Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Evening Snapshots: Athanasiou, Bruins, Comrie

at CDT | by 5 Comments

One of the most notable missing pieces in the team’s win tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights was Chicago Blackhawks’ forward, Andreas Athanasiou, who was a healthy scratch. Signed to a two-year, $8.5 MM extension after last year’s season, Athanasiou has not gotten off to a strong start this year with Chicago (Tweet Link).

Last season, as the team’s regular season schedule came to a close, Athanasiou was tied for the team lead in goal-scoring with Taylor Raddysh, earning him an extension over the offseason. In seven games so far this year, Athanasiou only has three assists, which is still good for sixth on the team in point production but has not incorporated the goal-scoring production the team is accustomed to.

There is no doubt that the relatively high salary the Blackhawks gave him over the summer had to do with the team reaching the salary cap floor for the season, but the team should still be seeking more production out of his play. In any case, even on a rebuilding team in Chicago, Athanasiou will need to raise his level of play to earn a full-time spot in the Blackhawks lineup.

Other snapshots:

  • To comply with the salary cap, Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reported that all the transactions made today by the Boston Bruins were ’paper’ transactions. For those that don’t know, ’paper’ transactions are simply callups and reassignments that qualify for salary cap compliance, but the players included likely will not see any minutes with their respective teams.
  • In tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils, the Buffalo Sabres announced that goaltender, Eric Comrie, will not return to the game after suffering a lower-body injury. It is unfortunate news for the Sabres after Comrie has had to start three of the last four games due to an injury from regular starting netminder, Devon Levi. If Comrie is expected to miss a significant amount of time, Buffalo’s third-string goaltender, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will likely see the majority of starts for the foreseeable future.

Poll: Did The League Make The Right Choice On The Draft?

at CDT | by 23 Comments

A few days ago, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that a majority of the teams that make up the National Hockey League had voted to decentralize the NHL draft, making it so teams would no longer appear on the floor of the draft venue. Players would no longer get to put on their team jerseys, as well as meet team staff immediately on the podium.

Originally, the current draft format began in 1963, beginning at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal for 10 years, until it began moving around to various locations (still inside Montreal) until its first visit to Toronto in 1985. In 1986, and for the next 37 years, the NHL Draft would be located at a specific team’s home arena, still carrying the original draft etiquette and procedures.

Although the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas still does not have a designated location up to this point, it will likely be the last draft for the foreseeable future that fans are accustomed to. Unlike the NBA, MLB, and NFL drafts, the NHL has had a long history of teams making their draft selections in person, and the players trying on their new jerseys for the first time in their pro careers.

Aside from the game itself, it was one important and notable difference that the NHL had to differentiate itself from the other professional sports leagues in North America, making the draft a more entertaining event overall. The league has not announced any specifics on the upcoming change, meaning the fans are still in the dark about how much similarity it will have to the other professional leagues.

Nevertheless, from a fan perspective, we at PHR would like to know how the actual consumers of the game perceive the change. Vote below!

Did The League Make The Right Choice On The Draft?
No 74.27% (563 votes)
Yes 25.73% (195 votes)
Total Votes: 758

Florida Panthers Recall Samoskevich, Barkov Out Tonight

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Earlier today, the Florida Panthers announced they had recalled forward Mackie Samoskevich from their AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Without a corresponding roster move made, CapFriendly would report that captain Aleksander Barkov is out of the lineup tonight as the team takes on the San Jose Sharks, giving context to the callup.

The 24th overall selection of the 2021 NHL Draft, Samoskevich finally made his way to Sunrise after an electric career at the University of Michigan in the NCAA. In 79 games over two years, rostered on one of the most talented college hockey teams of all time, Samoskevich would score 30 goals and 42 assists, en route to finally joining the Checkers at the end of last season.

Making the Panthers out of camp, Samoskevich has gotten off to an unimpressive start, albeit only after two games played in his young career. Florida had given him just under 15 minutes of ice time per game, with Samoskevich getting four shots on net, and generating a -2 rating.

