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Montreal Canadiens Acquire Sean Monahan

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After news broke that the Calgary Flames will be signing Nazem Kadri, the obvious move to clear cap space was trading away Sean Monahan’s contract. That will be the case as Monahan is headed to the Montreal Canadiens.

Given Kadri’s reported $7MM cap hit, the swap represents just a $625K cap increase for the Flames, who were on the hook for the final season of Monahan’s seven-year, $44.625MM contract. Moving from Monahan to Kadri will cost them more than that though, as Calgary is sending a conditional 2025 first-round pick to the Canadiens in order for them to take the whole contract. Montreal will send future considerations (nothing) back.

The reason the trade took so long to work out is the set of conditions, which are some of the most complicated the league has ever seen.

  • If Calgary’s 2024 first is pick 20-32, Montreal has the option to take that pick (must decide before draft starts).
  • If Florida’s 2025 first transfers to Calgary (from the Matthew Tkachuk trade) then:
    • If Calgary and Florida’s 2025 firsts are both outside the top-10, Montreal will receive the earlier one OR
    • If Calgary’s 2025 first is inside the top-10 and Florida’s is not, Montreal will receive Florida’s
  • If Florida’s 2025 first does not transfer to Calgary then:
    • If Calgary’s 2025 first is not in the top-10, Montreal will receive it AND
      • If Florida’s 2025 first is not in the top-10, it has been transferred to another team, and is better than Calgary’s 2025 pick, Montreal will receive Calgary’s 2025 fourth-round pick
    • If Calgary’s 2025 first is in the top-10, Montreal will receive it UNLESS
      • If it is the first-overall selection, Calgary will retain the 2025 first, and Montreal will receive Calgary’s 2025 third-round pick, and the better of Calgary and Florida’s 2026 firsts.

For the Canadiens, who are trying to orchestrate a full rebuild under new general manager Kent Hughes, going after Monahan is a no-brainer. Adding a premium future asset for nothing more than a year of wasted cap space is exactly how you move things along, even though they will have to make some adjustments if Monahan is healthy enough to play after hip surgery earlier this year.

“Healthy enough to play” seems to be the operative phrase in Montreal right now, as their cap situation could vary wildly depending on the status of Carey Price. If the veteran goaltender is placed on long-term injured reserve again, the team would have some added flexibility. If he does play, it will be interesting to see how the Canadiens fit Monahan in.

Regardless, this is likely not a competitive year for the Canadiens, even though they’ve added some young talent, meaning they can take on salary without any real risk. In fact, should Monahan prove healthy enough, he might even be a nice deadline chip for the team to re-sell. While he is cost-prohibitive at his full cap hit, a retained Monahan for the last part of the season could be an attractive target for contenders looking to add some depth.

Carolina Hurricanes Extend ECHL Affiliation

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The Carolina Hurricanes have extended their affiliation with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals through the 2022-23 season, keeping the two organizations together for a second season. Huricanes general manager Don Wadell released a brief statement:

We’re thrilled to continue this partnership, which has been mutually beneficial. The Admirals are a first-class organization and they provide a great environment for our prospects to develop.

While the ECHL isn’t a proving ground for top prospects, it does provide a place for raw draft picks to play big minutes instead of struggling in the AHL. For instance, the Hurricanes sent Blake Murray, a sixth-round pick from 2019 to the Admirals this season, where he racked up 14 goals and 35 points in 64 games. The young forward, who is signed to an entry-level contract, will now try to work his way up through the system after getting a full season of professional hockey under his belt.

Norfolk specifically has plenty of experience with prospect development, given they were an AHL franchise for 15 years.

Pittsburgh Penguins Promote Todd Reirden

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have given Todd Reirden a promotion, elevating him to associate coach, and signed him to a two-year contract extension. General manager Ron Hextall released the following statement:

Todd plays an important role on our coaching staff. He’s had a proven impact on the defensemen and contributes to the coaching staff as a whole with his wealth of knowledge from over a decade as an NHL coach. We are excited to extend his contract.

Reirden has been with the Penguins since 2020, when he was fired as head coach of the Washington Capitals. This is his second stint with the organization, following a run as the head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and assistant with the NHL club between 2008-2014.

Given the big changes on defense in Pittsburgh this year – Jeff Petry, Jan Rutta, and Ty Smith are now in town – Reirden will have his hands full sorting out pairings and responsibilities. If he can get the best out of Petry while pushing Smith back on his previous development path, the Penguins group could be quite formidable.

