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Overseas Notes: Jagr, Zherdev, Salmela, Pogge

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NHL legend Jaromir Jagr will surely keep pushing for an NHL roster spot, even if it takes him through the 2018 Winter Olympics and his 45th birthday to finally land a gig with a contender down the stretch. In the mean time though, Jagr finally has a place to call home for 2017-18 season. Unsurprisingly, it’s Czech club HC Kladno, of whom Jagr is a part owner. Czech hockey news source “Hokej.cz” was the first to report (link in Czech) Jagr’s plans, and even goes so far as to say that Jagr should be ready for game action by Saturday. Now, Kladno was always the fallback plan for Jagr, so this announcement doesn’t eliminate the possibility that Jagr could still sign in the NHL or KHL, as has been most recently rumored, at any time. What it does mean, is that the ageless wonder is going to keep playing, one way or another.

  •  Latvian KHL club Dinamo Riga took a hit earlier today when former NHL forward T.J. Galiardi terminated his contract with the team following a hot start to his season. However, Riga was ready to react accordingly, as they soon after announced the addition of 2003 4th overall pick Nikolai Zherdev. Zherdev, a name that many in North America equate with missed opportunity, was a top pick of the young Columbus Blue Jackets organization more than a decade ago. While a one-dimensional scoring forward, Zherdev’s talent was undeniable. In four seasons with the Jackets, Zherdev recorded 76 goals and 105 assists in 283 games; he was also a -52. Columbus traded Zherdev to the Rangers in 2008-09, where he again was a highly successful scorer, but Zherdev left the team after the season, returning home to Russia. After a season in the KHL, Zherdev attempted an NHL comeback with the Flyers, but didn’t have the same gusto to his game and headed back across the Atlantic in the off-season. Since the young age of 26, Zherdev has been playing in the KHL and has struggled with health and inconsistency for much of that time. Zherdev was already released after just two games with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk earlier this season, but hopes he can find a more permanent home with a Riga club in need of as much help as it can get.
  • While Riga is deep up front, even after the loss of Galiardi, they don’t enjoy the same talent on the back end. They helped themselves with that problem today as well, inking veteran defenseman Anssi Salmela to a one-year deal. The 33-year-old Finn played in 112 NHL games between 2008 and 2011, bouncing between the New Jersey Devils and Atlanta Thrashers, but managing to play a respectable and reliable stay-at-home role in both locations. Salmela has done more bouncing around since heading back to Europe; he’s jumped from team-to-team and league-to-league in the KHL and Swedish Hockey League, including a strong showing with Linkoping just last season. Salmela will add some experience and leadership for the Dinamo as they look to be build upon their last-place roster.
  • Another NHL veteran finding employment overseas in goaltender Justin Pogge. After losing starter Ville Kolppanen, Swedish club Rogle BK reached out to the reliable journeyman. The team announced (link in Swedish) the new deal today, comparing Pogge to former keeper Anders Lindback. Pogge sat on an NHL bench as recently as 2012, but has actually not seen any big league action since the end of his rookie year in 2008-09. Pogge has played in Italy, Sweden, and most recently Slovakia, with the KHL’s HC Slovan Bratislava last year, and has actually fared well for himself since leaving North America behind. He has a chance to continue an altogether impressive European career as he begins his time with Rogle this season.

Toronto Marlies With Several NHL Veterans In Camp

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While many AHL camps have gotten underway in recent days largely with the early cuts from their NHL affiliates and ECHL hopefuls as “campers”, the Toronto Marlies drew some attention today when they announced a 40-man initial roster featuring several familiar names.

Among the many in attendance are NHL veterans Jordan Caron, Brandon Gormley, Matt Hackett, and Mackenzie Skapski. Caron and Gormley are especially interesting as past first-round picks, while Hackett and Skapski are two of the very few remaining free agent goaltenders on the market. All four players have value in their own right, yet end up not on NHL contracts, or in NHL camps, or even on AHL contracts. Why?

Skapski may be the easiest to explain. After two impressive spot starts at the young age of 21 with the New York Rangers in 2014-15, Skapski’s career has been in free fall. The next year, Skapski posted a 3.00+ GAA and nearly a .900 save percentage in the AHL and ECHL. Those numbers continued to plummet this past season, with Skapski making 13 rough starts in the AHL and spending the majority of the season in the ECHL.