The team had previously sent Samoskevich down to the AHL a week ago in favor of William Lockwood, but will now need to cover for the team as they deal with a mysterious absence from Barkov. It is unconfirmed at this point whether or not Barkov is dealing with an injury or something else altogether, it is only confirmed that the Panthers will be without their third-highest-scorer tonight.

Poll: Which Is The Most Surprising Team To Start The Year?

at CDT | by 14 Comments

A little over a week and a half into the 2023-24 NHL season, it’s still tough to gauge for most teams where they will end up in the standings in April. Between teams reaching well beyond expectations, and other teams reaching well short, there have been a handful of surprises out of the gate.

By far and away the team most dramatically outperforming expectations is the Detroit Red Wings. Led by Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings bring a 5-1-0 record into tonight’s game against the Seattle Kraken, looking to extend their winning streak to six games. Detroit had primarily been projected as a fringe playoff candidate coming out of the Eastern Conference this year, but with DeBrincat and Larkin one and two in league scoring, respectively, and the Red Wings leading the entire NHL in GF/G, their offense could easily carry them to postseason hockey.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Edmonton Oilers have failed to deliver on some lofty expectations coming into this season. After finishing sixth in the league standings last year thanks to a generational season by superstar Connor McDavid, as well as losing to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions in back-to-back postseasons, the Oilers were considered the third likeliest team to win the Cup by Vegas oddsmakers. Nevertheless, the team has gotten off to a 1-3-1 start, in large part due to the subpar play of their defensive core and goaltenders.

In a similar vein to the Oilers, the Carolina Hurricanes had incredibly high expectations heading into this season, carrying some of the best defensive depth in the entirety of the NHL. The Hurricanes still have plenty of time to recover from a 3-3-0 start, but they will need their goaltending to bounce back in a big way. After finishing second in the NHL last season in terms of GA/P, Carolina now sits alone in last place to start the 2023-24 campaign. Combining the trio of Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, and Pyotr Kochetkov, the Hurricanes goaltending trio holds a 3-3-0 record, with a .833 SV% and a 4.50 GAA.

So there you have it, even though the season is young, there are still plenty of emerging storylines to follow throughout the season. Now it’s time for the vote, which team do you think is off to the most surprising start?

Which Is The Most Surprising Team To Start The Year?
Detroit Red Wings 53.14% (432 votes)
Edmonton Oilers 23.00% (187 votes)
Other (Comment Below) 15.74% (128 votes)
Carolina Hurricanes 8.12% (66 votes)
Total Votes: 813

Latest On Conor Garland

at CDT | by 6 Comments

Just before the start of the season, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that the Vancouver Canucks had given forward Conor Garland and his agency full freedom to find a suitable trade partner for the winger. Unfortunately, for most teams at this time of year, especially teams that are destined for a postseason run at the conclusion of the season, cap space is hard to come by, especially to fit in Garland’s $4.95MM until 2025-26.

However, nearly a week ago, Kevin Weekes of ESPN reported that the Canucks would be willing to retain as high as 30% of Garland’s salary for the next three seasons, meaning any acquiring team would only owe him approximately $3.465MM in total salary. Realistically speaking, even with the hypothetical retention of Garland’s salary, there are only seven teams with enough cap space to take on a discounted Garland, without moving out a salary in the process.

On a positive note in regards to the potential trade of Garland, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period wrote in an article last week that the Washington Capitals are interested in adding a top-six forward, as the offense has looked completely stagnant out of the gate. In the same article, Pagnotta notes that the Capitals could look to move out forward Anthony Mantha in any deal made to acquire Garland.

Unfortunately, with a roster surplus and salary cap problems of their own, the Canucks would be unable to take on the $5.7MM owed to Mantha for the rest of the season, even if no money was retained on Garland, complicating that hypothetical deal entirely. In the same vein, passing on a note from Friedman, Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic confirms that the Capitals are indeed interested in acquiring Garland, but are trying to move Mantha in a separate trade.

For Garland, if Mantha becomes the domino that must fall before he is eventually moved out of Vancouver, the time frame on a potential trade has likely been extended to the trade deadline. Given the fact that Mantha has now been healthy scratched by the Capitals to start the year, Washington will likely have to move out significant assets in any trade involving Mantha, simply to entice the other party to absorb the rest of his contract.

