Training Camp Cuts: 9/25/18
Another day of camp, another day of cuts. Things are starting to get more difficult though as rosters have become much thinner over the past few days and each release and reassignment is not taken lightly. The pace of roster announcements today is noticeably slower than this past week. Yet, the cuts must be made. Follow along here for all of the camp casualties across the league today:
Note that players placed on waivers today are not included on this list. They can be found here.
Arizona Coyotes (per team release)
D Kyle Capobianco (to Tuscon, AHL)
G Adin Hill (to Tuscon, AHL)
F Kevin Klima (to Tuscon, AHL)
F Jens Looke (to Tuscon, AHL)
G Hunter Miska (to Tuscon, AHL)
F Lane Pederson (to Tuscon, AHL)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
D Connor Clifton (to Providence, AHL)
F Karson Kuhlman (to Providence, AHL)
D Jeremy Lauzon (to Providence, AHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)
G Callum Booth (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Morgan Geekie (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Andrew Poturalski (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Dan Renouf (to Charlotte, AHL)
Chicago Blackhawks (per team Twitter update)
D Carl Dahlstrom (to Rockford, AHL)
D Joni Tuulola (to Rockford, AHL)
Detroit Red Wings (per team release)
F Dylan Sadowy (to Toledo, ECHL)
D Brenden Kotyk (released from PTO)
F Bryan Moore (released from PTO)
G Pat Nagle (released from PTO)
D Matt Register (released from PTO)
F Jordan Topping (released from PTO)
F Luke Kirwan (released from ATO)
Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter update)
D Kevin Gravel (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Keegan Lowe (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Brad Malone (to Bakersfield, AHL)
Montreal Canadiens (per team release)
D Michal Moravcik (to Laval, AHL)
D David Sklenicka (to Laval, AHL)
F Nick Suzuki (to Owen Sound, OHL)
F Joel Ward (released from PTO)
New Jersey Devils (per team Twitter)
F Joey Anderson (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Michael McLeod (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Marian Studenic (to Binghamton, AHL)
New York Islanders (per team Twitter update)
F Steve Bernier (to Bridgeport, AHL)
G Christopher Gibson (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Seth Helgeson (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Mike Sislo (to Bridgeport, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)
F Nicholas Aube-Kubel (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Philippe Myers (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (per Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal)
F Reid Boucher (to Utica, AHL)
D Ashton Sautner (to Utica, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)
G Maxime Lagace (to Chicago, AHL)
F Stefan Matteau (to Chicago, AHL)
D Griffin Reinhart (to Chicago, AHL)
F T.J. Tynan (to Chicago, AHL)
F Cody Glass (to Portland, WHL)
Ryan Donato Expected To Break Camp With Boston
- While the Bruins appear to have a pair of roster spots up front, one of them has already been taken. Head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters, including Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, that youngster is expected to break camp with the team. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise as the 22-year-old put up nine points in a dozen games after joining the team late last season although he was a frequent scratch in the postseason. That leaves the rest of the roster hopefuls, including veteran tryout wingers Lee Stempniak and Daniel Winnik, vying for one last position.
Brian Gionta Announces Retirement
This time last year, many had written off veteran forward Brian Gionta as having played in his last game. Instead, the 39-year-old captained the U.S. Olympic team at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea and then returned home to a contract with the Boston Bruins for the stretch run and two rounds of postseason play. With that adventure added to a 16-year NHL career, Gionta now feels he can hang up his skates. The respected veteran announced at a press conference with the Buffalo Sabres today that he has retired from playing professional hockey. Gionta will remain with Sabres in a small off-ice role moving forward.
One of the most famed locker room leaders of his generation, Gionta served as the captain of both the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens during his career. He began as top prospect of the New Jersey Devils, a 1998 third-round pick out of Boston College. At BC, Gionta was a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist and helped the Eagles to three Hockey East championships. In his second pro season, Gionta helped the Devils to a Stanley Cup championship in 2003, during which run he played in all 24 playoff games and chipped in nine points. Gionta truly broke out in the first post-lockout season, finishing in the top ten in goal scoring with 48 goals and 89 points in 2005-06. After seven years in New Jersey, Gionta played five seasons with Montreal and then returned home to upstate New York for three seasons with Buffalo.
