4.95MM against the cap for the next three seasons, and while that isn’t a totally unreasonable price for a player with his numbers, it’s not exactly a bargain.
Moreover, Garland stands at just five-foot-eight according to EliteProspects, and recent trends in how NHL teams allocate cap space have angled more towards wingers who bring size to the table.
Additionally, while Garland’s cap hit is $4.95MM he does own a backloaded contract, meaning any team acquiring him would be on the hook to pay $17MM in cash to Garland over the course of the three-year commitment.
So while Garland the player is undoubtedly one that would interest many NHL teams (players who can score 20 goals and 50 points reliably do not grow on trees) Garland the asset is one that is quite a bit more difficult to move.
Any trade negotiated between the Canucks and an interested club would almost undoubtedly require salary retention or money coming back to Vancouver.
That makes this trade a difficult one to complete mid-season, and although the Canucks have three retained salary slots remaining the already massive amount of dead money on their books through the Ekman-Larsson buyout could make the team weary to take on any additional dead cap commitments.
In other words, while there are undoubtedly teams that would love to add Garland to their roster, it would take quite a bit of creativity to reach a place where a trade could actually be completed.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Norris, MacEwen, Mittelstadt, Brown
Injury troubles have been a persistent issue for Ottawa Senators center Joshua Norris, as since his 35-goal breakout campaign he’s only managed to play in eight NHL games. Despite undergoing shoulder surgery all the way back in January, Norris’ status remains in question as the Senators prepare for an extremely important 2023-24 season.
Sportsnet’s Wayne Scanlan relays word from Senators head coach D.J. Smith that there is currently still no timeline on Norris’ recovery, though the hope remains that he will be back shortly. At this point, no LTIR placement is being considered and Scanlan adds that Norris will travel with the team to Carolina for its game against the Hurricanes. The Senators’ center depth is currently in somewhat rough shape, as Rourke Chartier and Ridly Greig are the team’s projected middle-six centers (they combine for just 39 games of NHL experience) so getting Norris back in action is going to be a major priority for the team as they look to start the season on the right foot.
Some other notes from the Atlantic Division:
- Another Senator currently battling injury is winger Zack MacEwen. Scanlan reports that MacEwen is currently unavailable on a day-to-day injury timeline, and as a result, the Senators may be forced to start the season with an opening-night lineup short a player. Ottawa currently does not possess the necessary cap space to recall a replacement player from the AHL’s Belleville Senators, so the club could be forced to play with just 11 forwards tomorrow in Raleigh.
- According to The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington, Buffalo Sabres forward Casey Mittelstadt “tweaked something” in his upper body yesterday and as a result sat out of practice today. Head coach Don Granato reassured reporters saying that Mittelstadt’s absence is not expected to extend into the team’s opening-night contest Thursday against the New York Rangers. Mittelstadt is an important cog in the Sabres’ offense, and is coming off a breakout 2022-23 season where he scored 15 goals and 59 points.
- Just shortly after he cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, Boston Bruins forward Patrick Brown was recalled back to the NHL roster today. The 31-year-old veteran forward will likely be in the TD Garden press box for the Bruins’ opening-night contest against the Chicago Blackhawks, though he could end up claiming the fourth-line center role on the team should rookie John Beecher fail to carry over the momentum he built in the preseason into regular-season action.
Anaheim Ducks Claim Ross Johnston From New York Islanders
The Anaheim Ducks have made their second waiver claim this preseason, nabbing winger Ross Johnston off of the waiver wire from the New York Islanders according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
This claim is a genuinely surprising one at least from a financial perspective, as Johnston is owed $1.1MM against the cap through the 2025-26 season.
A rugged six-foot-five enforcer, Johnston has simultaneously avoided playing in the minors for the past half-decade while also playing in fewer than 32 games in each of his seasons spent on an NHL roster. One of the few enforcers left in today’s game, Johnston has compiled 283 penalty minutes in 134 career NHL games.
From Anaheim’s perspective, this move comes as the Ducks have been looking to forge an identity under GM Pat Verbeek and new head coach Greg Cronin.
Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast yesterday that “this year isn’t about winning for Anaheim” and instead is more focused on adding “an attitude” to the Ducks, presumably making them a grittier and more difficult team to play against.
While much has been made about the limitations of Johnston as an NHL player, something he undeniably offers in abundance is grit and the type of “attitude” Verbeek and Cronin are looking to instill in their players.
