Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Buffalo Sabres Recall Kale Clague

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Amid a brief wave of injuries to their defenseman, the Buffalo Sabres announced that they have recalled defenseman Kale Clague from the Rochester Americans of the AHL. No corresponding move has been announced. The Sabres, who have $19MM in cap space, didn’t make the move for any cap purposes, but instead had a spot to give after Mattias Samuelsson left last night’s game with a lower-body injury. Though not specified in the Sabres announcement, Samuelsson has been placed on IR reports Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.

Buffalo is clearly having itself a tough weekend on the injury front, losing not only Samuelsson, but defenseman Henri Jokiharju as well, who was placed on IR on Friday with an upper-body injury. In response to that injury, the Sabres recalled defenseman Lawrence Pilut from Rochester the same day. Should they play, Pilut and Clague will have a chance to make an impact on a Buffalo team that appears to finally be turning a corner, off to a 4-1-0 start early on this season.

If and when Clague plays, it’ll be his first game in a Sabres sweater. The 24-year-old was originally a 2016 draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings, where he played parts of three seasons before the Montreal Canadiens selected him off waivers last December. Montreal failed to quality him this summer, and he hit the free agent market, where the Sabres signed him to a one-year, two-way contract. This season, Clague has three points, all assists in five games at the AHL level. For his NHL career, he has 16 points in 58 games.

As much as these injuries impact the Sabres, they can be felt in Rochester too. With Pilut and Clague making the trip up the road from Rochester to Buffalo, the Americans are out a pair of defensemen themselves. As a result, the team appears to have recalled defenseman Zach Berzolla from the Cincinnati Cyclones, their ECHL affiliate.

Pittsburgh Penguins Place Teddy Blueger On LTIR

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After battling an undisclosed injury for several weeks, but being unable to return to the lineup, the Pittsburgh Penguins have placed forward Teddy Blueger on LTIR retroactive to October 11th, the team announced. The veteran is eligible to come off of LTIR on November 5th. In a corresponding move, the team has recalled forwards, Samuel Poulin and Drake Caggiula from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Matt Vensel was first to report the transaction.

The injury bothering Blueger has been an issue for nearly a month now, despite being listed as day-to-day initially, however the team had yet to put him on IR until now. That was no problem, as the team had had 12 healthy forwards to spare, but with Jake Guentzel recently going down with an injury, the team was under-manned, not having the full complement of healthy scratches available due to cap-concerns. Placing Blueger and his $2.2MM cap hit on LTIR should give the Penguins some breathing room cap-wise, at least for the time being.

Blueger, a second-round pick of the Penguins in 2012, has yet to play this season, but has made a career as a quality two-way depth forward in the Penguins lineup. Last season, the Latvia native contributed nine goals and 19 assists in 65 games with Pittsburgh. By recalling Caggiula, Pittsburgh is able to get a similar player in the lineup, one who can provide depth scoring and play an all-around solid game. Caggiula has yet to play in the NHL this season, but his return would mark an impressive comeback after dealing with a herniated disc last season, one he said had impacted not only his on-ice presence, but his overall quality of life too.

One of the top prospects in the Penguins’ system, Poulin has yet to make his NHL debut, but could see that come soon. The 21-year-old was the 21st overall pick in the 2019 draft by Pittsburgh having been a standout player in the QMJHL. Poulin made his pro debut last year with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording 37 points in 72 games.

Latest On Mark Borowiecki

at CDT | by 1 Comment

10/23/22: The Predators have issued an update on Borowiecki’s status. Per the team, Borowiecki was discharged from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and is currently restring at home. Thankfully, the team states that Borowiecki has “no major injuries,” although they do state that his return to the ice is “subject to further rest, observation, and testing.” While this is undoubtedly an unfortunate development overall for the veteran defenseman, the news that he has seemingly avoided any major injuries is definitely welcome.

10/22/22: A scary scene tonight in Nashville as Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was injured and taken off the ice via stretcher halfway through the second period. The injury happened as Borowiecki was hit by Philadelphia Flyers forward Morgan Frost behind the Predators net. The defenseman’s head appeared to make contact with the glass during the hit before he fell to the ice. After several moments receiving medical attention, Borowiecki was taken by stretcher off the ice.

Of course, nobody wants to see any player injured in a game, especially one that involves leaving the ice via stretcher or any sort of head injury, and the same can be said about Borowiecki. Unfortunately, Borowiecki is also someone who has a history of concussions and has missed significant time dealing with not only those injuries, but mental health struggles, which he had opened up about publicly in the summer of 2021.