Altogether, Gionta recorded 595 points in 1026 NHL games. An extremely durable player, Gionta played in 75+ games in nine different seasons, often averaging upwards of nineteen minutes of ice time per night. At just 5’7″, Gionta was a pioneer of the movement toward smaller players in the NHL, as his play proved that small stature doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of toughness and grit. Gionta was also a model player, especially considering his two-way nature, as he stayed out of the penalty box for much of his career. Gionta will always be remembered for his unique style, versatility, hockey IQ, and of course, leadership. Should he really embrace the management side of the game with Buffalo, he will likely continue to find success in the game of hockey.
Training Camp Cuts: 9/24/18
Another day, another two or three dozen cuts on the way. As training camp and the NHL preseason continues on, teams work to pare down their rosters in anticipation of Opening Night. Keep track of all the releases and reassignments right here:
Note that players placed on waivers today are not included on this list. They can be found here.
Anaheim Ducks (per team release)
F Giovanni Fiore (to San Diego, AHL)
F Mitch Hults (to San Diego, AHL)
F Jack Kopacka (to San Diego, AHL)
G Angus Redmond (to San Diego, AHL)
F Deven Sideroff (to San Diego, AHL)
D Keaton Thompson (to San Diego, AHL)
G Roman Durny (to Des Moines, USHL)
Arizona Coyotes (per team release)
F Michael Bunting (to Tuscon, AHL)
D Cam Dineen (to Tuscon, AHL)
D Dysin Mayo (to Tuscon, AHL)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
D Axel Andersson (to Djurgarden, SEL)
F Cameron Hughes (to Providence, AHL)
D Emil Johansson (to Providence, AHL)
F Joona Koppanen (to Providence, AHL)
F Tanner Pond (to Providence, AHL)
F Zach Senyshyn (to Providence, AHL)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
G Joe Cannata (to Colorado, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Vitaly Abramov (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Brady Austin (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Paul Bittner (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Garret Cockerill (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Ryan Collins (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Dan DeSalvo (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Maxime Fortier (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brett Gallant (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Nikita Korostelev (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Miles Koules (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Ryan MacInnis (to Cleveland, AHL)
G Joseph Raaymakers (released from ATO; to London, OHL)
F Justin Scott (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Kole Sherwood (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Blake Siebenaler (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Doyle Somerby (to Cleveland, AHL)
G Brad Thiessen (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Calvin Thurkauf (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Trent Vogelhuber (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Justin Wade (to Cleveland, AHL)
Detroit Red Wings (per team release)
F Joe Veleno (to Drummondville, QMJHL)
Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter update)
F Cooper Marody (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Scottie Upshall (released from PTO)
Florida Panthers (per team release)
G Sam Montembeault (to Springfield, AHL)
D Riley Stillman (to Springfield, AHL)
F Owen Tippett (to Mississauga, OHL)
F Mark Letestu (released from PTO)
Los Angeles Kings (per team release)
G Peter Budaj (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Moverare (loaned to Frolunda, SHL)
Nashville Predators (per team release)
F Connor Brickley (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Tyler Gaudet (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Troy Grosenick (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jarred Tinordi (to Milwaukee, AHL)
New Jersey Devils (per team Twitter)
F Kurtis Gabriel (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Blake Pietila (to Binghamton, AHL)
D John Ramage (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Brian Strait (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Eric Tangradi (to Binghamton, AHL)
New York Islanders (per team release)
D Sebastian Aho (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Kieffer Bellows (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Michael Dal Colle (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Ben Holmstrom (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Josh Ho-Sang (to Bridgeport, AHL)
G Jeremy Smith (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Travis St. Denis (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Parker Wotherspoon (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Noah Dobson (to Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
D Chris Butler (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Klim Kostin (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Mackenzie MacEachern (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Adam Musil (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Jordan Nolan (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Mitch Reinke (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Nolan Stevens (to San Antonio, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (per team release)
D Jalen Chatfield (to Utica, AHL)
F Jonathan Dahlen (to Utica, AHL)
F Petrus Palmu (to Utica, AHL)
Atlantic Notes: Johnson, Drouin, Bruins, Outdoor Game, Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have been without winger Tyler Johnson for the last week after suffering an upper-body injury in practice. While the 28-year-old is listed as day-to-day, NHL.com’s Bryan Burns writes that Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois recently hinted that Johnson could miss more time than originally expected, including possibly missing the season opener.
“We’re optimistic that he’ll be ready for the season opener but there are no guarantees,” Brisbois said. “In any event, we don’t expect this to be something that will be long term.”
