Minor Transactions: 02/04/19
The Superbowl weekend is over but for NFL fans hoping to find some more excitement the NHL is back in action today with four games on the schedule. Among those games is a match between the Arizona Coyotes and Dallas Stars, two teams vying for playoff spots in the Western Conference. While you decide how you feel about Maroon 5’s halftime performance, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves around the league.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled C.J. Smith from the AHL, giving them a 13th forward once again. Smith has been one of the best offensive performers in the minor leagues this season with 41 points in 41 games, but hasn’t been able to crack the Sabres lineup for any length of time. The 24-year old will try to do just that as the team slides further down the standings and needs to find a way out of their recent slump.
- Luke Kunin and Kyle Rau have been recalled by the Minnesota Wild after both Nate Prosser and J.T. Brown cleared waivers and were assigned to the minor leagues. Head coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters including Michael Russo of The Athletic that the team needed to add some speed to the lineup.
- Dylan Gambrell has been recalled by the San Jose Sharks once again. The young center has bounced between leagues all season, but has played most of his games in the AHL where he has 28 points in 31 games.
Noah Juulsen Out Indefinitely With “Vision-Related” Injury
Reports have differed over the last week on the extent of the injury suffered by Montreal Canadiens prospect Noah Juulsen, but the team has now addressed it directly. In a statement, the Canadiens have explained that Juulsen is out indefinitely with a “vision-related issue that will require time to heal.” There has been some speculation that the injury may be career threatening, but the statement goes on to say that the organization expects a full recovery.
Juulsen was struck in the face by a puck twice earlier this season, but had made a return and played games for both the Canadiens and Laval Rocket of the AHL. Unfortunately if his vision is being affected it may be dangerous for him to continue playing for now.
It’s a tough break for Juulsen, who seems to have one of those every time he’s close to an NHL job. The 21-year old defenseman has dealt with several injuries through his short professional career, only suiting up for a total of 80 games across two levels since his WHL season ended in 2017. The 26th-overall pick from 2015 has flashed real potential in those games, but is going to have to get healthy before any more development can occur. Hopefully he can recover at least by the time the 2019-20 season begins so that he can try to have a full season under his belt when heading to restricted free agency in July 2020.
Erik Foley To Miss Rest Of Season With Concussion Symptoms
The St. Louis Blues received a first-round pick when they decided to trade Paul Stastny last season, but also obtained the rights to prospect Erik Foley. Foley left college and signed with the Blues in March, but unfortunately still hasn’t played a single game for the organization. The young forward is now expected to miss the entire season with issues resulting from a concussion he suffered during the team’s rookie tournament, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic. Rutherford explains there is no timeline for his recovery at this point.
Foley, 21, is coming off three successful seasons at Providence College and looked like a good bet to quickly rise up the ranks in the Blues organization. Originally selected in the third round in 2015, he has impressed on the international stage and even won a gold medal with the 2017 US World Junior team. His mix of skill and grit is perfectly suited for a bottom-six role in the new NHL, but he’ll not have to overcome a huge obstacle to get that career back on track.
Brain injuries have such a wide variance in recovery times that there is no way to know when Foley will get back on the ice, but hopefully his youth can help him make a return at some point. He will remain under contract with the Blues until the end of the 2020-21 season, at which point he is scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
Tyson Jost Out “Extended Period” With Injury
Things haven’t gone perfectly for Tyson Jost since he left the University of North Dakota after just a single season. Since joining the Colorado Avalanche, Jost has just 38 points in 119 games and now finds himself in the minor leagues. Even things down there aren’t going well, as according to Adrian Dater of BSN Denver Jost will now be out an “extended period” after taking a big hit while playing for the Colorado Eagles. It’s not clear exactly what Jost’s injury is but it is extremely unfortunate given he was expected to be recalled by the Avalanche for this weekend’s action.
Jost, 20, was the tenth overall selection in 2016 following an incredible 104-point season for the Penticton Vees of the BCHL. That league is well known for its high level of competition and the fact that players maintain NCAA eligibility, meaning Jost could head to UND in 2016-17 without issue. He did just that and found immediate success, recording 35 points in 33 games while also winning a silver medal with Canada’s World Junior team. Unfortunately that offensive success hasn’t carried over to Colorado, and Jost has found himself seeing less and less ice time and responsibility as a result.
There’s work to be done to get Jost to the level many expected him to be at three years after his draft, and a serious injury doesn’t do anything to help that. If he can’t get back on the ice soon there could be a good chunk of development time missed, important time for him, especially with just one year left on his entry-level contract. Jost is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in 2020.
Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers Complete Four Player Swap
The Pittsburgh Penguins have found a taker for Derick Brassard, and filled their third-line center role in the process. The team has sent Brassard, Riley Sheahan, a 2019 second-round pick (PIT), and two 2019 fourth-round picks (PIT & MIN) to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann. Neither team will be retaining any salary.
