Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Vancouver Canucks Loan Petrus Palmu To Germany

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Unlike many players who have bee shipped overseas in recent months while the NHL waits for their season to begin, Petrus Palmu is no stranger to loans. The Vancouver Canucks prospects has spent parts of each of his three pro seasons on loan in his native Finland. As such, it should come as no surprise that he has again been loaned away. Instead, the surprise is that rather than return to the Liiga, Palmu has been loaned to ERC Ingolstadt of Germany’s DEL.

Ingolstadt announced on Monday that they were pleased to have negotiated a loan with the Canucks to land Palmu. As opposed to many recent loan announcements, the team’s release also did not mention any shortened timeline or return for NHL training camp. Instead, it seems possible that this could be a season-long loan for the young forward.

Palmu, 23, is a skilled and speedy forward, as evidenced by a near 100-point season in the OHL and solid production in the Liiga. However, his size continues to be a concern when it comes to his NHL prospects. At 5’6″ and 170 lbs., Palmu is undersized to be competing against elite competition and to this point the Canucks seem hesitant to even place him in the AHL, beyond just a dozen games two years ago. Perhaps another strong season in Europe, this time in a new league, will convince them to give him a shot .

Minor Transactions: 11/23/20

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As the NHL off-season wears on without much activity, free agents are facing some difficult decisions as they look for employment for next season. Among other minor moves, Monday witnessed a number of payers leaving NHL contracts for minor league pacts and a stagnant market could mean that this is just the beginning.

  • Defenseman Devante Stephens will return to Syracuse next season, but on an AHL contract with the crunch rather than a two-way NHL deal. The 23-year-old, a draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning last season and for the first time in his pro career became a regular in the AHL lineup. However, this was not enough to convince the Bolts that he was worthy of a second look. At least the Crunch were willing to bring him back, announcing a one-year contract.
  • For someone who was traded three times in a nine-month span last season, one would think that forward Aaron Luchuk would be in demand. However, the 23-year-old center will not be getting a new NHL deal with his entry-level contract expiring. In fact, Luchuk was unable to even find an AHL deal. The former Senators’, Maple Leafs’, and Canadiens’ prospect has signed a one-year deal with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, the team announced.
  • University of New Brunswick product Alex Dubeau upgraded to an AHL contract last season and made three appearances with the Belleville Senators. However, he still played the majority of his games in the ECHL and will return to league next season. Dubeau has signed a one-year deal with the South Carolina Stingrays, the team announced.
  • Cam Knuble, son of former NHLer Mike Knuble, will follow in his father’s footsteps to the NCAA, though not to the same school. While Mike attended the University of Michign prior to his 16-year NHL career, Cam is headed to Western Michigan University, effective immediately according to the program. Knuble had previously been commited to nearby Michigan State University, but recently decided not only to change his commitment but to move up his timeline. The undrafted forward hopes that the move puts him on the fright track for a pro future.

Snapshots: Sharks, Khudobin, Tverberg

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Barring a change in local health policy, the San Jose Sharks may have to make other arrangements for training camp. In response to the continued surge of the Coronavirus in California, Santa Clara County officials have mandated a number of health policy changes, one of which would prohibit the Sharks from having players skate in large groups. As a result, team president Jonathan Becher tells The Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka that the team may need to hold training camp outside of the county. Becher calls moving training camp a “last resort” and states that the team has already sought permission to hold full training sessions and are waiting for the county’s approval. In the meantime, the Sharks have begun discussions with other facilities about the possibility of hosting training camp. San Jose is short on time compared to other NHL teams as well; as one of the seven non-playoff teams, the Sharks are expected to be permitted to have upwards of ten additional days of camp to make up for their lack of play time since the league paused the 2019-20 season in March. If the league is able to come through on their hopeful start date of January 1st, early training camp for the Sharks could open in just a few weeks.

