St. Louis Blues Extend Robert Bortuzzo, Logan Brown
The St. Louis Blues have had a busy morning, announcing contract extensions with two players. Robert Bortuzzo has inked a new two-year deal that will keep him under contract through the 2023-24 season and carries an average annual value of $950K. Meanwhile, Logan Brown has re-upped for one more year at $750K, the league minimum.
It wasn’t all good news though. The team has also moved Scott Perunovich to injured reserve with an upper-body injury, recalling Dakota Joshua to take his roster spot.
Bortuzzo, 32, has been with the Blues since 2015 when he was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins and has been a loyal soldier in the years since. Never confused for a top-four option, he’s averaged just over 14 minutes over his 341 games with the Blues and recorded just 46 points. Still, that kind of reliable depth on defense is incredibly important, especially when it comes with size–Bortuzzo stands 6’4″ 216-lbs–and physicality. The big defenseman played in 17 games for the Blues in their 2019 Stanley Cup run, actually scoring two goals including a game-winner against the San Jose Sharks.
A two-year deal may normally come with a little risk for a player like him, the $950K cap hit effectively eliminates any. Bortuzzo could be buried in the minor leagues if the Blues run into any cap issues and the two-year term would likely actually help him clear waivers if it was necessary. All this means is that the team’s sixth or seventh defenseman will be a reliable one with nearly 500 games of NHL experience.
Brown meanwhile is in a very different situation. The 23-year-old has just 47 games at the NHL level, 17 of those coming with the Blues since they acquired him from the Ottawa Senators at the beginning of the season. The 6’6″ forward was selected 11th overall in 2016 but has never been able to translate his mix of size and skill to the NHL. There are some signs that is perhaps changing, as he gets a few regular minutes with St. Louis but there is still no guarantee he becomes a reliable full-time member of the lineup.
The win here for Brown is that the contract is one-way, meaning he’ll earn that $750K no matter which league he plays in. To this point in his career he had only been on two-way contracts, and with the amount of time he has spent in the minor leagues, this $750K deal should appear like a windfall. He also gets to play at home, given he’s a St. Louis native that played minor hockey in the area before going to the OHL.
For the Blues, this is just another bet that it will all click for Brown and some insurance for next year as they approach the salary cap ceiling once again. If he can establish himself as a regular, the team can only benefit from having a player on a league-minimum contract in the lineup. If he can’t, it’ll be waivers again, where his cap hit can be buried in the minor leagues.
Mikko Koskinen Placed In COVID Protocol
The Edmonton Oilers got some good news when Mike Smith was activated from injured reserve today but it comes with a downside–Mikko Koskinen has now been placed in the COVID protocol. Jason Gregor of TSN reports that Stuart Skinner will be recalled as the second goaltender with Smith starting tomorrow against the Vegas Golden Knights.
That likely means that it will be Skinner on Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks as the Oilers try to string some wins together coming out of the break. Though Koskinen has seen his fair share of criticism this season, he should also get some serious credit for the run he had going into the break.
Over his last five games, Koskinen went 4-0-1 with a .920 save percentage, essentially saving the Oilers’ season from completely spiraling out of control. With him out, the team will have to hope that Smith–who has played three games since October–and Skinner can hold the fort and get them off to a good start in the second half of the season.
Edmonton is one of the teams with several games in hand at this point, having only played 42 to this point. The condensed schedule really comes quickly, as they’ll play five games by February 15. The worst part of this timing is that it’s added onto the end of the scheduled All-Star break, meaning it will be nearly two weeks from his last game when Koskinen is even eligible to return.
Pionk, Dubois, Poganski Enter COVID Protocol
The Winnipeg Jets need a big second half to climb their way back into playoff contention, but things aren’t off to a great start. As they return from the All-Star break, three players have ended up in the COVID protocol. Neal Pionk, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Austin Poganski are all unavailable to the team as they prepare to take on the Minnesota Wild tomorrow night. The Jets have recalled Declan Chisholm, Ville Heinola, Johnathan Kovacevic, and Kristian Reichel from the Manitoba Moose.
