Mason Raymond On Waivers
Oct. 18: Raymond has cleared waivers. Eric Stephens notes via Twitter that remains with the big club for the time being.
Oct. 17: The Anaheim Ducks have place veteran winger Mason Raymond on waivers, according to TVA Sports reporter Renaud Lavoie.
Raymond was brought in to Anaheim on a one-year, two-way contract worth $675K. He made the team out of training camp, but was held pointless in three games with a -2 rating. The Ducks are 0-2-1 so far this season.
The speedy Raymond played six seasons with the Vancouver Canucks before signing with Toronto in 2013. He had a successful 45-point season with the Maple Leafs, which earned him a three-year, $9.45MM contract from the Calgary Flames in 2014. He’s scored 28 points in 89 games since then.
Raymond was bought out of the final year of his contract by the Flames in June.
Speaking of the Flames, newly-signed depth goaltender Tom McCollum has cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Stockton Heat of the AHL.
Flames Sign Goaltender Tom McCollum
The Calgary Flames have added some goaltending depth as the team has agreed to terms on a two year, two-way contract with Tom McCollum, Dhiren Mahiban of The Hockey News reports. McCollum will earn the league minimum at the NHL level in each of the next two seasons, $575K in 2016-17 (with an AHL salary of $175K) and $650K in the NHL in 2017-18 (with a minor league pay of $200K). The second year is an important one as that will make him eligible to be exposed in the upcoming expansion draft; all teams must leave at least one goaltender unprotected.
McCollum was originally drafted in the first round (30th overall) in 2008 but failed to live up to his draft billing, getting into just three NHL games in seven professional seasons. Last year, he spent most of the year with Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, posting a 15-13-0 record with a 2.42 GAA, a .923 SV%, and one shutout.
This offseason, he had signed a tryout deal with the Kings but was cut. He then landed a tryout with their AHL affiliate but was released from that opportunity on Tuesday.
With Calgary, McCollum will provide some extra depth in the minor leagues, assuming he makes it through waivers first. The Flames currently have Jon Gillies and David Rittich in the AHL plus prospect Mason McDonald at the ECHL level.
[Related: Flames Depth Chart]
Snapshots: Injury Updates, Andrighetto, Tkachuk, Gerbe
The Buffalo Sabres have had a tough couple days, with Jack Eichel, Kyle Okposo, and Dmitry Kulikov missing the team’s home opener versus the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens beat them soundly 4-1 and Evander Kane left the game with what’s believed to be a rib injury. While Eichel is out long-term with a high ankle sprain, there is some good news for Sabres fans as Okposo and Kulikov both skated this morning with the team. The Sabres have not called up anyone from the AHL yet, as they don’t play until Sunday. They’ll let their farm team open the season with a full roster before plucking some players.
Down in Tampa Bay, rugged right winger Ryan Callahan is taking part in Lightning practice. Callahan has yet to play this season after hip surgery in June. We reported on Thursday that Callahan is expected to return by early November. Callahan was wearing a full-contact jersey, so he appears to be on track to do so.
- In anticipation of Jeff Petry returning the lineup, the Montreal Canadiens have placed Swiss forward Sven Andrighetto on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to the AHL, according to Elliotte Friedman. The former third round pick had 17 points in 44 NHL games last season, and has posted 110 points in 150 AHL games.
- Calgary Flames first round pick Matthew Tkachuk had an interesting first game in the NHL. He was held pointless, took a penalty, and earned a -1 rating, but appeared to get under the skin of the Edmonton Oilers. He slew-footed Oilers defenseman Brandon Davidson, injuring him “for a while”. Sportsnet’s Mark Spector tweeted that he would be surprised if one of the Flames veteran leaders like captain Mark Giordano or Matt Stajan didn’t talk to Tkachuk about the slew-foot.
- After terminating his contract with the New York Rangers, dimunitive forward Nathan Gerbe has signed a three-year contract with Genève-Servette HC in the Swiss League. Gerbe had previously signed a contract with Genève-Servette in June before dissolving the contract to sign with the Rangers on July 1st.
Successful Waiver Wire Pickups
As teams frantically worked to trim their rosters to the league-mandated, 23-man limit this week, several interesting players were exposed to waivers, eligible to be picked up by new teams for nothing more than assuming the remaining term of the player’s contract. Occasionally the claiming team lands a talented young player who simply didn’t have an opportunity to crack the lineup of his former employer due to the presence of experienced veterans. Other times it doesn’t work out, but it’s still a worthwhile gamble for clubs that may not have better options already on their roster.
