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Ross Johnston Signs Four-Year Extension

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The New York Islanders have locked up a key depth player, signing Ross Johnston to a four-year contract extension. The 27-year-old forward was set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, the final year of his previous four-year deal. Chris Johnston of TSN reports that the deal will carry an average annual value of $1.1MM.

Johnston certainly may not be a household name, but he is extremely well-liked in the Islanders organization and obviously a player they value. The 6’5″ 232-lbs bruiser has only played in 87 regular season NHL games to this point but gets into a handful every year for the team whenever they need to add some size to the lineup. In those games, he has recorded seven goals and 15 points, while racking up 202 penalty minutes.

His current deal carries an average annual value of $1MM, making him an easy player to bury in the minor leagues if necessary. The length of this new deal, just like his old one, would likely also scare off any teams from claiming him on waivers should he end up there. For most, a player like Johnston would be difficult to justify, but the Islanders have built a four-line system that incorporates very specific skillsets in specific situations that they believe allow them to carry part-time players like this that offer no offensive upside.

It’s not often that you see a player with this kind of profile land a four-year contract, but Johnston has now done it twice.

Stan Bowman, Al MacIsaac Leave Blackhawks Organization

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The Chicago Blackhawks have released the findings of an investigation into allegations of sexual assault by Brad Aldrich in 2010 when he was employed as a video coach with the team. As a result of the investigation, general manager Stan Bowman has “stepped aside” from the organization, admitting he made a mistake in 2010. Senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIssac has also left the organization.

The Blackhawks have also been fined $2MM by the league for “inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response in the handling of matters related to former video coach Brad Aldrich’s employment with the Club and ultimate departure in 2010.” Half of that amount will be dedicated to fund local organizations that provide counseling and training for, and support and assistance to, survivors of sexual and other forms of abuse.

Bowman, 48, joined the Blackhawks in 2005 as director of hockey operations and was named general manager in 2009. He was given the title of president of hockey operations in 2020 after previously serving as senior vice president. He retained the title of general manager and conducted a drastic overhaul to the roster over the last few months, bringing in players like Marc-Andre Fleury, Seth Jones, Jake McCabe, Caleb Jones, Tyler Johnson, and Adam Gaudette. That roster will now be inherited by Kyle Davidson, who will be serving as interim general manager as the club searches for a new front office leader.

Not only was Bowman in charge of the Blackhawks, but he also served as general manager for the U.S. National Team that is set to take part in the 2022 Olympics. Bowman has stepped down from that position as well. No replacement has been named.

At the time of the incident, in which Aldrich is alleged to have sexually assaulted two players during the 2010 playoffs, a meeting was reportedly held between skills coach Paul Vincent, then team president John McDonough, Bowman, MacIsaac, and sports psychologist James Gary, with Vincent reporting the incident and asking management to take it to the Chicago police. According to Vincent, who spoke with Rick Westhead of TSN, they refused.

In the press conference today, former assistant US attorney Reid Schar, who conducted the investigation, revealed that there was a meeting between MacIsaac, Bowman, McDonough, Gary then assistant general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, then executive vice president Jay Blunk, and then head coach Joel Quenneville where the allegations were discussed, though accounts of the meeting “vary significantly.” After being informed of the incident, no action was taken for three weeks. The investigation also found that Blackhawks ownership was not aware of the allegations until this year. Cheveldayoff and Quenneville have previously denied knowing about the allegations.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will meet with Cheveldayoff, currently the general manager of the Winnipeg Jets, and Quenneville, head coach of the Florida Panthers, to “discuss their roles in the relevant events.” It is not clear if they will receive additional punishment from the league. He also explains that if the four executives linked to the decision–Bowman, McDonough, Blunk and MacIsaac–wish to re-enter the league in some capacity, they will need to meet with Bettman before accepting any NHL-related position to determine “the appropriate conditions under which such new employment might take place.”

McDonough informed the team’s human resources director after the 2010 playoffs, and Aldrich was given the option to undergo an investigation or resign. He resigned that June. McDonough, who had been with the team since 2007, was fired in 2020. No executive involved in the 2010 incident will remain with the team.

139 witnesses were interviewed during the investigation, including the player who initially filed a lawsuit against the team earlier this year and some current Blackhawks players. The full report can be read here.

Alexander Volkov Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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Oct 26: Volkov has cleared waivers and will see his contract terminated.

Oct 25: For the second time this season, Anaheim Ducks forward Alexander Volkov finds himself on waivers. After clearing regular waivers and being assigned to the San Diego Gulls, he’s now on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Volkov, 24, signed a one-year, $925K contract with the Ducks this season after a trade brought him to Anaheim from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The young forward has shown flashes of brilliance in the AHL and NHL over the years, but hasn’t been able to stay consistent enough to earn a full-time role at the highest level. In 18 games last season for the Ducks he registered eight points, but will now exit the organization after failing to earn a job out of camp.

After a contract termination, Volkov will become an unrestricted free agent and come completely off the books for the Ducks. That means he could sign with another NHL organization, though often these transactions are done because a player has a job lined up overseas. If Volkov heads to the KHL, for instance, it likely won’t be the last time his name is mentioned in regard to the NHL. He’ll be a free agent option down the road because of his relative youth and potential, even if he is unlikely to ever become an impact player at this point.