The once-promising Hackett also made his NHL debut at 21 years old with the Minnesota Wild back in 2011-12. Hackett made 12 appearances with the Wild in his rookie season and had an impressive 2.37 GAA and .922 save percentage. While that level of performance was unsustainable, Hackett continued to make a living as a backup or third-string option for the Wild and Buffalo Sabres for years, before taking on more of an AHL depth role for the Anaheim Ducks since 2015. However, too much depth in net, as well as injury issues, limited Hackett to only seven starts last season, in which he was less than spectacular. More of an unknown commodity now than the future-starter tag from years ago, Hackett needs to prove himself once again at the pro level.

Gormley, the 13th overall pick in 2010 by the Arizona Coyotes, has not had the career expected of him when he was selected before fellow defensemen like Derek Forbort, Mark Pysyk, and Justin Faulk early in the draft. Gormley has just 58 games of NHL experience and has not played at the highest level since midway through the 2015-16 season. However, Gormley had been a productive AHLer, with 75 points, more than half a point per game, through his first three pro seasons. In the past two seasons? Only 21 points in 91 games. With the points disappearing, Gormley faces the possibility that his career could be coming to an end soon at just 25 years old. Gormley could use a big camp to keep that from coming to fruition.

Caron is probably the most notable player in any AHL camp on a tryout basis, not just the Marlies’, as the Boston Bruins’ 2009 first-rounder was a “black ace” call-up by the St. Louis Blues mere months ago. While Caron has the appearance of having stuck around the NHL, in actuality he has only played in four NHL games since the end of the 2014-15 season. Nevertheless, the 6’3″, 205-lb. power forward is still a veteran of over 150 NHL games and has shown flashes of ability from time to time. If any of these four player can make the Marlies – and make a difference – it is Caron.

Tom Wilson Suspended For Two Preseason Games

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2:44 PM: Wilson has been suspended for two preseason games, the Department of Player Safety announced.

11:17 AM: To the surprise of many, including head coach Barry Trotz, Washington Capital’s grinder Tom Wilson will have a hearing regarding an interference call in last night’s preseason game against the St. Louis Blues. In a quick turnaround, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced their appointment with Wilson this morning for a hearing later today. It is a fast response, with the potential to be forceful as well, when it comes to Wilson, who is starting to get a reputation as one of the league’s biggest thugs.

The hit in question, as you can see, was a hard check on St. Louis 2017 first-round pick Robert Thomas. Thomas was chasing the puck, which drew the interference call, when Wilson swung in an hit him with a shoulder to the upper body. Wilson leaves his feet to make contact, which Player Safety will surely call attention to. Thomas was not injured on the play and Wilson quickly fought Dmitrij Jaskin and then served his penalty and with the pace of the game, no one gave much of a second thought to the ordeal. The Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan even reports that Trotz had planned to use Wilson in tonight’s game. However, the league, and new Head of Player Safety and former enforcer himself George Parros, would like to take a closer look at Wilson’s most recent incident.

Amazingly, if Wilson is suspended for the hit, it will be the first suspension of his NHL career. Wilson has had his fair share of hearing, two ending in substantial fines, but has never missed any time. However, the timing of this hearing could mean that his lucky streak is about to end. With the main focus of the NHL this season clearly being a desire to clean up play and reduce injuries, a statement suspension for a guy too often on the wrong side of dirty plays would seem to fit the narrative.

Poll: The Fate Of The Remaining RFA’s

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Notable players have begun to be cut from training camps and placed on waivers as the season draws closer, under two weeks away now. Yet, two restricted free agents still have yet to even sign a new contract, nevertheless compete in camp. Columbus’ Josh Anderson and Detroit’s Andreas Athanasiou still remain unsigned long after agreements were reached in more difficult RFA cases like those of David Pastrnak and Sam Bennett. Not only do the pair still not have contracts for the coming year, but seemingly no progress has been made recently either.

After it was reported more than a week ago that there was a “vast gap” in negotiations between Anderson and the Blue Jackets, a recent update stated that “no progress” had been made since then either. The newest piece of information has Anderson traveling to Switzerland, where he could potentially meet with several NLA teams. Anderson has also spoken about the possibility of starring for Team Canada at the Olympics. Anderson scored 17 goals for Columbus last year, which would be quite a lot of production for a team chasing a division title to lose.

Athanasiou is beyond overseas speculation; he has several hard offers on the table from KHL clubs. While “talks continue” between the two sides, there has been no concrete news for days. The “Riley Sheahan-to-Pittsburgh” rumor, that is supposedly contingent on an agreement with Athanasiou, has obviously not happened either, as it has been all quiet from both the Red Wings and their talented, young player. Athanasiou scored 29 points in 64 games for the struggling Wings last year. Can a team lacking much game-breaking talent afford to lose such a player?

