Montreal Canadiens Recall Cayden Primeau
The Montreal Canadiens are on their way to New Jersey to take on P.K. Subban and the Devils, but they’ll be without Carey Price. The star goaltender did not travel with the club due to an illness, making it necessary for Montreal to recall Cayden Primeau from the minor leagues under emergency circumstances.
Primeau, 20, made his NHL debut and played two games with the Canadiens earlier this season, registering a .931 save percentage. That performance is extremely encouraging after Primeau’s excellent collegiate career, though it has been a little tougher in the minor leagues.
The seventh-round pick remains a top goaltending prospect and a potential backup for Price in the coming years, but obviously needs some more time to develop. Still, his .899 save percentage for the Laval Rocket actually leads the club, beating out both Charlie Lindgren and Keith Kinkaid during their time in the AHL.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Samuelsson, Kreider
The NHL has released their Three Stars for last week, and unsurprisingly Leon Draisaitl lands on top. The Edmonton Oilers superstar now leads the entire league in scoring and has actually been on fire since being separated from Connor McDavid. Draisaitl has 22 points in the 11 games away from McDavid, finally finding some wing help in the form of Kailer Yamamoto.
Second star Steven Stamkos won’t turn many heads after appearing in these spots many times before, but the same can’t be said about J.T. Miller who takes home the third star. Miller has found a new level of production with the Vancouver Canucks and is already just a few goals and points short of his career-highs.
- Ulf Samuelsson had been serving as a pro scout for the Seattle expansion franchise, but will leave the organization to take a job as head coach of Leksands IF in the SHL. That’s the team Samuelsson played for before joining the NHL back in 1984 for a long, productive career.
- Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) examined several potential trade scenarios for the deadline, giving his take on what it would take to acquire some of the top rentals. Chris Kreider is the first name he writes on, reporting that eight teams have told the New York Rangers that “they’ve got Kreider at the top of their wish list.” LeBrun’s speculative trade will turn a lot of heads, as he suggests a package similar to the one that New York received for Kevin Hayes last year.
Winnipeg Jets, Dustin Byfuglien Expected To Reach Mutual Contract Termination
The Winnipeg Jets are finally going to have some closure on the Dustin Byfuglien situation. The veteran defenseman’s injury and subsequent suspension have been a dark cloud hovering over the team all season, but according to Frank Seravalli of TSN they will soon reach a mutual contract termination. That would make Byfuglien an unrestricted free agent, and free up the Jets to make a deadline addition with the cap space that they had been holding open for his potential return.
Byfuglien, 34, decided not to report to training camp with the Jets at the last minute after an ankle injury did not respond well over the summer. That led to surgery to fix the issue and a suspension from the team, before Byfuglien ended up filing a grievance for his lost pay. The veteran defenseman was set to argue that it was a legitimate hockey injury, one that would normally not stop the team from paying him the $8MM salary he was owed this season in the second last year of his contract.
That contract, which extends through the 2020-21 season meant Byfuglien was owed $14MM for this year and next. Retirement would have meant the Jets could use that cap space for a different player, but also would mean the veteran defenseman was voluntarily walking away from the money. It’s unclear what kind of arrangement will be made with this termination, or when exactly it will be executed.
For the Jets, while obviously they would have wanted the big defenseman in the lineup all year, they’ll now be able to find a different way to shore up the back end. Quickly the team now becomes one of those with plenty of cap space to use at the deadline, though it’s still unclear what path they will go down. At 26-23-4 the playoffs aren’t even a sure thing for Winnipeg, making any big additions risky.
A termination would make Byfuglien an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team, however he has not yet started skating in his rehab from ankle surgery. In order to be eligible for the playoffs, he would need to sign with a team before the February 24th trade deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Chicago Blackhawks Claim Nick Seeler
The Chicago Blackhawks have claimed Nick Seeler off waivers from the Minnesota Wild. The team has sent Dennis Gilbert to the minor leagues to make room.
Seeler, 26, is actually signed through the 2020-21 season, meaning the Blackhawks have bought themselves a little depth for the next season and a half. The physical defenseman carries a $725K cap hit, but has only played in six games for the Wild this season after suiting up 71 times in 2018-19.
With a claim, Seeler will be staying in the NHL for the time being as he tries to show his new club he can be a regular at the highest level. Coincidentally, the Blackhawks will play the Wild tomorrow night when they travel to Minnesota.
Minor Transactions: 02/03/20
A new week of NHL action and wild speculation starts with three games this evening, including the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs battling for position in the Atlantic Division. The two clubs are trying desperately to capture a divisional playoff spot and avoid the wild card race entirely, with Toronto currently leading by two points. As they and the rest of the league prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Christian Folin from the minor leagues, after sending two of their youngsters down in recent days. Folin played five games for the Canadiens earlier this season and has one point.
- Joey Anderson is on his way to the New Jersey Devils, recalled after scoring 34 points in 44 games for the Binghamton Devils this season. Anderson made his NHL debut in 2018-19 and ended up playing in 34 contests for New Jersey, but has been limited to AHL action this year.
