Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Edmonton Oilers Sign Brady Stonehouse To Entry-Level Contract

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

According to a team release, the Edmonton Oilers announce that the organization has come to a three-year, entry-level contract agreement with forward Brady Stonehouse. An undrafted free agent before the contract, Stonehouse had recently spent the last two seasons with the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League.

During his first year in Ottawa, at 17 years of age, Stonehouse would go on to have a relatively quiet year as a rookie in the league, scoring 18 goals and 17 assists in 68 games. Managing only four games as an organization in the postseason of the 2021-22 season, Stonehouse would chip in with only one goal.

In his sophomore campaign during the 2022-23 OHL season, Stonehouse would break out as one of the better goal-scorers in the 67’s lineup. Playing a full 68 regular season games once again, Stonehouse tallied a total of 37 goals and 20 assists, leading the entire organization in goal scoring.

A persistent fore-checker on offense, Stonehouse has the capabilities to be quite a nuisance in the Oilers lineup in the future. Having already played one game for Ottawa in the current year, Stonehouse will continue to grow his abilities at the OHL level, before finally making the jump to professional hockey.

Waivers: 10/03/23

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Oct. 4: All players have cleared waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. This means a pair of rather highly-touted Senators, Bernard-Docker and Sokolov, will remain with the organization.

Oct. 3: Following a large list of players hitting the waiver wire this time yesterday, today’s list is quite a bit smaller, but there is some solid talent that could potentially be claimed by a different organization. Today’s full list of players hitting the waiver wire comes courtesy of TSN’s Chris Johnston:

Boston Bruins

D Alec Regula
D Dan Renouf
F Anthony Richard
D Reilly Walsh
D Parker Wotherspoon

Edmonton Oilers

F Seth Griffith

New Jersey Devils

G Erik Kallgren

Ottawa Senators

D Jacob Bernard-Docker
F Matthew Highmore
D Jacob Larsson
F Egor Sokolov

Philadelphia Flyers

F Tanner Laczynski
G Calvin Petersen

Pierre-Olivier Joseph Considered Day-To-Day; Xavier Ouellet Recalled

at CDT | by 1 Comment

In preparation for the team’s game tomorrow night against the Detroit Red Wings, Shelly Anderson of The Hockey News reports that defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Taking his place in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup will be defenseman Xavier Ouellet, who had been previously cut from Pittsburgh’s training camp roster on September 29th (X Link).

In three exhibition games up to this point in the preseason, Joseph has scored one goal, averaging a whopping 23 minutes of ice time per night. Receiving plenty of time on ice during training camp, it is largely expected that his ATOI will dramatically decrease during the regular season, projecting as a bottom-pairing defenseman on the Penguins this year.

Last year, Joseph averaged just over 15 minutes a night, the lowest on the team among defensemen with at least 50 games played. Production-wise, having far and away the best statistical season of his young career, Joseph would score five goals and 16 assists in 75 games.

Carrying solid top-four options with the additions of Ryan Graves and Erik Karlsson over the summer, Joseph will likely slot up next to Chad Ruhwedel in the bottom-pairing. Unfortunately for Joseph, with a healthy Kris Letang heading into the season, and Karlsson taking over the first powerplay unit, Joseph’s powerplay availability from last year will likely diminish as well.

All in all, Joseph is undoubtedly expected to be on the opening night roster against the Chicago Blackhawks next week, and Ouellet will get another game or two before making his way back down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/03/23

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Now exactly one week away from the first game of the 2023-24 NHL season, teams are working overtime to get their roster down to 23 players. As always, we’ll keep track of those roster moves here.

Boston Bruins (via a team release)

D Mike Callahan (to Providence, AHL)
F Fabian Lysell (to Providence, AHL)
D Alec Regula (to Providence, AHL) pending waiver clearance
D Dan Renouf (to Providence, AHL) pending waiver clearance
F Anthony Richard (to Providence, AHL) pending waiver clearance
D Reilly Walsh (to Providence, AHL) pending waiver clearance
D Parker Wotherspoon (to Providence, AHL) pending waiver clearance

Calgary Flames (via a team release)

F Clark Bishop (to Calgary, AHL)
D Colton Poolman (to Calgary, AHL)
G Oscar Dansk (to Calgary, AHL)
F Ben Jones (to Calgary, AHL)
D Brady Lyle (to Calgary, AHL)
D Yan Kuznetsov (to Calgary, AHL)

Colorado Avalanche (via X)(via Peter Baugh/The Athletic)