There are a lot of different ways that this could all end up. Either or both could simply sign with their current teams, whether it be in the coming weeks or early in the season like several 2016 cases. Either one could be traded to a team with greater need and greater ability to sign them to a deal that comes closer to their desired term and salary. Or, the nuclear option, both have expressed and interest (read: threatened) in going overseas and could pull the trigger if their team will not sign or trade them. Take a crack at the poll below and sort through a variety of endings to these RFA sagas:

Training Camp Cuts: 9/23/17

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The more than fifty cuts made from training camps around the league yesterday was only the beginning. Weekend or not, expect the announcements to keep flooding in, and we’ll keep track of it all right here:

Anaheim Ducks

F Stu Bickel – San Diego (AHL)
F Maxime Comtois – Victoriaville (QMJHL)
F Alex Dostie – San Diego (AHL)
G Olle Eriksson Ek – Farjestad BK (SWE U20)
F Nic Kerdiles – San Diego (AHL)
D Brady Lyle – North Bay (OHL), released from ATO
F Antoine Morand – Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
F Julius Nattinen – San Diego (AHL)
F Kyle Olson – Tri-City (WHL)
F Austin Ortega – San Diego (AHL)
D Turner Ottenbreit – Seattle (WHL), released from ATO
G Angus Redmond – San Diego (AHL)
F Kevin Roy – San Diego (AHL)
F Zach Saar – San Diego (AHL)
F Deven Sideroff – San Diego (AHL)
F Tyler Soy – San Diego (AHL)
D Jeff Schultz – San Diego (AHL)
D Keaton Thompson – San Diego (AHL)

Buffalo Sabres

F Eric Cornel – Rochester (AHL)
F Vaclav Karabacek – Rochester (AHL)
G Jason Kasdorf – Rochester (AHL)
G Jonas Johansson – Rochester (AHL)
D Brycen Martin – Rochester (AHL)
F Steve Moses – Rochester (AHL)
D Casey Nelson – Rochester (AHL)
F Kevin Porter – Rochester (AHL)
F Cliff Pu – London (OHL)
D Devante Stephens – Rochester (AHL)
G Adam Wilcox – Rochester (AHL)

Calgary Flames

F Austin Carroll – Stockton (AHL)
D Josh Healey – Stockton (AHL)
D Oliver Kylington – Stockton (AHL)
F Andrew Mangiapane – Stockton (AHL)
D Adam Ollas Mattsson – Stockton (AHL)
G Tyler Parsons – Stockton (AHL)
D Colby Robak – Stockton (AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes

F Clark Bishop – Charlotte (AHL)
G Callum Booth – Charlotte (AHL)
F Warren Foegele – Charlotte (AHL)
D Tyler Ganly – Charlotte (AHL)
F Gregory Hofmann – HC Lugano (NLA)
D Keenan Kanzig – Charlotte (AHL)
F Steven Lorentz – Charlotte (AHL)
G Alex Nedeljkovic – Charlotte (AHL)
F Andrew Poturalski – Charlotte (AHL)
F Nick Schilkey – Charlotte (AHL)
F Spencer Smallman – Charlotte (AHL)
F Sergey Tolchinsky – Charlotte (AHL)
D Josh Wesley – Charlotte (AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks

D Kyle Baun – Rockford (AHL) (cleared waivers)
G Jeff Glass – Rockford (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Dallas Stars

F Travis Morin – released from PTO, will attend AHL camp
F Greg Rallo – released from PTO, will attend AHL camp

Minnesota Wild

D Zach Palmquist – Iowa (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Montreal Canadiens

D Zach Redmond – Laval (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Nashville Predators

D Frederic Allard – Milwaukee (AHL)
F Derek Army – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Bobby Butler – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Tyler Kelleher – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Justin Kirkland – Milwaukee (AHL)
D Joonas Lyytinen – Milwaukee (AHL)
D T.J. Melancon – Milwaukee (AHL)
F Angelo Miceli – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Trevor Mingoia – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Tyler Moy – Milwaukee (AHL)
D Trevor Murphy – Milwaukee (AHL)
G Matt O’Connor – Milwaukee (AHL)
D Jimmy Oligny – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
G Jake Paterson – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Stephen Perfetto – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
D Rick Pinkston – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Anthony Richard – Milwaukee (AHL)