A longtime member of the Ottawa Senators, Borowiecki joined the Predators prior to the 2020-21 season. The defenseman has been considered one of the toughest players in hockey and twice lead the NHL in penalty minutes, including last season. No update has been made immediately available, but concern towards Borowiecki’s overall health is paramount.

Snapshots: Bear, Norris, Danforth, Australia

at CDT | by 3 Comments

On the topic of young defensemen expected to be dealt, it’s Jakob Chychrun’s name that comes up more times than not and given his talent, that’s not unfair. However, another young defenseman that could be dealt is that of  Carolina Hurricanes blueliner Ethan Bear. Perhaps not the talent Chychrun is, Bear is a solid player in his own right, but has had his share of issues in regards to getting in the lineup and overall playing time since the Hurricanes acquired him from the Edmonton Oilers for forward Warren Foegele in the summer of 2021.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on tonight’s 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night in Canada, a decision on Bear could be coming soon. Bear, who hasn’t played a game yet this season, wants to play, says Friedman, but the team has been unable to find a trade they like. According to Friedman, interested teams have asked Carolina to retain a certain percentage of Bear’s salary cap in order to create a trade package to the Hurricanes’ liking. Carolina, in turn, has told teams that they don’t plan to retain any cap given the fact that their reason for dealing Bear would not be at all cap related. Ultimately, as relayed by Friedman, the situation is expected to resolve itself shortly. It would seem at this point, if Carolina cannot get a better offer for the defenseman, their options would be to accept an offer they think is under-valued, put Bear on waivers, play him, or continue to scratch him, potentially doing harm to the relationship.

  • Earlier this afternoon, Ottawa Senators forward Joshua Norris left their game against the Arizona Coyotes after appearing to injure his arm off the faceoff. Norris immediately left the ice in pain and appeared to throw his stick in the hallway. After the game, no update was offered on the injury itself, and that is still the case this evening. However, Friedman did say on 32 Thoughts that the plan was for Norris to have an MRI once the swelling in his arm went down. No update thus far could be seen as a bit concerning, but an MRI should give more clear results and lead to a timeline once complete.
  • Also on the injury front, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Justin Danforth left tonight’s game with an upper-body injury and will not return, the team announced. What exactly the nature of the injury is remains unclear; Danforth had played regular shifts throughout the first period, but did not return for the second period. The forward had three points in five games coming into tonight.
  • An interesting note on international NHL showcases was brought up tonight on 32 Thoughts. It appears the league is exploring the possibility of playing games in Australia, perhaps as soon as sometime next season. The league plans to have a site survey shortly and would like to have a few games there if possible. Although the league has greatly expanded its outreach into international markets, heading to Australia is intriguing given its status as a non-traditional market.

Latest On Jakob Chychrun’s Trade Market

at CDT | by 5 Comments

As Jakob Chychrun nears a return from injury, trade speculation around the young defenseman has reignited. Rumors of Chychrun being dealt by the Arizona Coyotes reached a fever pitch last season just ahead of the trade deadline, but an injury suffered on March 12th against the Boston Bruins cost him the remainder of the season and the beginning of this one as well. An exact return date for the defenseman had not been set, but many had expected it would be at some point towards the end of Arizona’s six-game road trip to start their season. However, as discussed earlier today, he is still considered week-to-week.

This evening on the 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek discussed the current market for Chychrun. Marek notes the asking price on Arizona’s end holds firm at two first-round draft picks, “plus,” meaning some combination of additional draft choices, prospects, or roster players. This ask has appeared palatable for a number of teams in theory,  but talks appear to become difficult when the “plus” is brought up. This has become most apparent when it comes to the Ottawa Senators.

Marek reports that discussions on the likes of forwards Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto or defenseman Jake Sanderson are not on the table for the Senators. Considering Chychrun’s talent, age, and cost-controlled contract (three-years, $13.8MM including 2022-23), the player makes perfect sense for an Ottawa team that is just turning the corner in their rebuild, but could use a boost on their blueline.

Still, it’s unclear exactly what the package requested from Ottawa looks like. The Senators aren’t the only team looking at Chychrun, and realistically many teams are likely interested at the possibility of acquiring him given the above, but Marek does list the Los Angeles Kings as another possibility beyond Ottawa, a name we’ve hear before in the Chychrun rumors. With Arizona’s high asking price for the 24-year-old, and the win-now nature of the move, a team like Ottawa or Los Angeles who have a deep system of young talent and are ready to take the next step are two of the most conceivable trade partners in the Chychrun sweepstakes.

