Taxi Squad Shuffle: 04/05/21
There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:
West Division
- The Los Angeles Kings have moved Matthew Villalta back to the AHL, recalling Troy Grosenick and Sean Durzi to the taxi squad once again. Durzi looked poised to make his NHL debut over the weekend but instead had to watch again and wait patiently while the Kings move players in and out. The 22-year-old defenseman has 13 points in 24 games for the Ontario Reign this season.
North Division
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Alex Formenton and Filip Gustavsson from the taxi squad as they prepare for action tonight in Winnipeg. The team is coming off an impressive win in Montreal on Saturday night and now actually sit just five points out of fifth in the North.
Central Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have moved Liam Foudy back to the taxi squad after their listless performance against the Panthers last night. There were high hopes for the 21-year-old Foudy this season, but he has just three points in 16 games and is still looking for his first NHL (regular season) goal.
- After a huge win over the Lightning yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings have moved Frans Nielsen, Michael Rasmussen, and Givani Smith to the taxi squad. The Red Wings always do this on off days to save some cap and cash with players that have cleared or are ineligible for waivers. Several, if not all three, will be back up tomorrow.
- The Dallas Stars have moved Landon Bow, Nicholas Caamano and Ty Dellandrea to the taxi squad, while sending Colton Point to the AHL. Point is no longer needed because Anton Khudobin has been activated from the COVID protocol.
East Division
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned Radim Zohorna and Drew O’Connor to the taxi squad, pushing Maxime Lagace to the AHL to make room. Zohorna, 24, was a great story last month when he scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game, but has just one other appearance.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Samuel Morin and Shayne Gostisbehere from the taxi squad. When Gostisbehere cleared waivers recently, the Flyers explained that it was more about roster flexibility than punishing him for poor play. He’ll make his return to the lineup tonight against the Bruins.
- The Buffalo Sabres have added Arttu Ruotsalainen to the taxi squad, sending Jean-Sebastien Dea to the Rochester Americans. Ruotsalainen has 13 points in 13 games with the Amerks this season, his first in North America after several outstanding years in Finland.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Nashville Predators Sign Grant Mismash
The Nashville Predators have signed Grant Mismash to a two-year entry-level contract that will begin in the 2021-22 season, following his senior season at the University of North Dakota. Mismash actually could have become an unrestricted free agent had he waited until August, but will sign with the team that picked him back in 2017.
Mismash, 22, was a second-round pick back then, coming out of the U.S. National Team Development Program where he played alongside names like Josh Norris, Quinn Hughes, and Brady Tkachuk. Instead of turning pro at any point, he spent all four years at UND, developing his game and becoming a leader for the program. This season, he scored 10 goals and 19 points in 20 games on a team loaded with future NHL talent and joins several teammates in signing his ELC.
The Predators are dying for a little more homegrown offensive firepower, but it likely won’t come from Mismash. His role in the NHL is likely as an agitating bottom-six option that will only chip in a goal every now and again. That can still be a valuable piece, especially if his penalty-killing skills can continue to develop, but the young forward is unlikely to be an impact offensive player at the next level. Last summer, Scott Wheeler of The Athletic suggested a player like Scott Laughton would be Mismash’s ceiling but noted that he would have to prove himself in the AHL first.
Poll: Where Will Kyle Palmieri Be Traded?
The writing is on the wall in New Jersey, where the Devils have pulled Kyle Palmieri from game action. His agent says it is in “anticipation of a trade” in the coming days, meaning he is going to be on the move before the April 12 deadline.
But where will he end up? Palmieri is one of the most attractive rentals on the market, coming off five straight seasons with at least 24 goals. While his numbers are down this season, he still has 17 points in 34 games which tied him for third among Devils forwards heading into today’s action (Travis Zajac and Jack Hughes broke that tie with points in the afternoon game).
The fact is no one on the Devils has been that effective offensively this season, suggesting that Palmieri could potentially regain his goal-scoring form if added to a contender at the deadline. Whether those contenders can afford him is another story.
With a $4.65MM cap hit, Palmieri isn’t the easiest player to fit in under a flat salary cap. Sure, the Devils could retain up to half of that deal, but that likely drives the cost of acquisition up even further. He also holds a modified no-trade clause which allows Palmieri to block deals to eight clubs, though it is unclear which teams are on it or whether he would be willing to waive it.
So where do you think he’ll end up? Cast your vote below and explain your thoughts in the comments down below.