New York Islanders

D Sebastian Aho – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Casey Bailey – released from PTO
D Kyle Burroughs – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Michael Dal Colle – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Scott Eansor – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F Tanner Fritz – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Ben Holmstrom – released from PTO
F Ross Johnston – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Jeff Kubiak – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
D Kane LaFranchise – Bridgeport (AHL)
G Eamon McAdam – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Kyle Schempp – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Travis St. Denis – released from PTO, will report to AHL camp
F John Stevens – Bridgeport (AHL)
D Devon Toews – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Yannick Turcotte – released from ATO
D Mitchell Vande Sompel – Bridgeport (AHL)
D Parker Wotherspoon – Bridgeport (AHL)

New York Rangers

D Alexei Bereglazov – Hartford (AHL)
G Alexandar Georgiev – Hartford (AHL)
D John Gilmour – Hartford (AHL)
F Ryan Gropp – Hartford (AHL)
G Chris Nell – Hartford (AHL)
D Vince Pedrie – Hartford (AHL)
F Malte Stromwall – Hartford (AHL)
F Adam Tambellini – Hartford (AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers

D Mark Alt – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
D T.J. Brennan – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Greg Carey – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Corban Knight – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
G Alex Lyon – Lehigh Valley (AHL)
D Will O’Neill – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Phil Varone – Lehigh Valley (AHL) (cleared waivers)

Ottawa Senators

G Chris Driedger – Belleville (AHL)
G Marcus Hogberg – Belleville (AHL)
G Danny Taylor – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
D Erik Burgdoerfer – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
D Cody Donaghey – Belleville (AHL)
D Andreas Englund – Belleville (AHL)
D Macoy Erkamps – Belleville (AHL)
D Christian Jaros – Belleville (AHL)
D Patrick Sieloff – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Chris DiDomenico – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Vincent Dunn – Belleville (AHL)
F Gabriel Gagne – Belleville (AHL)
F Nick Paul – Belleville (AHL)
F Francis Perron – Belleville (AHL)
F Ben Sexton – Belleville (AHL) (cleared waivers)
F Kyle Flanagan – released from PTO (Belleville)
D Jordan Murray – released from PTO (Belleville)
F Jack Rodewald – released from PTO (Belleville)
D Charles-David Beaudoin – released from PTO
F Brendan Woods – released from PTO
F Drake Batherson – Cape Breton (QMJHL)
F Parker Kelly – Prince Albert (WHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Shane Conacher – Released from PTO
F Alex Gallant – Syracuse (AHL)
F Kevin Lynch – Released from PTO (Syracuse)
F Otto Somppi – Halifax (QMJHL)
F Carter Verhaeghe – Syracuse (AHL)
D Mat Bodie – Syracuse (AHL)
D Reid McNeil – Released from PTO (Syracuse)
D Matt Spencer – Syracuse (AHL)
G Connor Ingram – Syracuse (AHL)
G Michael Leighton – Syracuse (AHL)

Panthers Sign Defenseman Ed Wittchow

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Despite outward appearances, not all tryouts end poorly in the NHL. Every once in a while, an impressive camp effort can be it all it takes for even the most obscure player, veteran or prospect, to prove that they are deserving of an NHL contract. Such is the case of Ed Wittchow, who today signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panther, per a team release. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

Wittchow, 24, was actually drafted by Florida back in 2011, a sixth-round selection out of the USHL. The Minnesota-native attended the University of Wisconsin for four years, becoming the captain of the team in his final year. However, the 6’3″ Wittchow is a stay-at-home type who managed to accrue only 17 total points in his time with the Badgers. While a reliable defensive player, he also didn’t turn heads with his checking ability or physicality in the college game either. Thus, upon graduating, the Panthers had lost interest in signing Wittchow to an entry-level deal. However, he stuck around the organization, singing an AHL contract with the Panthers’ affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, for the 2016-17 season. Again, Wittchow was not nothing if not unspectacular, scoring just four points and posting a -6 in 38 games with Springfield and skating in another 14 games with the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs. Nevertheless, Wittchow’s hard work and dedication – specifically referenced by Flordia GM Dale Tallon in today’s announcement – earned Wittchow an extension with the Thunderbirds and an invitation to camp. After getting another close look at their former prospect, it seems the Panthers again would like to be a part of Wittchow’s hockey future by giving him his first NHL contract.

