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Keith Yandle Announces Retirement

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As if they coordinated it, a third defenseman has announced his retirement this morning. Keith Yandle will follow Zdeno Chara and P.K. Subban into retirement, telling listeners of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast that he is “literally taking his talents to South Beach and doing nothing.”

Yandle, 36, broke the all-time iron man streak this season, playing 989 consecutive games. In total, he hit the ice for 1,109 regular season games and racked up 619 points. It started in Phoenix, where a mid-round pick quickly turned from a lottery ticket to full-time regular, debuting in the 2006-07 season. After nearly 600 games with the Coyotes organization, he was traded to the New York Rangers, where Yandle would experience the most playoff success of his career.

In 2015, the Rangers would get within a game of the Stanley Cup Final, the closest the veteran defenseman would come to lifting the championship trophy. In total, despite playing parts of 16 years in the league, Yandle was only fortunate enough to suit up for 58 playoff games.

At his peak, Yandle was one of the most cerebral, effective offensive defensemen in the NHL, racking up points on the powerplay. In fact, of his 516 career assists, 254 of them came with the man-advantage, where he was deadly for a full decade.

Unfortunately for Yandle, though he currently holds the longest streak of consecutive games, he will likely lose it this year to Phil Kessel, who signed with the Vegas Golden Knights and is just seven games behind him. No matter what, he’ll always be known for his durability – which even included an 84-game season in 2014-15 thanks to a midseason trade.

The veteran market will certainly look different without Chara, Subban, and Yandle in it.

P.K. Subban Announces Retirement

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Just a few minutes after Zdeno Chara packed up his gear, P.K. Subban decided to do the same. The veteran defenseman has announced his retirement in a long Twitter post, which reads in part:

I remember my dreams of playing in the NHL and winning a Stanley Cup, similar to the guys on the Don Cherry Rock’em Sock’em tapes at the end of every volume, with the black eyes, broken bones, and tears of joy. To this day, I still dream about it.

However, the end of this chapter is closing and after 13 years in the NHL, I have made the decision to retire. 

Subban, 33, never did get a chance to raise the Stanley Cup over his 834-game NHL career, but was one of the best in the league for quite a while. The 2007 second-round pick burst onto the scene in 2010 as a high-flying rookie with the Montreal Canadiens, gaining fans and creating excitement every time he touched the puck. In his third season he won the Norris Trophy, scoring 38 points in the shortened 2012-13 season while logging more than 23 minutes a night.

He would be a Norris finalist twice more. Once with the Canadiens in 2015 and once with the Nashville Predators in 2018, following his 2016 trade that shocked the hockey world.

Overall, Subban will finish his career with 467 points in 834 games, not exactly the numbers that you would have predicted if you only saw him play as a youngster in Montreal. The last few seasons have not been very kind to his high-risk, high-reward game, with just 59 points coming in 189 games with the New Jersey Devils.

Still, there was a time that Subban was among the very best in the league and there seems to be little doubt about his future as a broadcaster – given he has already dabbled in that side of the game over the years.

Zdeno Chara Signs One-Day Contract With Boston Bruins; Announces Retirement

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One of the most legendary players in NHL history has officially called it quits today. Zdeno Chara has announced that he will be retiring from professional hockey, signing a one-day contract this afternoon with the Boston Bruins to do it as a member of the team he is connected to most.

In a post on Instagram, “Big Zee” released the following:

After 25 seasons of professional hockey 1,680 NHL regular season games, 200 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and hundreds of international games I am proud to announce my decision to retire from the National Hockey League. In doing so, I am honored to return to TD Garden today to sign a one-day contract with the Boston Bruins and officially finish my career with the team that has meant so much to me and my family.

There are so many people that have helped contribute to my success, including all of you, and I look forward to properly thanking everyone this afternoon.

Starting his career with the New York Islanders back in 1997 after being selected in the third round, Chara would eventually find his way to the Ottawa Senators where he became a true star. After four years patrolling the blueline of Canada’s capital, he would join the Boston Bruins where he would spend the next 14 seasons and 1,023 games.

In total, his 1,680 regular season games put him seventh all-time in NHL history, first among defensemen. Even as he entered his mid-forties, he was still playing regularly for the Washington Capitals and, finally, the Islanders once again, as a bookend for his career.

The winner of the 2009 Norris Trophy, and a finalist on five other occasions, Chara should not have to wait long to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He got close to the Stanley Cup several times, but only lifted it once, in 2011 with the Bruins.

There are few players that have ever been more imposing, more dominant, or more recognizable than Chara, whose 6’9″ frame will be missed by many on NHL rinks moving forward. With 209 goals, 680 points, and 2,085 penalty minutes, there was something unique about the gigantic defender.

Ivan Miroshnichenko Waiting On Medical Clearance

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In March, just as teams were starting to put together their boards for the 2022 NHL Draft, some terrible news came out about a top prospect. Ivan Miroshnichenko, a player some expected to go very close to the top of the first round, had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, cancer that affects the immune system. It was unclear at the time whether he would play at all in 2022-23.