Injury Notes: Chychrun, Brossoit, Cernak, Laviolette

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As last season’s Jakob Chychrun trade speculation was reaching its peak just as the trade deadline approached, the air was seemingly sucked out of the trade rumors when Chychrun went down in a game against the Boston Bruins on March 12th. After the injury, perhaps without the offer they were looking for to deal the defenseman, the Arizona Coyotes hung onto Chychrun. Many thought he would then be dealt at the NHL Draft this summer, but that and the rest of the offseason had come and gone and Chychrun was still a member of the Coyotes. Several games into this season, the hockey world is awaiting Chychrun’s return from injury, many believing trade talks will once again heat up when the defenseman returns and shows he is fully healthy.

When exactly Chychrun would be returning had remained a mystery, but with the defenseman joining the team on their Canadian road trip, his return seemed fairly imminent. That may not be true though, reports PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan. Instead, says Morgan, Chychrun will not play on this road trip, which concludes with a game in Columbus against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Chychrun won’t return for “a bit” Morgan adds, and is considered week-to-week.

  • When the news broke that Robin Lehner would miss the entire 2022-23 season, the Vegas Golden Knights goaltending situation, and ultimately their season, was heavily doubted. Thus far, the 4-1-0 Golden Knights have received more than solid goaltending from rookie Logan Thompson and the recently acquired Adin Hill, and that is without veteran netminder Laurent Brossoit, who is still recovering from injury. A return timetable for Brossoit was unclear heading into the season, though not expected to be long-term. His return is still unclear though, says the Las Vegas Sun’s Danny Webster. Brossoit has not been cleared for any contact, but is progressing well and will be re-evaluated on November 1st, Webster reports.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play tonight when the Lightning take on the New York Islanders at home, the team says. Cernak has played in all five of Tampa’s games thus far.
  • Washington Capitals Head Coach Peter Laviolette will be behind the bench for tonight’s game, confirms Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. The Washington bench boss had been a game-time decision with a non-COVID illness. The Capitals host the Los Angeles Kings at home tonight.

New York Islanders Activate Sebastian Aho, Assign Robin Salo To AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders announced this afternoon that they have activated defenseman Sebastian Aho off of IR. In a corresponding move, defenseman Robin Salo has been assigned to the Bridgeport Islanders of the AHL. Newsday’s Andrew Gross was the first to report the transaction.

Given that the Islanders had 23 men on their roster prior to activating Aho, someone would have to go, and with Salo being waiver-exempt, he was clearly a logical choice. Interestingly though, the team has been carrying fifteen forwards and six defensemen, leaving little margin for error should a last-minute injury present itself, especially with the team on the road.

Of note, coming out of training camp, it appeared that Salo had won the competition for the third-pair, left-defense spot over Aho and other competitors like Paul Ladue and Grant Hutton. In fact, on opening night, Salo played while Aho was a healthy scratch. But, when the team activated Cal Clutterbuck off of IR on October 15th, they placed Aho on IR in response. Despite being placed on IR, Aho continued to skate with the team that day. When Aho does lace them up for New York, it’ll mark his fourth NHL season since his debut in 2017-18. The puck-moving Aho has had trouble establishing himself as a full-time NHLer thus far in his career, but did manage to get into a career-high 36 games last season in the NHL, recording 12 points.

Some may be surprised to see Salo sent down after seeming to win a regular job with the Islanders out of camp, then having a strong start to the regular season, including a two-goal game against the Anaheim Ducks last weekend. But, to that end, Gross speculates that this is merely a paper transaction, considering Salo traveled with the team to Tampa.

AHL Shuffle: 10/17/22

at CDT | by 1 Comment

After an unusual Sunday with no games on the schedule, NHL action is back tonight. Tonight’s games feature a Sidney Crosby appearance in Montreal with the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins taking on the Canadiens, Nick Ritchie back in his old stomping grounds as the Arizona Coyotes visit the Toronto Maple Leafs, and a matchup of exciting Central Division foes as the Winnipeg Jets visit the Dallas Stars. With all of the action around the NHL this evening, it doesn’t put a stop to the off-ice news around the hockey world. We’ll keep an eye on all of that here.