Pittsburgh had been looking to ship Brassard out all season, as the veteran forward just never fit into a role with the team. Acquired last season from the Ottawa Senators, Brassard has registered just 23 points in 54 regular season games with the Penguins, and contributed just four points during the team’s early playoff exit last spring. That wasn’t enough given the opportunity he was given to play alongside Phil Kessel, and he’ll now find himself in the Florida sun for the time being. Don’t count on Brassard staying there long though, as his pending unrestricted free agency isn’t attractive for a Panthers team that is likely to miss the playoffs.
Flipping Brassard to another contender could help the Panthers keep collecting picks while opening up cap space, the biggest asset they’ve gained in this transaction. Florida is expected to take a run at both Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky in the offseason—or perhaps even sooner—and Bjugstad wasn’t providing enough to justify his $4.1MM contract. The big center has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career and has just 12 points in 32 contests this season. McCann meanwhile has 18 through 46 games but still hadn’t really established himself as a key member going forward.
That’s exactly what the Penguins will hope happens for both players, as they prepare for another run at the Stanley Cup this season. Pittsburgh is now just three points behind the New York Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division, but will have to fight tooth and nail to hold off the rest of the group fighting for their spot. Even with the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets on long losing streaks, all three Metro playoff spots are undecided.
It’s important to note how close the Penguins have now pushed up to the salary cap ceiling, as it will be difficult to make any additional moves without sending money the other way. Pittsburgh is close to getting Justin Schultz back from long-term injured reserve, and would no longer have the room to add someone like Micheal Ferland who they have been linked to extensively. That might not matter though, as Bjugstad brings plenty of size to a lineup that was looking to add muscle for a stretch run. The 6’6″ forward isn’t an overly physical player, but can use his strength to get pucks out of traffic and create chances for himself and teammates. He’s expected to start at center for the Penguins, though has plenty of experience in Florida on the wing as well.
Three picks are a hefty price to pay for Pittsburgh, given that they spent a good bit on Brassard just last year, but the team is in clear win-now mode with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kessel all still able to compete at a high level. There will come a point where the team struggles to graduate any players from their prospect system, but they’ve shown in the past to be excellent college and undrafted free agent recruiters to fill those gaps.
Florida meanwhile has now restocked some of the draft picks they had traded away in recent years. At one point this season they were without any selection in the second or third rounds, but now will select six times in the first four and could get even more by flipping these expiring contracts. For a team with a good young group of players and now plenty of cap space in the summer, the Panthers are a team to watch on the trade market over the next month and near June’s draft.
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Jamie McGinn Placed On Waivers
Friday: McGinn has cleared waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and will now be assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Thursday: The Florida Panthers have placed Jamie McGinn on waivers, likely indicating that he’s healthy enough to resume playing. McGinn underwent back surgery in September and has not played a game yet this season. The team has also recalled Jayce Hawryluk, Josh Brown and Ian McCoshen from the minor leagues.
McGinn, 30, is in the final season of a three-year, $10MM deal signed with the Arizona Coyotes in 2016. He arrived in Florida as the entire return for Jason Demers before last season, after GM Dale Tallon was given back control of the organization and made several moves to clear what he believed to be problem contracts. McGinn scored 13 goals and 29 points for the Panthers last year, but it’s unclear now what his future holds with the team.
Instead of returning to a Panthers team that is still trying to push for a playoff spot in the second half, McGinn will head to the minor leagues and try to rebuild his value with the Springfield Thunderbirds. A two-time twenty goal scorer, McGinn is a big frame that can bring some touch around the net and is more than willing to engage physically. This injury will cause many to pause when considering him for their team this summer when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, but if he can show he’s healthy enough to compete in the second half there should be a future for him in the league still.
If McGinn immediately returns to the Thunderbirds lineup there may even be some interest in him at the trade deadline. Should Florida decide that he doesn’t fit into their forward group any longer, the team might be able to cash in for at least a draft pick. Teams are always looking for physical players to plug into a playoff lineup, and McGinn does have 36 games of playoff experience.
Minor Transactions: 02/01/19
Finally a full slate of games is on deck for the NHL tonight, with eight matches taking place mostly in Eastern Conference cities. The Dallas Stars are the only Western team to host a matchup as they welcome the Minnesota Wild in for a game that will determine who sits in third place in the Central Division tomorrow morning. The Stars and Wild have both teetered on the edge of the playoffs this season, but will try to start a pursuit of Nashville and Winnipeg tonight.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have sent Haydn Fleury back down, continuing his yo-yo season between the NHL and AHL. The young defenseman is still waiting for a full-time opportunity on the Carolina blue line, one that might come if the team decides to move one of their veteran names at the deadline.
- Henri Jokiharju was sent down this week by the Chicago Blackhawks, and now we know who he was making room for. The team has activated Gustav Forsling off injured reserve. Forsling hasn’t played a game for the Blackhawks in almost a month as he was dealing with an upper-body injury.
Duncan Keith Will Decide His Fate At Deadline
The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to sell off some of their expiring assets, making names like Chris Kunitz and Marcus Kruger available. But if they expect to effect real change on the roster moving forward they may have to move some of their more popular players. While it still seems like Brent Seabrook‘s contract would prevent him from going anywhere, it’s a different story for Duncan Keith. Even at 35 and with four year remaining on his deal, there would likely be interest in the defenseman. To that end, the Blackhawks will go to Keith at the deadline and ask him what he what he wants to do according to Pierre LeBrun on last night’s Insider Trading for TSN.