That trio includes two of the team’s most important players in Pionk and Dubois, not a great way to start things up after a week off. The former plays more than 22 minutes a night, just a few seconds shy of Josh Morrissey for the team lead, and the latter is the team’s second-leading scorer with 33 points in 42 games. Given the fact that Nikolaj Ehlers, Logan Stanley, and others are already out with injuries, losing players like these will really test the depth of the Jets for the next few games.
It’s a group of young players that will try to replace them, though that’s quite the task given how inconsistent the rest of the roster has been this season. The Jets are 18-17-7 for the year and have lost eight of their last ten games. For some teams that could even mean raising the white flag and starting to sell off expiring assets, but Winnipeg was expected to not only compete for the playoffs but the Stanley Cup this season. It’s hard to abandon that goal after just 42 games, even though it might have to end up being the eventual decision.
Florida Panthers Sign Mack Guzda
The Toronto Maple Leafs may have been aggressively pursuing Mack Guzda, but they didn’t land him. The Florida Panthers have agreed to terms with the undrafted free agent goaltender to a three-year entry-level contract, winning the sweepstakes that included more than a dozen NHL teams. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a statement on his newest prospect:
Guzda has been a standout goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League this season. We are excited about his growth and are thrilled that he will continue his development in our organization.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and Anaheim Ducks were all included in the teams that had shown interest in the 6’5″ goaltender, who has a .925 save percentage 16 appearances for the Barrie Colts this season. It’s been a steady progression for Guzda, who was a very inconsistent talent in his early OHL years, leading him to go undrafted completely each time he was eligible.
An entry-level deal is more than some late-round picks get though, so he’s already ahead of some of those lucky enough to be selected in the NHL draft. Because of his age, that three-year deal will kick in right away, meaning he’s scheduled for restricted free agency following the 2023-24 season. He recently did a one-on-one with Mark Masters of TSN, explaining what he thinks has led to his breakout campaign:
My dad is a goalie coach for the Seattle Thunderbirds now, so [during the canceled 2020-21 OHL season] I was with him just about every day on the ice. Looking over video, all the goals I gave up over the last couple of years, trying to find any patterns. I was able to rebuild parts of my game, which has helped out a lot.
Of course, the team he decided on certainly doesn’t have a lack of netminding. The Panthers have Sergei Bobrovsky signed to a massive contract that runs through 2025-26 and top prospect Spencer Knight fighting to take over the crease. That said, they also have one of the best goaltenders in NHL history to help his development as Roberto Luongo runs the Panthers’ “goaltending excellence” department. That’s likely a big selling point for a player that is still quite a distance from seeing NHL action and will need more coaching to bring out the most of his potential.
Emil Bemstrom Added To COVID Protocol
The Columbus Blue Jackets have lost another young forward for the time being, as Emil Bemstrom has entered the COVID protocol. The team has recalled Trey Fix-Wolansky under emergency conditions to replace him on the roster.
Bemstrom, 22, has played in just 13 games for the Blue Jackets this season, recording two goals and four points. The fourth-round pick became a top prospect a few years ago when he was dominating in Sweden, and looked like he would quickly become a regular at the NHL level when he recorded 20 points in 56 games during the 2019-20 season. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone smoothly for him since, and now he finds himself fighting for ice time. An absence, however short, won’t help his case.
Fix-Wolansky meanwhile could be making his NHL debut should he get into the Blue Jackets lineup, one that is a long time coming for the 22-year-old forward. A seventh-round pick in 2018, the 5’7″ winger was a dominant offensive presence in the WHL, scoring 102 points in 65 games during the 2018-19 season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He has been excellent in the minor leagues as well, though a torn ACL limited him to just 74 AHL games to this point. In 22 matches this season he has 17 points, once again showing he can drive offense at the professional level. Whether he can do it on a regular basis for the Blue Jackets is another thing entirely but with Bemstrom–along with Alexandre Texier and Eric Robinson–sidelined for the next few games he might get a chance to prove it.
Chicago Blackhawks Interview Jeff Greenberg
The Chicago Blackhawks promised they would be looking outside of the hockey world in their search for a new general manager and they have done just that. The team confirmed today that they have interviewed Jeff Greenberg for their vacant GM position. Greenberg currently serves as assistant GM for the Chicago Cubs, a title he received in 2020 after climbing the ranks from intern to director of baseball operations.