Minor Transactions: 08/18/22

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While Nazem Kadri has certainly stolen the spotlight today, there will be a handful of smaller moves that are also worth recognizing. As always, we’ll keep track of those notable minor transactions right here.

  • The Ontario Reign have signed Alan Quine to a one-year AHL contract, bringing over the former NHL forward after he spent last season with the Henderson Silver Knights. Quine, 29, last played in the NHL in 2019-20 and has 106 regular season games to his name.
  • One of the players that saw his exclusive draft rights expire this week, Brandon Kruse, has found a one-year AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies. The 2018 fifth-round pick failed to ink an entry-level deal with the Vegas Golden Knights by the deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent.
  • Nikita Popugaev, who once announced his retirement from hockey to pursue life as a social media influencer, has signed with HK Sochi in the KHL. A fourth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2017, his NHL rights are still technically owned by them and will be indefinitely.
  • Logan Day is headed from Lehigh Valley to the Hershey Bears, signing a one-year AHL deal with the latter. The undrafted defenseman had 19 points in 72 games for the Phantoms last season.
  • Lehigh Valley, meanwhile, has re-signed Charlie Gerard to another AHL contract, bringing back the undrafted forward for another year. In 55 games last season, Gerard had six goals and 12 points.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Nashville To Host 2023 NHL Draft, Awards

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The NHL is headed to Nashville. The Predators will host the 2023 NHL Draft and the 2023 NHL Awards next year, the first time the events have been held in the same place since 2006. The award ceremony is set for June 26, while the draft will commence two days later on June 28  (a Wednesday) with the televised first round. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman released the following statement:

We are thrilled to bring two of our marquee events – the 2023 NHL Awards and the 2023 NHL Draft – to Nashville, a special city that certainly knows how to throw a great party. From the 2003 NHL Draft to the 2016 NHL All-Star Weekend to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final to the 2022 NHL Stadium Series game, the city, the Predators organization and the Country Music community have overwhelmed the NHL with their welcome and support every time Nashville has hosted a League event. We cannot wait to return next June to celebrate the stars of our game and introduce the next generation of NHL Players.

The 2023 draft class is expected to be among the best the league has seen in years, with Connor Bedard, Matvei Michkov, Adam Fantilli, Zach Benson, Dalibor Dvorsky, and others looking like star-level talent (if not even better than that). Teams across the league are already trying to set themselves up for the best draft position possible to get a shot at Bedard in particular, who continues to wow audiences with a brilliant shot at the World Juniors, even if his overall impact on the game is limited at such a young age.

The Regina Pats superstar only turned 17 a few weeks ago, meaning he will not even be 18 by the time he is picked by an NHL franchise next summer. The hype by next year’s event will likely be out of control, and in a city known for its event planning, the draft should be a fun time for fans and players alike.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign Cole Guttman

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Aug 18: The team has now officially announced the two-year entry-level contract. It will carry a $950K cap hit.

Aug 17: The Chicago Blackhawks front office certainly isn’t on vacation. After signing Jack Johnson late last night, the team is now expected to sign college free agent Cole Guttman according to Scott Powers of The Athletic.

Guttman, 23, was a draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning but failed to sign his entry-level contract by this week’s deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent. Because of his age, he’ll be limited to a two-year deal.

Serving as captain of the University of Denver, he led the Pioneers to a national championship earlier this year and was tied for second in team scoring with Edmonton Oilers prospect Carter Savoie (behind Bobby Brink of the Philadelphia Flyers). His 19 goals and 45 points were easily career highest, though the 2017 sixth-round pick has put up strong totals throughout his four years in college.

Relatively undersized, Guttman is the kind of no-risk lottery ticket that the Blackhawks can afford to take a chance on as they rebuild. If he’s unable to deliver NHL minutes there’s nothing wrong with him adding some skill to the Rockford IceHogs.

If he can get to the highest level, however, it becomes another young forward for general manager Kyle Davidson to build around, or even potentially a trade chip to sell over the next few years. As we’ve seen so far this offseason, 23-year-old players are not safe from the rebuild machine in Chicago, as they set their sights further down the road.

For Guttman specifically, there’s probably no better place in the league to try and land regular NHL minutes. Signing with Chicago will give him an open path to playing time if he can show he deserves it, allowing his professional career to start on the right foot.

Kyle Turris Joins Coquitlam Express

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It seems as though Kyle Turris has called it quit on his playing days, as the veteran forward has joined the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL as a special advisor to the general manager and player development coach. Turris released the following statement:

The Express organization played a key role in my personal and professional growth. I am excited about having the opportunity to work with Tali and Patrick as they help each player develop individually, while pursuing the Fred Page Cup as a team.

