Michael McNiven Traded To Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators have added a little more goaltending depth, acquiring Michael McNiven from the Calgary Flames in exchange for future considerations. This is the second time McNiven has been dealt for future considerations just this season, after arriving in Calgary a little over two weeks ago from the Montreal Canadiens.
McNiven, 24, made his NHL debut this season for the Canadiens, unfortunately allowing three goals on just seven shots to give him a career .571 save percentage at the highest level. While he’s just 24, there’s no guarantee he gets a chance to change that, at least not yet. The move to Ottawa doesn’t mean he’s going to be heading to the NHL level, as he’ll likely report to the minor leagues again.
In all, the young netminder never did actually enter a game for the Flames organization, meaning this may be a forgotten stopover in an odd season. While he’ll be a restricted free agent again this summer, McNiven remains (as he has in the past) a prime candidate to go unqualified. In 82 career AHL games, he has posted a 31-35-13 record with an .891 save percentage.
While future considerations often don’t mean very much, in this case, it appears to have been an AHL player heading back the other way. Tyrell Goulbourne has been traded from the Belleville Senators to the Stockton Heat. Players on AHL contracts can’t be included in the same trade as NHL players, meaning this had to be done as two separate transactions.
Ryan Carpenter Traded To Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames have made another addition to their forward group, acquiring Ryan Carpenter from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks will receive a 2024 fifth-round pick in return.
If you could create the perfect Darryl Sutter-style bottom-six forward, Carpenter might be it. The 31-year-old forward is physical, can play all three forward positions, and routinely takes on incredibly difficult defensive deployment. There isn’t a single regular on Chicago who has started a higher percentage of his shifts in the defensive zone, or a forward that has logged more short-handed ice time. Sam Lafferty has started to take over some of that role since being acquired in January but Carpenter remained a key cog in the Blackhawks’ penalty-killing system and will likely take on a similar role in Calgary.
After also acquiring Calle Jarnkrok and Tyler Toffoli earlier in the year, the Flames have considerably deepened their forward group in preparation for a long playoff run. For the price of a fifth-round pick, they’ve acquired someone that can play a specific role–and play it well–while not adding any issues to their future cap situation. Carpenter is on the final year of a three-year, $3MM deal and carries a cap hit of just $1MM. He’ll be a UFA this summer, though with just three goals and 11 points this year, likely will have trouble securing a similar multi-year contract.
For Chicago, adding anything of value for Carpenter was the goal today as they start a full rebuild. A fifth may not be much, but it’s another draft pick to add to the pile–a pile that is growing quickly under new general manager Kyle Davidson.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff broke the deal on Twitter.
Harri Sateri, Brad Richardson, Derrick Pouliot Claimed On Waivers
Trade Deadline day doesn’t mean trades are the only player movement. Three players were claimed on waivers today, with goalie Harri Sateri heading to Toronto from Arizona, forward Brad Richardson going to Vancouver from Calgary, and defenseman Derrick Pouliot going to Seattle from Vegas.
Sateri is a fresh NHL arrival. The Maple Leafs signed him to a contract yesterday, immediately placing him on re-entry waivers. Sateri had a .926 save percentage in 38 games with the KHL’s Novosibirsk Sibir this season, helping them to a 14-16-5 record with him in the net.
Richardson was placed on waivers yesterday as he’s been pushed out of the NHL lineup with the acquisitions of Tyler Toffoli and Calle Jarnkrok in Calgary. He had two goals and four points in 27 Flames games this year, and he’ll get a chance to supplement Vancouver’s bottom-six forward group as Brandon Sutter remains out with long COVID symptoms.
Pouliot signed an NHL contract earlier in the week after Vegas’ blueline was continually struck with injuries. He got into two games, notching one assist before the team attempted to send him back to AHL Henderson. He’ll now get another NHL shot in Seattle as they continue to ship out players at the deadline.
Flames Acquire Calle Jarnkrok
Last month, the Flames made an important addition on the wing with the acquisition of Tyler Toffoli from Montreal. They’ve now added another winger as they have acquired winger Calle Jarnkrok from Seattle. In exchange, the Kraken receive Florida’s second-round pick in 2022, Calgary’s third-rounder in 2023, and a 2024 seventh-round selection.