Two Players Clear Waivers

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Oct 26: Both players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the AHL.

Oct 25: While Alexander Volkov is on unconditional waivers today, two other players have been placed on regular waivers. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Kyle Criscuolo of the Detroit Red Wings and Cory Schneider of the New York Islanders are available for claim.

In Criscuolo’s case, this would have likely been done at some point during training camp had he not been dealing with an injury. The 29-year-old forward was never really a candidate for the NHL roster, given he hasn’t even played a game at that level since the 2017-18 season. He is however a strong minor league option, who had 11 goals and 19 points in 29 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins last season. It’s very unlikely that Criscuolo will be claimed, meaning he’s headed back to Grand Rapids to make his season debut in the coming days.

For Schneider, his placement on waivers likely indicates that Semyon Varlamov is ready to return to the active roster. The veteran goaltender is nothing more than the third option for the Islanders, and hasn’t even actually played yet this season. Signed to a two-way deal, he too is very unlikely to be claimed unless a team believes he can be an upgrade while they deal with their own goaltending injuries.

Schneider is an organizational piece for the Islanders and is tied for the highest AHL salary this season at $500K. Even for the Bridgeport Islanders he is not expected to be the starter, instead just helping insulate young netminder Jakub Skarek–who has a .933 save percentage through his first four games–and provide the Islanders with an experienced professional to call up whenever necessary.

Ryan O’Reilly Placed In COVID Protocol

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The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t the only team dealing with COVID-related absences. Today, the St. Louis Blues announced that Ryan O’Reilly has joined Brandon Saad in the COVID protocol while recalling Dakota Joshua from the AHL to take his place on the roster.

The team did not confirm whether O’Reilly has tested positive, but head coach Craig Berube did tell reporters that the captain is expected to miss at least ten days, suggesting that he has a confirmed case. The veteran center played 19:04 last night against the Los Angeles Kings, registering a point in the 3-0 win. Saad meanwhile hasn’t played since last Wednesday, and has now also been moved to the non-roster list.

St. Louis is scheduled to take on the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night, a team that both O’Reilly and Saad are very familiar with. Both played for Colorado in the past and will be sorely missed if they are unavailable to the Blues. The team is then scheduled to welcome the Blackhawks on Saturday, though with so many Chicago players on the COVID protocol, it’s unclear who will actually be on the ice for them.

Jonathan Toews, Henrik Borgstrom Added To COVID Protocol

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The Chicago Blackhawks have been dealing with several COVID-related absences lately, and you can add a new pair of names to that list. Jonathan Toews and Henrik Borgstrom will not practice today as they have been added to the protocol. Patrick Kane, Ryan Carpenter, and Erik Gustafsson had previously missed practice, and while the latter two were cleared before Sunday night’s game, Riley Stillman, Jujhar Khaira and several assistant coaches all joined Kane.

Importantly, just because Toews and Borgstrom are in the protocol, it does not mean they have tested positive for coronavirus. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list are the following:

(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol.

Toews and Borgstrom will not be able to participate in practice today, but as we’ve seen several times this season already, there’s at least the potential of their return before Wednesday’s game if their test results come back negative. It is unclear at this point when that will be known. For now, Kane, Toews, Borgstrom, Stillman and Khaira are unavailable to head coach Jeremy Colliton as they prepare for the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night.

Morning Notes: Penguins, Toews, Blackhawks

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will still be without several top players as they welcome the Tampa Bay Lightning this evening. Sidney Crosby has been ruled out once again, despite joining the optional morning skate today. Jeff Carter remains asymptomatic and should join the group at the end of the week, but Kris Letang is experiencing symptoms, meaning he’ll be out a little longer. Vaccinated players must remain out for at least ten days if they have tested positive and are experiencing symptoms. Letang’s positive test result was confirmed yesterday, meaning he’s still out indefinitely.

Those absences–along with Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust, who are also dealing with injury–certainly haven’t slowed down the Penguins. Their early-season success shouldn’t really be much of a surprise, as Mike Sullivan has routinely found a way to win even with his best players on the sideline. Luckily, the Penguins are also in the midst of an eight-game homestand, and won’t have to hit the road until November 9 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

  • Devon Toews was cleared for controlled contact yesterday, according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, and the defenseman is on the ice today at the Colorado Avalanche morning skate. His return is not imminent, but it’s a good sign to see Toews back on the ice with the rest of the team, even at an optional skate. The Avalanche aren’t off to the start they hoped for at 2-3 and with Samuel Girard now expected to miss a little bit of time, they could certainly use Toews back in the lineup. The team will welcome the rival Vegas Golden Knights this evening who are going through a slow start of their own.
  • Caleb Jones and Wyatt Kalynuk, both currently on injured reserve, were on the ice before the Chicago Blackhawks started practice today, according to Tracey Myers of NHL.com. The young defensemen would certainly be a welcome sight for the Blackhawks, who have allowed 27 goals through six games and incredibly not held a lead for a single second this season. Neither player is expected to return in the coming days, with Jones not even eligible for activation until he’s missed ten games given his LTIR designation. Still, it’s good to see both on the road to recovery after unfortunate preseason injuries.

