Tuukka Rask To Stay On In Bruins Organization
- After a comeback attempt fell short, legendary Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask announced his retirement from playing back on February 9th. It appears though that Rask’s days with the Bruins are far from over, as he has accepted a role within the organization and is considering a possible venture into coaching in the long-term, writes The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa. For now, Rask’s role will primarily consist of networking with sponsors, spending time with them at and away from the rink.
Minor Transactions: 04/02/22
The NHL Trade Deadline has passed, but key transactions continue to occur. The college free agent market is still going strong with NCAA standouts landing NHL and AHL contracts, while many leagues in Europe are already deep into the postseason with eliminated teams signing extensions and conversely allowing some notable names to become free agents. So while it may seem like the deadline puts an end to all important transactions until the offseason, there are still plenty of “minor” moves worth paying attention to:
- The Boston Bruins have been busy in the college free agent market, signing Boston College captain Marc McLaughlin to an entry-level contract (he scored in his NHL debut on Thursday), as well as Western Michigan goaltender Brandon Bussi and inking Ohio State defenseman Grant Gabriele to an AHL contract. They are back at it again, announcing a one-year AHL contract for 2022-23 and interim PTO for Omaha forward Joseph Abate. Abate, 23, is leaving college a year early to pursue his pro career. A defensive specialist, Abate only produced 32 points in 85 NCAA games but plays a physical checking game, excelled at the faceoff dot this season, and brings deceptive speed. A project for the Bruins, Abate will be groomed in Providence to potentially play a fourth line role down the road. Interestingly, Abate played junior hockey with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms with fellow Bruins prospects Curtis Hall, Trevor Kuntar, and Riley Duran.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have dipped into the college free agent pool, as their Silver counterparts in AHL Henderson announced a PTO and 2022-23 AHL contract for North Dakota forward Connor Ford. A highly sought-after graduate transfer out of Bowling Green, where he played with fellow Knights prospect Brandon Kruse, Ford joined the Fighting Hawks this season and continued to produce. An incredibly consistent scorer through five NCAA season, the 24-year-old Ford appears to have the mature game that will translate to the pros. Ford finished second in scoring for North Dakota behind only Riese Gaber. Vegas certainly won’t mind if signing Ford help to convince the undrafted sophomore sensation Gaber to turn pro and sign with the Knights this year or even down the road.
- Another NCAA addition is arriving in Lehigh Valley, as the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate announced a PTO and 2022-23 AHL contract with Notre Dame captain Adam Karashik. Karashik, 24, actually played in his first season with the Fighting Irish this season as a graduate transfer, but was named captain based on his veteran leadership and experience and the ability he displayed in four years at UConn. Karashik had always played a sound defensive game on the blue line, but took his offensive game to new heights this season with 16 points, matching his previous three seasons combined. A two-way, right-handed defenseman with a well-developed game, Karashik is a nice piece for the Flyers’ pipeline.
- Moving overseas, NHL veteran Joakim Ryan isn’t rushing back to the NHL after a year away in Sweden. Instead, the 28-year-old has signed a one-year extension with the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks, the team announced. While Ryan was on an NHL contract for all six of his first pro seasons, including playing 41+ NHL games twice, his value had tailed off before he departed for his native Sweden this past offseason. While he could likely still find a depth role in the NHL, no one will blame him for sticking with Malmo for another year after he emerged as a star for the team in 2021-22. Ryan recorded 31 points in 52 games, second on the team and a top-five mark among SHL defensemen.
More to come…
Boston Bruins Sign Brandon Bussi
The Boston Bruins have another goaltending prospect in the system, announcing today they have signed Brandon Bussi. The one-year entry-level contract will start in 2022-23, and carry an NHL cap hit of $825K.
The undrafted free agent goaltender recently wrapped up his junior season with Western Michigan, where he posted a .912 save percentage in 39 appearances, going 26-12-1 in the process. Standing 6’5″, Bussi will turn 24 later this summer, and will be joining the Providence Bruins on a tryout contract.
Mark Divver of Rinkside Rhode Island tweets that the Bruins have had their eye on Bussi for a while, and that he has been told there is “plenty of room for growth” still in the big goaltender.
Notably, both Troy Grosenick and Callum Booth are scheduled to reach unrestricted free agency at the end of this season, opening up some spots in the minor leagues. If signed, Bussi could potentially fill one of those, though it still remains to be seen whether his game can translate to the professional level.
Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald broke news of the deal on Twitter, while PuckPedia reported the contract details.
Taylor Hall Avoids Suspension, Earns Fine
The Boston Bruins will not be losing Taylor Hall for any length of time after his punch on Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin last night. Though Lyubushkin left the game with an injury and did not return, Hall has been issued a $5,000 fine–the maximum amount under the current CBA–instead of any further supplementary discipline. Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators won’t lose star rookie Tanner Jeannot either, as he was given a $2,000 fine for kneeing Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
Hall was retaliating for a hit from Lybushkin that some considered dangerous, though it did not draw a penalty from officials. The Bruins forward would score later in the game to make it 6-4, but ultimately end up losing the game as Toronto held on with just four healthy defensemen.
