Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Declan Carlile
The Tampa Bay Lightning have brought in another undrafted talent, this time on defense. PuckPedia reports that Declan Carlile has signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, one that will kick in for the 2022-23 season. The contract carries a cap hit of $855K, and ends Carlile’s collegiate career after three seasons at Merrimack. Carlile will report to the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL on an amateur tryout for the rest of this season.
Carlile, 21, had an interesting junior career before heading to college, one that took him through the OJHL and USHL, playing for various teams. The 6’2″ defenseman turned in an impressive freshman campaign with Merrimack in 2019-20 but like many others, had a year to forget with the COVID-restricted 2020-21 season. He was back to full strength this year and scored seven goals and 24 points in 35 games, earning a Second All-Star Team bid in Hockey East.
Though he would eventually go undrafted, it’s not like Carlile was a completely under-the-radar prospect. He ranked 176th among North American skaters in 2018 and did get drafted into the OHL by the Oshawa Generals, though decided on the NCAA route instead. Now an effective player at both ends of the rink, he’ll jump into a Lightning organization that is known for polishing the rough edges of a prospect and squeezing NHL minutes out of unexpected places. With a contract in hand, he’ll be the next project for the Tampa Bay development staff.
Minnesota Wild Acquire Tyson Jost
The Colorado Avalanche are getting their trades done ahead of Monday’s deadline, this time dealing Tyson Jost to the Minnesota Wild. The Avalanche will receive Nico Sturm in return, opening up another chunk of cap space for any future moves.
Jost, who turned 24 just yesterday, never did quite fulfill his potential in Colorado. In parts of six seasons and more than 300 games, the 2016 tenth-overall pick set career-highs of just 12 goals and 26 points while hardly ever finding himself in the top-six. A part-time center, he has just six goals and 14 points in 59 games this season and his possession metrics have cratered.
It will be interesting to see where he fits into the Minnesota lineup, but the Wild aren’t just buying a rental here. Jost is signed through 2022-23 at a $2MM cap hit and will still be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent at the end of his current deal. At the very worst he’ll be another bottom-six option for head coach Dean Evason to try and fit into the right spot, but perhaps he can bring even more to the table when he’s not stuck behind some of the other more offensively talented forwards in Colorado.
In Sturm, the Wild aren’t giving up a ton, especially given he was signed as an undrafted college free agent a few years ago. The 26-year-old has nine goals and 17 points in 53 games this season and can provide some size to the Colorado lineup while only costing $750K against the cap. That’s the clear win here for the Avalanche, who have cleared a good bit of room that they can then use on someone else. Sturm had been scratched the last few games in Minnesota and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so this is no long-term play by the Avalanche. Still, the team did release a statement on their newest player:
Nico is a big, strong forward who also brings a heavy defensive presence. He is a defensive-minded center who can chip in offensively, is good on draws and can contribute on the penalty kill. We would like to thank Tyson for everything he has brought to our team over the last five seasons, not just on the ice, but in the generous and impactful work he has done throughout the community.
With an extra $1.25MM shaved off their books, Colorado general manager Joe Sakic is now primed to make an even bigger splash than the Josh Manson acquisition from yesterday. Rumors continue to swirl around Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who is slated to play in his 1,000th game on Thursday, though there are other high-priced targets that the Avalanche could now target. No matter who it is, it’s obvious that Sakic is willing to push his chips into the middle this season and go for the Stanley Cup with one of the most talented rosters in the NHL.
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Snapshots: Kallgren, Poehling, Smith
The Toronto Maple Leafs will have Erik Kallgren in net tonight when they take on the Dallas Stars, giving the 25-year-old goaltender his first start as they desperately look for an answer between the pipes. With Jack Campbell hurt and Petr Mrazek playing his way out of town, Kallgren–a seventh-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2015 who signed with Toronto after playing the last two seasons overseas–has a chance to show what he can do at the NHL level.