Johnson is a key player on the Lightning’s top-six as he is coming off a 21-goal, 50-point season and the team needs him on the ice if it wants to make another Stanley Cup run this season.
- Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette writes that Montreal Canadiens Jonathan Drouin, who spent his entire summer working on his skills at the center position was a little surprised when they moved him back to wing on the first day of training camp. “I worked on centre stuff all summer, so I was a bit surprised,” Drouin said. “Starting the season it’s easier to go from centre to wing if you’ve played that. I just need to get my feet wet more a little bit and get back to that elite winger I used to be.” Drouin hopes returning to his original position will give him a chance to develop into the elite winger that Montreal thought they were getting when they traded for him last offseason.
- The Boston Bruins are still making decisions on who will make their opening day roster, but no matter how you look at it, some very talented youngsters will find themselves on the outside looking in, according to Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports. The scribe writes that some players will have trouble making the roster, including defenseman Matt Grzelcyk as well as Anders Bjork. Grzelcyk played in 61 games, but could find himself in a seventh-man role or worse with the depth on the team’s blueline, while a shoulder injury has hindered the chances of Bjork making the team as Ryan Donato and Danton Heinen seem to have surpassed him on the depth chart. Bjork might get a chance to return for a preseason game or two, but is it too late?
- NHL.com’s Bryan Burns writes that the Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik believes the team is closing in on the possibility of getting an outdoor game as weather in February may be good enough in Tampa to host a game. However, NHL executive VP Steve Mayer countered (via The Athletic’s Joe Smith) that by saying that while Tampa Bay is one of many teams up for an outdoor game, no decisions have been made yet. An announcement won’t be made until early next year.
- Two players who were cut by the Tampa Bay Lightning are also going down injured as defenseman Daniel Walcott is expected to be out five to six months with a shoulder injury, while forward Kevin Lynch will miss four to six weeks with a lower-body injury, according to the Lightning. Both will eventually find their way onto the Lightning’s AHL squad once they have healed.
Interest Remains High In Acquiring Artemi Panarin
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin is one of the more talented forwards in the NHL and every other team in the league would like to own his services. For a while this off-season, it seemed highly likely that he would indeed move to another club, after rejecting an initial extension offer from the Blue Jackets. Panarin also set an ultimatum for further contract negotiations – a date that passed last week – before which many expected either a new deal or a trade. Yet, neither has come and GM Jarmo Kekalainen has expressed that he never took Panarin’s deadline into account and planned on working through negotiations all the way until July 1st, when the scoring winger will become an unrestricted free agent. That sentiment would seem to indicate that Kekalainen has no plans to trade Panarin this season.
Not so fast. On TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Darren Dreger reported that Kekalainen continues to field many trade calls for the talented forward. Despite teams currently focused on training camp and getting their opening night rosters set and ready to go, interest has not dropped off in acquiring Panarin. The Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and more have been linked to Panarin this summer and it is easy to imagine that all of those teams and other dark horse candidates continue to keep an eye on his status. Landing a player of Panarin’s caliber, especially with an extension attached, could be a franchise-altering move.
Nevertheless, Dreger adds that Kekalainen is not interested in trading Panarin – though time may eventually force his hand – and right now says “his principle point of interest is trying to convince him to re-sign.” It doesn’t sound as though Panarin’s mind has changed at all and it has been all quiet from his camp for some time. Perhaps he will be convinced to stay in Columbus over another successful campaign or perhaps Kekalainen will get a godfather offer too good to refuse. One way or another, the continued trade interest and extension determination from Columbus make it overwhelmingly likely that one of these two outcomes will occur, rather than Panarin walking away at the end of the year.