  • The Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, have reassigned goaltender Olof Lindbom to the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen. Lindbom, a second-round pick of the Rangers in 2018, is playing in his first North American season after spending his entire career-to-date in his native Sweden.
  • After having defenseman Daniil Miromanov assigned to them from the Vegas Golden Knights, the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights assigned goaltender Isaiah Saville to the Savannah Ghost Pirates of the ECHL. Saville, a fifth-round pick of the Golden Knights in 2019, recently finished up a three-year stint at the University of Nebraska-Omaha before turning pro at the end of last year, where he got into eight games with Henderson.
  • The AHL’s Utica Comets have assigned forward Xavier Parent to the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL. Not drafted by an NHL team, the 21-year-old Parent finished up his QMJHL career in 2021-22. After several seasons with modest point totals, Parent broke out in his final year of junior, recording 106 points in just 65 games with the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
  • The San Jose Barracuda of the AHL have loaned defenseman Billy Constantinou to the Wichita Thunder, their ECHL affiliate. Already a journeyman at just 21-years-old, Constantinou played for three different teams in his three-year OHL career before turning pro for the 2021-22 season. In 2021-22, the defenseman bounced between four different teams at the AHL and ECHL levels.

This post will be updated throughout the day.

Evening Notes: Muzzin, Brown, Utica

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin left the game earlier this evening with a neck injury and will not return, the team announced. The injury appeared to occur after Muzzin and Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller came together in an awkward collision in the corner, Muzzin tumbling to the ice, leaving gingerly. It’s unclear how severe the injury is and whether or not Muzzin will miss any additional time after tonight.

Being without the veteran defenseman would be another tough injury break for the Maple Leafs, who already lost goaltender Matt Murray to an abdominal injury this weekend. The silver lining with Murray hitting LTIR was that it allowed the cap-tight Maple Leafs to recall three players, including defenseman Victor Mete. If Muzzin were to miss time, but not enough to warrant a trip to LTIR, Toronto still has just south of $1.6MM in LTIR to utilize, meaning they could recall another player.

  • Also done for the night is Washington Capitals forward Connor Brown, who suffered a lower-body injury, said the team. Brown was the recipient of a big hit from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen. According to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, Brown immediately grabbed at his right knee before leaving the ice without putting any weight on it. For the Capitals, who are carrying 14 forwards and have roughly $2MM remaining in LTIR space they can utilize, managing their roster should Brown miss any bit of time won’t be the challenge it has been for other teams this season, but that of course doesn’t account for the talent Brown himself brings to the lineup. Through three-plus games this season, Brown had yet to register a point, but did have 39 points over 64 games last season with the Ottawa Senators.
  • An interesting situation in the AHL tonight, as a local power outage forced the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Utica Comets game to be paused with 2:43 remaining in the second period. Crews attempted to restore power to the arena, however not too long after, the AHL announced the game would be suspended and made up at a later date. Odd as the situation may be, it wasn’t too long ago that a 2021 preseason game between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils had to be cancelled just minutes before puck drop after a power outage at the Prudential Center. Ironically, Utica is New Jersey’s AHL affiliate.

Edmonton Oilers Recall Markus Niemelainen, Loan Brad Malone To AHL

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Earlier this evening, the Edmonton Oilers announced that they have recalled defenseman Markus Niemelainen from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL and in turn, loaned forward Brad Malone to Bakersfield. This gives Edmonton an active roster with twelve forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies now, two less players than the 23-man limit.

The swapping of players did appear expected, with The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman reporting that expectation yesterday. Operating with 21 of 23 skaters is a challenge for any team, but does allow the Oilers, who are currently using $7.103MM out of $7.117MM of available LTIR, to stay cap compliant. Having the extra player on the roster is of course some element of insurance, one that the Florida Panthers for example, are without, leading them to dress only 17 skaters this evening. To that point, having that 19th skater be a defenseman is key in the event another Oilers defenseman were to come down with injury. Should that happen, Niemelainen could seamlessly slide into the lineup. But, had it been Malone in that situation, the team would be forced to play a forward on defense, or go with an uncomfortable thirteen forwards and five defensemen lineup.

Malone has played in both of Edmonton’s games to date this season, failing to record a point. He played in just eight games for the Oilers last season, but had a solid 39 points in 52 games for Bakersfield. Should Malone once again become a regular member of their lineup, they should be able to count on strong production from their long-time forward.

Niemelainen, like Malone, has played in two games this season, though both with Bakersfield, recording an assist in the process. The hulking 6’6″ defenseman made his NHL debut the Oilers last season, tallying just one point in 20 games. With the call-up, the 24-year-old could get an opportunity to earn more NHL minutes and continue his development at this level.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top