Devils Sign Nikita Popugaev To AHL Contract
The New Jersey Devils have convinced a draft pick to come back to North America, signing Nikita Popugaev to an AHL contract for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. Popugaev had played his junior hockey in the CHL and was once a top prospect projected for the first round, but slipped to the fourth after his production dried up. Soon after being drafted in 2017 the big forward left for the KHL, where he once again struggled to put up any offense.
Still, there is plenty of potential in the 6’6″ forward and the Devils have nothing to lose with an AHL contract. Popugaev will get a chance to test his skills in the AHL while working with the team’s strong development staff to try and get him to the next level. There’s no guarantee of anything, but with fourth-round picks there rarely is.
The Devils have also avoided using a contract slot by signing Popugaev to a minor league deal, but will eventually have to make a decision over whether he deserves an entry-level contract. The team is currently sitting at 47 of a possible 50 deals, but will see 20 of those expire at the end of the season.
Ottawa Senators Recall Filip Gustavsson
The Ottawa Senators have decided it is time to give one of their top prospects a shot, recalling goaltender Filip Gustavsson from the minor leagues. This comes after Craig Anderson suffered a minor injury—a tennis ball to the eye—and will be held out of tonight’s game. Darren Archibald has also been recalled for the Senators.
Gustavsson, 20, was the main piece brought back when the Senators traded Derick Brassard to the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. The young goaltender made his North American debut at the end of the year, getting into seven games with Belleville. Unfortunately things haven’t gone swimmingly in his first full AHL season, as the Swedish netminder carries just a 12-15-1 record with an .886 save percentage.
Whether Gustavsson gets into a game during this call-up, he is the future in net for the Senators. The team currently has no goaltenders other than him under contract past 2019-20, and one would expect Anderson to be on his way out of the NHL by that time. The veteran netminder is already 37 and is now almost two years removed from his excellent 2016-17 season.
Minor Transactions: 02/12/19
After a wild trio of games graced the NHL schedule last night, the league is at it with a full slate of action this Tuesday evening. Twelve games are scheduled including a must-see matchup between the Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning. The two teams rank first and third in the NHL standings and could very well meet in the Stanley Cup Finals. As teams prepare, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- Sami Niku has been reassigned by the Winnipeg Jets, given the team now has seven other healthy defensemen. Niku, the AHL’s Defenseman of the Year last season, has played 11 games with the Jets this year and has two points. The seventh-round pick has already surpassed expectations and will continue to try and show he can be a full-time NHL option in the future.
- Brian Elliott has been loaned to the minor leagues on a conditioning stint, the next step in his return to action for the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers have moved on to Carter Hart as their starting goaltender, but still have to make room for Elliott once he is fully healthy. The team has also recalled Mike McKenna from his conditioning loan, meaning that another move is coming soon.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Jan Rutta as they deal with an injury to Erik Cernak. Mathieu Joseph has been sent to the minor leagues to make room. Rutta was acquired by the Lightning in January and has played seven games for the Syracuse Crunch.
Calgary Flames Have Decision To Make In Net
The Calgary Flames haven’t been able to solve their goaltending situation since Miikka Kiprusoff retired in 2013. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, 12 goaltenders have suited up for the team, with Karri Ramo leading the way with 111 appearances. Mike Smith, second on that list with 82 games, has struggled mightily this season and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer at age-37. Luckily, the Flames may have an internal answer to their long-term goaltending situation. David Rittich, who has stepped up admirably in Smith’s place this year is a restricted free agent at season’s end, and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet believes that the team sees him in the starting role moving forward:
I think they’re looking for a guy to have there as insurance. I believe that David Rittich—it’s Calgary’s plan to make David Rittich their long-term guy. I think everything they’re doing this year is trying to show David Rittich that they believe in him and that he’s their long-term guy. So I’d be surprised if they go out there [at the trade deadline] and got a number one guy. I think they’re going out there to give [Rittich] some help, and if they need it down the stretch. I think long-term, [Rittich] is your number one goalie. I think that’s Calgary’s plan because they know him, and I think that’s what they want to do.
Rittich, 26, has certainly shown himself to be a capable netminder this season. In 33 appearances he has a 20-4-5 record and .915 save percentage, and has been a huge reason for the team’s success in the Pacific Division. The Flames enjoy a one-point lead over the San Jose Sharks, but are eight points clear of the third place Vegas Golden Knights. Rittich has also represented an incredible bargain for the team, signed to a one-year $800K contract. That’s his third contract since originally signing as an undrafted free agent with the Flames in 2016, meaning this is also the only NHL organization he’s ever known.
It will be interesting to see if the Flames decide to offer Rittich a long-term contract before he hits RFA status, given that he has arbitration rights this summer as well. Just a year away from unrestricted free agency, the goaltender could potentially hold out for just the one-year arbitration award and walk next summer as a 27-year old potential starter. Calgary will likely want to avoid that outcome, making an extension a real possibility over the next few months.