Training Camp Cuts: 09/19/18
NHL regular season action is just a few weeks away, and as the preseason schedule gets started teams are reducing their training camp rosters. We’ll keep track of all the cuts right here:
Arizona Coyotes (per team release)
F Tyler Steenbergen (to Tucson, AHL)
F Kelly Klima (to Tucson, AHL)
D Jordan Gross (to Tucson, AHL)
D Jacob Graves (to Tucson, AHL)
D Jalen Smereck (to Tucson, AHL)
D Kevin Ekman-Larsson (to Tucson, AHL)
F Liam Kirk (to Peterborough, OHL)
F Nate Schnarr (to Guelph, OHL)
D Kevin Bahl (to Ottawa, OHL)
D Dennis Busby (to Flint, OHL)
D Noel Hoefenmayer (to Ottawa, OHL)
G Ivan Prosvetov (to Saginaw, OHL)
G David Tendeck (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Jan Jenik (to Liberec, Czech Rep.)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
F Austin Fyten (to Providence, AHL)
F Brett McKenzie (to Providence, AHL)
F Tanner Pond (to Providence, AHL)
D Olivier Galipeau (to Providence, AHL)
D Joel Messner (to Providence, AHL)
D Wiley Sherman (to Providence, AHL)
G Alex Sakellaropoulos (to Providence, AHL)
F Cedric Pare (to Saint John, QMJHL)
D Daniel Bukac (to Brandon, WHL)
G Kyle Keyser (to Oshawa, OHL)
D Mark Fayne (released from tryout)
F Marcel Noebels (released from tryout)
Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)
F Philipp Kurashev (to Quebec, QMJHL)
D Jake Ryczek (to Halifax, QMJHL)
G Alexis Gravel (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Shaw Boomhower (released from tryout)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
F J.C. Beaudin (to Colorado, AHL)
F Matthew Boucher (to Colorado, AHL)
F Josh Dickinson (to Colorado, AHL)
F Grayson Downing (to Colorado, AHL)
F Julien Nantel (to Colorado, AHL)
D Turner Ottenbreit (to Colorado, AHL)
D Kevin Davis (to Colorado, AHL)
D Nolan De Jong (to Colorado, AHL)
F Nick Henry (to Regina, WHL)
F Brandon Saigeon (to Hamilton, OHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Trey Fix-Wolansky (to Edmonton, WHL)
F Egor Sokolov (released from tryout)
D Jordan Sambrook (released from tryout)
Dallas Stars (per Mark Stepneski of NHL.com)
F Riley Damiani (to Kitchener, OHL)
F Brett Davis (to Kootenay, WHL)
F Ty Dellandrea (to Flint, OHL)
F Curtis Douglas (to Windsor, OHL)
F Liam Hawel (to Guelph, OHL)
F Jermaine Loewen (to Kamloops, WHL)
F Jason Robertson (to Kingston, OHL)
D Dawson Barteaux (to Red Deer, WHL)
G Anthony Popovich (released from tryout)
Edmonton Oilers (per team release)
F Nolan Vesey (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Ostap Safin (to Saint John, QMJHL)
Los Angeles Kings (per team release)
F Aidan Dudas (to Owen Sound, OHL)
F Nathan Dunkley (to London, OHL)
G Jacob Ingham (to Mississauga, OHL)
D Michal Ivan (to Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL)
D Markus Phillips (to Owen Sound, OHL)
F Mark Rassell (released from ATO)
F Akil Thomas (to Niagara, OHL)
G Matthew Villalta (to Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)
F Gabriel Fortier (to Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
F Jackson Leppard (to Prince George, WHL)
F Mathew MacDougall (to Windsor, OHL)
F Chase Wouters (to Saskatoon, WHL)
F Walter Flower (to Halifax, QMJHL)
D Montana Onyebuchi (to Everett, WHL)
D Radim Salda (to Saint John, QMJHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)
C Lucas Elvenes (to Rogle, SHL)
G Dylan Ferguson (to Kamloops, WHL)
Washington Capitals (per team release)
F Eric Florchuk (to Saskatoon, WHL)
F Kody Clark (to Ottawa, OHL)
F Riley Sutter (to Everett, WHL)
F Alex Kannock-Leipart (to Vancouver, WHL)
D Alexander Alexeyev (to Red Deer, WHL)
D Martin Fehervary (to HV71, SHL)
G Logan Thompson (released from tryout)
Poll: Who Will Win The Calder Trophy In 2018-19?
The Athletic’s NHL Draft and prospects guru Scott Wheeler has released the first definitive list of candidates for the Calder Trophy in 2018-19, and the order may surprise some people. Admittedly, the list is in the context of fantasy hockey, but Wheeler’s rankings are true to how he thinks Calder voting will unfold if each rookie hits their stat projections. As such, it’s not this year’s first overall pick, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, at the top of the list, but presumptive top-six center for the Vancouver Canucks, Elias Pettersson. Pettersson will be put in a much better position to rack up points than will Dahlin, the next-best candidate, as potentially one of the three best scoring forwards for the Canucks and traditionally productive forwards have a better shot at the Calder than (relatively) equally productive defensemen.