D Wyatt Aamodt (to Colorado, AHL)
F Peter Holland (to Colorado, AHL)
D Corey Schueneman (to Colorado, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via Mark Spector/Sportsnet)

F Xavier Bourgault (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Seth Griffith (to Bakersfield, AHL) pending waiver clearance
F James Hamblin (to Bakersfield, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (via X)

F Graeme Clarke (to Utica, AHL)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to Utica, AHL)
D Daniil Misyul (to Utica, AHL)
F Chase Stillman (to Utica, AHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs (via X)

D Spencer Sova (to Erie, OHL)

Winnipeg Jets (via X)

F Brad Lambert (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Jeff Malott (to Manitoba, AHL)
D Ashton Sautner (to Manitoba, AHL)
F Dominic Toninato (to Manitoba, AHL)

This page will be updated throughout the day

Derek Stepan Announces Retirement

at CDT | by 9 Comments

A veteran of nearly 900 games at the NHL level, the NHLPA reports that forward Derek Stepan has officially hung up his skates. A veteran of 13 seasons, Stepan spent his career with the New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, Ottawa Senators, and the Carolina Hurricanes.

A product of the University of Wisconsin Badgers of the NCAA, Stepan had a solid collegiate career, scoring 12 goals and 42 assists in 41 games in his final year, taking his team to the National Championship in 2010, eventually losing to the Boston College Eagles. Two years prior to his career in Wisconsin, the Rangers had drafted Stepan with the 51st overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft.

After his collegiate career came to an end, Stepan would join New York for the 2010-11 season, playing in all 82 games, scoring 21 goals and 24 assists, finishing 13th in Calder Trophy voting at season’s end. He would continue his streak of playing in every regular season game, never missing a minute of action throughout the 2013-14 season. Having already established himself as one of the best center options for the Rangers, he would help lead the team to the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals, losing in five games to the Los Angeles Kings.

Separating himself as both a leader and a solid contributor on offense, New York rewarded Stepan financially, signing him to a six-year, $39MM extension in the summer before the 2015-16 campaign. Unfortunately for both him and the organization, he would only last two years under that deal with the Rangers, as the team entered a rebuilding phase shortly thereafter. In the offseason after the 2016-17 season, New York traded Stepan, along with goaltender Antti Raanta, to the Coyotes for Anthony DeAngelo and the seventh overall selection in that year’s draft (used to select Lias Andersson).

Quickly becoming one of the better players on Arizona’s roster, Stepan rewarded the summer acquisition, scoring 14 goals and 42 assists with the Coyotes in his first season. During his three-year stay in the Desert, Stepan would play a total of 154 games, scoring 29 goals and 62 assists overall, leading the Coyotes to the playoffs only once in the 2019-20 campaign. With only one more season remaining on his contract extension, Arizona sent Stepan packing again to Ottawa for a second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft.

His time with the Senators was underwhelming, as Stepan struggled mightily in the pandemic-shortened season, citing the difficulties of being away from family in such a tumultuous world climate. Well outside the playoff picture, Ottawa explored trade ideas for Stepan at the deadline, but his season would be ended completely in late February due to a shoulder injury.

Hitting the unrestricted free agent market for the first time in his career, Stepan would sign back-to-back one-year deals with the Hurricanes, hoping to compete for a Stanley Cup to conclude his career. Spending a majority of his time in a bottom-six role, Carolina relied heavily on Stepan’s leadership and experience to help grow the young crop of Hurricanes coming into the league.

In the entirety of his career, Stepan will finish with 890 regular season games played, scoring 182 goals and 333 assists, earning several votes for the Lady Byng as well as the Selke Trophy throughout his career. Aside from the regular season, Stepan would play in 120 playoff games, scoring 20 goals and 35 assists overall, including one trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.

We at Pro Hockey Rumors congratulate Stepan on a respectable career, and we wish him the best as he moves into the next chapter of his life.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Injury Notes: Kurashev, Hintz, Johnston, Guentzel

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Relaying a note from the General Manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, Kyle Davidson, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that forward Philipp Kurashev will be out at least another week due to a wrist injury, and will likely miss the first couple of games of the regular season. On a more positive note, even though he will miss game action, Kurashev has returned to skating for the time being.

Although injuries have not been a focal point in his young career up to this point, this will be the second time in the calendar year that Kurashev is set to miss regular season games due to an injury. In late March of last season, suffering from a shoulder injury, Kurashev would miss the remainder of the regular season, thankfully not needing surgery to repair the damage.

