Montreal Canadiens Trade Marco Scandella
Another defenseman is on the move. The Montreal Canadiens have traded Marco Scandella to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick and a conditional 2021 fourth-round pick. If Scandella re-signs or the Blues win two playoff rounds, the Canadiens will receive the fourth. Otherwise, they will only get the second. Montreal will also retain 50% of Scandella’s $4MM cap hit.
This kind of a return is huge for the Canadiens, given that they only paid a fourth-round pick to get Scandella in the first place. That move came just over a month ago, when the Buffalo Sabres moved the defenseman and flipped the return for Michael Frolik. Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that Montreal GM Marc Bergevin did try to extend the pending UFA, but Scandella wanted to wait until the end of the season to discuss any contract.
Even with Shea Weber returning tonight for the Canadiens, Montreal’s chances to make the playoffs this season are slim. After a promising start, injuries and inconsistency has plagued the team making any expiring contracts trade bait. Scandella could be just the first sent out of Montreal in the coming week.
For the Blues, they add a depth defenseman with plenty of experience on the penalty kill. As the team prepares to defend their championship, they needed another reliable option on the blueline after losing Jay Bouwmeester. Scandella is exactly that, especially in the limited role he’ll have to play in St. Louis.
The 29-year old Scandella has logged big minutes in the past for the Minnesota Wild, with all of his playoff experience also coming there between 2013-2017. With Alex Pietrangelo, Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk soaking up minutes for the Blues, Scandella will be asked to give them a penalty kill boost and some hard action in the defensive zone.
Brenden Dillon Traded To Washington Capitals
2:46pm: Ten minutes later, Dillon has been traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick and a conditional 2021 third-round pick. San Jose has retained 50% of Dillon’s cap hit. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that in the event the Capitals win the Stanley Cup, the 2021 third-round pick will become Arizona’s 2020 third, which the Capitals previously acquired.
2:36pm: Another defenseman on an expiring contract was dealt today in Dylan DeMelo, and his former partner may be next. Brenden Dillon is on the trade market in San Jose, and according to Frank Seravalli of TSN the Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues have shown interest.
David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review Journal tweets that the Sharks are looking for a second-round pick and a prospect for Dillon, though it’s unclear how the return of DeMelo may affect that ask. The Ottawa Senators received just a third-round selection for their own rental, while the New Jersey Devils received a second for Andy Greene.
Dillon, 29, became emotional when he was recently asked about the possibility of a trade and is almost undoubtedly moved by the deadline. He is a physical defenseman that can move the puck well enough to be a contributor on any contender, and has 60 games of playoff experience with the Sharks over the last four seasons. All four of those teams referenced have their eyes not only on the playoffs but a long run once they get there, something that always requires more defensemen than you expect.
Unlike DeMelo however, Dillon comes with a cap hit of $3.27MM which makes him a more complicated move. For many of the contenders pushed right up against the cap they’ll need San Jose to retain some of the salary, only increasing the return.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Winnipeg Jets Acquire Dylan DeMelo
The Ottawa Senators have traded Dylan DeMelo to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2020 third-round draft pick. This begins the selling season for the Senators, who are expected to move several players before the upcoming deadline. Winnipeg immediately moved Luca Sbisa to injured reserve, while Ottawa recalled Andreas Englund.
After the New York Islanders spent a second-round selection to acquire Andy Greene recently, the market for rental defensemen seemed to be set fairly high. That bar won’t be hit by the Senators who have settled for a lower pick, though they’ll happily add it to a huge number of selections they have over the next two years.
In this year’s draft the Senators now own two first-round selections (their own and San Jose’s, both headed for the lottery), three second-round selections and two third-round selections. That’s seven picks in the top hundred, and when you consider that they have three seconds again next year there will be plenty of talent infused into the Senators’ prospect system over the next while.
DeMelo is likely also just the first name that Ottawa will move this month. Mikkel Boedker, Vladislav Namestnikov, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Tyler Ennis, Ron Hainsey, Mark Borowiecki and Craig Anderson are all set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, while younger players like Chris Tierney, Connor Brown and Anthony Duclair are all pending restricted free agents that could bring back value as well. That’s a ton of options for GM Pierre Dorion to move, though the team does need someone to keep playing for them down the stretch.
