Minor Transactions: 04/01/19
Welcome to April and the end of the NHL regular season. There are just a handful of games remaining before the 2018-19 playoffs begin and teams have started locking up their first round opponents. Still, for teams battling on the edge of postseason contention the next week may be just as important as any other. Today eyes will be drawn to the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues’ game, which very well could decide the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Avalanche currently hold the spot with a one-point lead over Arizona, but have this game in hand on them. As teams prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Carolina Hurricanes are just one point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in the East and have recalled Haydn Fleury under emergency conditions to help them stay there. The team was defeated last night and need to get back on track tomorrow night when they travel to Toronto, but will be without Calvin de Haan who is heading back to Carolina after suffering an upper-body injury.
- With Louis Domingue banged up the Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Eddie Pasquale from the minor leagues. The team obviously wants their backup goaltender healthy, but all eyes are on Victor Hedman as he deals with an upper-body injury. Pasquale has played in one game for the Lightning this year but has a solid .916 save percentage through 43 appearances for the Syracuse Crunch.
- The Calgary Flames are set to rest several regulars after clinching a playoff spot, and Juuso Valimaki has been recalled to take their place. Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Noah Hanifin will all be out of the lineup.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Joe Hicketts from the minor league under emergency conditions, and CapFriendly believes they have moved Mike Green to long-term injured reserve in order to fit him in. Hicketts’ recall follows an injury to Danny DeKeyser, who looks like he may miss the last few games of the season.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled forward Miikka Salomaki from the minor leagues, bringing him back from a conditioning stint. Salomaki hasn’t played an NHL game since early January but could be an option for the team down the stretch and into the playoffs.
- With Nico Sturm set to join the Minnesota Wild immediately, Matt Read has been sent back down to the AHL. The team is expected to put Sturm into the lineup as soon as possible, though since he hasn’t yet practiced with the team it is not clear when exactly that will be. Read meanwhile will be on call for the next opportunity as he has been all season.
- The Anaheim Ducks have returned Sam Carrick back to San Diego of the AHL. He had been recalled on Saturday and suited up that night, logging just over 12 minutes against Edmonton while picking up an assist.
Snapshots: Svechnikov, Maatta, Fox
The Detroit Red Wings have found some success with several young forwards this year as they try to move on from the Henrik Zetterberg era and embrace a youth movement, but one that was expected to play a big part was nowhere to be found. Evgeny Svechnikov, selected 19th overall in 2015, was forced to undergo knee surgery to reconstruct his ACL in October. He was expected to return to action near the end of the season, but Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press is now reporting that he will not play at all in 2018-19.
Interestingly, as St. James notes, that may actually be a blessing in disguise for the Red Wings. The young forward will now not be waiver eligible in the 2019-20 season as he was scheduled to be, meaning the team can start him in the AHL right out of training camp if he’s not ready to help the NHL lineup. Svechnikov wouldn’t have maintained his waiver-exempt status if he’d played in even a single professional game—NHL or AHL—this season.
- Olli Maatta has been activated from injured reserve by the Pittsburgh Penguins and will return after missing 21 games with a lower-body injury. The 24-year old is coming back with just enough time to get his legs under him before the playoffs begin, a huge boost for a Penguins team that has suffered from several injuries on the back end this season. It’s tough to know exactly how much the team will push Maatta over the last few games of the regular season, but he lengthens out the team’s defense group by a considerable amount. Brian Dumoulin switched over to the right side in practice recently to accommodate Maatta’s return, though it’s not clear if that pair will stay together.
- With Adam Fox and Harvard losing today in the NCAA tournament, we will soon find out what his official decision is regarding signing or returning to school next season. Fox has repeatedly said that his mind is not yet made up, something that Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) also reported earlier today. Though there is obviously a draw to turning pro and getting into the Carolina Hurricanes organization right away, Fox could potentially graduate next year with a Harvard degree and the chance to become an unrestricted free agent in August 2020. LeBrun also explores the idea of Carolina trading Fox’s rights this season instead of waiting for the summer, in order to get full value if they do not believe he will sign with them down the road. If Fox signs this season he would burn the first year of his entry-level deal, and would be eligible for the expansion draft if he played just a single game.
Theodor Lennstrom Drawing NHL Interest
Every year there are teams combing the European ranks to try and find the rare player who was overlooked as a junior. Those who are now showing NHL-caliber talent in their home countries but were never drafted. Players like this are unrestricted free agents and can provide an immediate talent injection for nothing more than a few hundred thousand dollars. Joakim Nygard is one of those players and has drawn interest from at least two NHL teams, but he’s not alone. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that Nygard’s teammate Theodor Lennstrom is also creating some buzz, though doesn’t indicate which teams have shown interest.