  • When training camp opens in Dallas, playoff hero Anton Khudobin will be in attendance and ready to play. The veteran goaltender, who re-signed with the Stars this off-season, underwent surgery last month to correct nerve damage in his right arm. However, NHL.com’s Tracey Myers relays word from Dallas GM Jim Nill that Khudobin is already “back to 100 percent.” With starter Ben Bishop still rehabbing from off-season surgery of his own after missing much of the postseason, a healthy Khudobin is hugely important for the Stars to get off to a strong start.
  • The NCAA season is finally off and running (albeit not without some early issues), but one Toronto Maple Leafs prospect is already looking ahead to next year. 2020 seventh-round pick Ryan Tverberg has committed to the University of Connecticut, the Huskies have announced. Tverberg is set to join the program for the 2021-22 season and beyond after spending this year with the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The Leafs selected Tverberg, a native of nearby Richmond Hill, out of the local OJHL but will watch him develop for several years south of the border.

Senators’ Anders Nilsson Unlikely To Be Ready For Season

at CDT | by 1 Comment

When the Ottawa Senators take the ice in 2020-21, all eyes will be on newcomer Matt Murray in net. The big off-season trade acquisition is set to take over as starter and appears ready to hold that role for many years to come. Seemingly lost in the shuffle has been the Senator’s previous notable goaltender addition, Anders Nilsson. Acquired midway through the 2018-19 season, Nilsson outperformed the now-departed Craig Anderson down the stretch. The performance won him the starter’s share over Anderson to begin last season, as Nilsson made 20 appearances in the first three months of the year. However, his season would end at 20 games as a concussion in mid December kept him sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. If not for the addition of Murray, a healthy Nilsson likely would have again been seen as the favorite to start in Ottawa in 2020-21.

It’s fortunate then that GM Pierre Dorion and company made the move to bring in Murray, as Nilsson is still not healthy. Senators goalie coach Pierre Groulx tells Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen that Nilsson is still struggling with post-concussion syndrome and is unlikely to start the season on the active roster. While the ultimate decision of whether or not Nilsson begins the year on the injured reserve will not be made until he returns from his native Sweden, the odds are slim that Dorion will entrust a key roster spot to Nilsson if he is not fully healthy. According to Groulx, Nilsson is still suffering through headaches and issues related to his neck and eyes.

While Ottawa does not have any other veteran option to back up Murray in Nilsson’s place, they have a number of prospects who can battle for the role to begin the year. Marcus Hogberg, who served as Anderson’s backup in the second half of last season following Nilsson’s injury is the clear leader, and has a one-way contract to support his case, but he will not go unopposed. The recently-extended Joey Daccord, whose new deal also includes a one-way season, will have a say in the position battle. So too will top goalie prospect Filip Gustavsson, who is currently dominating while on loan in the the SHL. Even first-year pro Kevin Mandolese may get a look in training camp. It will be a hard-fought position battle, but an even more difficult decision may be coming down the line when (or if) Nilsson is finally healthy enough to return to the mix as well.

Snapshots: Return To Play Talks, Hertl, RIT

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The NHLPA was back to work on Return To Play negotiations today, this time taking the league’s recent proposals and discussing them internally. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the NHLPA Executive Board, which includes the player rep for each of the 31 NHL teams, met virtually this afternoon for about two-and-a-half hours. No action was taken, but those in attendance discussed the owners’ proposal that players take on an extra 13% of deferred salary in 2020-21 beyond the 10% deferral and 20% escrow already agreed upon in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. LeBrun believes that the NHL’s request was not well-received by the players, but that more discussion is needed. That includes both more internal talk, but also negotiation with the other side to see what concessions the league may make in order to achieve greater salary deferral this year. The one thing both sides have in common is wanting to get the season started as soon as it is feasible to do so, so hopefully terms of the Return to Play can be hammered out sooner rather than later.

  • Once the NHL season is ready to begin, San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl will be ready to go as well. Hertl suffered a season-ending ACL and MCL tear in 2019-20, but tells The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz that he has resumed skating and off-ice training and his knee is “feeling good”. There was some concern that perhaps Hertl would not be ready for the start of the season, depending on when that was, but Hertl states that he has been working out since August and would be playing already if the season had already begun. This is great news for the Sharks, as the team needs as much help as they can get after an extremely disappointing season and Hertl has become one of the club’s core offensive players.
  • Rochester Institute of Technology is also ready for the new season, the NCAA season that is. After initially planning to cancel their 2020-21 season for men’s and women’s hockey, RIT announced that they had reconsidered their position and will play this season. Atlantic Hockey has submitted its own Return to Play plans and proposed schedule and the Tigers are now part of those plans. While RIT does not currently have any drafted NHL prospects, the program has produced talent in the past, highlighted by a top 2020 free agent signing in defenseman Chris Tanev. 