There’s also a pre-existing connection between the Ducks and Johnston that likely played a role in the team feeling comfortable making this claim. Johnston’s former head coach at AHL Bridgeport was Brent Thompson, who is now an assistant coach on Cronin’s staff.
Under Thompson’s guidance, Johnston was able to accomplish the daunting task of breaking into the NHL as an undrafted player. Perhaps with that connection between player and coach re-established, the Ducks will be able to get more out of Johnston than what he offered late in his tenure with the Islanders.
It’s not exactly the safest bet to make — $1.1MM is a lot to commit to an enforcer-type player in an NHL environment where cap space is a uniquely prized asset — but the Ducks still have quite a bit of cap space banked away moving forward and Johnston’s deal expires at the exact time Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale‘s bridge deals expire.
In any case, although the merits of carrying an enforcer in today’s NHL are still hotly debated it’s no question that rival NHL teams won’t feel the same level of comfort seeing the Ducks coming up on their schedule as they may have before this claim was made.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Toronto Maple Leafs To Sign Noah Gregor
After a strong preseason performance, winger Noah Gregor has successfully turned his PTO with the Toronto Maple Leafs into a full-time contract with the club.
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving informed the media today that Gregor would be signed, and The Nation Network’s Jason Gregor reports that it’ll be a one-year, league-minimum $775k pact.
Alongside the move, the Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran reports that 2023 first-round pick Easton Cowan will be loaned back to his OHL team, the London Knights.
Gregor impressed in both training camp and the preseason, skating in five total exhibition games with the Maple Leafs. He scored a goal and added two assists in that span, tying him for the Maple Leafs’ team lead in preseason points according to Natural Stat Trick.
Now 25 years old, Gregor is a versatile forward capable of plying wing or center. He spent the last two seasons with the San Jose Sharks, the team that selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, but was non-tendered this summer.
Gregor scored 10 goals and 17 points last season, skating just under 13 minutes per night with virtually no exposure on special teams. That looks to be the role he’s been signed to play in Toronto.
Treliving did express some optimism that Gregor could earn an expanded role and even work as a penalty-killer. The Athletic’s Jones Siegel reports he’s playing alongside center David Kämpf and veteran enforcer Ryan Reaves, so it appears the fourth line is where Gregor will slot in to start the season.
Colorado Avalanche Place Pavel Francouz On LTIR, Recall Two
The Colorado Avalanche have placed backup netminder Pavel Francouz on long-term injured reserve, providing the necessary cap space for the club to recall two players: forward Riley Tufte and netminder Justus Annunen.
Francouz remains out dealing with a long-term injury, and the Avalanche have been proactive in shoring up their backup goalie job in his absence. The club claimed former Arizona Coyotes netminder Ivan Prosvetov off of waivers yesterday, and now appear to be setting up for Annunen and Prosvetov to compete for starts behind starter Alexandar Georgiev.
Tufte, like Prosvetov, found himself on season-opening waivers although he ended up unclaimed. That allowed the Avalanche to temporarily stash the 2016 first-round pick in the AHL before returning him to the NHL today.
Tufte is a hulking six-foot-six winger whose offense never quite developed as hoped, though he did score 19 goals in the AHL last season. He’s slated to grapple for a bottom-six role in head coach Jared Bednar’s lineup this season.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Beau Akey To Entry-Level Contract
The Edmonton Oilers have announced the signing of defenseman Beau Akey to a three-year entry-level contract. According to PuckPedia, the deal carries an $895k cap hit and an AAV of $950k with potential bonuses factored into the picture.
Akey, 18, was the Oilers’ top selection of their three-player 2023 draft class. Drafted in the second round, 56th overall, Akey impressed scouts and was ranked as high as 32nd overall by some draft publications.
The six-foot-tall right-shot blueliner is widely regarded as an exceptional skater who fits the mold of the modern, transition-oriented NHL defenseman. He scored 11 goals and 47 points in 66 games for the OHL’s Barrie Colts last season, and has gotten off to a decent start with the team this year scoring three points in four games.
Seeing as the Oilers have already placed Akey back with the Colts, it’s overwhelmingly likely that at least the first year of this entry-level deal will slide.