With so much uncertainty around the Maple Leafs’ goaltending situation, the team might have been looking across the rink at the Stars net for an answer had some complicating factors not occurred in the last few days. Braden Holtby, who was considered by many to be a top trade deadline candidate, is dealing with a minor injury while third-string netminder Anton Khudobin is now out for the year. As Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tweets, it is “safe to say” that Holtby will remain with the Stars through the deadline as Dallas chases down a playoff berth.
- Ryan Poehling will be out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, the Montreal Canadiens announced today. Poehling took a hard shot from Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Justin Braun over the weekend and exited the game. Though he still hasn’t contributed a ton of offense, Poehling looked like he was finally finding his stride in the NHL as a big-bodied center, a progression that will now be halted as he deals with this injury. The 23-year-old first-round pick has five goals and 12 points in 45 games this season.
- Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith has been medically cleared according to team reporter Walt Ruff, though he is still dealing with some pretty scary effects. Smith suffered a fractured skull and is still dealing with partial hearing loss in one ear after taking a puck in the head last month. Smith and fellow injured defenseman Tony DeAngelo both skated today for the Hurricanes.
Montreal Canadiens To Scratch Ben Chiarot As Deadline Approaches
The Montreal Canadiens, perhaps influenced by the recent injury to Jakob Chychrun, have decided to protect their prized trade deadline asset and will scratch Ben Chiarot for tonight’s match according to several reports including Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.
It should come as no surprise that Chiarot will be traded, as his name has been in the rumor mill basically from the moment the season began. The 30-year-old defenseman is in the final season of a three-year, $10.5MM contract signed in 2019 and carries a cap hit of just $3.5MM. That number, especially if the Canadiens retain a portion of it, is one that many of the league’s top contenders could fit into their salary structure at this point in the season.
While he usually doesn’t bring much offensive upside, Chiarot has actually showcased extremely well for the Canadiens of late, racking up six points in his last five games (and nine in his last nine) including a two-goal effort against the Calgary Flames earlier this month. He’s now averaging more than 23 minutes a night on the season a number that has only gone up in recent games when he’s been averaging close to 25. Beyond all he’s done in the regular season, there’s one thing that is still driving the market for the Canadiens’ big defenseman–his play in last year’s postseason.
There is a perception that Chiarot, alongside Shea Weber and often playing with Philip Danault, was a huge part of the team’s Cinderella-like run to the Stanley Cup Finals. The length, physicality, and toughness of Chiarot are considered a perfect mix for the playoffs, though there are also a few misconceptions about his play last year. In the 285 minutes he played beside Weber at five-on-five, Chiarot’s results were great, allowing just nine goals against despite some tough matchups. But his numbers away from the Canadiens’ captain absolutely plummeted, to the point where Montreal was actually outscored 23-16 with Chiarot on the ice overall at even strength.
That should at least raise a bit of concern for contenders looking to pay a hefty price to add the defenseman, especially since this season, again without Weber, the Canadiens have been outscored 59-40 at even strength with Chiarot on the ice. A big part of that is the overall strength of the team and the tough defensive deployment he faces nightly but he’s also not a lock to improve a team’s play, at least not at the first-round pick cost that has been discussed.
Yesterday, a player in a similar situation–Josh Manson of the Anaheim Ducks–was dealt for a second-round pick and a top prospect. If Chiarot’s bringing back something like that for the Canadiens, it would make sense why he’s being pulled from the lineup. The risk of injury is too great, especially given the recent scare they had when he suffered a minor issue.
Montreal has three games left before the trade deadline, but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic notes that trade talks have picked up in recent days. If he is finished in a Canadiens sweater, Chiarot will leave with 17 goals and 46 points in 164 regular season games.
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Anton Khudobin Undergoes Surgery
March 15: The team has now officially announced the surgery, which was a right hip arthroscopy and labral repair. It took place yesterday and Khudobin was given a six-month recovery timeline.