The 30-year-old was the Kraken’s selection from Nashville in expansion and he has been his usual dependable two-way self this season. He has played in 49 games for Seattle this season, picking up 12 goals and 14 assists while logging just shy of 17 minutes per game. He has seen regular action on both the penalty kill and power play this season, giving him some versatility in terms of where head coach Darryl Sutter will be able to deploy him.
It’s notable that Jarnkrok has played at center in the past although he has predominantly been on the wing the last three seasons. It’s possible that Calgary could opt to deploy him there in which case he’d likely be upgrading their fourth line as it’s unlikely he’d displace Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, or Sean Monahan from their current roles.
Jarnkrok is in the final season of a six-year, $12MM contract and will become an unrestricted free agent in July. The Flames didn’t currently have enough cap space to absorb his $2MM AAV – they have just $769K in space at the moment per CapFriendly – but Seattle hadn’t used any of their three retention slots before this deal. That, coupled with Adam Ruzicka being waiver-exempt and eligible to be sent back to AHL Stockton, gives them enough cap room to make this work.
In the meantime, Seattle gets a very strong return for a rental player in Jarnkrok. With the second-rounder this year, they now have nine selections for the 2022 draft in July while the 2023 third-rounder gives them ten picks for that draft. They’re likely to look to stockpile more over the coming days with veteran blueliner Mark Giordano expected to be among those on the move by then.
TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report Jarnkrok was going to Calgary. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the draft picks going to Seattle.
Could Depth Center Be Calgary's Biggest Need?
- Sportsnet’s Eric Francis pegs Calgary’s biggest need to fill as a depth center. The Flames have used Brad Richardson and Adam Ruzicka as fourth line middlemen this season and haven’t had much production from them as the duo has combined for 13 points in 50 games. An upgrade at that position wouldn’t normally seem like a top priority but with minimal cap space, it’s one they could realistically afford without requiring significant retention or needing to move someone off their current roster.
Trade Rumors: Bertuzzi, Monahan, Middleton
It’s T-minus six days until the 2022 Trade Deadline, and some names are already off the board with more likely to come prior to Deadline Day. One of those names who’s making a late entry to the fray is Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. He reports that Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman is letting other teams know he’s “open for business,” with the sense around the league being Yzerman will entertain offers for any Red Wing not named Moritz Seider or Lucas Raymond. Bertuzzi is a desirable trade asset – he’s clicking at nearly a point-per-game clip this season and is locked into a $4.5MM cap hit this year and next. However, he and Josh Archibald retain their status as the only unvaccinated players in the NHL, and he’s already missed nine games this season due to border restrictions. It remains to be seen whether teams will be willing to acquire him with the risk that he may not be available for half of a playoff series or more.
Some more trade notes as things heat up:
- As the Calgary Flames attempt to load up even further after acquiring Tyler Toffoli earlier this year, Seravalli speculates that Sean Monahan is a trade candidate to get shipped out of town prior to the deadline. Monahan’s continuously slipped down the depth chart this season and carries the lowest +/- rating on the team by far (-15). He has a paltry eight goals in 59 games and now sees time as the team’s fourth-line center, falling behind younger players like Dillon Dube. With Calgary needing to pay up big-time soon for pending free agents Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, freeing Monahan’s $6.375MM off the books would likely be beneficial, with replacement players available within the organization.
- TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the Toronto Maple Leafs are showing interest in San Jose Sharks defenseman Jacob Middleton for some added organizational depth. Middleton’s seen a career-high 41 games played in the NHL this year, scoring nine points, averaging 19:01 per game, and holding his own defensively. With Jake Muzzin still out with injury, he’d provide competition for players like Justin Holl, Travis Dermott, and Timothy Liljegren, and he would give Toronto a ninth NHL-caliber defenseman for a playoff run.
Oliver Kylington Day To Day
- The Calgary Flames announced that defenseman Oliver Kylington is day-to-day and would not play in today’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Kylington has been enjoying a breakout season with Calgary, recording 25 points in 56 games for the Pacific Division leading Calgary Flames. Instead of Kylington, defenseman Michael Stone has drawn into Calgary’s lineup, his first game since December 5th, and only his third game this season.
