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Jay McClement Signs With Swiss Club Olten

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It’s been a whirlwind month for consummate pro Jay McClement. The veteran center was very nearly the winner of the third-line center sweepstakes for the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Instead, the team released him to the surprise of many after an impressive effort in the team’s preseason finale. Now, less than thirty days later, McClement has finally found employment – with EHC Olten of the NLB.

The Swiss National League B, the relative minor league to much more well-known NLA, seems like an odd landing spot for a veteran of more than 900 NHL games. However, the team has confirmed the signing (link in Swiss) with much excitement. The contract is only for 2017-18, but holds a mutual option for next season. Could McClement exercise that option? He is 34, far from his prime, but just a few years ago played one of his best seasons – an 82-game, 21-point 2014-15 campaign with the Carolina Hurricanes. McClement seems to have some gas left in the tank, so an extended stay in the Swiss minors would be surprising. However, McClement could more or less be done with hockey and sees Olten as a “retirement job”.

Olten isn’t completely unknown. The NLB squad in a perennial contender and rosters to other NHL veterans, Americans Tim Stapleton and Ryan Vesce. Neither has skated in the league since 2010, but nevertheless bring an experience and style that McClement could work with.

If it doesn’t work out? There’s a chance that McClement could be a contender for a bottom-six role for Team Canada at the Olympics, which would take up a significant amount of his time over the course of this season. Then, when his contract expires, don’t be surprised if McClement declines his offer and tries again at one last chance in the NHL.

Keeping An Eye On Entry-Level Slides: An Update

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Two weeks ago we ran an article looking at the young players in the NHL who were also eligible to see their contracts slide by one year. Should they be sent back to their junior or European clubs before playing in 10 NHL games, they would avoid burning the first year of their entry-level contracts.

At the time, none of the players eligible had surpassed that threshold. Today is a different story. Three players have already played their 10th game in the NHL, changing the goalposts somewhat for their respective teams. Now, those clubs must decide whether or not to keep them past the next threshold of 40 games, when they’ll get a year closer to unrestricted free agency. Below, we’ll take an updated look at the entire group.

10+ Games Played

Mikhail Sergachev (TBL)
Victor Mete (MTL)
Alex DeBrincat (CHI)

Each of these three seemed to have a good shot at staying with their respective teams right from the start, but now the most interesting thing to watch will be that 40 game mark. For Sergachev especially it holds quite a bit of value. Due to a condition on the trade that brought him to Tampa Bay, if he fails to play 40 games this season the Montreal Canadiens would have to send a second-round draft pick (Montreal would also receive a sixth-round pick in return). That extra asset could be tantalizing for the Lightning, but with Sergachev’s outstanding start—the young defenseman has 10 points in 11 games—it may not be worth sending him away from the team.

8-9 Games Played

Pierre-Luc Dubois (CBJ)
Nico Hischier (NJD)
Jesper Bratt (NJD)
Nolan Patrick (PHI)

All four of these players seem destined to play past the nine game threshold, with Dubois set to play his tenth game tonight, and Patrick only sitting out due to injury this week. Bratt and Hischier have played in all eight of New Jersey’s games, combining for 13 points. Their strong early play will likely keep them in New Jersey for the year.

Interestingly, Dubois has lasted in the Columbus lineup despite registering just one point all season. He’s not being sent back before tonight’s game, but it will be interesting to see how the season plays out. He’s not struggling with the pace of play, but hasn’t received the opportunity to really show what his offensive ceiling is. Should Columbus face more injuries, Dubois could be thrust into a more important role.

5-7 Games Played

Kailer Yamamoto (EDM)

Yamamoto is one of the most interesting cases, because though he’s played seven games with the club and at times been one of the ice-time leaders beside Connor McDavid, he was scratched last night against the Dallas Stars. As Leon Draisaitl and Drake Caggiula came back, there seemingly wasn’t a spot left for Yamamoto in the top nine.

The diminutive forward has three points through his seven contests, but isn’t a lock to stay past nine games if the Oilers feel he still needs some more development. Though he obviously has the skill to play at this level, if they’re not going to play him every night his path may lie back in the WHL. That would certainly change the fate for the Spokane Chiefs, his junior team, who are currently 8-6-1 on the season.