[Mobile users click here to vote]
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/04/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:
Dallas – Anton Khudobin
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux, Matt Roy
Montreal – Joel Armia
Ottawa – Jacob Bernard-Docker, Shane Pinto
Vancouver – Travis Boyd, Thatcher Demko, Alexander Edler, Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Jayce Hawryluk, Braden Holtby, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers, Antoine Roussel, Brandon Sutter, Jalen Chatfield*, Marc Michaelis*
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is 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
Players removed today: Jake Debrusk, Boston Bruins; Eric Staal, Montreal Canadiens
Two more names have been added to the Canucks list, meaning 16 of the 22 players on the active roster are now in the COVID Protocol. There are also taxi squad members and several coaches that have tested positive. Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports that so far, no support staffers have tested positive.
*denotes new addition
Kyle Palmieri Held Out In Anticipation Of Trade
Last season when the New Jersey Devils were getting closer to a trade of Taylor Hall, they kept the winger out of the lineup to ensure he didn’t suffer an injury. The Devils will do it again as Kyle Palmieri will not dress tonight due to “precautionary reasons.” Palmieri’s agency Bartlett Hockey confirms that the move is made “in anticipation of a trade” in the coming days.
Just last night, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweeted that Palmieri and the Devils were trying to hammer out a last-minute extension, but that things were trending toward a trade of the veteran winger. That seems to be the decision now with just over a week before the trade deadline and Palmieri heading to unrestricted free agency at the end of the year.
The 30-year-old winger has 17 points in 34 games this season and has recorded at least 24 goals in each of the last five years. That kind of consistent offensive production will be very attractive to contenders in need of a boost in the top-six, as long as they can fit in his salary. Palmieri carries a $4.65MM cap hit, though the Devils could retain up to half of that to maximize the return.
Of note, Palmieri also has an eight-team no-trade clause (which James Mirtle of The Athletic believes includes the Toronto Maple Leafs) and could have some say in the upcoming discussions.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On Vancouver Canucks COVID Situation
The Vancouver Canucks had 14 players on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list yesterday, but the positive tests won’t end there. Darren Dreger of TSN tweets that there are now more than 20 combined players and coaches that have tested positive. Emily Kaplan of ESPN reports that “more than half” of the Canucks’ players have tested positive and some are in “rough shape.” There is some dispute to the exact number though, as Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province tweets that the number of positive cases is actually under 20.
Despite whether or not the number is above or below 20, things are certainly not going well for the Canucks. The team is still technically scheduled to play on Thursday against the Calgary Flames, but that game (and the one on April 10) are unlikely to be played. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet even spoke last night about a remote possibility that the Canucks don’t play again this season, though that is a worst-case scenario.
Because of this and other situations, the NHL is discussing another playoff bubble according to Friedman. It is “not what anybody wants” according to the Sportsnet insider, but the league is still preparing contingencies.
The COVID protocol list will be updated later this evening and several new names are expected to be added to the Canucks list.
Trade Deadline Primer: Philadelphia Flyers
We are now less than two weeks away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Philadelphia Flyers.
After the first ten games of the season, the Flyers were 7-2-1. Another ten made it 12-5-3. This seemed like the year they would really compete for an East Division crown and step into the limelight as a Stanley Cup contender. But over the last month, things have continued to trend downwards and after being the team to finally break the Buffalo Sabres losing streak, the Flyers deadline position isn’t at all clear.
Record
17-14-4, 5th in East Division
Deadline Status
Hesitant buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$4.94MM in full-season space ($6.84MM at the trade deadline), 0/3 retention slots used, 50/50 contracts used per CapFriendly.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2021: PHI 1st, PHI 2nd, PHI 3rd, PHI 4th, PHI 6th, PHI 7th
2022: PHI 1st, PHI 2nd, PHI 3rd, PHI 4th, PHI 5th, PHI 6th, PHI 7th
Trade Chips
The first name that will be brought up is Shayne Gostisbehere, the recently-waived defenseman that still excites the imagination of hockey fans everywhere other than Philadelphia. The 2016 Calder Trophy runner-up set a career-high with 65 points in 2017-18 but has seen his effectiveness and role plummet ever since. There are still flashes of absolute brilliance from the 27-year-old defenseman but his contract, which carries a $4.5MM cap hit through the 2022-23 season makes it hard to live with his turnovers and poor defensive decisions. That contract also got him through waivers, but perhaps if the Flyers retained some salary he could still be a valuable trade piece.
Still, it seems more likely that teams would be after different players on the Flyers roster, including rental forward Scott Laughton. The 26-year-old Laughton is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, has just a $2.3MM cap hit, and is starting to generate some interest among the deadline speculators.
If the struggles continue for another week and they end up selling (a strategy that our Brian La Rose would already be taking), Erik Gustafsson is an easy flip to a contender that is looking for a little more depth on the back end.