He has been with the Cubs since 2012 and took on a bigger role when Jed Hoyer was promoted from GM to president following Theo Epstein‘s departure. Just a few months ago, the Cubs hired Carter Hawkins as the club’s new general manager, sliding him into the top spot ahead of Greenberg and the other assistants. Greenberg joins interim GM Kyle Davidson, Eric Tulsky, Scott Mellanby, and Peter Chiarelli as the people confirmed to have already interviewed for the position.
That group certainly covers a lot of ground and suggests that the Blackhawks are wide open to hiring someone that hasn’t previously been a general manager in the NHL. Greenberg wouldn’t be the only baseball executive to make the move to hockey in recent years though. In 2019, Ned Colletti was hired by the San Jose Sharks as a pro scout after a long career in MLB front offices.
The connection between the Blackhawks and Cubs, in this case, goes deeper than just sharing a city, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet explained on a recent 32 Thoughts podcast:
Jamie Faulkner, who runs the business empire of the Blackhawks, her husband is an executive vice president of the Cubs, so there is a connection there. I’ve heard he may be involved. If you believe they have to go somewhere different, [Greenberg] would be different.
Jeff Marek, Friedman’s podcast partner, was on Sirius XM Radio this morning and noted that this isn’t the first time a Greenberg has been flirting with an NHL position. Jeff Greenberg’s father Chuck Greenberg was involved in an attempted purchase of the Carolina Hurricanes in the past and is a good friend of Mario Lemieux. While that purchase–and other less notable attempts–didn’t go through, his son could very well find his way into an NHL front office instead.
The Blackhawks have not given a clear timeline on when they expect to name someone to the position, only that there are more interviews scheduled in the coming days. The team is taking an approach not often seen in the NHL, announcing each interview as it is conducted, even for those like Tulsky and Chiarelli who are still working with another organization.
AHL Shuffle: 02/07/22
The NHL is back in action tonight with two matchups, including an Eastern Conference battle between the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs. The two teams both went into the break on long winning streaks and are each 7-2-1 in their last ten. Now that things are back to normal there will be more daily transactions across the league, though now there’s no longer the benefit of having a taxi squad travel around with each team. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
Atlantic Division
- As expected, the Boston Bruins have recalled Oskar Steen and Jeremy Swayman now that we’re back to a regular schedule. The Bruins are still without Tuukka Rask as he deals with his latest injury, meaning it’s Swayman and Linus Ullmark again in the Boston crease.
Metropolitan Division
- The Washington Capitals have recalled Pheonix Copley from the AHL, suggesting that Vitek Vanecek is still dealing with an injury. Copley, 30, has appeared in just one game for the Capitals this season, stopping 21 of 22 shots in a losing effort. The veteran minor leaguer has been good for the Hershey Bears, though, with a 13-7-2 record.
- Josh Leivo has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of tonight’s game, meaning he could be an option against his former team. Leivo was drafted by the Maple Leafs and played parts of six seasons there before getting a bigger opportunity elsewhere. The 28-year-old has three points in five games this season for Carolina.
Central Division
- The Minnesota Wild have recalled Mitchell Chaffee and Kevin Czuczman from the Iowa Wild, while moving Nick Bjugstad and Matt Dumba on injured reserve. Chaffee, 24, has yet to make his NHL debut after signing out of UMass-Amherst and has 13 points in 18 games for Iowa this season.
Pacific Division
- The Edmonton Oilers have activated Mike Smith off injured reserve, recalled William Lagesson from the AHL and sent Olivier Rodrigue back down. The team was always expected to bring Lagesson back, but they’ve also moved Kris Russell to injured reserve as well. Edmonton is back in action tomorrow night against the Golden Knights.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Daniil Miromanov once again, as the Russian defenseman continues to bounce between the AHL and NHL. In 30 games with the Henderson Silver Knights, he has 25 points but is still looking for his first NHL goal.
