David Schlemko Placed On Waivers
Tuesday: Schlemko has cleared waivers and was immediately assigned to the Laval Rocket of the AHL.
Monday: The Montreal Canadiens have decided to waive another veteran defenseman, this time placing David Schlemko on waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Schlemko is currently on injured reserve.
Almost nothing has gone right for Schlemko since he was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights prior to last season. The veteran defenseman has played just 55 games for the Canadiens over that stretch, recording seven points and finding himself paired with different teammates on a regular basis. Unable to stay healthy or consistently in the lineup, waivers and a potential trip to the minor leagues was a logical next step.
Still, it’s always surprising to see a player of his experience and talent available for the whole league. Perhaps it shouldn’t be given Montreal’s moves this season, as the team has made it obvious they won’t wait around for passengers to find their game. Schlemko joins Karl Alzner, Jacob de La Rose, Nikita Scherbak and Xavier Ouellet as waived Canadiens since the beginning of the season, not to mention Tomas Plekanec who saw his contract terminated. GM Marc Bergevin is working hard to provide an opportunity for his young players while also maintaining a competitive roster, and Schlemko is just the next name on the list that isn’t giving the team enough.
It’s hard to see anyone claiming the 31-year old at this point, given his recent injury and $2.1MM cap hit. That hit doesn’t even end this year, as Schlemko has another season on the four-year deal he signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2016. More likely the Canadiens will bury him in the minors for a time like they did with Alzner, or pursue a trade to send him to another organization.
Minor Transactions: 01/08/19
If you wanted to see some NHL hockey tonight’s the night, as 22 teams are in action across the league. Most notably perhaps is a clash between the Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets, two teams separated by just six points in the Central Division standings. These two teams could very well be on a collision course in the first round of the playoffs. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league as teams prepare for the busy night.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs lead off the moves once again by sending both Kasimir Kaskisuo and Trevor Moore back to the minor leagues, given they don’t play until Thursday. The Maple Leafs are hoping to save cap space with these daily moves while also giving Kaskisuo a chance to stay fresh playing for the Marlies.
- Yesterday the Florida Panthers recalled Ian McCoshen for the first time this season, after suiting up 35 times in the minor leagues. The former Boston College standout was considered “NHL-ready” when he left the NCAA in 2016, but failed to establish himself as a full-time player for the Panthers. He’ll get another chance soon, after recording nine points in those 35 AHL games this season.
- Dan Renouf has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes, an interesting move given their depth at defense. The team has several other options in the minors like Haydn Fleury, Jake Bean and Roland McKeown, but decided to reward Renouf for his solid play all year.
- The New York Islanders have sent Joshua Ho-Sang back to the minor leagues, making room to activate Valtteri Filppula. That move certainly won’t come with much fan support, given Ho-Sang’s obvious offensive talent and potential as a prospect. Still, the 22-year old has just two points in ten games for the Islanders this season.
- Days after clearing unconditional waivers and having his contract terminated by the New York Rangers, Vince Pedrie is on to a new team. The Milwaukee Admirals, affiliate of the Nashville Predators, have signed the 24-year-old defenseman to a contract, the AHL announced. Pedrie, a former Penn State University standout, left school early to sign with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2017. However, that proved to not be the opportunity that he had hoped, as Pedrie did not get his shot at the NHL during the tail end of that season or any of last season. Instead, Pedrie remained with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, where he failed to impress. Early this season, Pedrie has split his time between Hartford and the ECHL’s Maine Mariners before negotiating his release. While he is unlikely to earn an NHL contract this season, Pedrie could return to his college form with Milwaukee and try his hand at the free agent market this off-season.
Henri Jokiharju Returns To Chicago Blackhawks
After being a huge part of Finland’s gold medal performance at the World Junior Championships, Henri Jokiharju has been recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks. It’s not clear exactly when Jokiharju will return to the lineup, but it does seem like he will spend the entire season in Chicago.
That decision, while clearly giving the Blackhawks the best chance to win every night, does have a big consequence. When Jokiharju plays in his 40th game this season, he’ll get a year closer to unrestricted free agency. The 19-year old defenseman already made sure his entry-level contract wouldn’t slide again by playing 32 games before leaving for the World Juniors.