That started a freefall in his ranking (combined with the geopolitical factors affecting Russian players), and though he was cleared to return to training more than a month before the draft, Miroshnichenko was no longer the top-ten selection that many assumed a few months earlier. Instead, he fell to the Washington Capitals at No. 20 which was still ahead of fellow Russian forward Danila Yurov – who went four picks later to the Minnesota Wild – but much lower than expected.

Today, Capitals assistant general manager Ross Mahoney gave Tom Gulitti of NHL.com an update on the young prospect. Miroshnichenko has been cleared to return to the ice, has been skating, and expects to play this season. Unfortunately, he still needs to wait for clearance from the actual KHL to get into any game action.

While that may not be ideal in terms of his development, it is great news to hear that he has progressed to this point so quickly. The 18-year-old is a brilliant skater and had even appeared as a potential challenger for the first-overall pick at one point. Under contract in Russia through 2023-24, the Capitals will have to wait patiently to see if their pick was a worthwhile one.

Snapshots: Sandin, Senators, Schneider

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One of the unsigned restricted free agents still waiting on a contract is Rasmus Sandin of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Some have suggested that the Maple Leafs could trade the young defenseman, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet threw some cold water on that today during the 32 Thoughts podcast.

Like I said a couple of weeks ago, I really don’t think Toronto has a desire to trade Sandin. You look at their depth chart over the next couple of years and basically every defenseman aside from [Timothy] Liljegren and [Morgan] Rielly come off the cap pretty soon. I think they have a desire to keep him. 

Friedman notes that some agents believe the leverage for Sandin (and fellow unsigned RFA Nicolas Hague) has been lowered by some of the recent deals signed, including the ones for Michael Anderson (one year, $1MM) and Sean Durzi (two years, $3.4MM) with the Los Angeles Kings. Camp starts in just a few days, meaning Sandin might be absent if a deal can’t be worked out at the last second.

  • The Ottawa Senators announced their full leadership group ahead of what should be a very interesting season. Claude Giroux will be one of Brady Tkachuk’s alternates, along with Thomas Chabot, after signing a three-year, $19.5MM contract this offseason. Giroux served as captain of the Philadelphia Flyers for ten seasons before reaching unrestricted free agency this summer.
  • Cory Schneider will be back in the New York Islanders organization this season says general manager Lou Lamoriello, who spoke with media including Kevin Kurz of The Athletic today. The 36-year-old goaltender leaned into his role with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders last year, posting a .921 save percentage in 30 games, while also making one appearance at the NHL level (and winning his first game since 2019-20). Like so much other Islanders-related news, it is not clear what kind of contract Schneider will be signing, or what role is expected of him this year.

Mark Stone Expected To Be Ready For Camp

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Everything appears to be going smoothly with Mark Stone’s injury rehab, as head coach Bruce Cassidy told Jesse Granger of The Athletic that the Vegas Golden Knights captain is expected to be on the ice for the first day of training camp. Stone underwent back surgery in May after missing large chunks of the 2021-22 season.

Cassidy did admit that Stone may be limited by the team’s medical staff, but that his star winger feels great.

One of the biggest reasons that the Golden Knights missed the playoffs last season was the absence of Stone, who ended up playing just 37 games. Among the best defensive forwards in the game, and a top-5 Selke finalist for three years running, his ailing back kept moving him in and out of the lineup until he was finally shut down.

In those 37 games, Stone still managed to score nine goals and 30 points but averaged his lowest ice time since his rookie season. If fully healthy, he should be back in contention for the Selke and back to the point-per-game production he showed through his first two years in Vegas.

Given that the Golden Knights are dealing with a major injury to goaltender Robin Lehner and have some other holes popping up around their roster, the play of their stars will be even more important. Stone, Jack Eichel, Alex Pietrangelo, and Shea Theodore will have to be excellent for the team to get back to the postseason.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Jake Virtanen To PTO

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While it appeared as though the Edmonton Oilers had moved on from Jake Virtanen, that isn’t the case. The team has announced that the former Vancouver Canucks forward will join them in training camp on a professional tryout, along with Jason Demers, whose PTO was reported previously.

Virtanen, 26, is actually skating with the group today, according to Mark Spector of Sportsnet.

Selected sixth overall in 2014, Virtanen had a tumultuous career with the Canucks, scoring 55 goals in 317 games, and never turning into the top-line power forward that they had hoped for. His play on the ice, however, was completely overshadowed in 2021 when he was placed on leave from the Canucks after “concerning allegations” were made regarding a sexual assault that allegedly took place in 2017.

His contract was eventually bought out after the Canucks tried to trade him, and following a civil lawsuit filed last summer, he signed in the KHL. Earlier this year, the Vancouver Police Department charged Virtanen with sexual assault, and he underwent a trial this summer.

On July 26, a jury found Virtanen not guilty after a week-long trial.