It’s Lyubushkin’s health that will be the biggest concern for Maple Leafs fans, as the team doesn’t have a ton of depth on the right side. Given that Justin Holl also exited with a scary-looking head injury after taking a puck to the back of the helmet, the team could be forced to play several names on their off-side, or perhaps give a short opportunity to some young prospects.
For Jeannot, the incident came in the corner as he tried to get a piece of Tkachuk and missed, extending his leg in a dangerous manner instead. It barely slowed down the Senators’ captain though, who played another seven shifts after the third-period knee.
Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues Complete Minor League Trade
Though the NHL trade deadline was last week, the AHL’s is today, with players dealt today still eligible to suit up down the stretch and into the playoffs. While there usually isn’t a ton of action, today did see Brady Lyle traded from the Providence Bruins to the Springfield Thunderbirds in exchange for future considerations.
Lyle, 22, is in the first season of his two-year, entry-level contract that he signed with the Boston Bruins last spring. He has yet to earn a recall to the NHL at all, and had just nine points in 48 games for Providence this season. He will not be eligible to play for St. Louis for the rest of the season, but can help Springfield as they continue their chase for the Calder Cup. The Thunderbirds are currently in first place in the Atlantic Division, six points ahead of Providence–though they’ve played four more games than the Bruins.
Boston clears a roster spot with the deal, though they already had five empty slots to work with this spring when it comes to undrafted signings. Lyle was one of those signings a year ago, after going undrafted out of the OHL. The 22-year-old finished his junior career with 65 points in 62 games for the Owen Sound Attack in 2019-20, but hasn’t been able to find that kind of offense at the professional level.
NCAA Notes: Sanderson, Kleven, Gabriele, Tsekos, UFAs
Though a recent hand injury was an unexpected variable in the situation, there was very little doubt that Ottawa Senators top prospect Jake Sanderson would sign with the team at the conclusion of his season. After North Dakota was bounced from the NCAA Tournament by Notre Dame on Thursday – due in no small part to Sanderson’s injury absence – his signing now seems imminent. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the 2020 No. 5 overall pick is expected to sign his entry-level contract in the coming days. Sanderson may only be 19, but he has little left to gain from the college level. With 26 points in 23 games, Sanderson was not only one of the top scorers for the Fighting Hawks but one of the NCAA’s most productive defensemen. That doesn’t even speak to his top-notch defense either, which may be an even stronger part of his game than his offense. The only question facing Sanderson now is whether he will see NHL action this season, a decision that will be made by the Senators’ medical staff once his contract is signed.
Sanderson’s pair mate at North Dakota and fellow Senators prospect Tyler Kleven is reportedly facing a more difficult decision. Garrioch reports that Senators GM Pierre Dorion suggested to both Sanderson and Kleven that they turn pro after the collegiate season, but Kleven is less convinced. While the two have nearly identical resumes – two years with the USNTDP, two World Junior selections, two years at North Dakota – Kleven is a less developed prospect than Sanderson at this point. While the 6’4″ defenseman may always rely on a heavy, defense-first game, there is a case to be made for finally getting out from under Sanderson’s shadow and trying to develop more of a two-way game at North Dakota next season rather than following him to Belleville and staying in his same role. With that being said, Kleven excels at what he does well and has the size and hockey sense to jump to the pro level already.
- Another top prospect defenseman considering signing his entry-level contract but taking a late-season injury into account is the Boston Bruins’ Mason Lohrei. The USHL’s reigning Defenseman of the Year continued his meteoric rise from being a surprise second-round pick in 2020 to starring for Ohio State this season. Lohrei was second on the Buckeyes in scoring with 29 points in 31 games, demonstrating high-level puck-moving ability, and at 6’4″ and 200 pounds already has pro size. An older freshman at 21, it would not be a shock to see Lohrei turn pro but given that he still has room to grow and would likely be slated for the AHL next season, he could also easily return to Ohio State, especially after the team so narrowly missed an NCAA Tournament berth this year. The Bruins are doing their part to help convince Lohrei to make the transition to the pros now though, adding a familiar face to their AHL lineup. The Providence Bruins have announced that fellow Ohio State defenseman and frequent pair mate of Lohrei’s, Grant Gabriele, has signed an amateur tryout and a contract for the 2022-23 season. The Bruins saw plenty of Gabriele while watching Lohrei and noticed that the senior defender had pro ambitions of his own, recording 20 points in 37 games while playing a solid two-way game. Even Lohrei returns to Ohio State next season, Providence will benefit from at least one Buckeye blue liner.
- The Colorado Avalanche have dipped into the college free agent pool as well with an AHL contract for Zach Tsekos. The Colorado Eagles announced that they were adding the skilled center on an ATO for the remainder of the year and then a contract for 2022-23. Less a prospect and more an immediate minor league depth option, the 25-year-old Tsekos just completed a whopping six-year college career, spending two seasons with Sacred Heart and three seasons with Clarkson. Productive each and every year, Tsekos still saved his best for last with 31 points in 35 games. Tsekos has been nothing if not consistent in his NCAA career and if that translates to the pro level then he could become an NHL option down the road for Colorado.