The 26-year old DeMelo is actually quite a shrewd pickup for the Jets, who have had trouble finding much stability on the blueline all season. The former San Jose Sharks defenseman carries just a $900K cap hit on his expiring deal and has actually been excellent for the Senators. With ten points in 49 games he isn’t going to light up the scoresheet on a regular basis, but DeMelo consistently recovers pucks in his own end and sends play the other way. His versatility will come in handy for a Jets team trying to scrape their way into the playoffs, and a third-round pick is a more than reasonable return for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to give up.
If the Jets decide to try and re-sign DeMelo, it would be the first time this season that he receives a contract offer. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that though the defenseman’s representatives did discuss an extension with the Senators, they never received an official offer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Brock Boeser Out Eight Weeks
Today while talking to reporters about the Tyler Toffoli acquisition, Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning explained that Brock Boeser will be out for eight weeks after the team discovered his injury is more serious than originally thought. That could mean Boeser is out for the rest of the regular season, though he will not require surgery. Benning also suggested that Josh Leivo and Micheal Ferland will both be out for the rest of the season.
Even though they should be used to it, Boeser’s absence is still a huge blow to the Canucks’ hopes down the stretch and into the playoffs. Their 22-year old sniper has now suffered major injuries in all three of his NHL seasons, ending with totals of 62, 69 and 56 games played. That’s hard for every hockey fan to accept, given the brilliance Boeser has shown whenever healthy.
In 196 career games, the University of North Dakota product has scored 75 goals, a 31-goal pace if extrapolated to a full 82 game season. His 161 points during that time similarly sets a strong pace, and he had clearly taken up the mantle as a star for the Canucks.
Though this news hurts the Canucks’ chances, it also does open up some interesting possibilities at the deadline. Not only did the team add Toffoli to the mix, but they can now put Boeser, Leivo and Ferland on long-term injured reserve to open up a ton of cap space. Even if Boeser and Leivo return at some point during the playoffs, the team can still us that extra space to add bodies. Of course, any additional trades the team makes will have to be considered thoroughly given the Canucks’ precarious position in the Pacific Division. They currently sit in third place but are only one point ahead of both the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes.
Injury Notes: Bouwmeester, Klefbom, Aston-Reese
After suffering a cardiac episode and being revived on the bench earlier this month, St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has released a statement thanking all the medical professionals for their hard work in his recovery:
I would sincerely like to thank all of the trainers from both the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks, as well as all of the first responders, the Anaheim medical staff and the team at the UCI Medical Center for their quick actions on Feb. 11.
Our family has felt the support of the entire National Hockey League family and the city of St. Louis during this time. We have all been greatly comforted by your genuine concern.
On Sunday evening, I returned to St. Louis and I am on the road to recovery. My wife and daughters are forever grateful for everyone’s support and we will continue to have a positive outlook for our future.
It is great news to hear that Bouwmeester has returned to St. Louis and will continue his recovery at home. The entire hockey community wishes him well as he gets better.
- In other injury news, the Edmonton Oilers have lost another key player for several weeks. Oscar Klefbom will miss two-to-three weeks with a shoulder injury, weakening the Oilers’ already shaky defensive group. It’s hard to overstate how important Klefbom has been this season, logging more than 25 minutes a night and leading all Oilers’ defensemen in scoring with 33 points in 59 games.
- Speaking of teams that have been injury-riddled, the Pittsburgh Penguins have lost another forward. Zach Aston-Reese has been listed as week-to-week by head coach Mike Sullivan, taking him out of the lineup for the time being. The 25-year old Aston-Reese has been a staple in the Penguins lineup all year, recording 13 points in 57 games while logging significant time on the penalty kill. Though he obviously isn’t as impactful as some of the other Pittsburgh stars who have missed time, his absence will be noticed.
Cole Bardreau, Taylor Leier Clear Waivers
Both Cole Bardreau and Taylor Leier have cleared waivers, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. The New York Islanders had placed Bardreau on waivers after acquiring Andy Greene over the weekend, while Leier had to clear in order to stay in the minor leagues after signing an NHL contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
Bardreau, 26, made his NHL debut this season after toiling in the minor leagues for several years. The Cornell grad had two points in ten games for the Islanders, but was never expected to spend the rest of the season on the active roster. After clearing waivers in September, he needed to clear again to be sent back to the minor leagues.