While Akey could certainly surprise in training camp next fall and snatch an NHL job, it’s likely that he’ll spend the next two seasons developing in the OHL before he tests the waters of pro hockey with the Oilers.
Waivers: 10/08/23
Oct. 9: Four players on this list were claimed today: A.J. Greer (Calgary), John Ludvig (Pittsburgh), Ivan Prosvetov (Colorado), and Lassi Thomson (Ottawa). All others have cleared and are expected to be assigned to their team’s respective AHL affiliates, aside from Boyd, who PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports remains on the Coyotes’ active roster for now.
Oct. 8: It’s expected to be a busy day on the waiver wire, as NHL teams are making their final adjustments to the roster they’ll bring into the start of the 2023-24 season. There have already been numerous notable names exposed to the waiver wire thus far this preseason, and that list could only expand today. All players from yesterday’s waiver wire have cleared.
Anaheim Ducks
D Lassi Thomson
G Alex Stalock
F Andrew Agozzino
Boston Bruins
Arizona Coyotes
F Travis Boyd
F Zach Sanford
G Ivan Prosvetov
Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
Edmonton Oilers
F Raphael Lavoie
F Lane Pederson
D Ben Gleason
Florida Panthers
F Zac Dalpe
D John Ludvig
D Casey Fitzgerald
Los Angeles Kings
Montreal Canadiens
F Joel Armia
D Gustav Lindström
Ottawa Senators
Pittsburgh Penguins
G Magnus Hellberg
F Colin White
D Mark Friedman
F Vinnie Hinostroza
F Radim Zohorna
St. Louis Blues
F Mackenzie MacEachern
D Calle Rosen
G Malcolm Subban
F Nathan Walker
Tampa Bay Lightning
D Zach Bogosian
F Gabriel Fortier
Toronto Maple Leafs
G Martin Jones
F Kyle Clifford
F Dylan Gambrell
D William Lagesson
D Maxime Lajoie
Vancouver Canucks
F Jack Studnicka
D Christian Wolanin
Vegas Golden Knights
Winnipeg Jets
D Kyle Capobianco
G Collin Delia
F Axel Jonsson-Fjallby
The big surprise here out of Arizona regards Boyd. The versatile 30-year-old veteran doesn’t have an exorbitant contract (just $1.75MM through the end of the season) and has scored 69 points across the last two seasons.
He’s been something of a breakout player for the Coyotes as his 17-goal, 35-point 2022-23 was far and away his best season in his career, so it’s definitely a surprise to see him exposed on waivers.
For Anaheim, the move to waive Stalock likely means that Lukáš Dostál has won the Ducks’ backup goalie job behind John Gibson, as should Stalock clear the Ducks will have the option to send him down to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.
In Edmonton, it comes as a little bit of a surprise to see Lavioe waived. The 23-year-old power forward was drafted just outside of the 2019 first round, and took a real step forward in his development last season. He became a genuinely impactful AHLer, scoring 25 goals and 45 points. He’s a name to watch in terms of players with the potential to be claimed out of this group.
Anderson-Dolan finally made the NHL on an extended basis last season, and scored 12 points in 46 games. He even got some playoff action under his belt, but seeing as he was a near-point-per-game scorer in his last season in the AHL, it seems the Kings could prefer to have him start the season with the AHL’s Ontario Reign.
Rosen appears the likeliest candidate from the Blues’ group of waived players to be of interest to other teams, as he’s owed just a $762.5k cap hit this season and impressed in 49 games of NHL action last season. He scored 18 points in that span and could interest teams in need of some additional defensive help.
Out of Tampa is Bogosian, and it’s reported that the Lightning are hoping to put the veteran blueliner in a position to land on another team where he can play a bigger role than he’d be offered in Tampa. The 33-year-old won a Stanley Cup for the Lightning and it seems that the organization is looking to do right by the player while also turning to other options to staff their defense.
One of the biggest names on waivers comes out of Toronto, as Jones played in 48 games last season but now finds himself exposed to 31 other clubs. With an $875k cap hit, the veteran netminder could end up claimed by teams in need of instant goaltending support, such as the Lightning who don’t have much depth after the injury to superstar Andrei Vasilevskiy.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Austin Watson
12:10 PM: The Lightning have officially announced Watson’s signing, confirming a cap hit of $776,665.