Coming in at number three is Boston Bruins forward Ryan Donato, who led both the NCAA and Olympics in goals last season and will look to win a top-six role for Boston and continue to find the back of the net at an alarming rate. Playing alongside either Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk is an easy way for Donato to quickly become an elite scorer at the NHL level. The fourth-ranked candidate is second overall pick Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes, who – like Pettersson – will be given an immense amount of responsibility right away as a top-six winger who is arguably already one of the three most skilled forwards on the team. However, Svechnikov is one of three Hurricanes rookies on Wheeler’s list, which could take away from his case. Rounding out the top five is Dahlin’s fellow rookie in Buffalo, center Casey Mittelstadt, who scored at nearly a point-per-game pace in the college ranks and in a brief stint with the Sabres to end the year. Mittelstadt should face favorable match-ups this season with the lines anchored by Jack Eichel and Patrik Berglund drawing considerable attention from the opposition.
Wheeler’s top twenty Calder Trophy candidates are as follows:
- C Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
- D Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
- RW Ryan Donato, Boston Bruins
- RW Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
- C Casey Mittelstadt, Buffalo Sabres
- RW Filip Zadina, Detroit Red Wings
- C Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes
- C Henrik Borgstrom, Florida Panthers
- C Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes
- D Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
- RW Dylan Sikura, Chicago Blackhawks
- RW Eeli Tolvanen, Nashville Predators
- C Filip Chytil, New York Rangers
- LW Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
- LW Valentin Zykov, Carolina Hurricanes
- RW Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers
- C Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
- LW Kristian Vesalainen, Winnipeg Jets
- C Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks
- RW Vitaly Abramov, Columbus Blue Jackets
Honorable Mentions: C Vladislav Kamenev, Colorado Avalanche; LW Jordan Greenway, Minnesota Wild; C Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues; LW Andreas Johnsson, Toronto Maple Leafs; C Michael Rasmussen, Detroit Red Wings; C Lias Andersson, New York Rangers; D Sami Niku, Winnipeg Jets; D Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers; RW Daniel Sprong, Pittsburgh Penguins
What do you think? Who will be the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and take home the Calder Trophy at the end of the season? The favorite? The first overall pick? Another top candidate? Or a name not even mentioned here?
Who Will Win The Calder Trophy In 2018-19?
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Pettersson 16% (204)
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Dahlin 14% (185)
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Zadina 11% (144)
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Donato 10% (127)
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Mittelstadt 7% (89)
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Heiskanen 6% (83)
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The Field - comment below 6% (79)
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Svechnikov 6% (74)
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Chytil 4% (55)
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Tkachuk 3% (45)
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Sikura 3% (37)
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Vesalainen 2% (29)
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Strome 2% (25)
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Yamamoto 2% (24)
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Tolvanen 2% (22)
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Steel 2% (22)
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Cirelli 1% (15)
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Borgstrom 1% (11)
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Abramov 1% (8)
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Necas 1% (7)
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Zykov 0% (2)
Total votes: 1,287
Minor Transactions: 9/17/18
Even with training camps open, preseason games underway, and even cuts beginning, additions continue to be made to camp rosters at the NHL and AHL level and more. Here are some of the latest moves:
- The New York Islanders, the last team to formally release their training camp roster, had a number of tryout additions on the ice when camp opened, including previously confirmed pro invites like Stephen Gionta, Luca Sbisa, and Dennis Seidenberg, as well as several amateurs. However, one PTO that was unknown until the roster came out is forward Pius Suter. Suter, 22, is an undersized, but very skilled forward hailing from Switzerland. Although Suter played two seasons in the OHL with the Guelph Storm, including a 72-point campaign in his second year of NHL Draft eligibility, Suter was never selected or signed by an NHL team. He returned to Switzerland and has been a force for the ZSC Lions of the NLA for the past three seasons. Yet, he continues to press for a job in the NHL. Suter joined the Ottawa Senators on a PTO last year, but was an early cut from camp. Now he returns with the Islanders, eager to show that he can play at the highest level. The Isles are not the deepest team in the league, so Suter could be a name to keep an eye out for this preseason in case he does earn a contract for the coming season.
- One player received a major surprise in the form of an unexpected camp invite. Goaltender Derek Dun, a 24-year-old British Columbia native who has never appeared in more than 16 games in a season since his BCHL days, has been temporarily added to the Boston Bruins camp roster, the team announced. Why? The journeyman goalie has been playing as a backup in China for members of the VHL, a Russian-based minor league, for the past two years. The Bruins contingent currently traveling though China wanted another goalie behind Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak for the remainder of their trip and found a willing participant in the former Northern Michigan University keeper. Dunn called it “a surreal moment” when he stepped on the ice for his first practice with the Bruins.