Trade Deadline Primer: Calgary Flames
As the calendar turns to March, the trade deadline is inching closer. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Calgary Flames.
With the NHL’s trade deadline a little over two weeks away, many teams are still assessing their teams, deciding if they want to buy, sell, or stay put. The Calgary Flames do not appear to have such an issue. While it comes as little surprise that the Flames are a good team pushing for a playoff spot, just how good the Flames are has raised some eyebrows. Calgary has been, for the most part, a consistently great team this season, and currently sits atop the Pacific division with 75 points, good for second in the entire Western Conference, behind only the Colorado Avalanche.
What Calgary has also done that most teams have not, is make a big splash. That splash came in the form of a February 14th trade for forward Tyler Toffoli. The Flames traded a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 fifth-round pick, prospect Emil Heinemann, and forward Tyler Pitlick to Montreal to acquire Toffoli, who had been touted as one of the most sought-after players at this year’s trade deadline. Toffoli has surely not disappointed since the trade, putting up seven goals and three assists in 10 games for the Flames so far. Even though Calgary made their big acquisition already, that certainly does not mean they are done, and could still be active players at this year’s trade deadline. However, Calgary will need to work around a very tight cap situation to get anything else done.
Record:
34-14-7
Deadline Status:
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space:
$657,170 today, $870,750 at the deadline, 47/50 contracts used, 0/3 retention slots used
Upcoming Draft Picks:
2022: CGY 2nd, FLA 2nd, CGY 5th, CGY 7th
2023: CGY 1st, CGY 2nd, CGY 3rd, CGY 4th, CGY 6th, CGY 7th
Trade Chips:
After trading two of their bigger trade chips in order to acquire Toffoli, the Flames do leave themselves some pieces to make an additional move or two. The most logical of these assets would be either their or Florida’s 2022 second-round pick. Calgary can afford to part with one of their 2022 seconds in a deal, but would be unlikely to deal both, leaving them without a draft pick until the fifth-round. If Calgary prefers to make another big splash, they could utilize their 2023 first-round pick, however Calgary would risk not having first-round picks in two consecutive years.
Calgary does have the benefit of a fairly talented prospect pool that they could deal from, and is the likely reason they have been comfortable dealing from their draft pick stock. Perhaps the most intriguing of these prospects is forward Matthew Coronato, who the Flames selected 13th overall out of the United States National Team Development Program in 2021. While most teams dealing with Calgary would love to acquire Coronato, he would presumably be a non-starter for Calgary. If the Flames were to deal from their prospect pool, they may be more comfortable discussing the likes of Ilya Nikolayev or Cole Huckins.
If the Flames were to make another move, they likely have to use an asset just to clear some cap space to add another player, which brings another interesting asset into the conversation: Juuso Valimaki. The 23-year-old defenseman has shown promise in limited time in the NHL, playing 81 games since the start of the 2018-19 season, and just eight this season. What is intriguing about Valimaki is that he can be used both to clear additional cap space and as an asset in a trade. Currently, Valimaki carries a $1.5MM cap hit, but only $425k currently counts against Calgary’s cap, as he is currently in the AHL with the Stockton Heat. Freeing this $425k may not be much, but it could be a starter for the Flames, who could acquire an asset for the still-young defenseman who has shown an ability to play in the NHL.
Team Needs:
1) Forward Depth: To put it plainly, the Flames, as they line-up now, are terrific, and don’t leave much to be desired. One concern, however, is if there is an injury or a tough cold streak, the team doesn’t have too much to look for as far as reinforcements go. The organization does have young talent playing in Stockton at the moment, however for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, players more poised for playoff games would be preferable.
2) Stanley Cup Experience: Building on the first point, the Flames are well-positioned to make a deep run in these playoffs. While many of their players have been to the playoffs before, in an ideal world, adding a player or two who has gone all the way is always useful, even if it is just their presence in the locker room. One player who could satisfy both needs while working within Calgary’s cap constraints is New York Islanders’ forward Zach Parise. The 37-year-old currently carries just a $750K cap hit, but is having a solid season with seven goals and 16 assists in 53 games on Long Island, and has played in 105 career playoff games, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final with the New Jersey Devils in 2012.