NHL Requests Further Salary Deferral From Players In 2020-21

at CDT | by 5 Comments

As the NHL continues to work with the NHLPA’s Return to Play Committee on plans to begin the 2020-21 season, the league has requested more financial concessions from the players. Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the NHL is seeking an additional 13% of salary deferral on 2020-21 player salaries. This is in addition to a 10% deferral and 20% escrow written into the Collective Bargaining Agreement for the 2020-21 season.

The league’s request means that players would see 23% of their salary, post-escrow, deferred to the future in order to help owners with the reality of reduced revenue in another season impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. For those who like equations, that means players would be paid y=.77*(.8x), with x being the player’s total compensation in 2020-21. For those who dislike equations, they would be making about 62% of their salary this season, at least for those whose signing bonuses do not exceed 62% of their total compensation. Brooks writes that he is unsure whether this request is an ultimatum by the league or a starting point for negotiations. It is also unclear if the additional 13% of deferred salary would be treated the same as the initial 10%, which will be paid out to each player in three equal installments in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski adds that league sources have stated that under no circumstances will owners pay their players for a full 82-game season when it seems like a near certainty that the 2020-21 campaign will be considerably shortened. Of course, the existing 10% of salary deferral is already paying players for the equivalent of a 74-game season. An additional 13% of salary deferral would still pay players the equivalent of a 63-game schedule, which seems fair considering the minimum number of games has reportedly been set at 48 by the league while the hope is that it will be closer to 60 games. In either case, players will still receive their salary beyond what they would be paid on a per-game basis.

If deferred salary is still up for negotiation, the two sides need to get moving on hammering out the details. If the league hopes to begin on New Year’s Day, players have just a matter of weeks to return to their NHL cities to quarantine before training camps can open in December. There are still a lot of details to be worked out and the owners’ financial concerns are just one small part.

Fortunately, the two sides have been in communication and it seems the NHL and NHLPA have been in agreement on many goals and possible terms for a return to play. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun adds that the NHLPA’s player representatives on the Return to Play Committee are as follows: David Backes, Darren Helm, David Savard, Justin Faulk, Lars Eller, Sam Gagner, Justin Abdelkader, Ian Cole, Zach Hyman, Ron Hainsey, Claude Giroux, Ryan Dzingel, Andrew Copp, Alex Biega, Chris Kreider, Mark Scheifele. Hopefully this group can work with the league to get NHL hockey back as soon as possible and in a format that is safe and effective for the coming season.

Goalie Notes: Delia, Warm, Smith

at CDT | by 1 Comment

There are still plenty of free agent option available, but to this point the Chicago Blackhawks seem content to enter next season with their current stable of untested goaltenders, truly committing to their rebuild by going with youth over experience in net. Who will emerge from the group of Malcolm Subban, Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen, and Matt Tomkins? Given his relative experience, draft pedigree, and recent success at winning the backup job for the Blackhawks’ postseason run, most have their money on Subban. However, don’t underestimate Delia. In a profile by the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope, Delia states that he is confident in his ability to win the job:

I’d be remiss if I said I wasn’t frothing at the mouth. It’s an opportunity not many people get, and I don’t want to let that pass me by… When (Chicago) signed Robin [Lehner], I was kind of cutting my teeth because I thought I earned the position, but then, coming full circle, I was like, ‘You can’t try to earn a position as a backup goalie. You try to earn the starting position’… Without a doubt, I think I can earn that job. There’s no complacency when it comes to training camp. Every single day you step on the ice, you’re proving how much better you are than the other two guys. We all have to have that mindset.

Delia may have the stats on his side, too. While Subban has 48 more NHL appearances than Delia, in his extended experience he has failed to show that he can be a reliable option. Subban has an .899 save percentage and 2.97 GAA and has struggled the most as a starter, with just 23 quality starts out of 60. Granted, Delia has also struggled in the NHL with a 3.65 GAA, but a) in a much smaller sample size and b) with a a superior .906 save percentage and .438 quality start percentage. Delia also has the advantage of being used to a starter’s schedule; Subban has never made more than 36 appearances in a pro season and no more than 22 in each of the past three years, while Delia has made 32 appearances in back-to-back seasons and played in 40 games in 2017-18 as a first-year pro. With Delia, Subban, and Lankinen all having comparable AHL numbers in varying levels of experience, it could come down to NHL success and more natural fit as a No. 1 to determine the winner of the starter’s job and on both counts Delia appears to have the edge.

