Los Angeles Kings Sign Andreas Athanasiou
December 29: The Kings have officially announced the Athanasiou contract, which comes in at the one-year, $1.2MM terms that were reported. The speedy forward will be a restricted free agent again when the deal expires.
December 28: The Los Angeles Kings are getting faster. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Andreas Athanasiou is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Kings, giving him a place to play with training camp just a few days away. Friedman adds the salary is expected to be around $1.2MM.
Athanasiou, 26, is one of the most exciting and yet frustrating players in the NHL, all at the same time. The fourth-round pick has incredible speed and skill, which resulted in a 30-goal season during the 2018-19 campaign, but too often tries to do it all himself or fails to capitalize on the talents of his linemates. Last season, his fifth with the Detroit Red Wings, he scored just ten goals and 24 points and was a -45 before a midseason trade took him to the Edmonton Oilers. The hope was that his speed could fit in beside Connor McDavid, but Athanasiou quickly found himself pushed down the Oilers lineup and he recorded just two points in 13 games for the team.
In the offseason, Edmonton decided to not even extend Athanasiou a qualifying offer, despite trading two second-round picks (and Sam Gagner) for him just a few months earlier. That decision was because of the $3MM salary the offer would have carried, but it still was a surprising move given the draft capital they had shelled out to acquire him. Now, after a long wait, Athanasiou will finally get a chance to prove that he can still be an effective weapon at the NHL level.
There’s no doubt that he can score, but it’s hard to know exactly how to best maximize Athanasiou’s talent. In Los Angeles, it seems unlikely that he would be a good fit beside slower veteran names like Anze Kopitar or Jeff Carter, but perhaps he could form a lightning-fast trio with Adrian Kempe and Austin Wagner. No matter where he fits in, it’s a worthwhile gamble for a team looking to turn things around after a few poor seasons.
Like some of the other late-offseason signings, Athanasiou also represents a potential deadline trade chip. If he receives an opportunity on the powerplay or starts the season hot, maybe the Kings can cash in for a couple of draft picks of their own.
Latest On Vince Dunn
The St. Louis Blues have some gymnastics to pull off at the start of the regular season, moving players to long-term injured reserve and finalizing contract details with Mike Hoffman, who agreed to a professional tryout for the time being. They also have another contract to finish, this time with restricted free agent Vince Dunn who remains unsigned currently.
On the Dunn front, progress is being made according to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest, who tweets that the negotiation will get done in time for training camp. Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports something similar, tweeting that Dunn’s agent told him that the defenseman would be in training camp when it opened.
Technically Dunn too could sign a tryout agreement to get into camp with the Blues if they need to wait out the cap complexities, but it’s great news for St. Louis fans that were worried about their young RFA. The 24-year-old has turned into quite the player over the last few seasons, recording at least 23 points in each of his three years in the NHL despite averaging just over 17 minutes a night.
That number could increase with Alex Pietrangelo gone, though newcomer Torey Krug figures to take over the PP1 duties for the Blues. Ten of Dunn’s points (including four of his nine goals) came with the man advantage last season.
Coming off his entry-level contract, Dunn was still not eligible for salary arbitration and doesn’t have a ton of leverage if he wants to play this year.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Devin Shore, Ryan Stanton To Professional Tryouts
The Edmonton Oilers are bringing some veteran players to training camp, signing both Devin Shore and Ryan Stanton to professional tryouts.
Shore, 26, spent the first part of last season with the Anaheim Ducks before a deadline deal sent him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Sonny Milano. In all, he ended up playing 45 games and recording 12 points, but did also suit up for two postseason matches in the bubble. A veteran of nearly 300 NHL games, Shore’s best offensive production came back in 2016-17 with the Dallas Stars when he scored 13 goals and 33 points.
Stanton meanwhile has a lot less NHL experience but has been a pro for a decade now. The 31-year-old defenseman first hit the AHL in 2010 after going undrafted and has 120 games at the NHL level, mostly with the Vancouver Canucks. Last season he spent the entire year with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, scoring five points in 36 games.
While Stanton seems an unlikely candidate for much NHL time, he does have experience with the Oilers organization. Before playing for Ontario, he spent two years with the Bakersfield Condors. That could be where he ends up even if he earns an NHL contract in camp. Shore though could potentially be a depth forward for the Oilers, or perhaps a taxi squad player capable of stepping into the lineup in a pinch. He’ll have to earn that NHL deal to do it, but given his history it’s certainly not out of the question.
Kalle Kossila, Jean-Sebastien Dea Clear Waivers
December 29: Kossila and Dea have both cleared waivers.
December 28: Today is the first day for the playing season waiver period and two teams have already taken advantage of it. Kalle Kossila of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jean-Sebastien Dea of the Buffalo Sabres have both been placed on waivers according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.
Kossila was recently loaned to EHC Munchen by the Maple Leafs, where he has played two games so far. The fact that he has now been placed on waivers likely confirms that he will not be returning to North America for training camp, at least not until things start up for the AHL. The 27-year-old forward has played in 19 NHL games over the years, all of them coming with the Anaheim Ducks. Last year he was limited by injury to just 12 appearances for the Toronto Marlies, meaning this season is something of a comeback for the former St. Cloud State star.