AHL Shuffle: 10/26/21

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Seven more games on the schedule around the NHL tonight, including the Seattle Kraken’s second home game. The team is expected to do something to honor the 1917 Seattle Metropolitans, who won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Montreal Canadiens, their opponent tonight more than 100 years later. As always, we’ll keep track of any minor moves made today right here.

Atlantic Division

  • After just one day on the AHL roster, Oskar Steen and Jack Studnicka have been recalled by the Boston Bruins. This type of “paper transaction” can be done whenever the Bruins have an off day in order to accrue cap space throughout the season, since both players are still waiver-exempt.

Metropolitan Division

  • Though the Pittsburgh Penguins announced Kasper Bjorkqvist’s recall yesterday, it didn’t actually go through until today. The 2016 second-round pick is on the ice at an optional morning skate today, alongside Sidney Crosby and many other Penguins forwards. Bjorkqvist has yet to make his NHL debut and spent most of last season with KooKoo in Finland.

Central Division

  • The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Jacob MacDonald from the AHL, suggesting that Samuel Girard won’t be available tonight. MacDonald is a worthy replacement though, who played in 33 games for the Avalanche last season and is a dominant force at the minor league level. Once again he’s off to a good start with the Colorado Eagles, scoring four points in his first four games.
  • Reinforcements at every position are arriving to Arizona. The Coyotes have recalled Barrett Hayton, Cam Dineen, and Ivan Prosvetov after incurring several injuries on Monday night.

Pacific Division

  • The Vancouver Canucks have recalled Justin Bailey from the Abbotsford Canucks, as Justin Dowling is moved to injured reserve. Bailey, 26, has played 68 games at the NHL level in his career, including three last season for the Canucks. He has just five goals and nine points in those matches.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have made several changes to their roster. Veteran forward Brendan Lemieux has been activated to the roster, while sending three players down to the AHL. Arthur Kaliyev, Rasmus Kupari, and Austin Strand have been reassigned to the Ontario Reign, providing quite a boost to the farm roster.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Snapshots: Wilson, Three Stars, Cash

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Last year, Colin Wilson opened up in a piece for The Players’ Tribune, explaining that he had been dealing with untreated obsessive-compulsive disorder throughout his career. He was trying to educate young players on the importance of mental health and the risks that a professional career brought him.

Today, Wilson released an addendum titled “Addiction” in which he fully admits his addiction to drugs, use of Ambien and cocaine, and hopes to spread increased awareness following the recent fentanyl-contributed death of former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes. Wilson’s new piece is a worthwhile–if difficult–read for all sports fans.

  • The league has announced the Three Stars for last week, with Kyle Connor taking home top spot after racking up five goals and eight points in three games. The point total was the same for Connor McDavid, who was the week’s second star, while Ilya Sorokin posted an outstanding .971 save percentage with two shutouts to earn third place. Sorokin was the first Islanders’ goaltender to post shutouts in consecutive days as he held the fort while Semyon Varlamov recovered from injury.
  • One of the greatest sled hockey players of all time has announced his retirement, as Steve Cash will end his playing days after 16 seasons in goal for the U.S. National Team. Cash has three Paralympic Winter Games gold medals (and a bronze), eight World Championship gold medals, and lost just 16 games in regulation during his more than 150 starts for Team USA.

AHL Shuffle: 10/25/21

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Seven games grace the NHL schedule this evening, including the defending champs taking on the early season success story in Buffalo. With so many teams in action, there should be several transactions that will be covered here.

Atlantic Division

  • The Boston Bruins have returned Oskar Steen and Jack Studnicka to the AHL, with two days off before playing later this week. The Bruins can save some cap space by sending their two young forwards down, both of whom are still waiver-exempt.

Metropolitan Division

  • Nick Seeler is on his way back up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers who play Wednesday in Edmonton. Ryan Ellis is currently day-to-day and is a game-time decision, meaning the team needed some insurance for the Western Canada road trip.
  • The New York Rangers have assigned Morgan Barron to the AHL, suggesting that one of their injured forwards is ready to return. The team is set to take on the Calgary Flames this evening, looking to continue their strong start.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Kasper Bjorkqvist, giving them an extra forward while Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bryan Rust remain out. The 24-year-old Bjorkqvist has yet to make his NHL debut and has just three goals in 15 career AHL contests.

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned Sonny Milano and Sam Carrick to the AHL, after almost a week with the big club. The Ducks are home from their road trip, meaning the San Diego Gulls are right around the corner if they need any further call-ups and can afford to keep players at the minor league level in between game days.
  • One of the top prospects of the Vegas Golden Knights could be getting his first look at the NHL level. The team has announced that defenseman Kaedan Korczak has been recalled from the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. There has been no indication yet whether Korczak, the 41st overall pick in 2019, will suit up for the Knights on Monday, but the promising young blue liner will cherish his first recall either way.

This page will be updated throughout the day

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