March 14: Veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin last played in a competitive game on January 29, when he suited up for the Texas Stars. He was brought up to the NHL a few days later under emergency conditions but hasn’t played since being returned to the minor leagues the next night. Saad Yousuf of The Athletic wrote today that an update on Khudobin was expected in the next few days, but his colleague Pierre LeBrun may have beaten the team to it. LeBrun tweets that Khudobin is undergoing hip surgery today, with an official update coming tomorrow.
If it is a surgery that ends Khudobin’s season, the Dallas Stars have suddenly gone from an organization overflowing in NHL-caliber netminders to one that could have a lack of depth at the position. Braden Holtby is now dealing with a lower-body injury, forcing the team to recall 22-year-old undrafted free agent signing Adam Scheel to backup starter Jake Oettinger. Scheel has never played in the NHL and has split this season between the AHL and ECHL.
With Khudobin out of the picture, LeBrun suggests that Holtby–even when healthy–might end up off the trade market as the Stars continue to fight for the playoffs. The team is just one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card spot, but have played four fewer games than them to this point. Moving Holtby would leave the team in a very vulnerable position, putting the entire postseason hopes on Oettinger (albeit capable) shoulders.
For Khudobin specifically, one has to wonder whether hip surgery will spell the end of his playing career. The 35-year-old netminder has one season left on the three-year contract extension he signed in 2020 and carries a $3.3MM cap hit, but had been pushed mostly to the minor leagues this season. In nine appearances with Dallas he has posted an .879 save percentage and now likely faces a long rehab. The Stars already went through a situation like this with Ben Bishop this season, with the veteran trying to work his way back only to end up calling it a career following one appearance in the minor leagues. Hopefully, Khudobin doesn’t suffer the same fate, but it’s hard to see a way that he makes another considerable impact for the Stars moving forward.
AHL Shuffle: 03/15/22
After the NHL had just one game on the schedule last night, it’s back to a full slate of games on Tuesday with 22 teams in action. That includes a battle between two up-and-comers in the Anaheim Ducks and New York Rangers, both of which could be Stanley Cup contenders in the next few years. The Ducks, after some early season success, have fallen back to the pack and now look like sellers at the deadline, while the Rangers remain in the mix thanks to some outstanding goaltending and timely goal scoring. As those teams and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- With Ryan Poehling out indefinitely, the young forward has been moved to injured reserve. In his place, the Montreal Canadiens have recalled Jesse Ylonen from the AHL. Ylonen, 22, has two points in eight career NHL games since being drafted 35th overall in 2018.
Metropolitan Division
- The Washington Capitals, without the services of Lars Eller as he deals with a positive COVID test result, have recalled Mike Vecchione from the AHL. The 29-year-old Vecchione was once a highly sought-after college free agent but hasn’t played in the NHL since 2017 when he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. This season he has taken his minor league game to a new level, scoring 36 points in 43 games for the Hershey Bears.
Central Division
Pacific Division
- The Calgary Flames have sent Connor Mackey back to the AHL, while recalling Adam Ruzicka. The swap of a defenseman for a forward suggests that Oliver Kylington could be ready to return after missing the last two games due to injury. Ruzicka, 22, has five goals and nine points in 23 games this season for the Flames.
- As expected, the Los Angeles Kings have made several recalls, bringing Martin Frk, Austin Strand and Christian Wolanin back from the AHL. Frk, a minor league superstar, actually has two goals in three games with the Kings this season.
- With Jason Dickinson being placed on injured reseve, the Vancouver Canucks have recalled Nic Petan from the AHL. Petan, 26, is having another outstanding season in the minors, with 44 points in 37 games for the Abbotsford Canucks.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Latest On Marc-Andre Fleury
The trade deadline frenzy got off to a nice start yesterday when the Colorado Avalanche sent two pieces to the Anaheim Ducks for Josh Manson. In Chicago, the Blackhawks are set to join the ranks of sellers as new general manager Kyle Davidson starts in on the rebuild that he recently promised. Front and center among any discussion of the Blackhawks’ deadline plans is Marc-Andre Fleury, who sits as arguably the best goaltender (potentially) available in the next few days.