- Carl Grundstrom has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings, with Matt Luff heading down in his place. The 22-year old forward has played in nine games with the Kings this year, but once again has spent most of his season in the minors. Acquired as part of the Jake Muzzin deal last season, Grundstrom has yet to really establish himself at the NHL level.
- After bringing up Maxim Letunov yesterday, the San Jose Sharks recalled another pair from the minor leagues. Andrew Shortridge and Danil Yurtaykin both joined the NHL roster, after the team placed Logan Couture and Joel Kellman on injured reserve. At least part of this move was to get as close to the salary cap ceiling as possible before placing Tomas Hertl on long-term injured reserve. Once that move was made earlier today, Shortridge and Yurtaykin were returned to the Barracuda and forward Alex True was recalled.
- Nicolas Roy and Zach Whitecloud are back, after being in a paper transaction yesterday for the Vegas Golden Knights. Roy has to be used to this by now, after spending nearly the whole season bouncing up and down between the two levels.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have reassigned defenseman Dennis Gilbert to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. Gilbert has split his season almost evenly between the two teams, with 20 games for Chicago and 15 gmes for Rockford. He’s still looking to find consistent production in either place.
- Daniel Sprong is back up with the Anaheim Ducks. The Dutch winger has been recalled from the AHL and hopes to stick longer than he has in numerous short trips this season. It will help if he can improve on just two points in eight games thus far with Anaheim.
New York Islanders Recall Kieffer Bellows
For the first time in his young career, Kieffer Bellows is headed to the NHL. The New York Islanders have recalled Bellows, though it is not clear yet if or when the young forward will make his debut.
Bellows, 21, was originally selected 19th overall by the Islanders in 2016 out of the USHL but has had an odd development path to this point. After struggling in a single season with Boston University following his draft, he left the NCAA and headed to the CHL. Suiting up with the Portland Winterhawks, he dazzled offensively—especially when lined up beside Cody Glass—and then dominated the World Juniors with his powerful stride and nose for the net.
Last year in his first taste of professional hockey, Bellows scored just 19 points for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 73 games. It was underwhelming and didn’t earn him a chance at the NHL level, though hope remained. This season has been better with 16 goals and 24 points in 45 games to easily pace the struggling Sound Tigers in both categories.
Whether he can do damage at the NHL level is still unclear, but it is not like the Islanders have a huge number of stud offensive talents blocking his way. The team, while strictly adhering to Barry Trotz’ defensive mindset, has scored just 146 goals in 50 games this season, putting them 23rd in goals for.
Trade Deadline Primer: Los Angeles Kings
With the trade deadline now less than a month 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 Los Angeles Kings.
It hasn’t been a good season for the Kings. In fact, the team currently has their worst winning percentage since 1997, a year in which Dmitri Khristich led the club in scoring with 56 points. They could use that kind of production right now, as only two players have more than 30 points and they sit dead last in the Western Conference. The deadline is all about the future for the Kings, who will be selling everything not tied down (or too expensive).
Record
19-28-5, eighth in the Pacific Division.
Deadline Status
Seller
Deadline Cap Space
$23.87MM in a full-season cap hit (using LTIR), 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2020: LAK 1st, LAK 2nd, LAK 3rd, LAK 4th, CGY 4th, LAK 5th, LAK 6th, LAK 7th
2021: LAK 1st, LAK 2nd, LAK 3rd, LAK 4th, LAK 5th, LAK 6th, LAK 7th
Trade Chips
The first thing you’ll notice when it comes to the Kings, is how much cap space they have. The team has worked hard to rid themselves of some bad contracts over the last few years, including agreeing to a mutual termination with Ilya Kovalchuk. Not only will that allow them some flexibility in free agency this summer, but they can also use that space to take on bad money at the deadline.
That’s likely what they’ll have to do in order to move any of the best trade chips they have. Tyler Toffoli is the biggest name up front, but his $4.6MM cap hit is hard to fit in for many contenders. The same can be said about Alec Martinez‘ $4MM hit, especially because it comes with another year on it.
Those two are definitely the biggest names you’ll hear, but there are several other expiring contracts the team could shed. Trevor Lewis, Kyle Clifford, Derek Forbort and Joakim Ryan all have various levels value at the deadline, along with some of the older pending RFAs like Nikolai Prokhorkin and Kurtis MacDermid.
Five Players To Watch For: F Tyler Toffoli, D Alec Martinez, F Trevor Lewis, F Kyle Clifford, D Derek Forbort
Team Needs
1) Young Scoring: Anze Kopitar will be 33 by the time next season begins, and yet is still leading the Kings by 15 points this season. With Jeff Carter and Dustin Brown really showing their age, the Kings need some new players up front to lead them into this decade. Yes, they have some interesting prospects coming but it isn’t enough just yet.