In the last few days, Emerson Etem (Vancouver to Anaheim), P.A. Parenteau (New York Islanders to New Jersey), Teemu Pulkkinen (Detroit to Minnesota) and Martin Frk (Detroit to Carolina) changed clubs via waivers. All, with the exception of Parenteau, are younger players still looking to establish themselves as regular NHL contributors. Obviously, their new teams are hoping their faith in these players will be rewarded. Here are a few examples of younger players who have changed teams via waivers and have gone on to carve solid NHL careers for themselves.
Chris Kunitz – Originally signed in 2003 as an undrafted free agent by Anaheim, Kunitz would appear in 21 games with the Mighty Ducks, as they were known then, during the 2003-04 campaign. Following the lockout which wiped out the entire 2004-05 schedule and just before the 2005-06 season began, Kunitz was picked up by the then Atlanta Thrashers on waivers. He would last just two weeks in Atlanta, seeing action in two games before being placed on waivers again and being claimed by Anaheim.
Kunitz would go on to tally 192 points in 313 regular season games over parts of the next four seasons with the Might Ducks/Ducks as he firmly established himself as a quality middle-six winger. He was later dealt to Pittsburgh where he really blossomed as a top-six scorer. Kunitz has potted 20+plus goals in four of his seven full seasons with the Penguins and has netted 359 points in 498 games during that time.
I once had occasion to speak with a high-ranking member of the Ducks front office who told me that of all the acquisitions he personally had a hand in, both the original signing of Kunitz and bringing him back via waivers qualified as two of his proudest achievements.
Kyle Quincey – Quincey was Detroit’s fourth-round selection in the 2003 draft and would suit up for 13 contests over parts of three seasons. He would be placed on waivers in October of 2008 and was claimed by the L.A. Kings. In his first season in Southern California, Quincey scored 38 points which is still the 11-year veteran’s career best total. In 495 career NHL games, Quincey has tallied 30 goals and 140 points, while averaging better than 20 minutes of ice time.
David Schlemko – While not a household name and maybe not young by today’s standards, Schlemko has proven himself to be at least a quality third-pair defender since the start of the 2015-16 season. An undrafted free agent signing by the Arizona/Phoenix franchise back in 2007, Schlemko would spend parts of seven seasons with the Coyotes before being placed on waivers during the 2014-15 season. The Stars would grab Schlemko and he would spend five games in Dallas before hitting the waiver wire again, with the Calgary Flames winning the claim. He would finish without a point in 19 games with Calgary and became an unrestricted free agent following the season, ultimately joining the Devils on a one-year deal. Schlemko would finish with career-highs in games played, goals, assists and points with the Devils and would parlay that steady play into a four-year deal with San Jose this past summer.
Andrej Nestrasil – Nestrasil was chosen by Detroit in the third-round of the 2009 draft and spent most of his time in the organization playing in the minors with Grand Rapids in the AHL and Toledo in the ECHL. His best minor league campaign came in 2013-14 with Grand Rapids, scoring 36 points in 70 games. He debuted in the NHL with Detroit during the 2014-15 campaign but was placed on waivers after appearing in 13 games and claimed by Carolina. Finally given a regular role, Nestrasil has responded for the Hurricanes, totaling 41 points in 96 games for Carolina. He’s also been an excellent puck possession driver, recording a 55.0% Corsi For % since joining the Hurricanes.
Of course with the possible exception of Kunitz, none of the above mentioned players can be considered stars, either today or at any point in their respective careers. But they’ve each developed into quality NHL players who can fill a regular role and that has value in today’s NHL. Any of the teams who claimed a player this week would be happy if their new acquisition developed into a quality regular.
Snapshots: Gaudreau, Staal, Ritchie, Fedotenko
It went almost right down to the wire but eventually, the Calgary Flames and RW Johnny Gaudreau found common ground on a long-term arrangement. Given that the team was adamant Gaudreau’s new deal not exceed that recently signed by top defenseman Mark Giordano – $6.75MM annually – and the player’s insistence for a more lucrative pact, the two sides were able to bridge a sizable gap in relatively short order. According to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun, it wasn’t until Gaudreau himself became active in the negotiations and realized the Flames offer was more than fair given the circumstances, that the deal was struck.
Because he only had two years of NHL experience, Gaudreau was not eligible for arbitration nor could he sign an offer sheet with another organization. Without these rights, Gaudreau’s leverage was severely limited. Gaudreau’s pact surpasses that recently reached with Sean Monahan and matches Giordano’s.
While Gaudreau may have backed off his salary demands somewhat, the Flames had to give in other areas as well to get the deal done. Gaudreau received a partial no-trade clause in the final year of the arrangement and the contract buys out only one year of unrestricted free agency. It was thought Calgary was pushing for a max contract of eight years but that would have bought out three seasons of free agency and likely would have justified a higher average annual salary demand.