There was no doubt that Jokiharju would be a huge addition for the Finns when he was allowed to leave the Blackhawks, but he went above and beyond by dominating the tournament. Named one of his team’s three best players, he could have even received consideration for how well he played en route to the gold medal. Calmly controlling the game from the blue line, Jokiharju also recorded five points in seven games including an assist on Kaapo Kakko‘s golden goal. It’s not like that kind of point production is something new for the young defensemen, as he had 11 points in the NHL before even leaving.
Even with the Blackhawks’ recent successful string of games, the team has a 16-21-7 record and will be hard pressed to get back into the playoff race. Jokiharju’s presence will help, but the rest of this season is much more likely a development year than a real playoff chase.
Carey Price Will Not Participate In 2019 All-Star Game
The Montreal Canadiens have decided that the long-term health of Carey Price is more important than his appearance at this year’s All-Star game. GM Marc Bergevin announced today that Price will not attend the event scheduled for later this month, instead will use the time to rest an injury.
We took the time to discuss the situation with Carey and the medical group earlier today, and we all agreed that the best decision for him would be to rest and recuperate during the upcoming All-Star Break. Carey has had a nagging injury for some time, and we want to make sure to have him healthy and rested for the second half of the season. Carey is honored to once again have been named to the NHL All-Star Game, and he is on board with the Club’s decision.
Like Alex Ovechkin who made a similar decision, Price will be forced to miss the game immediately prior to or immediately after the All-Star break. With the team playing in a back-to-back situation coming out of the break, it seems likely that Price will miss the game on February 2nd against the New Jersey Devils as punishment.
Price’s decision brings up an interesting decision for the NHL, as he was to be the team’s lone representative at the upcoming event. Every team is supposed to send at least one player, but unless Antti Niemi is going in his place there doesn’t seem to be room for Montreal to send someone else. Shea Weber is involved in the fan voting for the “Last Man In” from the Metropolitan Division, but seems like a distinct underdog against the likes of Morgan Rielly, Mark Stone and Brayden Point (among others).
One can imagine the league would not have chosen Price for the game had they known he would decide not to attend, especially given the backlash that erupted from his selection in the first place. Not only has Price missed time due to injury this season, but he had a .904 save percentage at the time of selection—one of the worst numbers of his career. In comparison, Jaroslav Halak (.926), Frederik Andersen (.923), Andrei Vasilevskiy (.920), Carter Hutton (.917) and Tuukka Rask (.917) all have started at least 20 games and have better save percentages than Price’s current .908 mark in the Atlantic Division right now. The Canadiens needed a representative though, and the league decided goaltender was the best bet.
Regardless of the All-Star implications, the decision to rest is likely a good one for Price and the Montreal organization. Notorious for playing through minor injuries, the franchise goaltender will get a good amount of rest and hopefully be able to stay healthy for the second half of the season. The Canadiens are battling for a playoff spot this season despite low expectations, and need their goaltender at his best down the stretch.
Snapshots: Trade Bait, Three Stars, Dobson
The NHL trade season is upon us with only seven weeks until the deadline and teams falling out of the playoff race. With that, Craig Custance of The Athletic (subscription required) broke down his list of 20 players who could be on the move before February 25th. At the top of the list is Artemi Panarin, who is still without a contract extension as we head into the second half of the season. The Columbus Blue Jackets are trying to make a deep Stanley Cup run and have perhaps the toughest decisions in the league with Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky set to hit unrestricted free agency.
Deeper down the list though Custance provides some details on asking prices, explaining that a deal to acquire Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings would need to start with a first-round pick while Alec Martinez might cost just a second-round pick and a good prospect. The Kings still sit at the bottom of the Pacific Division and are the only NHL team to have scored fewer than 100 goals this season. There are changes coming for Los Angeles, but in a “strong buyers market” it will be interesting to see how much they really get back for some of their trade assets.
- Last week’s Three Stars have been revealed by the NHL, with Johnny Gaudreau taking home the top honors. Gaudreau recorded 11 points in four games and has led the Calgary Flames all season. Brent Burns takes home the second star, but most interesting might be Robin Lehner in the third position. Lehner looked to be on the brink of losing his NHL career when he went unqualified by the Buffalo Sabres, but has turned things around dramatically this season with the New York Islanders. With a .927 save percentage there is good reason to believe that Lehner could be one of the top goaltending options on the market this summer after his one-year deal expires, unless the Islanders can lock him up over the next few months.