Greg Wyshynski of ESPN gave his thoughts on Fleury today, explaining that though he still would bet that the goaltender doesn’t move before Monday’s deadline, it’s now close to a 50-50 shot. It’s unclear what kind of market there even is for Fleury at this point but Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers of The Athletic write that Chicago’s price tag is actually a first-round pick, perhaps even with an additional prospect attached. That’s a pretty hefty fee for a netminder who was acquired for essentially nothing in the offseason and would certainly be considered a coup for the new management group.
Obviously, that price change is due to the fact that an acquiring team no longer has to carry Fleury’s full $7MM cap hit this season, especially if the Blackhawks were willing to retain a portion. As we saw yesterday with the Manson trade, the fact that the deadline is so late in the season, combined with a 50 percent salary retention, can make a player cost very little against a contender’s cap.
The question for many will be, what does Fleury actually bring to the table? The 37-year-old goaltender is the reigning Vezina winner, but has been extremely inconsistent this season behind a struggling Chicago defense. In 43 games, he has a .908 save percentage and has allowed almost a full goal more per game than his career-defining 2020-21 campaign.
Likely a Hall of Fame goaltender when he finally hangs up his pads, there’s no one that questions the experience and character that Fleury brings to the table. Not only does he rank high on the regular season goaltending lists, but he’s also played 162 games in the postseason, winning three Stanley Cups. Perhaps one more shot at a championship would be interesting for him–and it does sound like it’s up to him where he’ll go or whether he’ll move at all–but the Blackhawks aren’t going to just give him away without getting something of real value.
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Colorado Avalanche Acquire Josh Manson
The Colorado Avalanche were rumored to be preparing for a big move, and a big move they have made. The Avalanche have acquired Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round draft pick. The Ducks are retaining half of Manson’s remaining cap hit.
When it was announced over the weekend that Gabriel Landeskog is going to undergo surgery and Samuel Girard will be out at least a month, there was an immediate buzz around the Avalanche. Moving either of those players to long-term injured reserve would open up some significant cap space for Colorado to make an addition at the trade deadline. While they may not even be done, adding Manson show just how serious the Avalanche are this season as they chase the Stanley Cup.
In fact, even without moving players out the Avalanche can fit in Manson given the salary retention. The 30-year-old defenseman carries a $4.1MM cap hit in the final season of a four-year, $16.4MM contract signed in 2017. By keeping half, it makes Manson a relatively inexpensive financial asset for the Avalanche with just a small chunk of the season remaining.
A move like this also shines some light on what the market prices are like around the league, as even with the retention the Ducks were unable to secure a first-round selection. While the second-round pick is a good one–especially in 2023, a draft that is being heavily targeted in trade talks–the most interesting part of this trade might be the inclusion of Helleson. Selected 47th overall in 2019, the 20-year-old right-shooting defenseman has turned into a star at Boston College and recently took part in the Olympics for Team USA. Helleson still needs to be signed to an NHL contract after his college career comes to an end, but the Ducks very well could have found a direct replacement for Manson in the deal–one that is a decade younger.
Notably, Manson also held a 12-team no-trade clause, so he had some control over his deadline situation. New Ducks GM Pat Verbeek had been clear recently that while he hoped to re-sign his big pending free agents, if he wasn’t able to there would be no hesitation in trading them away. That’s in spite of the fact that Anaheim has been better than expected this season and could potentially still make the playoffs; Verbeek has a bigger prize than just the postseason on his mind when making deals like this.