Leier meanwhile is just celebrating a new NHL contract, signed yesterday with the Sabres after settling for an AHL deal in the summer. He became a group VI unrestricted free agent in July after failing to get a full-time opportunity with the Philadelphia Flyers, suiting up just 55 times in the NHL through his first four professional seasons. The fourth-round pick can be called up at any point by the Sabres, but will stay in Rochester for the moment.
Carolina Hurricanes Trade Julien Gauthier To New York Rangers
The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers have decided to swap prospects, trading Julien Gauthier for Joey Keane. The Rangers will acquire the young forward in Gauthier, while Carolina adds another defensive option to their pipeline in Keane.
As we wrote yesterday, the Rangers’ biggest need as they move to the next phase in their rebuild was young forwards that are close to being NHL ready. That’s exactly what they’ve received in Gauthier, who is currently fourth in AHL scoring with 26 goals through 44 games after putting up 27 a year ago for the Charlotte Checkers. The 22-year old forward has size—6’4″ 227-lbs—and a nose for the net that made him the 21st overall pick in 2016. He has only seen five games in the NHL to this point, but the Rangers obviously believe he can make an impact at that level for their organization.
Their belief in Gauthier’s NHL upside must be real, because Keane has already shown in his first season of professional hockey that he is on the path to becoming an impact player. Selected 88th overall in 2018, Keane has eight goals and 30 points in 49 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack. He spent a day on the NHL roster last week, but so far hasn’t seen any action for the Rangers. Whether he’ll get into any for the Hurricanes right away isn’t clear, but the team had been looking for some more depth on defense after losing Dougie Hamilton for the season. The fact that he is still only 20 and has two more years on his entry-level contract only makes Keane more appealing to a team like Carolina who will need to spend every dollar wisely to compete in the tough Metropolitan Division.
Gauthier too has another year on his entry-level contract, something the Rangers can use as they try to really contend for the playoffs next season. The team already has a lot of cash allocated to names like Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba and Henrik Lundqvist, making the margins of the roster even more important. They have a number of young defensemen that hold similar value and upside to Keane, meaning they could deal from a position of strength to acquire a player like Gauthier.
Minor Transactions: 02/18/20
The NHL’s trade market is heating up with deals for Tyler Toffoli, Andy Greene and Blake Coleman in recent days, but there is also important action on the ice every night. This evening has seven games on the schedule including ones with huge playoff implications in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. As those teams and the rest of the league prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- Aaron Ness has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes as they head out on the road for a two-game trip to Dallas and St. Louis. The Coyotes have won their last two games because of stellar performances from Antti Raanta and are now right back in the mix for the Pacific Division.
- As the Colorado Avalanche deal with severe injuries in their forward group, they have recalled prospect Martin Kaut from the minor leagues. Kaut, a first-round pick from 2018, will see his first time in the NHL thanks to a Mikko Rantanen injury last night. The young forward has 16 points in 31 games this season for the Colorado Eagles. Rantanen will be out “weeks” according to head coach Jared Bednar.
- After their game last night the Vegas Golden Knights sent Cody Glass back to the minor leagues. The 20-year old forward played just over 13 minutes in a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals, the Golden Knights’ third consecutive win over opponents that currently hold playoff spots. Glass hasn’t quite found his way in the NHL to this point, recording just 12 points in 39 games so far, but will likely be back up when the team plays again later this week.
- Aleksi Saarela has been recalled by the Florida Panthers, ahead of their game tomorrow against the Anaheim Ducks. The team is currently on a western road trip that will also see them play in Los Angeles, Vegas and Arizona over the next week and need some extra bodies. Saarela, 23, has played just three games for the Panthers this season and is still looking for his first NHL point.
Trade Deadline Primer: New York Rangers
With the trade deadline now less than two weeks away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? Next up is a look at the New York Rangers.
After landing the biggest fish in free agency and adding the second-overall pick, the New York Rangers were a team to watch this season. While things have gone relatively well, the murderer’s row that is the Metropolitan Division has the team well back of a playoff spot. Even with a winning record and positive goal differential the Rangers sit in seventh place in the packed Metro, meaning selling off expiring assets is the likely goal at the upcoming deadline.