PuckPedia notes that the specific $776,665 cap hit was made to put the Lightning just $2 below the combined cap hits of Brent Seabrook and Logan Brown, two players slated to be placed on long-term injured reserve. PuckPedia writes that because of this optimization, the Lightning will be able to place Vasilevskiy on injured reserve and gain $9.5MM in cap space.
10:42 AM: The Tampa Bay Lightning brought Austin Watson to their training camp and preseason on a PTO, allowing him the chance to make an impression and potentially earn an NHL deal. It appears he has done exactly that, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Lightning “will be signing” Watson “to a one-year, one-way deal.”
The 31-year-old veteran forward has played in 482 career games and is no stranger to the Atlantic Division. Watson has tormented the Atlantic’s teams for the past three seasons as a member of the Ottawa Senators, 254 penalty minutes, 478 hits, and 37 points across 176 games in Canada’s capital.
Watson’s last contract was worth a $1.5MM AAV, but it’s likely that this deal with the Lightning will come in at a lower cap charge. The Lightning will have some cap space to play with, as PuckPedia notes that once Andrei Vasilevskiy and Logan Brown hit long-term injured reserve, the team will add over $10MM in cap space.
A recent report out of Lightning practice from Tampa Bay Times reporter Eduardo A. Encina places Watson outside head coach Jon Cooper’s regular lineup.
That’s understandable, though, as Watson could very well end up a better fit as an enforcer-type presence who is a scratch some nights than an everyday starter.
Looking at how Watson has earned this contract from the Lightning, it’s possible that his impactful preseason performances motivated Tampa Bay management to extend their relationship with the player beyond just a PTO.
Per Natural Stat Trick, Watson has played in three preseason games for Tampa, scoring one goal and one assist. He’s also tallied 22 penalty minutes, fighting twice against Florida Panthers defenseman Casey Fitzgerald.
In addition to those concrete contributions, Encina has reported that Watson “has been a seamless fit” into the Tampa Bay Locker room, adding that he brings an “enforcer” element the team lost when it traded Patrick Maroon to the Minnesota Wild in the offseason.
Although Watson may not receive a nightly role in Tampa Bay the same way he did in Ottawa, it’s still a positive development for his career that he’s reportedly turned this PTO agreement into an NHL contract with the Lightning.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Atlantic Notes: Leafs Hires, DeBrusk, Power
The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced a few staff changes, notably hiring ex-NHLers in off-ice roles. Per the announcement, former Maple Leafs backup goalie Curtis McElhinney has been hired as the team’s Director of Goaltending Development and Scouting, defenseman Jake Muzzin has been named a pro scout, and Chris Bourque will be a college free agent scout.
The most notable announcement here is that of Muzzin, as he still has an active playing contract with the Maple Leafs. As noted on CapFriendly, Muzzin is set to spend the season on long-term injured reserve as repeated injuries have ended his playing career. This announcement confirms that although Muzzin won’t provide his services on the ice with Toronto, he’ll still contribute to the organization’s success in an off-ice role.
Some more notes from what is expected to be a hotly contested Atlantic Division:
- After scoring 27 goals and 50 points last season, Jake DeBrusk has cemented himself as a capable NHL goal scorer just entering the prime of his career. With an expiring $4MM AAV contract, DeBrusk is in a position to hit the unrestricted free-agent market next summer. The Boston Bruins, who selected DeBrusk 14th overall at the 2015 draft, are expected to make a push to retain their three-time 25-goal scorer, and Bruins GM Don Sweeney confirmed to reporters today (including Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub) that there are currently “ongoing discussions” regarding a new deal for DeBrusk.
- Buffalo Sabres franchise defenseman Rasmus Dahlin earned a massive eight-year, $11MM AAV contract extension from the club today. As a result, focus has shifted to 2021 first-overall pick Owen Power and the significant contract extension he might receive. The Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe relays word from Sabres GM Kevyn Adams that Adams is “still talking” to Power’s representatives regarding a contract extension. Power’s deal would undoubtedly come in at a lower cost than Dahlin’s, though the price is still expected to be significant. 2020 fifth overall pick Jake Sanderson earned an $8.05MM AAV on an eight-year contract from the Ottawa Senators after a 32-point rookie season. Power is a few months younger than Sanderson and scored 35 points in his own impressive rookie year, so it’s possible that Power’s next contract exceeds Sanderson’s AAV, if only by a small margin, should the parties involved agree on an eight-year term for the extension.