- Noah Dobson might be best known to many hockey fans for his stick exploding in overtime for Canada in the recent World Junior Championship, but he’s also a dominant defenseman and leader in the QMJHL. The Islanders prospect is on the move thanks to a junior deadline deal that will send him to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for the remainder of the season. The Huskies sent three first-round picks and a second-round pick for the right to acquire Dobson, who will give them another huge weapon on their quest for a Memorial Cup berth. The trade deadline for the OHL and WHL meanwhile passes on Thursday, meaning many more top prospects will be on the move.
Filip Forsberg Activated From Injured Reserve
The Nashville Predators have been waiting for this day for over a month. Filip Forsberg has been activated from injured reserve according to Adam Vingan of The Athletic, and could make his return to the lineup tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Miikka Salomaki has been moved to injured reserve to make room. Forsberg hasn’t played in a game since November 29th, but is still on the ballot for the fan-voted “Last Man In” All-Star appearance.
Forsberg, 24, has turned into an offensive dynamo for the Predators and was off to the best start of his career before suffering an upper-body injury. With 22 points in his first 26 games he was on pace to set career-highs in goals and points, while still registering excellent possession statistics. It’s not like Nashville has really struggled without him, but getting him back once again makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the league and quite capable of overtaking the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Central Division.
The Predators will take on the Maple Leafs tonight in the third game of a six-game road trip through the Eastern Conference (with one game against the Chicago Blackhawks sprinkled in) and currently sit second in the Central with a 25-15-3 record. It’s hard to imagine they drop much further than that through the second half of the season, especially if they can avoid the major injuries they’ve dealt with so far. Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and P.K. Subban have all missed long stretches but are expected to be in the lineup together tonight.
Three Players Placed On Waivers
Monday: All three players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.
Sunday: The Los Angeles Kings have come to the same decision that the Montreal Canadiens made earlier this season, and have placed young forward Nikita Scherbak on waivers. He’ll be joined by Jordan Schmaltz of the St. Louis Blues and Chris Wideman of the Florida Panthers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Scherbak was claimed by the Kings in an attempt to add some more speed and youth to their lineup in a hope that it would create more offense, but the 23-year old winger failed to do so through his eight games in Los Angeles. Scoring just a single goal, Scherbak struggled to adjust to his new team and will now be available for the entire league once again. If he clears, Los Angeles would be able to send Scherbak to the Ontario Reign and keep him in the organization.
St. Louis too is hoping to sneak Schmaltz through and send him to the minor leagues, given the fact that he hasn’t played in an NHL game since December 14th. The 25-year old defenseman just can’t seem to crack the Blues lineup on a full-time basis, playing in 20 games this season but earning an average of just 11:29 minutes of ice time. Schmaltz was a first-round pick of the Blues in 2012, but has just five points in 42 NHL games and could very well be on his way to another organization to get a fresh start.
Wideman, meanwhile has seemed to get a fresh start every few days this season. After being involved in the infamous Ottawa Senators Uber video earlier this year, he was eventually traded to the Edmonton Oilers in late November. After just five games as an Oiler, the team decided to ship him out to Florida as part of the package that acquired Alex Petrovic. Wideman made his Florida debut last night recording two shots in just under 12 minutes of ice time, but apparently did not do enough to impress Bob Boughner‘s coaching staff. If assigned to the minor leagues, Wideman’s entire $1MM salary would be buried and not count towards the cap for the Panthers.
Dominic Moore Signs In Switzerland
It’s been a long and winding career for NHL veteran Dominic Moore, and it will now take him overseas for a new adventure. The 38-year old veteran has signed a contract with the ZSC Lions of the Swiss NLA for the remainder of the season.
Moore spent all of last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but found himself stuck in the press box for many of the games. Suiting up 50 times, the veteran forward recorded a career-low 12 points and found himself without a job this summer. Since he was out of work, Moore took part in the recent Spengler Cup with Canada and showed that he still has a bit left in his playing career.
Signing in Europe is something entirely different for Moore, who played 998 career NHL games including the postseason and hasn’t even seen the minor leagues in more than a decade. If he doesn’t get into another NHL game he’ll end with 282 regular season points.
Minor Transactions: 01/07/19
Another week begins in the NHL with a five-game slate including a prime time matchup between the Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams are among the very best in the league this season but find themselves behind their division leader at the midway mark. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves that lead up to tonight’s games.