Lennstrom, 24, is another overlooked Swedish defenseman that has found success in the SHL, recording 31 points across 94 games the past two years. He would be signing just a one-year entry-level contract if he decided to come over, but teams would at least control him for a few years to determine whether he could contribute down the road.
There’s obviously no guarantee that he would contribute right away, just ask Calle Rosen and Andreas Borgman who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2017 but haven’t seen much NHL time. But there are also some great stories like Lawrence Pilut, who looks like he’ll be a big part of the Buffalo Sabres blue line for some time. Pilut has just six points in 28 games this year but could be a full-time member of the Sabres next season and was acquired for nothing more than a contract slot.
Like his teammate, Lennstrom will likely look to try to find the best opportunity for playing time in the NHL. If someone can offer him a clear opportunity to contribute it may be the breaking point in negotiations since his earnings will be capped by the entry-level system.
Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag
The end of March is upon us and playoff scenarios are starting to become more and more clear. Teams like the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs have a good idea what is coming in the postseason, and are trying to peak at the right moment. Meanwhile, the draft lottery is just around the corner and the Colorado Avalanche look like they’ll have the best odds despite currently sitting in a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Kings and Detroit Red Wings meanwhile hope they can jump up a few spots and land their choice of Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko.
With the regular season coming to an end, it’s time to run another mailbag. We’ll be answering as many questions as we can this weekend. You can submit your query by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below.
If you missed our last mailbag, it came out in two parts given all the questions. First Brian tackled the Columbus Blue Jackets aggressive trade deadline and gave his thoughts on the playoff format, before digging into the upcoming negotiations with Erik Karlsson, Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden Schenn while taking a shot at the next Edmonton Oilers GM hire.
Jan Jenik Signs With Arizona Coyotes
Though news had leaked out yesterday about a possible deal, today things became official. Jan Jenik has signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes, after his OHL season came to an end recently. Injured right now, he is expected to report to the Tucson Roadrunners if he can recover in time to get into any game action.
The 18-year old center was selected 65th overall by the Coyotes last June, and split this season between the Czech Republic and OHL. In 27 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs he recorded 30 points, but still hasn’t quite found his footing at the North American level. Technically he is eligible to go right to the AHL next season, but could return to junior to continue developing his skills and learn to dominate his age group.
Some may remember Jenik from the recent World Juniors, where he was left out of game action for much of the tournament only to look more than comfortable when he finally entered. Though his two assists certainly weren’t good enough to change the tournament outcome, he’ll almost certainly be back for the Czechs in a much bigger role next time around. Jenik will turn 19 on September 15th, and could quickly find himself jumping up prospect boards if he can continue to take steps offensively.
Calgary Flames Expected To Sign Artyom Zagidulin
According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Calgary Flames are closing in on a deal with KHL goaltender Artyom Zagidulin. The 23-year old played this season with Magnitogorsk, but was eliminated from the Gagarin Cup playoffs early on. Zagidulin’s contract technically doesn’t expire until the end of April, but he must have come to an agreement with the team in order to let him negotiate with Calgary. His NHL contract would have to be a one-year entry-level deal, which would kick in next season.
Zagidulin, 23, recorded a .924 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average for Magnitogorsk this season, the first time he was given a hefty load. Those numbers actually improved in his four playoff games where he had a .928, and should bode well for his future in North America.
Calgary has obviously been looking for an opportunity to improve their goaltending depth after both David Rittich and Mike Smith have struggled at times this season, and signing Zagidulin will cost them nothing but money. The team does have some young goaltenders in the system including Tyler Parsons, but only Jon Gillies has really shown that he could contribute at the NHL level in the short term. Rittich and Smith meanwhile are both free agents this summer, though the former is still under control as an RFA.
It’s unlikely that Zagidulin will give the Flames an NHL answer right away, but adding another legitimate prospect in goal was an obvious need this summer. The team looks like they’ll just get it done a little bit early, stealing a top option from overseas.
Matt Read Placed On Waivers
Friday: Read has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the AHL. 2
Thursday: According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Minnesota Wild have placed Matt Read on waivers, as he had finally worn out his exempt status by playing in ten games. Read cleared waivers before the season began and had been used as an insurance policy for the Wild, bouncing up and down between the AHL and NHL all season. Zach Parise is back at practice today for the Wild, meaning Read could be on his way back to the AHL should he clear waivers tomorrow.
It seems unlikely that anyone would claim Read at this point, given that he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. The 32-year old forward was once a pretty effective member of the Philadelphia Flyers offensive attack, but will likely be limited to spot duty and minor league action for the rest of his playing career. In the AHL this season he has 34 points in 55 games, but that has only translated to a single goal during his ten games for Minnesota.