- The Vancouver Canucks have brought up defensemen Ashton Sautner and Noah Juulsen from Abbotsford of the AHL while also activating blueliner Guillaume Brisebois and sending him down to the minors. Juulsen has played in five games with the Canucks so far this season while Sautner last saw NHL action in the 2019-20 season.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Austin Czarnik Placed On Waivers
The New York Islanders have placed Austin Czarnik on waivers according to CapFriendly, as teams return from the All-Star break. The move suggests he’s ready to return to action after going on injured reserve last month. After clearing earlier in the season, he has spent enough time with the NHL club to require waivers again before being assigned to the AHL.
Czarnik, 29, has five points in 11 games with the Islanders this season despite averaging fewer than 11 minutes in his limited appearances. The 5’9″ forward has always been an excellent minor league scorer–his 15 points in 20 games this season is actually a step down from his usual rate–but has had trouble landing a regular gig in the NHL. In 2018-19 he played in 54 games for the Calgary Flames but has suited up just 23 times since then.
While he did clear at the beginning of the season, Czarnik actually is an interesting waiver case at this point in the season as teams deal with injuries and illnesses. He can obviously hold his own at the NHL level and actually comes with a cap hit–$725K–lower than the league’s minimum salary. His recent injury certainly complicates that, but he did see NHL action as recently as January 22.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Eichel, Blue Jackets
The NHL has released the Three Stars for last week, and because that included the All-Star game, Claude Giroux has been given the top honors. The Philadelphia Flyers captain did record four points in two games before heading to Las Vegas, where he won the All-Star MVP. The speculation over whether Giroux stays in Philadelphia through the trade deadline continues, with the veteran forward explaining that there is still a lot of time left before those decisions need to be made.
Second and third place went to two players who weren’t at the event, as Mitch Marner and Mason Marchment took home second and third respectively. The Toronto Maple Leafs star had seven points in the two games before the break, scoring three more goals to keep his streak alive. While Marner isn’t known as a goal scorer, he now has tallied in each of his last six games and 14 on the year. Marchment, meanwhile, had a six-point effort on the last day of January, taking him to 23 points in 22 games this season. An undrafted forward that the Maple Leafs then Florida Panthers developed, the 6’4″ Marchment has learned to impact the game in almost every capacity.
- Jack Eichel was on the ice at Vegas Golden Knights practice today and he was no longer wearing a non-contact jersey according to Jesse Granger of The Athletic. The injured forward still wasn’t practicing in the top-12, skating on a reserve line with Nolan Patrick and Michael Amadio, but it’s a good sign that he could be back in the coming days. Head coach Pete DeBoer suggested as much at the All-Star game, exciting Golden Knights fans and sending the rumor mill swirling again with how the team will clear the cap space.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have moved Jake Bean, Eric Robinson, and Alexandre Texier to injured reserve, recalling Brendan Gaunce from the AHL under emergency conditions. All three players are dealing with long-term injuries that were announced over the past few weeks and aren’t expected back for a little while. The placements on IR are all retroactive as well–Bean to January 30, Robinson to January 31, and Texier to January 26.
Vancouver Canucks Place Quinn Hughes In COVID Protocol
Another high-profile name is unavailable as teams return from the All-Star break, as the Vancouver Canucks have placed Quinn Hughes in the COVID protocol. Players were due for one more round of testing as they rejoined teammates regardless of symptoms, and now Hughes has joined the likes of his brother Jack Hughes, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Evgeni Malkin in the protocol.
General manager Jim Rutherford has already confirmed to Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV that Hughes will miss the next three games at least, and the team hopes to have him back on February 17 against the San Jose Sharks.
Despite the Canucks struggles for most of this season, Hughes is having another outstanding offensive campaign with 34 points in 45 games. Incredibly, he’s averaging more than 25 minutes a night for the club and even set a high of 31:07 in an overtime game against the Calgary Flames. The smooth-skating defenseman is the most important skater on the team and will be desperately missed over the next week.
Vancouver is back in action tomorrow night against the Arizona Coyotes as they try to climb their way back into the Pacific Division playoff picture. Currently sitting at 20-20-6, decisions will soon have to be made on what to do with several trade candidates.