When healthy, Kurashev is largely projected to participate in the Blackhawks’ top-six forward group on a weak roster, and will likely factor into the middle-six once Chicago is set to contend. Last year, Kurashev played in 70 games overall, scoring nine goals and 16 assists, as well as a -32 rating. This summer, the Blackhawks added heavily to their forward core, drafting Connor Bedard, as well as acquiring Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno, and Corey Perry to surround some of their younger forward core, such as Kurashev.

Other injury notes:

  • Having yet to play in a preseason game up to this point in training camp, it has become incredibly unlikely that Dallas Stars’ forward, Roope Hintz, will participate in any exhibition games. According to Saad Yousuf of The Athletic, Hintz is still out of action due to an upper-body injury, and his first game of the year is going to be the Stars’ opening night matchup against the St. Louis Blues next Thursday. He will be an important piece for Dallas to get back into the lineup, scoring 37 goals and 38 assists last year, finishing fourth on the team in scoring.
  • Continuing on with the Stars, Yousuf also reports that Wyatt Johnston had a minor setback with his upper-body injury, and will miss today’s practice and preseason game against the Colorado Avalanche. Similarly to Hintz, Johnston is another forward that the Stars will need to stay healthy, as they are looking for Johnston to improve on his 24-goal, 17-assist rookie performance last year.
  • Inching his way back from offseason ankle surgery, Jake Guentzel was seen this morning wearing a full-contact jersey (X Link). For the majority of training camp, Guentzel had been seen wearing a non-contact jersey, but it is clear the Pittsburgh Penguins are confident with his recovery timeline, allowing him to fully participate in the team’s practices. Going into a massive contract year for both he and the organization, Guentzel will benefit greatly from a full season of action if he is able to be ready for opening night next week.

New York Rangers Recall Dylan Garand

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Posting solid numbers already in two preseason games up to this point, the New York Rangers will once again get a look at one of their top goaltending prospects within the organization. The team has announced they have recalled goaltender Dylan Garand from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Garand will likely serve as a backup option during the team’s upcoming back-to-back matchups against the New Jersey Devils, and Boston Bruins, respectively.

With both Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick penciled in as the goaltending tandem for the Rangers this season, it is more than likely that Garand will swiftly be moved back down to Hartford for the 2023-24 season. In his first full season in Hartford last year, Garand played in 32 games, securing a 13-14-3 record, garnering a .894 SV% and a 3.01 GAA. Sporting mediocre numbers at best during his first season in the AHL, Garand nearly willed the Wolf Pack to the Calder Cup Finals last year. In eight playoff games, Garand accrued a 5-3-0 record, showing an impressive SV% at .935, and a GAA of 1.76. The team went on a tear out of the gate, before eventually being ousted by the eventual champions, the Hershey Bears, in the Division Finals.

In the 2020 NHL Draft, Garand was the eighth goaltender off the board, falling to the 103rd overall pick, winning Goalie of the Year honors in the WHL for the Kamloops Blazers two years later in the 2021-22 season. In 45 games, Garand earned a 34-9-1 record, posting a .925 SV% and a 2.16 GAA, losing in the WHL Conference Finals to the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Garand still needs to work through some growing pains at the AHL level and should be able to work through that nicely playing in Hartford specifically. If all goes well, and Garand continues to improve in professional hockey, he could potentially compete for the backup role in the next two to three seasons.

West Snapshots: Duclair, Tippett, Hintz

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Speaking with offseason acquisition, Anthony Duclair of the San Jose Sharks, Sharks beat writer, Curtis Pashelka, reports that the new forward may have some interest in signing an extension in San Jose. Duclair did indicate that there have been contract talks up to this point, as he looks to remain focused for the upcoming season.

Largely a salary dump addition by the Sharks this summer, Duclair is coming off a largely successful three-year run with the Florida Panthers. In 137 games in Sunrise since the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, Duclair has 43 goals and 56 assists, which amounts to the most points scored for any team he has played on throughout his career. Nevertheless, there is some injury concern along with him, as he was unable to play in the regular season last year until late February due to an Achilles injury.

Acquired at the start of free agency by the Sharks for forward Steven Lorentz and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick, Duclair should get plenty of opportunity in San Jose this year. Clearly in a rebuilding effort, Duclair is one of eight expiring contracts on the roster and should see an ample amount of time in the team’s top six. If Duclair remains healthy and continues to perform well, he is poised to be a probable mover at next year’s trade deadline if the two parties cannot come to a contract extension.