Read is AHL playoff eligible though, and with the Wild heading to the Calder Cup playoffs in a few weeks his presence will be greatly appreciated. Since moving to Iowa for the 2013-14 season and re-branding as the Wild, the team has not made a single appearance in the AHL playoffs. That’s all set to change this season under head coach Tim Army, who has led the group to a 34-22-12 record through their first 68 games. Iowa has a seven point cushion in the Central Division, but could still potentially catch the Grand Rapids Griffins or Chicago Wolves for an even better seed.
Shane Bowers Signs With Colorado Avalanche
Friday: The Avalanche have officially announced the contract that will begin next season. That allows Bowers to sign an amateur tryout with the Colorado Eagles for the rest of this year to get into some game action.
Thursday: As if Boston University hadn’t seen enough of their top players sign this week, Shane Bowers has now added his name to that group. Despite a somewhat disappointing sophomore season, Bowers is now expected to sign his three-year entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche according to Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal and Bob McKenzie of TSN. The deal can begin this season, but the first year will not be burned given the Avalanche have only five games remaining.
The 19-year old Bowers was originally a first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, but arrived in the Colorado organization as part of the Matt Duchene trade last season. The two-way center got off to a great start at BU in 2017-18 with 17 goals and 32 points in 40 games, but took something of a step back this year. With just 11 goals and 21 points, the teenage center may have muted expectations somewhat but is still a solid prospect to add to the Avalanche development system.
In fact, there’s reason to believe that Bowers can develop into a real key contributor for the Avalanche down the road. The team already has their elite scoring center locked up in Nathan MacKinnon, but likely won’t see many more years of prominence from Carl Soderberg even as the 33-year old experienced something of a renaissance this season. Soderberg has just one year remaining on his current deal and will be 34 at the beginning of next season.
Behind those two the center depth on the Avalanche isn’t quite as clear. Alexander Kerfoot hasn’t progressed much from where he was last season, and it’s not a sure thing that any of Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher or Vladislav Kamenev will be able to step into a full-time top-six role in the middle of the ice. Bowers offers another lottery ticket for the Avalanche to try and develop at the position, not to mention whoever they pick in this year’s draft. The fact that he has been touted for his defense and penalty killing ability could lead Bowers to fill a much needed role for the team down the road.
Max Lajoie, Erik Brannstrom Out With Injuries
The Ottawa Senators don’t have a lot to play for over the next few games, but that’s not true of the Belleville Senators. The AHL club is battling for a spot in the Calder Cup playoffs, but will have to do it without the benefit of a pair of defensemen. Maxime Lajoie will undergo sports hernia surgery and has been ruled out for the rest of the year, while Erik Brannstrom is dealing with an upper-body injury and has been listed as “week-to-week” according to Kyle Bukauskas of Sportsnet.
Lajoie, 21, was an unexpected contributor for Ottawa this season, playing 56 games with the team after impressing in training camp. Originally a fifth-round pick of the team in 2016, he found his footing at the AHL level in 2017-18 and came into camp with something to prove. Seven goals and 15 points later, the young defenseman was sent down to the minor leagues just before the trade deadline in order to keep him playoff eligible in the AHL. Unfortunately he suited up just three times for Belleville and now faces an eight to ten week recovery period.
Brannstrom meanwhile was the jewel of the Mark Stone trade earlier this year and impressed the organization right away. Making his NHL debut on March 14th, he ended up playing in two games for Ottawa and was held scoreless. His nine games for Belleville went a bit better, but he’ll now have to wait a while to get back into the lineup. The super talented defenseman is likely ticketed for a full-time role in the NHL next season, but competing for a Calder Cup would only serve to benefit his development.
Belleville currently sits just two points ahead of the Cleveland Monsters for the last playoff spot in the North Division, and unfortunately has played in two more games than them. With just seven games left it’s not clear if Brannstrom will get back in time to help them at all, or if he would even be ready for the first round of the playoffs.
Minor Transactions: 03/29/19
The Montreal Canadiens weren’t able to win last night’s important game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and now things are even tighter in the Eastern Conference playoff race. It’ll have to wait for tomorrow though, as the NHL has mostly Western Conference playoff implications on tap tonight. The Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche will do battle in a must-win situation for both teams, while the Minnesota Wild are just trying to stay alive in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights. As they prepare for the action, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Martin Frk and Jake Chelios under emergency conditions in time for their game tonight. The game will be a battle for draft lottery odds against the New Jersey Devils and very well could involved several players held out for minor injuries. If Chelios—the son of legendary NHL defenseman Chris Chelios—gets into a game with the Red Wings he would be making his long awaited NHL debut at the age of 28.
- Troy Grosenick has been recalled by the Nashville Predators, who announced that Juuse Saros is sick. Grosenick is expected to back up Pekka Rinne in tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- The Boston Bruins have recalled Karson Kuhlman again under emergency conditions, meaning he’ll turn around and come back from Providence. The young forward was sent down just yesterday, but will get another chance to experience the NHL.