- The first round of NCAA Tournament games are now complete and a pair of prime undrafted free agents have already seen their seasons come to an end and are now on contract watch. UMass’ Bobby Trivigno and Michigan Tech’s Brian Halonen, both Hobey Baker Award finalists and quite possibly the two best individual efforts in college hockey this season, have both seen their teams eliminated. The senior forwards are likely already fielding contract offers and it should only be a matter of time before their first pro steps are revealed. Meanwhile, other top free agents like Minnesota’s Ben Meyers and Western Michigan’s Ethen Frank are still alive in the tournament – at least until Sunday when one will be eliminated as the two teams square off.
DeBrusk Still Hopes For Trade, Will Focus On This Season
- When Jake DeBrusk inked a two-year extension yesterday, some believed it would lead to a fresh start somewhere else later in the day, given that his agent immediately told members of the media that a trade request was still valid. In fact, agent Rick Valette told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he was “hoping Jake would have a change of scenery” at the deadline. He also wanted to be clear that DeBrusk still loves the city of Boston and will be completely focused on the Bruins’ Stanley Cup run for the rest of this season.
Boston Bruins Acquire Josh Brown
Last April the Boston Bruins acquired a depth defenseman from the Ottawa Senators for a mid-round pick, and it turned out to be a pretty good move. Mike Reilly ended up signing a three-year contract extension and now is a regular on the Bruins blueline. They’ll try it again, this time acquiring Josh Brown and a conditional 2022 seventh-round draft pick from the Senators in exchange for Zach Senyshyn and a 2022 fifth-round pick. If Senyshyn plays five NHL games before the end of the 2021-22 season, the Bruins will receive a 2022 sixth-round pick instead.
Brown, 28, brings a much different package to the ice than Reilly. This time it’s a 6’5″ 220-lbs defenseman that is an absolute bulldozer on the ice, hitting anything that moves whenever he gets the chance. What kind of role he’ll play on Boston isn’t clear, though it will be certainly bigger than what Senyshyn has done to this point.
One of the infamous three consecutive first-round picks from 2015, the 24-year-old has played just 14 games to this point in his career. That’s fewer than every other player drafted in that round, something that certainly doesn’t bode well for his future even in a new organization. He’ll turn 25 later this month and likely get a chance to show what he can do with the Senators, but he might not be there very long.
Senyshyn is one of the players who will qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer, meaning the Senators would need to reach a contract with him in the next few months, or else he’d go to the open market.
Patrice Bergeron Could Return Thursday
- Boston is hoping that center Patrice Bergeron will be able to return from his arm injury for Thursday’s game against Tampa Bay, note Elaine Cavalieri and Eric Russo of the Bruins’ team site. The veteran will miss his third straight game tonight against Montreal and has 45 points in 56 games this season.
Bruins Sign Jake DeBrusk To Two-Year Extension
Despite a trade request that is still active, Jake DeBrusk has chosen to accept an extension offer from the Boston Bruins. DeBrusk’s new contract is a two-year, $4MM AAV pact that will take him through his age-27 season. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that “the belief” is that the Bruins “still want to trade” DeBrusk, and believe that signing him to this extension makes him a more attractive trade asset. DeBrusk was due a $4.41MM qualifying offer this offseason from a team looking to retain his rights as a restricted free agent, but now that situation is swapped with a much clearer two-year deal that takes DeBrusk straight to unrestricted free agency when the contract expires.
For the Bruins, this contract makes DeBrusk a more cost-controlled asset than he previously was. Given how long the DeBrusk trade saga has lingered, it is possible that Boston was simply not getting the offers they deemed acceptable for DeBrusk and found that the uncertainty of his contract situation impeded making a satisfactory trade. With the extension, they have cleared up those murky financial waters and paved a path for an acquiring team to have a much clearer sense of the value they’d be receiving if they choose to acquire DeBrusk. It is a bit curious though, given that players looking at sign-and-trade situations typically get traded first and then sign their extension, as Boston did recently with Hampus Lindholm. One thing to note is that DeBrusk’s actual salary this season is $4.85MM, a significant increase from his $3.675MM cap hit, which may be a barrier keeping the Bruins from making a trade given how many teams are still reeling from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
By signing this extension, DeBrusk cashes in on his recent performance and also bets on himself by signing for only a two-year term. DeBrusk has recently found a better fit in Boston as a winger on their first line. He has 15 goals and 26 points so far this season, numbers that are a nice improvement from last year’s miserable five-goal, 14-point campaign. Some still believe that DeBrusk, the 14th overall pick in the 2015 draft, has the potential to become a 30-goal scorer in the NHL, and any team acquiring him would likely be buying into that potential. Things can change quickly in the NHL, and DeBrusk is no stranger to that, having gone from 27 goals in 2018-19 to five in 2020-2021, so naturally there is risk for the player in signing a deal only two years in length. But with this extension, DeBrusk is betting on himself and the possibility of him realizing his potential with a long-desired change of scenery.