Roster Notes: Drysdale, Pietrangelo, Kurashev, Bonino, Kochetkov

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Although no official announcement has come from the team, CapFriendly indicates that the Anaheim Ducks have placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale on injured reserve retroactively to October 15th. Drysdale has not played in the following three games for the organization, as he has put up two assists while carrying a +2 rating.

As expected, the Ducks are not getting off to a hot start to this season, carrying a 1-4-0 record into tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, there is still plenty to be excited about in Orange County, as the team was able to sign both Drysdale and Trevor Zegras to separate three-year contracts shortly before the start of the season, as well as seeing the second-overall selection of the 2023 NHL Draft, Leo Carlsson, score a goal in his first ever professional game.

Nevertheless, even without indicating any effort to compete for the playoffs this season, Drysdale’s presence will be missed on the blue line. Thin on depth throughout the defensive core at the top level of the organization, there is an argument to be made that Drysdale represents the best of what the Ducks have to offer on defense.

Other roster notes:

  • Having not played since the second game of the season for the Vegas Golden Knights, Jesse Granger of The Athletic is reporting that Alex Pietrangelo is back at practice with the team, skating in a non-contact jersey. In the two games he has played, Pietrangelo has put up one assist, averaging nearly 23 minutes a night. Remarkably, even without the presence of Pietrangelo in the lineup, the Golden Knights are one of only three teams who remain undefeated to start the season.
  • After taking the entire summer to rehab a shoulder injury sustained towards the end of last season, Chicago Blackhawks’ forward, Philipp Kurashev, suffered a wrist injury during training camp before the start of this season, keeping him out of the lineup up to this point. With a serious need for more secondary scoring in their lineup, Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports-Chicago is reporting that Kurashev is looking to make his debut for the team on Tuesday, as they take on the Boston Bruins for the second time this season.
  • Per a team announcement, depth forward for the New York Rangers, Nick Bonino, is considered day-to-day with an illness, and will not practice with the team today. In five games so far with the Rangers, Bonino has gone scoreless, primarily centering the fourth line between fellow teammates Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey.
  • After returning him to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL last night, CapFriendly is reporting that the Carolina Hurricanes have called goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov back up to the NHL. Suffice it to say, Kochetkov did not get off to the best start with the Hurricanes this season, allowing six goals on 28 shots in his only start against the Colorado Avalanche.

Carolina Hurricanes Assign Pyotr Kochetkov To AHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Sunday: With Andersen nearing a return, the Hurricanes have returned Kochetkov to Syracuse, CapFriendly reports.

Wednesday: The Carolina Hurricanes announced that the team has recalled Pyotr Kochetkov from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. Without a direct affiliate this season, the Hurricanes have most of their minor league depth players sporadically placed throughout the AHL.

Although no distinction was made through the team announcement, this is likely tied to the removal of Frederik Andersen during last night’s game against the San Jose Sharks. After just a few minutes into the game, Andersen would take a shot off the mask, leaving the rest of the game to goaltender Antti Raanta. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the team reporter for the Hurricanes, Walt Ruff, said that Andersen was back practicing with the team today.

With two quality goaltending options already on the roster, it was still a bit of a surprise to see Kochetkov not make the team out of camp, primarily because of the solid season he put together last year. In 23 starts last season, Kochetkov managed a 12-7-5 record, posting a .909SV% and a 2.44 GAA, albeit behind a very solid Carolina defense.

Most teams could do worse than Kochetkov in the case of a third-string goaltender, and the franchise rewarded him with a four-year, $8MM contract extension in the fall of last season. Coming up, the Hurricanes have two tough road games this week against the Seattle Kraken and Colorado Avalanche, respectively, both of which Kochetkov could see some minutes in between the pipes.

Connor McDavid Out With Upper-Body Injury

at CDT | by 23 Comments

After last night’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets in overtime, the Edmonton Oilers have even more bad news coming down the pipeline. In an update this afternoon, the team has announced that the captain of the team, Connor McDavid, will miss the next one to two weeks with an upper-body injury.