Manson himself has taken a bit of a step backward in recent seasons, but is a prototypical playoff-style defenseman, always looking to use his physicality to wear down the opponent. He doesn’t provide nearly the same kind of offensive upside that a player like Girard brings, but he’ll immediately add some depth, toughness, and defensive acumen to the Avalanche group.
Kevin Weekes of NHL Network broke the news, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet confirmed the salary retention and draft pick details.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On John Klingberg
One of the names talked about most this season when it comes to trade bait is John Klingberg, the long-time Dallas Stars defenseman and a pending unrestricted free agent. Klingberg hasn’t made any progress with the Stars on an extension and had previously been given permission to speak to other teams around the league about a potential fit.
If the Stars had planned on trading him, they likely are pretty grateful they waited, now that Miro Heiskanen is out indefinitely following a mononucleosis diagnosis. In the games since Heiskanen left the lineup, Klingberg has logged the following ice times: 26:41, 25:31, 23:36, 22:15. Not exactly a player you can easily replace if the Stars’ young defenseman doesn’t return soon.
Still, Saad Yousuf of The Athletic writes that Heiskanen’s absence is “not a deciding factor” and that the team hasn’t completely closed the door on a trade, even if it has become more unlikely. The Stars would be looking for a package that wasn’t exclusively future assets though, according to Yousuf, wanting a player who they could plug into the lineup immediately if any deal is reached.
That’s certainly not an easy move to make, and on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Jeff Marek of Sportsnet–who has been on the Klingberg story from the beginning–talked about how difficult it would be for the Stars to give up a player when they’re this close to the playoffs. The team is now one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights with four games in hand, and still in the race for a Central Division spot beyond that. Marek confirms that there have been teams chasing the pending free agent (including the Carolina Hurricanes at one point) but that he is probably “too valuable” at this point for Dallas.
All Klingberg has done in his past three games is put up five points, taking his season total to 31 through 50 games. Despite the short stint on the third pairing, missed games, and the trade rumors swirling around him, the 29-year-old is still on pace for a 45-point season. If he hits that market, it would be for the sixth time in his career. The biggest thing Heiskanen’s absence might affect is the dollar figure on Klingberg’s next deal. A stretch run playing 25 minutes a night on a playoff contender certainly won’t hurt his market this offseason.
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Snapshots: Draft Capital, Juniors, Anderson
When it comes to acquiring rentals at the trade deadline, the most used currency is draft picks. Dozens of picks usually change hands, with several first-round selections being tossed around to try and give teams the best chance at the Stanley Cup. This year has an interesting “wrinkle” according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, who reports that 2023 selections are seemingly preferred over 2022 picks at the moment.
There’s no doubt that the excitement around next year’s draft is palpable. Not only is there Connor Bedard and Matvei Michkov at the very top (though the latter’s status is a bit complicated by the recent change in the NHL-KHL relationship) but an early feeling that 2023 will be an impressive draft well into the middle rounds. That opinion manifested in a recent trade between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Arizona Coyotes. In it, the Maple Leafs surrendered a conditional pick that is either a 2023 third or 2025 second. Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong even explained at the time that they believed 2023 would be a very strong draft, and that they would take that pick if “the player is there” when the turn comes up.
- There soon may be another league for scouts to visit, as Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reports that an announcement on a new junior hockey league based on the west coast is expected tomorrow. The league, yet unnamed, is backed by four NHL franchises and spearheaded, according to Kennedy, by Ben Robert, founding partner of West Coast Hockey Sports and Entertainment. The league would potentially give players from the area an alternative to the USHL or CHL.
- Craig Anderson is expected to generate some “tire kicking” according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, though the insider notes that it is likely up to the veteran goaltender on whether he goes or stays. Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman also touched on Anderson in the latest 32 Thoughts podcast for Sportsnet, explaining how much the Buffalo Sabres have appreciated his leadership this season. Anderson, 40, has a .907 save percentage in 18 appearances this season, winning career game number 301 on Sunday at the Heritage Classic.