Turris, 33, played just 23 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season, scoring a single goal and registering four points. His offensive touch had disappeared over the last few years, leading the Nashville Predators to execute a buyout of the last four years of his contract in 2020. That buyout will pay Turris $2MM every season through 2027-28, meaning he’ll be nicely compensated even if never plays again.

As he mentions, the Express is the organization that developed Turris years ago (though they were the Burnaby Express at the time) and turned him into the third-overall pick in the 2007 draft. The dynamic forward scored 66 goals and 121 points in 53 games during his final season in the BCHL, before heading to the University of Wisconsin for a year and then entering the NHL.

For his career at the highest level, Turris was actually rather productive, racking up 168 goals and 425 points in 776 games. His best performance was with the Ottawa Senators, where he had three seasons of at least 24 goals and 55 points. Now he will start a new career, giving back some of his knowledge and experience to the next wave of BCHL talent.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Shane Bowers

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Late last night, the Colorado Avalanche re-signed restricted free agent Shane Bowers to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal is worth $750K at the NHL level, and $100K in the minor leagues, according to PuckPedia.

This is something of a show-me season for the young forward, who was selected in the first round five years ago and has still yet to make a real impact at the professional level. While not reaching the NHL by now might not be the end of the world, Bowers hasn’t even been very productive at the AHL level, scoring just 13 goals and 18 points over the last two seasons combined.

Still, there is at least some hope that with a few tweaks he can become at least a regular bottom-six contributor, because of his strong skating ability and NHL size. He’ll likely get that chance at training camp this season as he is now eligible for waivers, meaning if the Avalanche want to send him to the Colorado Eagles again, he’ll be available for any other team in the league.

Waiver status often forces a player into the NHL, but it doesn’t often keep them there. Bowers will have to show that he can bring something to the table every night, or even a claiming team will soon be sending him back to the AHL. Still a restricted free agent at the end of this season, his chances are running out.

New Jersey Devils Promote Sergei Brylin

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The New Jersey Devils have named Sergei Brylin assistant coach for the upcoming season, promoting him from his minor league position. The long-time NHL forward has spent his entire coaching career with the Devils organization to this point, joining the Albany Devils in 2012 as a consultant and working his way up.

That wasn’t his first time with the team though, as Brylin spent all 13 seasons as a player with New Jersey, suiting up 765 times and winning the Stanley Cup on three different occasions. His rise to the coaching staff could have been predicted quite some time ago, though it will finally happen for the hardworking assistant.

Brylin joins Lindy Ruff’s staff alongside Andrew Brunette, Ryan McGill, Chris Taylor, and Dave Rogalski for 2022-23, a season that the head coach has already called a must-win. The Devils’ goal is now to make the playoffs, after turning the corner on their years-long rebuild. The team has made the postseason just once in the last ten years and actually saw their points percentage drop to a modern low of .384 in 2021-22. It’s time to turn that around, and Brylin will try to help as much as he can from the assistant position.

Snapshots: Jets, Kings, Coyotes

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On November 17, the Winnipeg Jets will be honoring two of the greatest players in franchise history (or at least, Jets history, both this iteration and the previous one). Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen will be inducted into the Jets Hall of Fame, joining Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson, Anders Hedberg, Dale Hawerchuk, Ab McDonald, Lars-Erik Sjoberg, Randy Carlyle, and Thomas Steen.

It wouldn’t be right to do it against any other team than the Anaheim Ducks, where Selanne went from incredible youngster to NHL legend. In just 231 games for the Jets, Selanne scored 147 goals, including 76 in his rookie season, a record that has yet to be broken (and is 23 ahead of second place, Mike Bossy). Numminen meanwhile played 547 games for the Jets and continued on with the organization after it moved to Phoenix, playing a total of 1,098 with that franchise. The steady-as-she-goes defenseman was one of the most consistent two-way players in his era, racking up 637 points in 1,372 career games.

  • The Los Angeles Kings have added Andy Johnson to their scouting staff, according to Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. He comes from the Sioux City Musketeers, where he served as general manager for the last three seasons. The Musketeers won the Clark Cup as champions of the USHL this season and have produced plenty of NHL talents including Jake Guentzel, and Max Pacioretty.
  • While there has been positive momentum toward a new arena in Tempe for the Arizona Coyotes, nothing is finalized to this point. Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports details the next step, which includes a presentation to the city council on Thursday that will detail progress made on outstanding issues. Morgan suggests this could be the “home stretch” for the negotiation, while examining those potential issues.

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