As one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season, the Oilers have been one of the most disappointing teams to start the 2023-24 NHL season. In five games played, including the loss to Winnipeg last night, the Oilers are the owners of a 1-3-1 record, good for 29th in the league standings as things currently stand.

Nevertheless, the team still has 77 games to correct the dismal start, but the loss of McDavid is about as substantial as possible. Even after only recording one win in the first five games, it is in spite of McDavid getting off to another solid start. In the first handful of games to start the season, McDavid has averaged just over 20 minutes of ice time per night, scoring two goals and six assists, which is good for 12th in the league in scoring to start the year.

Thankfully for the Oilers, seeing McDavid on the injured reserve has not been a common occurrence during his career in the NHL, he has seemingly only missed time due to injury during his rookie season in 2015-16, as well as towards the end of the 2019-20 season.

In the meantime, even without the injury to McDavid, the Oilers need a wake-up call to most of their team in the early part of the season. Aside from the usual suspects of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Zach Hyman, the depth in Edmonton has failed to make a positive on the club so far this season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minnesota Wild Recall Vinni Lettieri

at CDT | by 1 Comment

After assigning recent callup, Samuel Walker, back to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, earlier today, the Minnesota Wild have called up a different forward to take his place in the lineup. The team announced that they have recalled Vinni Lettieri, a recent signee of the organization after spending the last two years in Anaheim and Boston, respectively.

An undrafted college free agent coming out of the University of Minnesota after the 2016-17 season, Lettieri would originally sign on with the New York Rangers under a two-year contract. Primarily playing with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL during his three-year run in the Rangers organization, Lettieri would impress at the league’s highest minor league level. However, although garnering solid production at the AHL level, Lettieri would fail to score more than 10 points over 46 games as a Ranger.

Before starting the 2020-21 season, Lettieri would sign a back-to-back one-year contracts with the Anaheim Ducks organization, once again spending much of his time in the AHL. Given the team’s competitiveness at the time, Lettieri was able to play in 31 games for the Ducks during the 2021-22 season, scoring five goals and five assists, the best statistical output he’s had to this day.

After his time in the Ducks organization ended, Lettieri found his most recent landing spot in the Boston Bruins organization on a one-year contract. In 48 games played for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, Lettieri scored 23 goals and 26 points, which was good for second on the team in scoring even after missing a month of action with a lower-body injury.

Already off to a hot start in Iowa to start this season, Lettieri will once again get the opportunity to prove his worth at the NHL level. However, with Minnesota starting off the season tied for 28th in goals against, Lettieri may have to focus primarily on keeping the puck out of his own net.

Los Angeles Kings Recall Anderson-Dolan, Laferriere

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Saturday: The Kings have brought both Anderson-Dolan and Laferriere back up to Los Angeles.  By sending them down yesterday, they were able to get out of using LTIR for the day, allowing them to bank a bit of much-needed cap space.

Friday: After yesterday’s commanding win against the Minnesota Wild, the Los Angeles Kings have announced they have sent down forwards Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Alex Laferriere to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.

Of the two, Anderson-Dolan has struggled to garner ice time the most, only suiting up for the team’s loss at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes last week, receiving just under seven minutes of ice time. He is no stranger to the Ontario Reign, having primarily played there since joining the Kings organization back in the 2017-18 season. In 112 games played at the AHL level, Anderson-Dolan has scored 32 goals and 45 assists, as well as chipping in one assist in eight playoff games.

Laferriere, on the other hand, is much newer to Los Angeles after having officially joined the Kings organization in April last year out of Harvard University. Laferriere was originally a third-round selection of Los Angeles back in the 2020 NHL Draft, and impressed mightily this preseason, scoring three goals and one assist in five games. Unfortunately, his hot start in the preseason did not carry into the regular season, as Laferriere has gone scoreless in his first four games, even after averaging 15 minutes of ice time and putting 13 shots on net.

In an even newer AHL season, the Ontario Reign could certainly use some reinforcements on both sides of the puck. In their first two games to start the season, the team has lost both, being outscored by a margin of five goals. Undoubtedly receiving plenty of ice time in the minors, Anderson-Dolan and Laferriere will both be put in positions to help the team correct their poor start to the season.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top