Other snapshots:

  • Before accepting the position as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers from 2019-22, Dave Tippett was working as a Senior Advisor for the upstart Seattle expansion franchise, before they had even been given a formal name. After taking a year away from the game, the Seattle Kraken announced that Tippett would rejoin the organization, this time as a Coaching Consultant. A head coach of nearly 1,300 games, Tippett will bring a wealth of experience to the coaching staff of the Kraken, who are hoping to return to the playoffs for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
  • Mike Heika, a Senior Staff Writer for the Dallas Stars, reports that forward Roope Hintz is to be considered day-to-day, with the Stars remaining cautious on his timeline. Dealing with an upper-body injury, Hintz was unable to practice with the team today. The organization has only played two preseason matchups up to this point, one against the Arizona Coyotes, and the other against the Minnesota Wild, with Hintz being scratched for both matchups.

Winnipeg Jets Injury Notes: Ehlers, Capobianco, Barlow

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Unable to play in either contest against the Edmonton Oilers earlier in the week, Nikolaj Ehlers appears to be out even longer. Still dealing with the lingering effects of neck spasms, Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press reports that Ehlers will miss tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames, as well as Friday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

Missing a handful of regular season games from 2020-2022, Ehlers spent one of his longest bouts on the injured reserve last season, missing six weeks of action due to a hernia. Only suiting up in 45 games, the Winnipeg Jets are hoping this injury does not continue to linger.

There is reason for optimism, as Wiebe notes that Ehlers is progressing nicely through the injury, but without being able to play a single game in the preseason, Ehlers may need a bit longer to acclimate himself than other players on the opening night roster. Although this is positive news in terms of his eventual return to the ice for Winnipeg, there is no specific timetable set for Ehlers’ return.

Other Winnipeg injury notes:

  •  In the same report, Wiebe writes that Jets’ depth defenseman, Kyle Capobianco, will be left off the roster for tonight’s game against the Flames due to a groin injury. Instead, the 164th overall selection of the 2020 NHL Draft, Tyrel Bauer, will take his place in the lineup. After agreeing to a deal with defenseman Logan Stanley in mid-August for the 2023-24 NHL season, Capobianco will be hard-pressed to find a spot on the Jets’ blue line to start the season, even after playing in 14 games for the team last year.
  • Lastly, in his return from an illness that kept him out a few days, Winnipeg’s first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Colby Barlow, will return to the ice with the team. Unable to find himself in the lineup for a preseason game up to this point, Barlow could see his first taste of professional action as early as tonight against Calgary.

Blues Injury Notes: Kyrou, Faulk, Kapanen, Ratcliffe, Burns

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Speaking with head coach Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues today, Matthew DeFranks of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that two of the most important players on the Blues roster, defenseman Justin Faulk, and forward Jordan Kyrou are both “fine” and should be back with the team relatively soon.

Both players are dealing with lower-body injuries, likely sustained in their most recent preseason matchups. In Faulk, he played in the team’s winning effort against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, playing a little over 16 minutes, failing to land on the scoresheet. Kyrou, on the other hand, has not played since the team’s split-squad matchup against the Arizona Coyotes on September 23rd, where he would play in almost 18 minutes of that game, scoring one goal and one assist.

It is unknown whether or not either player will play in the team’s upcoming matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow night, or this weekend’s game against the Dallas Stars. Nevertheless, it appears that both are dealing with minor injuries and should be available for either of those two games.

Other Blues injury notes:

  • In the same report, DeFranks mentions that Blues’ forward Kasperi Kapanen is dealing with an upper-body injury, and should be able to return to practice tomorrow. Much like the status of Faulk and Kyrou, it is unknown whether or not Kapanen will play in the organization’s upcoming games this week, but should be ready to factor in if necessary. Kapanen has only played one game this preseason, playing just over 18 minutes of the team’s win against Arizona, registering zero points.
  • For some longer-term injury notes, St. Louis forward Isaac Ratcliffe is confirmed out at the moment, with no timetable for his return. Factoring into Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jackets, Ratcliffe tallied a goal in 13 minutes of ice time, earning the third star of the game. On the bubble of the Blues’ roster heading into this season, for his own personal benefit, Ratcliffe can not afford to miss too much time if he hopes to crack the regular season lineup.
  • St. Louis’ third-round selection of the 2023 NHL Draft, Quinton Burns, has been unable to return to practice following a lower-body injury sustained in the game against the Coyotes. In all likelihood, even without the injury, the young defenseman would have been returned to his OHL team, the Kingston Frontenacs, for the 2023-24 season. In his game against Arizona, Burns accrued 16 minutes of ice time, earning 2 PIMs and one registered hit.

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