AHL Shuffle: 03/05/22
It is a busy Saturday across the NHL with 10 games on the docket over the course of 12+ hours. The St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders kick things off at 11:30am CT, followed by at least one game starting nearly every hour from 2:00pm CT until the Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche square off in one of the most highly-anticipated match-ups of the season thus far at 9:00pm CT. If all of these teams aren’t too busy preparing and the other dozen not playing aren’t too busy themselves watching all the action, perhaps we will see some roster movement today.
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have demoted defenseman Jake Christiansen, a player who has been up and down regularly this season. The team announced that Christiansen has been reassigned to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, where he has played in 39 games this year. While he has only suited up for four with the Blue Jackets, Christiansen has spent considerable time on the NHL roster.
- Kevin Hayes is back with the Philadelphia Flyers. The veteran center has been out since mid-January after undergoing surgery and his recovery exceeded the expected three-to-four week projection. However, he has finally been activated from the injured reserve. Philadelphia may not have many playoff hopes left this season, but will be glad to have a locker room leader back. The timing is poor for Wade Allison, who has also been activated from the IR but with Hayes taking the open NHL roster spot, Allison will head to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Allison suffered a knee injury in his season debut back in January and has been out ever since, but certainly hoped to return to the Flyers lineup after playing in 14 games as a rookie last season.
- The New York Islanders recalled two players in time for their game against the St. Louis Blues earlier today, a 2-1 win for New York. Forward Otto Koivula was recalled from Bridgeport and played in the game for the Islanders, who were without forwards Mathew Barzal and Anders Lee. This was just Kiovula’s fourth game of the season, last playing December 2nd for the Islanders. Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon was also recalled from Bridgeport, but was immediately sent back down after the game. Wotherspoon has yet to make his NHL debut, but has been a solid contributor for Bridgeport the past few seasons.
- The Carolina Hurricanes recalled goaltender Alex Lyon from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves on an emergency basis. The 29-year-old Lyon has only played in two games this year for Carolina, but has had an impressive 23 games in the AHL, carrying a 2.14 goals against average and .911 save percentage. Lyon’s emergency recall suggests that one of Antti Raanta or Frederik Andersen are unable to go for Carolina tomorrow night.
Central Division
Pacific Division
- The Edmonton Oilers recalled defenseman Philip Broberg from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Broberg was immediately inserted into the Oilers lineup as they square off against the Montreal Canadiens at home. The 20-year-old Broberg has just one point in 17 games this season for Edmonton, but has excelled in the AHL, tallying 19 points in 27 games.
Calgary Flames Acquire Michael McNiven
The Calgary Flames have acquired Michael McNiven from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for future considerations. The Laval Rocket, where McNiven was playing, thanked him in a tweet, suggesting he will be moving to one of the minor league affiliates of Calgary.
McNiven, 24, has known only the Canadiens organization since turning pro, signing as an undrafted goaltender out of the OHL. He’s spent time with the Rocket, Brampton Beast, Adirondack Thunder, Jacksonville Icemen, and Norfolk Admirals over the years loaned around to get as much playing time as possible as he continued his development. It paid off this season when he made his NHL debut for Montreal, though things didn’t go very well in his 20 minutes of action. McNiven allowed three goals on seven shots, meaning his career save percentage sits at .571 until he makes another NHL appearance.
A former Owen Sound Attack star who once went 41-9-2 in an incredible junior season, McNiven hasn’t been able to find much consistency at the AHL level and holds just an .869 save percentage this season in 11 appearances. Marc Antoine Godin of The Athletic tweets that the goaltender has been unhappy in the Canadiens organization for some time, and will now get a fresh start with the Stockton Heat.
With Jake Allen nearing a return, the Canadiens should have enough goaltending depth to cover all of their organizational holes, though there is also a chance they dip their toes into the college or junior free agent markets at some point. By moving McNiven out, they open up an extra contract slot and now have just 47 of the maximum 50 on the books.