  • Another goalie headed to Chicago, but not to the Blackhawks but rather the AHL Wolves, is former WHL standout Beck Warm. The Wolves have announced a one-year deal with the first-year pro and there’s reason to believe that the Carolina Hurricanes’ new affiliate could have a diamond in the rough on their hands in Warm. The 21-year-old had an impressive 2018-19 season with the Tri-City Americans, making 61 appearances to the tune of a .916 save percentage and 2.94 GAA. When those numbers slipped to begin the 2019-20 campaign, a trade to the Edmonton Oil Kings resulted in Warm winning 11 of 15 games with a .915 save percentage and 2.30 GAA. If he can replicate his best numbers from junior to the pro level, Warm could find great success. With Carolina employing five goalies for the coming season, Warm could spend much of the year in the ECHL. However, the Hurricanes have zero goalies under contract beyond 2020-21 and could look at Warm as an entry-level contract candidate as they reboot their goalie group next year.
  • One veteran goalie not returning to North America is Jeremy Smith. The journeyman netminder, who made stops with the Predators, Blue Jackets, Bruins, Avalanche, Hurricanes, and Islanders, never had any problem finding a two-way contract. However, he finally moved on from the minors last year to take over the starting job for the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL. Although Smith ended up splitting time with Simon Hrubec, the tandem were among the most consistent in the league. The Red Star began their new season without Smith and the results have been disastrous; the team allowed well over three goals per game through their first 24 contests and the struggling Hrubec has been traded away. As a result, Kunlun has signed Smith to a one-year extension and they hope he can stabilize the net in his return.

Agent Notes: Survey, Peterson, Clarke

at CDT | by 8 Comments

While general managers and other NHL executives are usually seen as the ones with the most insight on the free agent and trade markets and player values, on the other side of the table agents also have their fingers on the pulse of the game. The Athletic’s Craig Custance recently asked 21 of the top NHL player agents to answer some questions on recent results, the current off-season, and what to expect in the future. Among the most noteworthy responses were their thoughts on how teams have performed in the fall markets. A major rivalry may be renewed, as the highest vote-getter for best off-season was the Montreal Canadiens, while the Boston Bruins received the most votes for incomplete off-season. While agents liked how Montreal has added up front, they have concerns about Boston’s defense in the wake of Torey Krug’s departure. As for projecting upcoming moves, some may be surprised to hear that the top vote-getter for “highest profile player you expect to change teams in the next year” was Buffalo Sabres superstar Jack Eichel (tied with Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine), as many felt that Eichel and new addition Taylor Hall will not be enough to right the ship in Buffalo and one or both will be gone next summer. As for the coming season, two-thirds of those polled believed the 2020-21 season will exceed Custance’s over/under of 55.5 games in length. The vast majority also feel that NBC will retain exclusive television rights in the league’s new contract, but many feel ESPN will be a factor and could at the very least force a split. For more on the opinions of the NHL’s top agents, check out the rest of The Athletic’s survey results.

  • One high-profile agent could soon be changing his allegiance from the player side to the team side. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that Brett Peterson of Acme World Sports is in talks to join former colleague Bill Zito with the Florida Panthers. Zito, recently named GM himself, already added one fellow former player agent in Paul Krepelka as an assistant GM but could fill the other AGM vacancy with Peterson. The Boston College grad has over a decade in the business, having joined Acme back in 2009.
  • The agent for top 2021 prospect Brandt Clarke is reportedly trying to get creative. Clarke, a real candidate to go first overall in next year’s NHL Draft, is currently without a place to play as he waits for the OHL to kick off in February. Wanting as much exposure this year as possible, Swedish source Expressen writes that Clarke is considering a move to Vasby IK of the minor league Allsvenskan for the time being until he can return to the Barrie Colts. The elite two-way right-handed defenseman would step into an immediate top role with Vasby, even as he makes his pro debut, as the club is dead last in the Allsvenskan and desperate for help. In what could prove to be a savvy move by his agent, if Clarke can help turn the struggling Vasby club around, it could provide the boost to his draft stock that lands him at No. 1.