Record
30-24-4, seventh in the Metropolitan Division
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$13.68MM in a full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2020: NYR 1st, NYR 3rd, DAL 3rd, NYR 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th, NSH 7th, VAN 7th
2021: NYR 1st, NYR 2nd, NYR 3rd, BUF 3rd, NYR 4th, OTT 4th, NYR 5th, NYR 6th, NYR 7th
Trade Chips
The name you have to mention first when discussing the Rangers is Chris Kreider, the top rental available this season and the subject of endless speculation. The speedy winger is having another excellent season with 23 goals and 42 points in 57 games while in the final year of his current contract. An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, Kreider still could potentially re-sign with the Rangers to act as a veteran option while the young kids develop, but is easily their best trade chip.
There are a few other interesting forwards on the team however, including heart-and-soul winger Jesper Fast. The 28-year old is also an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season but comes with a more reasonable cap hit of just $1.85MM and would likely draw a much lower price in trade. Fast has just eight goals and 24 points in 57 games, but is still versatile enough that he could be a nice addition to a contender down the stretch.
Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Strome also may be available for the right price, even if they’re not headed toward UFA status. The former is signed for another season at a $3.25MM cap hit, while the latter will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
The defensive group also holds some interest. The team would likely love to get rid of Marc Staal and Brendan Smith‘s contracts, but both would be difficult to move even if they didn’t have trade protection. Anthony DeAngelo could be a different story.
The 24-year old DeAngelo is having an outstanding offensive season with 13 goals and 43 points in 56 games, but had a tough negotiation last summer as an RFA that ended in him agreeing to a one-year contract in late September and will have arbitration rights this year. If the Rangers don’t believe they can sign him to a reasonable long-term deal, perhaps it is best to move on given the presence of Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox on the right side. With such a low cap hit $925K and huge upside, DeAngelo could be expensive in trade.
It would be wrong not to mention the team’s goaltending situation, which still consists of three netminders for the time being. Alexandar Georgiev has been in trade rumors all season long, but it appears as though the Rangers may be content to keep them all through the end of the season and deal with it after the fact.
Five Players To Watch For: F Chris Kreider, F Jesper Fast, F Ryan Strome, D Brady Skjei, D Anthony DeAngelo
Team Needs
1) Close-To-NHL Forwards: The Rangers are past the point of collecting a million draft picks and restocking their system. In fact, some of those young prospects could actually be traded out of the organization in the coming months and years to secure more big league talent. That’s likely what the team is looking for now as they enter a window of playoff contention, spearheaded by the signing of Artemi Panarin last summer. If names like Kreider, Fast and Strome are all moved out, the team will need some more legitimate NHL talent to replace them–though it will have to be young enough to grow with the group.
2) Long-term Cap Space: As referenced above, getting out from under Staal or Smith would be ideal but extremely difficult. That’s why a move of someone like Brady Skjei could instead be the option, freeing up room for some younger prospects and some cap space for the organization. The Rangers are okay right now, but will quickly be looking at a cap crunch as players age out of their entry-level deals. Panarin and Trouba combining for nearly $20MM per season will always put pressure on the front office to avoid bad contracts and find value in the margins.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Buffalo Sabres Suspend Zach Bogosian
After clearing waivers recently, Zach Bogosian was assigned to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. After failing to report to the minor league team, the Buffalo Sabres have suspended Bogosian indefinitely. While he remains under suspension, Bogosian will forfeit his salary and his entire cap hit will come off the Sabres’ books.
The 29-year old Bogosian is in the final season of the seven-year, $36MM contract he signed with the Winnipeg Jets in 2013 and carries a cap hit of $5.14MM this season. After being made a healthy scratch earlier in the year he had requested a trade, but due to this hefty contract any deal would be difficult for the Sabres to accomplish. Now after several more scratches and an assignment to the minor leagues, it appears that his time with the Sabres’ organization may be over.
The two sides could still come to an agreement of some sort. A mutual contract termination would see Bogosian give up what remains on his deal, but at this point a suspension amounts to the same thing, without an opportunity for him to sign elsewhere. A termination would make Bogosian an unrestricted free agent, though to be eligible for playoff hockey with a new team he would have to sign a contract before the trade deadline.
There is also still a trade option, if the Sabres can find a team willing to take on his contract. That seems unlikely at this point however, given his availability on waivers and the new cap flexibility that this suspension creates for Buffalo.
Bogosian has five points in 19 games this season for the Sabres.