2) Draft Picks: There’s no doubt that the Kings will still be looking at draft talent at the deadline. While they obviously don’t want to stay at the bottom of the league for very long, they realistically know that to compete in the NHL their system needs to start providing impact talent. Even the lottery ticket mid- and late-round picks are worthwhile for the Kings right now, and that’s exactly what they might have to settle for in some of the upcoming trades.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Gerard Gallant Not Expected To Take New Role This Season
The 2019-20 NHL season has seen quite a fair amount of turnover in the coaching ranks, including the firing of veteran bench bosses Mike Babcock, Peter Laviolette and Pete DeBoer. One name that hit the unemployment market recently to the surprise of many was Gerard Gallant, who was fired by the Vegas Golden Knights after taking them to the playoffs in each of their first two seasons (including an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final).
Gallant should have plenty of suitors if he wants to jump back behind an NHL bench, but Pierre LeBrun reported last night on TSN’s Insider Trading that the expectation is that he will wait until the summer to make any decision.
What he told me Thursday is that he is in no rush. He’s going to use the rest of the year to decompress. He’s enjoying spending time with family, in fact he’s in Vegas this week tying up some loose ends. He says he has not spoken with any teams since his firing. His phone has been quiet that way.
LeBrun goes into even more detail in his latest column for The Athletic (subscription required), including examining several potential landing spots. The first team many will think of is Seattle, who would have to look at Gallant’s success in Vegas as extremely enticing as they prepare to enter the league. Gallant is under contract with the Golden Knights through next season so he wouldn’t be desperate for a salary, but of course that isn’t the only thing that drives coaches at this level.
Amazingly, Gallant has never made it through a third season as head coach of an NHL team. His stints in Columbus, Florida and now Vegas have all ended in year three, despite being above .500 with the latter two at the time the axe fell. Overall, the 2018 Jack Adams Award winner for Coach of the Year has a 270-216-4-51 record.
Carolina Hurricanes Considering Adding On Defense
Earlier this season the Carolina Hurricanes were rumored to be looking to shed some defensemen, given how many NHL options they had at the position. Now as we approach the trade deadline however, that thinking seems to have flipped. In an interview with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, Hurricanes’ GM Don Waddell explained that the team would “certainly look at adding” a defenseman if the right one was available.
The Hurricanes of course lost the Norris-contending Dougie Hamilton earlier this month when he broke his leg, but Waddell also isn’t ruling out a potential return for the puck-moving defenseman at some point before the playoffs. As Gulitti explains, that means the Hurricanes can’t go into the long-term injured reserve opened up by Hamilton’s injury until they know for sure if he’s going to come back or not.
Carolina is in a dogfight in the Eastern Conference playoff race, trying to fend off the Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers who are right on their heels for the final wild card spot. They’re also still within striking distance of the New York Islanders for a divisional spot, but still have more than 30 games to go.
Adding a defenseman–especially one that is focused more on his own end–would be a change for the team, but also a curious decision when their depth chart still has so many capable options. Beyond Haydn Fleury, who has stepped into the lineup recently, the team still has Roland McKeown, Gustav Forsling, Jake Bean and Fredrik Claesson who all have NHL experience. Oliwer Kaski and Chase Priskie too were expected to challenge for spots in the NHL this season. That’s not to even mention the fact that their NHL group is still headlined by Jaccob Slavin, one of the best two-way defenders in the league.
It is of course important to note that Joel Edmundson and Trevor van Riemsdyk are both unrestricted free agents at the end of the year. With those potential openings available the Hurricanes don’t necessarily have to go for a rental just to cover Hamilton’s absence, but one that could be around a little longer.
Bruins Notes: Backes, Rask, Didier
David Backes is in limbo right now, assigned to the Providence Bruins but not required to report. Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney explained in a short statement yesterday that Backes is healthy enough to play, but wouldn’t be going to the AHL, a nice gesture by the team to not suspend the veteran forward. Today, Sweeney told Joe McDonald of The Athletic that Backes has not actually requested a trade, but is hoping for another opportunity if he’s no longer going to get one in Boston.
Of course, finding another NHL opportunity for a 35-year old with a $6MM cap hit is easier said than done. It also may not really be in Backes’ best interest to be traded. Right now, the Bruins are allowing him to collect his salary without reporting to the minor leagues thanks to their strong relationship. That might not be possible with another organization if he fails again at the NHL level. The most likely scenario still seems to be a buyout this summer, which would allow Backes to seek out other opportunities at a much lower cost.
- Tuukka Rask will be back for the Bruins tonight when they take on the Winnipeg Jets. The goaltender was placed on injured reserve a few weeks ago, but ended up missing just three games thanks to the All-Star and bye week breaks. The Bruins already have one of the best “backup” goaltenders in the league in Jaroslav Halak, so a short rest for Rask is no problem for the club. Still, getting their Vezina-caliber starter back is still a boost for the Bruins, who are being chased down by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division race. Perhaps a bit quietly, Rask has a .925 save percentage this season through 28 appearances, his best mark since 2014.
- Depth in net is important, and depth in the minors is important too. Providence today extended alternate captain Josiah Didier for another two years, inking him to an AHL contract. Didier was originally a fourth-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in 2011, but went the college route and has never actually signed an NHL deal. The 26-year old defenseman has seven points in 40 games for Providence this season.