As Francis notes, at the end of the day the Flames get one of the league’s best young talents and a cornerstone of their franchise under long-term contract for a price that shouldn’t hinder their salary cap flexibility. On the other hand Gaudreau gets a nice raise for a player with only two years of NHL experience and he will be eligible to test unrestricted free agency when he is 29-years-old.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- Despite a disappointing 2015-16 campaign split between Carolina and the New York Rangers, Eric Staal was still expected to land a lucrative deal as one of the few free agents with a track record of top line offensive production. Surprisingly, Staal agreed to terms with the Minnesota Wild on a three-year deal worth $3.5MM annually; an AAV notably less than what he may have received elsewhere. But, as Mike Russo of the Star Tribune writes, it was more important for Staal to find the right fit than it was about landing a big contract. Staal: “I know I can be a very good player. So my focus July 1 [in free agency] was finding a fit where I’m going to be counted on, and get a chance and be on a team that’s going to win. This team is good enough to win and good enough to win now. I feel like this is almost the second part of my career, the start of the second half.” While the general consensus is that the soon-to-be-32-year-old Staal has slowed down, Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau doesn’t see it that way: “He can skate as fast as he ever did. Everybody told me he slowed down, yet every drill we do skating-wise, he’s led. His shot is the same, the way he handles the puck is the same, the way he practices has been tremendous. He’s a very smart person. Just a real pro.” Staal is expected to assume the top center slot with the Wild and will be counted on to help lead the way offensively.
- The Anaheim Ducks boast a tremendous one-two punch in center Ryan Getzlaf and right wing Corey Perry. Over the years the Ducks have played the two stars together on the same line and while the duo has provided excellent production, the team has failed in numerous attempts to find the right skater to make the duo a trio. Patrick Maroon, Carl Hagelin and David Perron are just a few of the players the Ducks have employed on the left side of Getzlaf, but none managed to stick for long. But perhaps the team has finally found a long-term solution and as Eric Stephens of The Orange County Register writes, the young and talented Nick Ritchie views the opportunity to play on the same line as Getzlaf and Perry as a “privilege.” Ritchie, just 20, has tremendous size at 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds and enough skill to eventually develop into one of the league’s top power forwards. He debuted in the NHL in 2015-16, netting just two goals and four points in 33 games but if he can first earn, then keep his spot on the top line, he’s likely to have a more successful sophomore campaign.
- Veteran winger Ruslan Fedotenko announced his official retirement following a 12-year NHL career, per a release on the NHLPA website. Fedetenko bounced around the league, spending time with five different organizations and winning two Stanley Cups. In 863 career contests, Fedotenko potted 173 goals and tallied 366 points to go along with 472 penalty minutes. While he hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since 2012-13, Fedetenko attempted a comeback this past season, signing with the Minnesota Wild. He would play in 29 games for the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa, scoring three goals and seven points. Fedotenko may be best remembered for scoring both goals in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2 – 1 Stanley Cup-clinching game seven win in 2004 over Calgary.
Grossman, Flames Agree To One-Year Deal
Bob McKenzie reports that defenseman Nicklas Grossman has made the Flames roster and has signed a one-year contract worth $575K. It’s a one-way deal for Grossman, who is expected to be the team’s 7th defenseman.
Grossman, 31, spent last season with the Arizona Coyotes and tallied seven points in 58 games.
More to come.
Calgary Flames Closing In On Deal With Kris Versteeg
Update (1:10pm): In a follow-up tweet, Dreger pegs the value of Versteeg’s one-year deal with the Flames at $950K pending final approval.
According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Kris Versteeg‘s time with another club has come to an end. He’ll be leaving the Oilers, and is close to a deal with the Calgary Flames instead. The veteran winger also was close to a deal in Switzerland earlier this summer, before taking a PTO from the Oilers. Dreger says that the deal with the Flames would be for one year, somewhere under $1MM.
Versteeg, 30, has been a solid contributor in the league for nearly a decade now, scoring 30+ points six different times, while playing for seven different teams. He’s the perfect trade deadline addition (as many teams have found out), as he can provide depth on the wing and play anywhere up or down a lineup.
A former fifth-round pick, Versteeg has accomplished more than most first rounders do in their career, winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 before beginning his journeyman path. The Flames will try and take advantage of that playoff experience – Versteeg has 44 points in 89 career playoff games – and get back to the postseason this year. One of their biggest weaknesses was depth on the wing, which Versteeg would fill admirably.
Final Training Camp Cuts: 10/11/2016
As teams work to get their rosters finalized before today’s 4pm deadline, the final cuts from camps have started to come down.