Others to watch for: F Michael Raffl ($1.6MM, UFA), D Derrick Pouliot ($700K, UFA), F Nicolas Aube-Kubel ($1.075MM through 2021-22)
Team Needs:
1) Top-4 Defenseman: There’s no getting around it, when Matt Niskanen retired suddenly before the season began, Philadelphia’s plans were disrupted. The team has never really been able to fill his spot in the lineup and desperately needs a partner for Ivan Provorov. Those kinds of defensemen are not available very often, especially if they come with any term on their contract. That’s why the Flyers were immediately linked to Mattias Ekholm when his name started being thrown around, but with another Nashville Predators win today it’s hard to see them selling their talented defenseman.
Even if the Flyers believe in their team, a real fix in that top-four spot will be difficult to find at the deadline and may have to wait for the offseason.
2) Middle-six scorer: With Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick both still trying to find their way after long absences, the Flyers haven’t been able to find that consistent goal-scoring from their third line. Adding a player that can put the puck in the net at even-strength and help on one of the powerplay units would certainly make them more dangerous. With prospects coming, a rental is probably the play here if the Flyers are buying at the deadline.
3) Veteran goalie: This is a bit of a tough spot given how much faith the team still has in Carter Hart to be a franchise starter, but no team is going to compete in the NHL with an .877 save percentage from their goaltenders. That’s the number Hart and Brian Elliott have combined for this season, meaning the team could certainly afford to bring in someone else to stabilize the crease down the stretch.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Colorado Avalanche Sign Sampo Ranta
The Colorado Avalanche are already one of the most dangerous offensive units in the NHL and now they’re adding another talented forward to the organization. Sampo Ranta has signed his three-year entry-level contract and will immediately report to the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.
Ranta, 20, is coming off an exceptional junior season with the University of Minnesota where he scored 19 goals and 31 points in 31 games. The 2018 third-round pick (78th overall) has developed into an absolute freight train of a player who routinely barrels down the wing with excellent speed and can drive the puck to the net or beat goaltenders clean from distance with his impressive shot.
While there is still a lot of polish needed to his overall game, there’s no doubting Ranta’s ability to put the puck in the net. He may be best used in a bottom-six role in the future, but he’s a legitimate NHL prospect joining an organization filled with talent. After convincing Alex Newhook to turn pro just a few days ago, the pipeline has received quite the boost in young talent recently.
Ottawa Senators Sign Max Guenette
The Ottawa Senators have had quite a busy few days. After inking some top college prospects, the team has added another young player to the mix today, signing Max Guenette to a three-year entry-level contract. The contract will start in the 2021-22 season as the young defenseman is currently playing for the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on the signing:
Maxence is a strong puck moving defenceman who absorbs a lot of ice-time for his team in Val-d’Or, the QMJHL’s top ranked team this season. He maintains good vision, hockey sense and puck skills. We’re especially pleased to already see some significant strides he’s made since being drafted.
Selected 187th overall in 2019, the 19-year-old Guenette has developed nicely over the past two years. While he doesn’t come with the same profile or potential as some of the other top prospects in the Senators system, he’ll join what has become a deep pipeline of talent and try to make his mark next season. As he’ll turn 20 later this month, Guenette will be eligible for the AHL in 2021-22.
Had he not signed by June, the Senators would have lost Guenette’s exclusive draft rights. Given where they are on the rebuild window, they can’t afford to give up any young prospects that could add value to the organization.
COVID Protocol Related Absences: 04/03/21
Each day, the NHL will publicly release the list of players that are unavailable to their respective teams due to being in COVID-19 Protocol. Here is the list for today:
Boston – Jake DeBrusk
Dallas – Anton Khudobin*
Los Angeles – Brendan Lemieux, Matt Roy*
Montreal – Joel Armia, Eric Staal
Ottawa – Jacob Bernard-Docker*, Shane Pinto*
Vancouver – Alexander Edler, Adam Gaudette, Travis Hamonic, Braden Holtby, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen, Antoine Roussel, Travis Boyd*, Thatcher Demko*, Jayce Hawryluk*, Bo Horvat*, Tyler Motte*, Tyler Myers*, Brandon Sutter*
As a reminder, inclusion on this list does not mean that a player has tested positive for Coronavirus or even that they have been confirmed as a close contact to another positive person. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the list is 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
Players removed today: Brandon Hagel, Chicago Blackhawks; Zach Parise, Minnesota Wild
It’s another brutal day for the Canucks, who are up to 14 players now after several more positive test results. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic points out, even that number doesn’t include the taxi squad player and three coaches that have also tested positive. Team activities are currently shutdown through April 6, but that certainly seems optimistic at this point. The Canucks next game, scheduled for April 8, is obviously up in the air at this point with so many of their players in the protocol.
Hagel comes off after just one day, but there are a few other new names today including Khudobin, who tested positive for the coronavirus in the offseason. The two young Ottawa players are in the protocol after traveling from the U.S. following their college seasons.
*denotes new addition