1-4 Games Played

Owen Tippett (FLA)
Janne Kuokkanen (CAR)
Samuel Girard (NSH)

Tippett finally worked his way into the lineup for Florida, and the early results suggest he could stay there all year. The winger from the Mississauga Steelheads scored his first goal last night, and could find himself getting more ice time as the Panthers try to dig their way out of a rough start. By no means is he guaranteed, but the team has hinted that he would stay in the NHL right away since the start of training camp.

Kuokkanen started off hot for the Hurricanes in limited minutes, but has been relegated to the press box for the team’s last five games. As we wrote in the previous article, the Hurricanes could actually send him to the AHL instead of back to junior, meaning he could bounce up and down this season.

Girard has certainly impressed in the three games he’s played, but none of those have come in the team’s last four. He may be back in the lineup tonight however when the team takes on the Chicago Blackhawks, and if he keeps up his high level of play they may have no choice but to keep him around. Still, it’s always tough for a 19-year old defender to stick in the NHL and especially one that is just 162-lbs. He’ll have to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s ready to be a contributor to this team all season.

No Longer On Roster

Logan Brown (OTT)
Filip Chytil (NYR)
Alex Formenton (OTT)
Martin Necas (CAR)

All four made their NHL debuts, but were eventually sent back before breaking the first threshold. Only Chytil remains in the North American professional ranks, currently playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL.

Hurricanes Send Necas Back To HC Kometa Brno

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The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have returned 2017 first-round pick Martin Necas to HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga, the top professional league in the Czech Republic. The 18-year-old center was allowed to play nine games with the NHL club before the team would have to decide whether to burn his first year of his entry-level contract. However, Necas has been returned after playing just one game for the Hurricanes.

Having played in six of the team’s preseason games, a few were surprised when Necas made the team, a team hoping to make the playoffs this year. However, the youngster’s raw skill was evident and the team hoped to capitalize on that. The Hurricanes also had the option of sending Necas to Charlotte of the AHL, but he has said on several occasions he would prefer to return home to play with his old team, if given the option.

The 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, Necas made his NHL debut on Oct. 17 against the Edmonton Oilers, but didn’t register a point in less than seven minutes of ice time. He has been scratched in all the other games. Returning to his team in Brno, Necas put up seven goals and eight assists in 41 games there last year. He also scored four goals in 10 playoff games as well.

The move also gives Carolina some maneuvering room for the future. Prior to loaning Necas to the Czech Extraliga, the Hurricanes had 50 contracts, the maximum you can have. Now, the team has 49, according to CapFriendly.

Skinner Riding Major Hot Streak

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  • Michael Smith of NHL.com writes that Carolina Hurricanes winger Jeff Skinner, who added his fourth and fifth goals of the season in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars is continuing where he left off. Skinner attempted to fuel a comeback with his team down by four goals, but the team fell short. Already a three-time 30-goal scorer, the 25-year-old has been the main offensive firepower for the Hurricanes this season. Smith writes that if you go back to March of last year, Skinner has scored 22 goals in his last 25 games.

Minor Notes: Mironov, Van Riemsdyk, Svechnikov

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The Colorado Avalanche have sent Andrei Mironov to the San Antonio Rampage on a conditioning stint according to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express. Mironov has been a healthy scratch for the Avalanche since the first game of the season, but as Mike Chambers wrote Tuesday for the Denver Post, was becoming acclimated to North America with the help of the other Colorado Russian-born players.

Now, he’ll have to fend for himself so to speak in the minor leagues as he tries to learn the defensive game on smaller rinks. Mironov was drafted in the fourth round a few years ago, but has shown solid upside as a potential shutdown defender. After playing five seasons in the KHL, Mironov signed with the Avalanche this spring to start his North American career.