- Those Maple Leafs have recalled Kasimir Kaskisuo under emergency conditions once again, indicating that Frederik Andersen will not be healthy enough to suit up tonight. The team will go with Michael Hutchinson in net once again, after Kaskisuo allowed five goals in a start for the Toronto Marlies yesterday afternoon.
- Darren Archibald has been recalled by the Ottawa Senators, a quick promotion for the minor league forward after being acquired earlier this month. Archibald came over in the Anders Nillson trade with the Vancouver Canucks, and will get an NHL opportunity in Ottawa.
- Brandon Pirri has been recalled by the Vegas Golden Knights, after William Carrier was moved to injured reserve. If Pirri plays three more games with Vegas he’ll need to pass through waivers again before being sent down.
- All three players on waivers yesterday—Nikita Scherbak, Chris Wideman and Jordan Schmaltz—have been reassigned to the minor leagues. The St. Louis Blues have recalled Samuel Blais in Schmaltz’ place.
- Ben Street has been recalled by the Anaheim Ducks, just a few days after clearing waivers. Street has played 21 games for the Ducks this season, recording five points. The Ducks have also recalled Jake Dotchin, who similarly cleared waivers earlier this season.
- The New Jersey Devils have sent John Quenneville back to the AHL, another setback in a career that just can’t seem to take the next step. Quenneville remains a talented prospect for the Devils, but now has played 17 NHL games the last two seasons without recording a single point. New Jersey has recalled Egor Yakovlev to fill the roster spot.
Minor Transactions: 01/06/19
Despite many eyes across North America focused on the NFL Wild Card playoffs, the NHL has a busy Sunday scheduled this weekend. Seven games are on tap today, with the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators—two teams that are in the rumor mill—kicking things off this afternoon. As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league today.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues once again, and could have him dressed for the Toronto Marlies game this afternoon. Kaskisuo has been serving as the backup for Michael Hutchinson while the team deals with injury, but still hasn’t gotten into an NHL game. With Frederik Andersen expected to return soon, he may have to wait for another opportunity.
- Though the terminology varies on the ECHL and AHL websites, minor league defenseman Nolan De Jong will be playing for the San Jose Barracuda for the time being. With Jacob Middleton recalled by the Sharks, the Barracuda have acquired De Jong to give them some more depth on the back end. The former University of Michigan captain has nine points in 22 games with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL this season.
- The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled goaltender Cam Johnson from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. He was recalled with the recent injury to MacKenzie Blackwood, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Johnson will serve as the backup today against Vegas. The former University of North Dakota standout has had an up and down season between the ECHL and Binghamton. While he has had quite a bit of success with the Adirondack Thunder, he hasn’t been as successful in 14 AHL games. Johnson has a 3.91 GAA and a .866 save percentage. To make room for Johnson, the team assigned defenseman defenseman Egor Yakovlev to the AHL.
- The Calgary Flames announced they have assigned forward Dillon Dube and goaltender Jon Gillies to the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Dube has appeared in 23 games with Flames, but if the team is sending him down, it’s likley that forward Andrew Mangiapane is ready to return from injured reserve. And with David Rittich healthy and ready to go, the team didn’t need Gillies, who was serving as an emergency backup. He has yet to make an appearance for Calgary.
- The Anaheim Ducks have assigned both forward Ben Street and defenseman Jake Dotchin to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Both players had cleared waivers recently. The team also sent defenseman Korbinian Holzer to San Diego. The moves are expected to open up roster spots for the return of center Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler, who have been on injured reserve. Rackell has been out since Dec. 5 with a ankle injury, while Fowler has been out since Nov. 12 with a facial fracture. UPDATE: Stephens adds that Fowler has officially been activated off of injured reserve.
- The Edmonton Oilers will get back a key defenseman as they announced they have activated Kris Russell, while placing forward Kailer Yamamoto on injured reserve. Russell has been out since Dec. 11 with a groin injury and has been badly missed in Edmonton, who have since acquired multiple defenseman to add depth to their team. Russell has eight points and a plus-four rating for the Oilers. Yamamoto, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, is still trying to gain a full-time position with the team, but has just a goal and two points in 13 appearances, while having eight points in 11 games in the AHL.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled Chad Ruhwedel from his conditioning stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 28-year-old defenseman has played the role of the team’s seventh defenseman for several years now, but found himself in the press box for a long stretch of time, since Nov. 19, and the team opted to send him to the AHL to get him back into game shape. Ruhwedel played five games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting one goal, five points and a plus-eight.