Dea meanwhile signed a two-year, one-way deal with the Sabres in 2019 but played just three NHL games with the team last season. With some new faces coming into Buffalo his chance to make the roster always seemed slim and this move likely confirms he will not be there when games start in a few weeks. The 26-year-old did have 39 points in 57 games for the Rochester Americans last season, so he would still be an asset to the AHL organization if minor league games get underway.
Both players will be available to the rest of the league, but neither seems likely to be claimed at this point.
Chicago Blackhawks Issue Medical Update On Jonathan Toews
The Chicago Blackhawks have issued an update on the status of Jonathan Toews, who will not be participating in the upcoming training camp. Toews himself explains that this offseason he has felt “drained and lethargic” and does not have a timetable for his return. Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman released this statement:
Jonathan’s health is our top priority as he deals with this medical issue. The Chicago Blackhawks organization and our medical staff will provide all necessary resources to help him return to playing hockey. While he will not report to training camp on January 3 and will be out indefinitely, we will continue to support him as he is an important part of our family. I’ve been in regular communication with Jonathan recently and will continue that as he takes care of his health.
It is not clear at all what is happening to Toews, but the team will issue further updates as they learn about his condition.
This is the third forward the team has lost in the last few weeks, following major surgeries to Kirby Dach and Alexander Nylander that will likely keep them out the entire season. Hopefully, Toews, the team captain and face of the franchise, will be able to return before long. He is asking for privacy as he focuses on his health and recovery.
Morning Notes: Toews, Mehta, Stuetzle
The Chicago Blackhawks will already miss Kirby Dach for a good chunk (if not all) of the season and might be without their captain as well. Jonathan Toews will miss training camp and the start of the season due to an illness according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and Darren Dreger of TSN, with an official statement from the team expected at some point today.
The Blackhawks are off to a horrible start to the upcoming season if Toews is held out for any serious length of time and it leaves them scrambling for center depth. Dylan Strome, the likely candidate to step into the top-line role, isn’t even signed yet and remains a restricted free agent with just a few days until camp starts. Hopefully, Toews can return before long.
- The Florida Panthers have hired Sunny Mehta as Vice President of Hockey Strategy & Intelligence, bringing in one of the forefathers of hockey analytics. Mehta was one of the first real leaders in the analytics space, serving as Director of Hockey Analytics for the New Jersey Devils from 2014-2018. An interesting resume also includes time as a professional poker player and consultant for several MLB organizations.
- Though it shouldn’t come into play this season, the entry-level contract for Tim Stuetzle does include a European Assignment Clause that could send him back to Mannheim in Germany if he doesn’t crack the Ottawa Senators roster. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports that the DEL squad asked for it to be included and waited to make sure the NHL would actually play before releasing the young forward. Stuetzle, who is logging huge minutes for the shorthanded German team at the World Juniors, is expected to step directly onto the NHL roster when the tournament concludes.
Buffalo Sabres Sign Riley Sheahan To PTO
The Buffalo Sabres left a few spots open on the training camp roster they released yesterday and now at least one of them will be filled by a veteran forward. Riley Sheahan has agreed to a professional tryout for the Sabres and will attend training camp in a few days.
Sheahan, who is amazingly still only 29, feels like he’s taken a lap around the entire NHL in the last few seasons. The 6’3″ center has played for four different teams since the start of the 2017-18 season, suiting up for the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, and Edmonton Oilers. He’ll now try to continue his circuit in Buffalo, though an NHL contract is far from a sure thing.
Never a top offensive player, Sheahan has still produced solid seasons over the years as a bottom-six center that can penalty kill and doesn’t drown you at even-strength. That said, a team looking for a playoff spot likely needs more than the handful of goals that he’ll provide. Over the past two seasons, Shehan has just 17 goals and 34 points in 148 games.
The Sabres have plenty of added depth up front, but a name like Sheahan might still be useful as a taxi squad player that can come in and out of the lineup when injury strikes. He’d need an NHL deal for that and to clear waivers, but that may not be a problem given the restricted market free agents are dealing with.
Edmonton Oilers Sign Ethan Bear
Late last night, the Edmonton Oilers were finally able to get their young up-and-coming defenseman under contract, signing Ethan Bear to a new two-year deal. The contract will carry an average annual value of $2MM through the 2021-22 season, leaving Bear a restricted free agent once again in two years’ time.
The 23-year-old broke out last season, suiting up in all 71 games for the Edmonton Oilers and logging nearly 22 minutes a night for the team. That earned him a tenth-place finish in the Calder Trophy voting, though he was continually overlooked thanks to some other incredible rookie defensemen in the Western Conference. While Bear may not be at the same level as Cale Makar, he’s still an extremely important piece for the Oilers to build around on the back end.