- First-year pro Kyle Rhodes has finally found a landing spot for his first season, signing with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. The physical defenseman was not much of a point producer in his four years in the OHL, but was applauded for his work ethic and leadership ability. After being traded to the Sudbury Wolves prior to last season, Rhodes embraced his veteran role and was named captain, before going on to set a career-high of ten goals and 24 points, both more than his three prior seasons combined. He then impressed in a short tryout stint in the ECHL at the tail end of the season. The Rampage may have found a player who is just beginning to reach his potential, but will take a solid defensive player and strong character presence at the very least.
- Garrett Ladd has fought his way through the NAHL, Division III of the NCAA, six different ECHL teams, and even a brief stint in England, but he continues to take small steps toward the NHL. The AHL’s Chicago Wolves have awarded Ladd, who is signed to their ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets, with an AHL camp tryout, Justin A. Cohn of the Journal Gazette explains. The 28-year-old forward likely won’t ever reach the NHL, but seems primed to get his first AHL action at some point this season.
Snapshots: Byron, Lindback, Bettman
With the departures of Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk this summer, Paul Byron has seen his stock rise in Montreal. After breaking out with a 43-point campaign in 2016-17, Byron was again a top forward for the Canadiens last season with 35 points and a second consecutive 20-goal season. While the team’s trades have brought in the likes of Max Domi and Tomas Tatar, Byron is now one of the elder statesmen in the Habs forward corps and will be looked upon to take another step forward this year. Byron underwent off-season shoulder surgery and is focused on working his way back to full strength in training camp, with the Canadiens certainly hoping that he will be fully prepared for the regular season. One way or another, Byron’s production in 2018-19 will play a major role in Montreal’s season. Some fans see the 28-year-old impending free agent going the way of Pacioretty and being shipped out of town before he can walk next off-season. Others see him as part of the team new core moving forward. The latter philosophy gained some credence today when Sportsnet’s Eric Engels spoke with Byron. Byron stated that his agent and GM Marc Bergevin have had preliminary extension talks, although he admitted that all parties are interested in how his shoulder recovery and resulting scoring ability pan out. Byron added “I want to stay, I think they want to keep me. Hopefully we’ll get something done soon.” It seems that perhaps the Habs are moving on from trading away core pieces and could look to keep a healthy Byron around beyond this season.
- While yesterday’s signing of Anders Lindback by HC Davos of the Swiss NLA is newsworthy enough – the veteran goaltender spent last year in the AHL and has 130 NHL games to his credit – the team’s reason for signing him will also have reverberations in the NHL. Davos was a playoff team in the NLA last season behind their young tandem of Gilles Senn, 22, and Joren van Pottelberghe, 21, and with both keepers still under contract, there was some question as to why the team felt the need to bring in a third goalie of Lindback’s pedigree. Swiss news source Tages Anzeiger reports that the age and performance of those goalies is the exact reason the team decided to move forward with a new starter. Both Senn and van Pottelberghe are NHL draft picks; Senn was selected as an overage player by the New Jersey Devils in the fifth round of 2017, while van Pottelberghe was taken by the Detroit Red Wings in the fourth round when first eligible in 2015. Given their success, Davos was unable to convince either to abandon their plan of making the jump to North America next season, after their current contracts end, to begin the next stage of their careers. Rather than be left without any experienced goalies heading into next season, Davos decided to sign Lindback to a one-year deal to see if he could instead be their long-term solution. If Lindback meets expectations this year, expect an extension sometime over the course of the season.
- Elsewhere on the international stage, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is very happy about the league’s growing relationship with China. The Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames are currently overseas in the second O.R.G. NHL China Games, after the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks squared off last fall. Per NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, Bettman sees this as just the beginning and has big plans for China. In fact, Bettman stated at a press conference on Friday that he envisions regular season games in China in the future, similar to the games planned in Sweden and Finland this season. With the Chinese government and several large companies committed to building rinks and arenas across the country, it’s fair to say that hockey has already made an impact and will only continue to grow in popularity in the world’s most populous country. Bettman acknowledges that no formal talks have been had about regular season games yet, but more preseason games are being scheduled and the league only stands to benefit from a continued presence in China.