The Panthers could use some extra defensive depth after their recent trade of solid veteran Jason Demers to the Arizona Coyotes, but expect Wittchow’s role in 2017-18 to be more of a backup to the backups. With just one season of pro hockey under his belt, the Badger blue liner likely needs quite a bit more seasoning before he is ready to challenge for NHL minutes. However, with Springfield teammate Ian McCoshen likely now slated for a starting role in Florida and the likes of Mackenzie Weegar and Josh Brown the next men up, Wittchow should be set to play a leading role on the Thunderbirds’ blue line this season, which can only help his chances of reaching the next level one day.

Injury Notes: Lightning, Sabres, Jets

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Despite finishing the 2016-17 season with 94 points and missing the playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning are the favorite of many to win the Atlantic Division and possibly even the Eastern Conference. Why? It’s not because they added Dan Girardi, Chris Kunitz, and Michael Leighton this off-season. No, the real reason for the resurgence of hope in Tampa is of course the return of captain Steven Stamkos. The Bolts’ superstar is set to return to the team after missing nearly all of last season, and the first step is his preseason debut tonight at home against the Predators. Stamkos told the Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith that, more than anything, he’s feeling curious about his first game action since November 15, 2016, eager to see how he feels and how he plays. Lightning fans are eager as well; their season rides on the health and performance of Stamkos. When Stamkos returned from a broke leg in 2014, he tells Smith that he felt he was playing “the best hockey of my career”. However, the serious knee injury that sidelined him for much of 2017 could take a bit longer to work back from. Only time will tell how one of the best players in the game returns from his latest injury, but there is no doubt that the spotlight will be on him, starting tonight.

  • Smith also issued an update today on Anton Stralman, the Lightning defenseman whose undisclosed injury had kept him from even practicing this week and had some worried about the start of the season. That is, until today. Previously, Stralman had only been seen skating at practice in a red, non-contact jersey and was not taking part in drills, but Smith reports that he was back it today, cleared for contact and participating fully. Stralman told Smith that he expects to be back t full strength for the season opener, easing the fears of the fan base.
  • Another team with a pair of potential difference-makers currently sidelined are the Buffalo Sabres. The Buffalo News’ John Vogl reports that big off-season trade acquisition Marco Scandella was back at practice today after sitting out the last few days. Still recovering from hip surgery, Scandella said that he is preparing for the season mentally, even if he’s taking it easy physically. The Sabres plan to use Scandella on the top pair this season, and while they would love for him to be at 100% come October 5th, his long-term health and durability is of greater concern.
  • Unfortunately, Vogl’s article didn’t have as much optimism about young scorer Alexander Nylander. The team’s 2016 first-round pick has yet to take the ice in training camp after suffering a lower body injury in the Sabres’ prospect camp. Nylander’s status is up in the air, but it seems highly unlikely that he will be ready for the season if he is still watching practices from the stands. New head coach Phil Housley acknowledged that the team is letting Nylander move slowly with his recovering, but admitted that there is no definite time table for his return.
  • The NHL is trying to cut down on injuries this season and to achieve that goal they are ramping up the enforcement of penalties. That presents a substantial problem for the Winnipeg Jets, who have taken more penalties than any team in the league over the past four seasons and haven’t been very good on the penalty kill either. In a stroke of genius, the team hosted former NHL referee Paul Devorski in camp today, who provided some in-depth instruction on how to void penalties, especially those like slashing that have been given special emphasis by the league this season.

Islanders Sign Kieffer Bellows To Entry-Level Deal

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Kieffer Bellows would have liked to have come out of camp with the New York Islanders with an NHL job, but as he heads to his junior team he’ll take the next best thing: his first NHL contract. The Islanders cut Bellows from camp earlier today, but have announced a few hours later that he signed his entry-level deal before leaving. The contract is the entry level maximum: three years, $925K per year.

The Islanders’ 2016 first-round pick, Bellows has already been an intriguing character for fans to follow. The son of former NHLer Brian Bellows, Kieffer was a standout on the 2015-16 U.S. National Development Team, registering 81 points in 62 games. After being drafted by the Isles, Bellows moved on to Boston University last fall, where he had long since been committed to play college hockey. Yet, in May it was revealed that Bellows would not return to the Terriers this season, instead changing development tracks and moving to Canadian juniors, where the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks held his rights. While many speculated that Bellows move may have to do with the loss of talent at BU – the powerhouse program watched Charlie McAvoy, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, and Clayton Keller leave early – but the counter is that more talented NHL prospects remained than left and the team had reinforcements of several 2017 draft picks and 2018 hopefuls coming in. In the end, it seems that college hockey might have just been a poor fit for Bellows and he felt that he could develop better in the WHL.