Perhaps more importantly than his play in the first half though is how he fares for the team in the playoffs. The Flames have been burned poor postseason performances in recent years, including Brian Elliott‘s implosion in the first round against the Anaheim Ducks in 2017. After a relatively successful season, Elliott posted an .880 save percentage through four games as the Flames were swept out of the playoffs with ease. Without any NHL playoff experience, handing the reins to Rittich will be a difficult decision.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Three Stars, Ward, Huberdeau
The NHL has released their three stars of the week, and once again a young goaltender leads the way. Jordan Binnington is the top star for last week after going 3-0 with a .954 save percentage. The St. Louis Blues have turned their season around after a rough start, and Binnington looks like he might be the answer to their goaltending woes. The 25-year old had just a single NHL game under his belt before this season but is now 9-1-1 on the year with a .931 save percentage.
While the second star is a familiar face in Patrice Bergeron, third place went to a player who has faced a lot of turmoil in a short career. Dylan Strome has found immediate success with the Chicago Blackhawks and now has 30 points in 32 games since being acquired earlier this season. The 2015 third overall pick didn’t live up to expectations in Arizona, but seems to have found his footing alongside former junior teammate Alex DeBrincat and the rest of the Chicago lineup.
- Long-time NHL forward Joel Ward has retired from his playing career, and will finish with 726 regular season games played. Suiting up for Minnesota, Nashville, Washington and San Jose, Ward was a beloved teammate and consistent producer in both the regular season and playoffs. He scored seven goals and 13 points with the Sharks en route to their 2016 Stanley Cup Finals appearance, but never did get to raise the Cup over his head. The undrafted forward ends with 304 points and 261 penalty minutes.
- The Florida Panthers have already traded away Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann to free up some cap space moving forward, and Frank Seravalli of TSN believes they may do it again. Seravalli has added Jonathan Huberdeau to his Trade Bait board and suggests that the 25-year old forward could be used to entice the Columbus Blue Jackets to give up Artemi Panarin—as long as he comes with a contract extension. Huberdeau has a full no-movement clause that begins on July 1st, and four years remaining on his contract that carries an average annual value of $5.9MM.
Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Blake Siebenaler
The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded minor league defenseman Blake Siebenaler to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a conditional draft pick in 2019. This move clears a contract off the books for the Blue Jackets, giving them three open spots under the 50-contract threshold. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the Blue Jackets will receive a seventh-round pick if Siebenaler plays ten games for the Penguins.
A third-round pick from 2014, Siebenaler hasn’t been able to make much of an impact across three professional seasons. The 6’2″ defenseman has 14 points in 83 career games for the Cleveland Monsters, and had fallen down the depth chart due to a shoulder injury that robbed him of much of 2017-18. Clearing his contract slot was likely much more valuable than any return, given the Blue Jackets have been looking for additions at the trade deadline to aid in their playoff run.
The Penguins meanwhile add a right-handed defenseman who once was considered to have solid offensive upside for very little cost. Siebenaler is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer but will not be arbitration eligible, meaning they will likely bring him back on an inexpensive two-way deal.
Montreal Canadiens Acquire Nate Thompson
The Montreal Canadiens lost a depth forward on waivers today when Kenny Agostino was claimed by the New Jersey Devils, but have acquired another. Montreal has traded a 2019 fourth-round pick (CGY) for Los Angeles Kings center Nate Thompson and a 2019 fifth-round pick (ARI).
Thompson, 34, represents a veteran addition for the Canadiens who have surprised many in their hunt for the playoffs this season. The young, speedy team is in a battle with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division and could very well meet one of those teams in the first round. Thompson, while not nearly as quick as some of his new Montreal teammates, is a reliable defensive center who is excellent in the faceoff circle and has 62 playoff games under his belt.
The cost for the Canadiens is almost nothing, given that the difference in draft picks is likely just a handful of spots once the standings are finalized. Instead they’ll take the rest of Thompson’s $1.65MM annual salary off the Kings’ hands. Montreal, who came into the season with plenty of cap space, can basically add whoever they want at the deadline to help their playoff chances this year. Thompson will only take up a small amount of their deadline cap room, but he will force them to make another roster move to open a spot.
The team recalled Dale Weise earlier today giving them a full 23-man roster, meaning there will be someone else on waivers tomorrow. CapFriendly believes that player will be Michael Chaput, though there has not yet been any confirmation from the team.
For the Kings, Thompson was always expected to be dealt before the deadline given his status as a pending unrestricted free agent. The team now has just two rental options remaining on the NHL roster, Carl Hagelin and Oscar Fantenberg.