He’ll now receive another chance in the NHL, at least for the preseason. His play in the KHL didn’t really deserve it – Virtanen had nine goals and 16 points in 36 games – but there have been tantalizing flashes of upside in the past for the former Calgary Hitmen star. The Oilers will give him an opportunity to show that skill, though a PTO does not guarantee an NHL contract of any sort.

Calgary Flames Sign Sonny Milano To PTO

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After scoring a career-high 14 goals and 34 points, Sonny Milano finally has a training camp to attend. The Calgary Flames will bring Milano in on a professional tryout. As with any PTO, this doesn’t mean Milano is actually on the Flames, only that he will be attending camp. It is, however, an opportunity for the team to get comfortable with the player and for the player to showcase himself to the entire league.

Milano, 26, was left unqualified by the Anaheim Ducks this offseason, thanks to a breakout campaign that likely would have led to a large arbitration award. The young forward would have needed a qualifying offer of $1.8MM and would have secured much more than that given his strong offensive totals from last year.

Playing nearly the entire season on the wing of playmaker extraordinaire Trevor Zegras (and a good chunk more with solid offensive players like Rickard Rakell and Troy Terry), Milano made the best of his opportunities. Still averaging just over 15 minutes a night, he nearly doubled his career points total, and potted 14 goals, a number he had hit as a rookie in 2017-18 but come nowhere near since.

There have always been questions about Milano’s overall impact on a game, his tendency to try highlight-reel plays instead of more traditional options, and a habit of drifting to the perimeter, but there is no doubt that he has the skill to play at a high level. The fact that he hasn’t found a contract yet likely has more to do with him searching for a good fit than the phone not ringing.

Whether he can find that fit in Calgary is unclear. For a player that will need powerplay time and minutes with top-end players to be effective, the Flames roster looks awfully crowded. Even with the losses of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary can ice a top-six that includes Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, Andrew Mangiapane, Elias Lindholm, and Tyler Toffoli. Blake Coleman, Mikael Backlund, and Dillon Dube are all capable of moving into those roles as well, while the veterans like Milan Lucic and Trevor Lewis patrol the bottom six.

So while Milano may be deserving of an NHL contract, it will be interesting to see whether it ends up being the Flames that sign him. For now, he’ll attend training camp with the team, and get a chance to remind them of the skill that scored two goals in three games against Calgary last season.

Jimmy Schuldt, Callum Booth To Attend Seattle Training Camp

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With training camps starting this week, we’ll end up finding out where several unsigned players will showcase their talents on professional tryouts. Andy Eide of NHL.com shared the Seattle Kraken roster last night, a group which includes several interesting names. The tryout contract for Daniel Sprong was previously reported, and Matt Tennyson will be there after signing an AHL contract with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. But the Kraken also have Callum Booth, and Jimmy Schuldt listed under PTOs, after they became free agents this summer.

Booth, 25, qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency after failing to progress up the Boston Bruins’ depth chart. The fourth-round goaltender has spent more time in the ECHL than the AHL over the years, though he did play well for the Maine Mariners in 2021-22. There are often late-blooming goaltenders that take big development steps around Booth’s age, but it is hard to think anyone would sign him to an NHL contract this season. To be considered depth, he’ll have to first prove he can handle AHL duties first.

Schuldt meanwhile is already 27, and reached regular unrestricted free agency after spending last season under contract with the Buffalo Sabres. The undrafted defenseman was a hot commodity when he was coming out of St. Cloud State in 2019, and though he ultimately signed with the Vegas Golden Knights, he played only one game at the NHL level.

One wonders if things would have gone differently for him in another organization with more opportunities (and cap space) in the NHL, but he now sits as an AHL depth option after spending the last three full seasons in the minor leagues. In 61 games with Rochester last year, he recorded 17 points.

Brennan Menell Signs In KHL

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Sep 19: Menell has indeed signed a one-year contract with Dynamo Moscow, becoming only the third American-born player to join them in team history.

Sep 14: It wasn’t so long ago that Brennan Menell was considered an up-and-coming defenseman who would soon push for NHL playing time. Undrafted, he had become a star for the Iowa Wild of the AHL, and even got into five games with the Minnesota Wild. Now, it appears he’s headed back to the KHL, as Sport-Express is reporting that he has signed a contract with Dynamo Moscow.

Menell, 25, already spent one season overseas, playing the 2020-21 campaign with Dinamo Minsk. He was outstanding for the KHL club that year, registering the most assists by any KHL defenseman and finishing with 38 points in 47 games. He was even better in the playoffs where he had seven points in five games, but that success didn’t follow him back to North America.

In easily his worst professional season to date, Menell had just 11 points in 38 games split between the Toronto Marlies and Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Perhaps that is why he’s headed back overseas, along with the fact that he became a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer. There just hasn’t been much NHL opportunity for the smooth-skating Menell, who is a classic example of offensive defensemen not being able to crack into the higher level as a depth option. Still just 25, it likely isn’t the last we’ve heard of him.

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