With Oscar Klefbom out for the entire upcoming season, Bear will be asked to do even more for the Oilers this season. Sure, the team has added Tyson Barrie as a powerplay quarterback and Slate Koekkoek as a depth option, but neither one seems like a long-term fit. Instead, Bear and other youngsters like Philip Broberg and Evan Bouchard will make up the next core of defenders for the Oilers, should they all fulfill their potential.
With Bear under contract, the Oilers have now finished all of their restricted free agent negotiations but find themselves slightly over the salary cap ceiling. Klefbom’s hit can be moved to long-term injured reserve to add some more flexibility, though the team will likely attempt to be compliant (under the $81.5MM cap ceiling) on opening day to maximize the relief of that move.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Kirby Dach Suffers Injury, Will Miss 4-5 Months
December 28: The prognosis is in and the news isn’t great for the Blackhawks and their fans. Chicago has announced that Dach has undergone surgery on his fractured right wrist and the timeline for recovery is four to five months. According to the NHL’s revised 2020-21 schedule, only the earliest possible return would allow Dach to play in the regular season and even a potential playoff run might be out of the question if there are any delays to his recovery. Most likely, the Blackhawks will be without their young standout this season.
December 24, 11:30am: McKenzie adds to his report, tweeting that Dach suffered a fracture but more testing will be needed before deciding if surgery is needed. Speculating on the length of time Dach will miss, McKenzie suggests that a 4-8 week timeline would be for a normal fracture but if surgery is required it could be “considerably longer.”
December 24, 9:30am: Team Canada has lost its captain. The Chicago Blackhawks may have lost their young star. After taking an awkward hit yesterday during a pre-tournament game, Kirby Dach has been ruled out for the World Junior Championship according to Bob McKenzie of TSN. Though team doctors are still assessing the injury and the team has not yet officially announced it, McKenzie tweets that not only will he miss the WJC but Dach is also expected to miss NHL time.
This is a worst-case scenario for everyone involved. Team Canada has enough forward power to replace Dach and still be a favorite, but this is exactly the reason that some teams don’t want their top prospects going to an international tournament so close to the NHL season. Dach of course missed the event last year because he was already a full-time roster piece for the Blackhawks, but the team gave him the chance to go this year and wear the “C” for his country. Now, not only will Dach not get to play in a WJC, but he is going to miss some of his sophomore NHL season as well.
Blackhawks camp starts in just over a week, with games scheduled to start in three weeks’ time. We’ll have to wait and see how long Dach is out for, but given how effective he was in the postseason bubble, this is a big blow for Chicago. As an 18-year-old rookie, Dach scored 23 points in 64 games for the Blackhawks last season but came into the bubble even better, recording six points and generally looking like one of the most dangerous players on the ice in Chicago’s nine games.
Of course, the Blackhawks also announced that Alexander Nylander would miss several months yesterday after knee surgery, meaning two of the team’s young forwards are out for the time being.
Minor Transactions: 12/28/20
Training camp is just a few days away and things are heating up in the hockey world. With waivers open and rosters being announced, minor transactions will come fast and furious all across the league. We’ll keep track of them right here.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have released their training camp roster, which will include Jordan Nolan as reported earlier this month. The veteran forward signed an AHL deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins but will attend camp on a PTO trying to earn an NHL contract. Nolan, who last played in the NHL during the 2018-19 season, scored 27 points for the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL last year.
- The Buffalo Sabres have also released their camp roster, which will not include Casey Nelson. The team has confirmed that Nelson has opted out of the upcoming season. The team also has a few extra spots open, likely leaving room for World Junior players like Dylan Cozens to join after their tournament ends.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled five players from the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. Patrick Harper, Tanner Jeannot, Tommy Novak, Cole Smith, and Josh Wilkins have all been brought back up, presumably to attend the Predators training camp in the coming days. The quintet, who are all signed to NHL deals, helped the Everblades get off to an easy 5-0 start this season, outscoring their competition 25-7.
- Previously reported professional tryouts for Scott Darling and Kevin Connauton with the Florida Panthers have been confirmed. Both will attend training camp in an attempt to land an NHL contract with the team. The Panthers of course were actually the team to execute a buyout on Darling’s last contract after a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes, which means he’s already on their books for around $1.2MM for the upcoming season. That number won’t go anywhere, even if he does sign a new deal with the team.
- T.J. Brennan hasn’t played in an NHL game since 2015-16, but he has managed to land an NHL contract in each of the four seasons since then. That streak has come to an end now though. Swiss club HC Thurgau has announced a one-year deal with Brennan, a major move for a club whose defense has been thinned by injury. The accomplished AHLer should immediately become one of the top players for Thurgau, who plays in the second tier Swiss League.
- After just one full year in the NHL on his entry-level contract, forward Ryan Kuffner is making the move overseas. The Princeton product has signed with ERC Ingolstadt of Germany’s DEL, the club announced. Kuffner joins a team that rosters several other familiar AHL veterans and the young forward should be a good fit. Whether he produces at a level that warrants a second look in the NHL however remains to be seen.