Buffalo Sabres (via team release)
Alexander Nylander (to Rochester, AHL)
Nick Baptiste (to Rochester, AHL)
Dan Catenacci (to Rochester, AHL)
Brendan Guhle (to Prince Albert, WHL)
Calgary Flames (via team release)
Linden Vey (to Stockton, AHL)
Daniel Pribyl (to Stockton, AHL)
Brett Pollock (to Adirondack, ECHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (via Chip Alexander):
Warren Foegele (to Kingston, OHL)
Chicago Blackhawks (via team release)
Brandon Mashinter (to Rockford, AHL)
Mark McNeill (to Rockford, AHL)
Colorado Avalanche (via team release):
Trent Vogelhuber (to San Antonio, AHL)
Mike Sislo (to San Antonio, AHL)
New Jersey Devils (via team release)
Scott Wedgewood (to Albany, AHL)
New York Islanders (via Arthur Staple)
Adam Pelech (to Bridgeport, AHL)
Ryan Pulock (to Bridgeport, AHL)
Minnesota Wild (via Michael Russo)
Christoph Bertschy (to Iowa, AHL)
San Jose Sharks (via Mike Halford)
Mirco Mueller (to San Jose, AHL)
Nikolay Goldobin (to San Jose, AHL)
Ryan Carpenter (to San Jose, AHL)
Barclay Goodrow (to San Jose, AHL)
Dan Kelly (to San Jose, AHL)
Kevin Lablanc (to San Jose, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (via team release):
Jordan Binnington (to Chicago, AHL)
Vancouver Canucks (via Bob McKenzie)
Tuomo Ruutu (released from PTO)
Emerson Etem (waived for purpose of assignment to Utica, AHL) – per team release
Rickard Rakell, Ducks Remain Far Away From Deal
While anything can change in an instant, it appears as though Rickard Rakell is no closer to a deal with the Anaheim Ducks. Julie Stewart-Binks of FOX Sports caught up with Rakell’s agent, who told her the two sides are still “not looking at things the same way”. This comes just days after a report that said no progress had been made in negotiations, despite both sides wanting a long-term deal done before the season starts.
Rakell, as discussed at length on this site, is one of the remaining restricted free agents without a contract for the upcoming season. While Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Flames today, and Nikita Kucherov seems poised to do the same with the Lightning when he arrives in North America, both Rakell and fellow RFA Hampus Lindholm remain unsigned by the Ducks.
While the team has almost $8.5MM in cap space at the moment, that probably isn’t enough for long-term deals for both players. Likely, the negotiations for the two players are linked, with the Ducks trying their best to get both under contract for as many years as possible without committing more dollars than they have at the moment. Since the team needs to be cap-compliant tomorrow, the two deals would need to come in under that $8.5MM to have them ready for the start of the regular season.
Rakell, 23, put up 43 points last season in what some would consider a mini-breakout. His goal scoring raised from nine in 2014-15 to twenty last year, and he took over as the number two center on the team, a role likely being held open for him until he comes to an agreement. With the Ducks poised for another deep run due to their strong defense corps and veteran first line, it would be a real shame to see the two players hold out for any length of time. After assuming all of Jonathan Bernier’s $4.15MM contract from the Maple Leafs in a trade earlier this summer, the team looks to have handcuffed itself when it comes to two of their most important pieces.
Johnny Gaudreau Re-Signs With Calgary Flames
According to Elliotte Friedman and the player himself, Johnny Gaudreau has re-signed with the Calgary Flames for six seasons. He’ll earn approximately $6.75MM per season, bringing him in almost half a million higher than Sean Monahan who signed earlier this summer. 
In Gaudreau, the Flames have a budding superstar at a reasonable price. The diminutive winger put up 78 points last season as a 22-year old, and has been likened to other smaller players like Martin St. Louis and Patrick Kane. While Gaudreau might not be a perfect parallel for either of those two, his production has already blown his draft position out of the water.
The Flames selected him in the fourth round before he completely dominated the college hockey ranks at Boston College, and proved that even at 5’9″ (allegedly) he can make an impact at the highest level. Pairing him with Monahan, the prototypical top-line center has built a duo that is almost unstoppable in the offensive end, the two combining for 141 points last season, despite being 22 and 21 respectively.
The contract will buy out one of Gaudreau’s free agent years and, like many of the contracts this summer, has a strong portion of the money allotted in signing bonuses, making it resistant to buyouts or work-stoppages. While he will become a free agent before his 29th birthday, the Flames have locked in some cap-certainty for the next six seasons without going over their negotiating limit of $7MM. If Gaudreau continues on his pace, and decides to hit the open market in 2022, he’ll easily make up any money he left on the table here. A good sign for Flames fans though, is that both he and Monahan have expressed the desire to stay in Calgary for their entire careers – though this is far from a certainty.