NCAA Notes: Peski, Blake, Anchorage

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Just like many pros, some recent college graduates are still unsigned free agents trying to find their way in a quiet market. One name who has finally found a pro home is former University of North Dakota defenseman Andrew Peski. Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reports that Peski has signed an AHL contract with the Providence Bruins. A heavy-hitting, stay-at-home defender, Peski actually saw a significant uptick in offense as a senior, recording 10 points after totaling just 11 points in his first three collegiate seasons combined. Still, Peski served as a four-year starter for North Dakota because of his defensive ability, exemplified by a +17 rating for the top college program last year. He will try to be a value to the junior Bruins in the same way and could find himself playing a regular role in the AHL right away. Boston has just four defensemen signed who are ineligible for waivers and certain to start the year in the minors, as well as two prominent AHL-contracted blue liners returning in Josiah Didier and Cooper Zech, but that group of six includes just two right-handed defenseman, which could leave a hole for Peski.

  • A major hockey name is in the spotlight as Jack Blake, son of Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake, is following in his father’s footsteps with his college commitment. Blake, who currently plays in the OJHL with the Oakville Blades, will head to Bowling Green State University next year, the league announced. Rob played three seasons with the Falcons in the late 80’s before jumping to the NHL, but Jack may need that extra year in the NCAA to secure an NHL contract after going undrafted. Jack also still needs to do some growing to match up with his father’s hulking frame, but the younger Blake plays the same dangerous two-way style. He will certainly bear watching as he begins his collegiate career next season.
  • Count the University of Alaska-Anchorage among those NCAA programs who will not be participating this year. The school has independently canceled all winter sports, meaning they will not compete in WCHA hockey this season. While Anchorage currently has no drafted prospects, their alumni include a number of former and current NHLers, highlighted by Jay Beagle and Curtis Glencross. The lost season will unfortunately hurt the team considerably, as many players have already stated their intent to transfer.

Snapshots: Saad, Seabrook, Sobotka

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Brandon Saad has yet to even don a Colorado Avalanche jersey in practice nevertheless in game action, but the veteran winger already knows that he would like a long-term stay. Saad was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last month with just one year remaining on his current contract, a six-year, $36MM pact signed back in 2015. Having played in just nine postseason games since 2017, Saad is clearly happy to be back with a legitimate contender. Add in that he has been traded three times now in the past five years and it is no surprise that he would like to stay put in Colorado beyond this season. Saad told NHL. com’s “NHL@TheRink” Podcast that as much:

We haven’t had any discussions, I think it’s a bit early, especially with not really knowing what’s going on with the season and all that, but for me, thinking about it, Colorado has always been in my top because I want to win again. So to be in a great spot like that, on a great team, and then you hear wonders about the city, so really, it seems like a great place where I want to play for a long time. I’m looking forward to getting the season going because we have a hell of a team out there in Denver.

  • One of Saad’s former Chicago teammates, Brent Seabrook, is a player who many Blackhawks fans have wished was a former Chicago player himself over the past few years. Seabrook, 35, has seen his play in all three zones fall off considerably over the past few years, culminating in an injury-shortened and almost completely ineffective 2020-21 campaign. To make matters worse, Seabrook still has four years and $27.5MM remaining on what has become one of the more notorious contracts in the NHL. While many have speculated and perhaps hoped that Seabrook may retire, he tells The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun that he is not considering anything less than continuing his playing career to the best of his abilities. After several difficult years, on and off the ice, Seabrook tells LeBrun that he is feeling physically and mentally healthy and overall “rejuvenated”. Perhaps the Chicago mainstay can return to form this season and make the most of the remaining years of his contract.
  • While he continues to seek a permanent contract somewhere, Vladimir Sobotka has signed another month-long contract. While Sobotka played with SC Rapperswil-Jona of the Swiss NLA last month, he has landed in a more familiar spot and hopes to earn a longer stay this time around. Czech source Hokej.cz reports that Sobotka has signed a temporary contract with HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga. Sobotka came up through the program as a prospect and returned to the team during the 2012-13 lockout, making this a homecoming of sorts. While Sobokta made a minimal impact for the Buffalo Sabres this past season, he played in 69 games the year prior and is just a few years removed from a 31-point campaign with the St. Louis Blues. His experience and pedigree should earn him an extended stay with Praha, unless he opts to sign elsewhere.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top