Keith’s contract includes a full no-movement clause, but even more than that his status as a historic player for the Chicago organization will afford him the ability to decide his future. If he wants to stay with the Blackhawks through the end of his career that is his prerogative, but the team will see if he would rather go compete for another Stanley Cup instead.
That kind of reverence is expected when dealing with a player of Keith’s stature. The veteran was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players when the league released a ranking a few years ago, and certainly holds that honor with the Blackhawks organization as well. A two-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s best defenseman, Keith also took home a Conn Smythe in 2015 when he led Chicago to a third Stanley Cup. In 126 playoff games with the Blackhawks he has averaged more than 28 minutes a night of rock solid defensive work, and earned Norris votes in ten consecutive seasons prior to last year.
Still, with the amount left on his contract there is risk involved in a Keith trade. Not only could the acquiring team be stuck with a declining asset for several more years, but the Blackhawks could very well have to sell him for an extremely underwhelming return. In this case the decision is up to him, but it might be a sad day in Chicago if one of the greatest players in team history is given away for a few draft picks or prospects.
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Edmonton Oilers “Leaving Door Open” On Cam Talbot Extension
The Edmonton Oilers seemingly made a decision on which goaltender they felt would lead them next season when they handed out a three-year extension to Mikko Koskinen just days before firing former GM Peter Chiarelli. Now things aren’t so clear. Frank Seravalli of TSN reports that the Oilers have recently had a conversation with Cam Talbot and are leaving the door open for a possible extension. Talbot is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. Seravalli does note that the Oilers are facing imminent cap issues with the improving health of Andrej Sekera, and moving Talbot’s $4.17MM cap hit is an obvious way to clear some room.
An extension for Talbot would be a very surprising move, given how he has struggled this season and how much money the team already committed to Koskinen. With $4.5MM already assigned to the big Finnish netminder, Talbot would need to come in much lower than his current price in order to avoid making an extremely expensive duo. The Oilers already have more than $70MM committed to next season, with plenty of work to do to turn around their fate.
It also would be a surprising move given that the team doesn’t have a GM in place at the moment, instead letting Keith Gretzky run the daily operations. The team is taking their search for a new GM slowly, but there are obviously decisions to be made before the trade deadline. It’s hard to imagine the team wouldn’t have a shot at re-signing Talbot in the offseason though even if they did trade him, unless a late-season surge forces whatever acquiring team to retain his services. After posting an .894 save percentage through 27 games this season, it doesn’t seem like that surge is coming.
Somehow though, the Oilers need to clear some cap space in the short-term. Sekera is nearing a return to the ice and with it his $5.5MM cap hit will come off long-term injured reserve. Edmonton doesn’t have enough room for that to happen at the moment, and certainly not if they are hoping to add any pieces at the trade deadline to take a run at the playoffs this season.
Latest On Patrik Laine’s Next Contract
This offseason is shaping up to have an almost unprecedented amount of elite young players hitting restricted free agency all at the same time. While the Toronto Maple Leafs have drawn much of the spotlight given the media circus that surrounds them on a daily basis, another Canadian team might actually have even more work to do. The Winnipeg Jets have three core players in Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba all set to hit RFA status, with several other role players also without a contract. It’s Laine though that has so many people speculating, given the uncertain outcome of his next contract.
At one point earlier in his albeit short career, Laine looked like a lock for an eight-year extension that would make him the team’s highest paid forward. He would even likely surpass captain Blake Wheeler‘s extension that comes in with an $8.25MM starting next year. Buying out that many UFA seasons of an elite goal scorer would come at a price, and Laine was set to lead the Jets and challenge for the Maurice Richard trophy every year.
Now, media around the league are starting to wonder if the two sides might take a different path in negotiations. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos suggested on radio today (and not for the first time) that Laine isn’t going to be a player that the Jets feel comfortable in giving an eight-year deal. The analyst points directly to Laine’s assist total this season—sitting at just nine coming into tonight’s action—as a reason why the team can’t hand over a blank check. That idea was furthered by Andy Strickland of Fox Sports, who tweets that the Laine camp has been “irritated” by his usage and linemates this season.
The 20-year old forward is averaging more than 17 minutes on the season, but received just under 11 minutes of ice time in Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins. He has notably played most of the season beside Bryan Little or another center, instead of seeing time beside Mark Scheifele. There is absolutely no reason to think that the Jets have soured on Laine, given he still has 25 goals in 50 games, but Strickland tweets that he doesn’t think the young forward wants to sign a long-term deal right now.
The easy answer for both sides is to sign a shorter deal, and that actually may turn out better for all parties. Just like Auston Matthews in Toronto, a five or six-year deal could keep Laine’s cap hit lower while getting him to unrestricted free agency with plenty of prime years remaining. With deals for Connor and Trouba still to be done and other core pieces like Wheeler, Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck, Dustin Byfuglien and Nikolaj Ehlers all taking at least $6MM each, there won’t be a ton of money to go around in Winnipeg.
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