All eyes will be on the 19-year-old power forward this season as he adjusts to the major junior game. With his contract signed, it is possible he could see some time with the Islanders in 2017-18, but seeing as they already have several young forwards still being worked into the lineup, it seems more likely that Bellows will use this WHL season as a tryout for next year’s squad.

Arena Notes: Calgary, Arizona, Detroit

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The ongoing issues with the Flames and the city of Calgary has been well-publicized. The two sides are at odds in regards to the construction of a new arena and who should shoulder the greatest burden of the cost. The Flames have made it known that they have made offers to the city, offers they believe to be fair, and that the city has been the side unwilling to work toward a resolution. However, as The Hockey News’ Ken Campbell points out, the public relations battle that the team is waging may be all for not. Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, according to Campbell, is not only well-liked, but also a tough negotiator. Campbell believes that Nenshi is not like many politicians, who often cave when it comes to dealing with local sports teams. It seem that Nenshi is willing to make a stand and work toward an agreement that is more balanced for the taxpayers of Calgary. Some may see risk in Nenshi calling Flames billionaire owner Murray Edwards’ bluff, but Campbell believes that there is no way the Flames leave the city under any circumstances. The people of Calgary will inevitably end up partially funding a new arena, but with Nenshi as their negotiator, it should be on far better terms than the Flames’ current offer.

  • The Arizona Coyotes issued a statement last night, updating fans on the status of the ice at Gila River Arena. The Coyotes were forced to cancel their first home preseason game on Monday night due to poor ice conditions. With only a fixed amount of time for preseason hockey, Arizona did not even have the ability to postpone their contest with the Los Angeles Kings. In an effort to make sure they didn’t miss anymore opportunities to take a look at their young and very different roster, the Coyotes worked quickly to install a new sheet of ice and have their arena back up to suitable standards. The improvement is just in time, as the San Jose Sharks come to town tomorrow.
  • The Detroit Red Wings took the ice at the brand new Little Caesars Arena for the first time today, as noted by beat writer Helene St. James. The Wings played their final game at Joe Louis Arena, the historic building at 19 Steve Yzerman drive, in April after being one of the most dominant teams in all of sports during their residency from 1979 to 2017. Veterans like Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall, who more or less grew up in “The Joe” will now have to get a feel for their new home, the massive 20,000 seat Little Caesars Arena, and it all starts with the team’s first game there, hosting the Boston Bruins tomorrow night.

Montreal Places Zach Redmond On Waivers

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The Montreal Canadiens came into camp with quite a few players battling for spots on the blue line after adding Karl Alzner, David Schlemko, and Mark Streit this summer as well as Jordie Benn and Brandon Davidson late last season. With mainstays Shea Weber and Jeff Petry having spots locked in as well, the influx of talent was always going to push someone out. The process of picking their final seven is not yet over, but they have taken the first step, announcing the placement of Zach Redmond on waivers today for the purposes of reassigning him to their new AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

Redmond, 29, is the first notable player to hit the waiver wire this fall. With 130 NHL games under his belt, including a 59-game, 20-point effort as a top-four regular with the Colorado Avalanche in 2014-15, Redmond has proved himself to be a reliable AHL depth option over the past five seasons. Last season in Montreal, Redmond recorded five assists over 16 games and added another 18 points in 26 AHL games. Redmond largely played the seventh-man role in Montreal, spending the majority of the season with the Canadiens, but watching from the press box. However, his early release from camp likely means that isn’t the plan for 2017-18. If Redmond clear waivers, he could spend much of the season in Laval until injury or poor play strikes the Habs’ defensive corps. If Redmond doesn’t clear waivers (not an overwhelming likelihood but a definite possibility), it will be due to his ability to step in and play competent defense as that valuable dependable extra man.

Redmond is far from alone on waivers today; joining him are several Ottawa Senators – Patrick Sieloff, Erik Burgdoerfer, Chris DiDomenico, Daniel Taylor, and Ben Sexton, several Philadelphia Flyers – Corban Knight, Greg Carey, Phil Varone, Will O’Neill, T.J. Brennan, and Mark Alt, as well as Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Chris Casto, Minnesota Wild rearguard Zach Palmquist, New York Rangers forward Adam Chapie, and Chicago Blackhawks Jeff Glass and Kyle Baun.  

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