Alexis Lafreniere To Stay In CHL For 2019-20
There has been some speculation over the last few days regarding the future of potential 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere and where he would play next season. Some believed Lafreniere would seek an opportunity overseas the same way that Auston Matthews did when he played a year in the Swiss NLA prior to his draft, but the young forward has set the record straight. Momentum Hockey Agency, who represent Lafreniere, have released this statement (via Bob McKenzie of TSN):
There have been discussions with certain clubs in Europe in the last few months. When dealing with a young player like Alexis, it’s important to evaluate every option in order to make the best decision for his short and long term career. After a great deal of consideration with the player and his family, the decision was unanimous to remain with the Rimouski Oceanic for the 2019-2020 season.
Lafreniere, who is still just 17 years old, would have had several hurdles to overcome even to be eligible to play overseas. All that will be forgotten now, and he can focus on dominating the QMJHL like he has for the past year and a half. In 107 regular season games with Rimouski, Lafreniere has 74 goals and 167 points to go along with a +88 rating. His presence makes the Oceanic a dangerous playoff matchup and could potentially lead the team to a Memorial Cup berth if they can get through the tough league playoffs.
The 2020 draft is still more than 16 months away, but Lafreniere is the early favorite to go first overall. Already big enough to hold his own against older players, the 6’1″ forward looks as though he will mature even further physically and can already protect the puck extremely well. His skill around the net is already at a high level, and he seems to be able to make decisions and movements quicker than any of his contemporaries. An all-around impact forward, there’s no reason to believe he won’t completely dominate the competition in the CHL next season.
That domination is why some hoped he would pursue an opportunity in a professional league, as there is little left to accomplish in the CHL. Sure, there are team goals that Lafreniere will hope to reach with Rimouski but his development may slow a bit given the lack of competition. Still, teams are salivating at the idea of bringing him into their organization in June 2020 and seeing what heights he can reach offensively.
New Jersey Devils Claim Kenny Agostino
The New Jersey Devils have decided to claim forward Kenny Agostino off waivers, meaning the Montreal Canadiens have lost another forward to the process. Montreal has already watched teams claim Nikita Scherbak and Jacob de La Rose this season. The Devils have sent Ryan Murphy to the minor leagues to make room, while recently acquired forward Dale Weise has been recalled by the Canadiens.
Agostino, a New Jersey native, will be reunited with the GM that drafted him in 2010 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. When Ray Shero used a fifth-round selection on the undersized forward he knew there was a lot of offensive potential there, but perhaps could not have imagined just how well Agostino would fare in the minor leagues. A former AHL MVP, the 26-year old Agostino has recorded 246 points in 273 regular season minor league games. Unfortunately that minor league success hasn’t translated to NHL opportunity, with 36 of Agostino’s 58 career NHL games coming this season with the Canadiens.
Still, there is little risk in a pickup of this nature for the Devils. Agostino is on a two-way contract that pays just $700K in the NHL and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Either he can contribute a bit for New Jersey down the stretch, or potentially becomes a deadline trade asset for a team looking for some depth. Montreal obviously couldn’t move him for anything worthwhile, but perhaps a showcase in New Jersey could create a market for the talented forward. Otherwise, it gives Agostino a chance to get familiar with an organization who may want to bring him back next season. There’s little doubt that he can help a minor league club, but New Jersey might also experience quite a bit of turnover through the summer given that players like Marcus Johansson and Drew Stafford are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents.
Minor Transactions: 02/11/19
After a busy weekend in the NHL things have slowed down to just a trio of games on the schedule for tonight. Things will kick off with a Pittsburgh-Philadelphia matchup that will be a lot more interesting than it was a few weeks ago. Always a heated rivalry, the two teams are headed in opposite directions and now sit just six points apart in the Metropolitan standings. As teams prepare for the week’s action, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Dylan Sikura from the minor leagues, giving them an extra healthy forward while David Kampf is out. Sikura has played well in the minor leagues this season recording 30 points in 40 games, but is still waiting for his first NHL goal. The 23-year old forward was a standout at Northeastern University but has just six points in 16 games with the Blackhawks so far in his young career.
- Patrick Brown has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes, giving the team a 13th forward as they prepare to play the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night. Brown has 18 points in 46 games for the Charlotte Checkers and last played in the NHL during the 2016-17 season.
- Eric Robinson is on his way back up to the Columbus Blue Jackets, taking the place of Mark Letestu who has been sent back to the Cleveland Monsters. Robinson, 23, has recorded 24 points in 45 games with the Monsters but is still looking for his first NHL point. Letestu meanwhile played in just two games with the Blue Jackets during his recent recall, and failed to get on the score sheet.
- The Colorado Avalanche have returned defenseman Anton Lindholm to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, the minor league affiliate announced. Lindholm has split his time between the two teams this season, but has only played in two games with the Avs versus 34 with the Eagles. While Lindholm would prefer to be up with the NHL squad, where he spent the entirety of last season, but the depth of the Avalanche on the blue line paired with his own meager production has limited his opportunity at the top level.