  • Trevor van Riemsdyk has been activated as expected by the Carolina Hurricanes after recovering from a concussion suffered in the season-opener. The team had experimented with Trevor Carrick, but will likely plug van Riemsdyk back into the lineup tonight against the Calgary Flames. They had been carrying just six defensemen after sending Carrick back to the AHL, meaning there will be no corresponding move necessary.
  • Evgeny Svechnikov is also healthy after an injury held him out of the first part of the season. The difference is that Svechnikov has been sent to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins to begin his season, not quite ready for the NHL just yet. Svechnikov made his NHL debut last season when he got into two games for the Detroit Red Wings, but was instrumental in the Griffins’ Calder Cup victory. In 93 total minor league games last year, the first-round pick scored 63 points. He’ll likely make it up to the NHL before long if he shows he’s healthy.
  • When the Buffalo Sabres brought in Jason Botterill as GM this summer, he promised that more emphasis would be placed on the Rochester Americans and their success. The organization has made another move to try and beef up the Amerks, bringing Stuart Percy in on a professional tryout. Percy was a first-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2011, and has found solid success in the minor leagues previously. The Buffalo GM is intimately familiar with his game, as he played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last year, who Botterill ran for the Pittsburgh organization.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have completed another goalie transaction, flipping Maxime Lagace for Oscar Dansk according to our friends at Roster Resource. Lagace didn’t get into a game as Malcolm Subban has taken the reins in Vegas, and this move likely allows both goaltenders to stay fresh.

Trevor Carrick Sent Back To Charlotte Checkers

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Trevor Carrick was not long for the NHL. After being recalled on Saturday by the Carolina Hurricanes after Trevor van Riemsdyk ended up on injured reserve, he played just 7:32 in yesterday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. Head coach Bill Peters decided to rotate through five defensemen instead of using Carrick much, and the team has now returned him to the Charlotte Checkers where he will continue to develop his game.

This could mean that van Riemsdyk is ready to return, as he was eligible to come of IR several days ago. If his concussion symptoms have disappeared, he could be back in the lineup tomorrow night. Otherwise, Klas Dahlbeck seems likely to get the call.

The Hurricanes have enough defensive depth to overcome van Riemsdyk’s absence, but had trouble scoring goals before yesterday’s outburst. The team is 2-1-1,  but had just six goals in their first three games before potting five against Edmonton. If this team is truly going to compete for an Eastern Conference playoff spot, they’ll need to start scoring in bunches like last night.

Prospect Notes: Tippett, Necas, Sandin

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The wait is over for Owen Tippett, who will make his NHL debut with the Florida Panthers tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. Tippett had been watching from the press box through the Panthers’ first four games, but will now get a chance to show off why they selected him 10th-overall in the most recent draft.

Tippett can play up to nine games in the NHL without burning a year of his entry-level contract, but some believe he can stick in the league right from the start. Armed with a wrist shot that can score from anywhere in the offensive zone, and a big enough frame for the NHL, Tippett blends a power and finesse game to create dangerous opportunities. His 44 goals last year for Mississauga of the OHL were no fluke, as he repeatedly dominated opponents with a pro-style game.

  • Also set to make his NHL debut is the player taken just two spots after Tippett, as Martin Necas has been penciled into the Carolina lineup tonight. Necas will center a line of youngsters, with 20-year old Sebastian Aho on his left side, and 22-year old Elias Lindholm on his right. That “Kid Line” will try to create some offense for the Hurricanes, who have scored just two goals in their past two contests and six on the season (not counting the shootout winner in the first game).
  • In an interesting story, 2018 draft prospect Rasmus Sandin has left Sweden and will report to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhouds of the OHL. Sandin had been playing in the SHL early on, but will instead come to North America to play for the team who took him 52nd-overall in the CHL import draft. Sandin is another smooth skating Swedish defender who had an outside chance of climbing into the first round. Now, in front of even more scouts in Canada he’ll have a chance to improve on that draft stock playing against much younger players.

Van Riemsdyk Placed On IR, Carrick Recalled

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The Hurricanes have placed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk on injured reserve with a concussion, the team announced.  The concussion dates back to their season opener last Saturday when he fell and crashed hard into the boards and he did not play in their other game on Tuesday.  Though they didn’t specify it, it’s likely that the placement was backdated to last weekend which would allow them to activate van Riemsdyk as early as Sunday if he recovers quickly although he’s not currently with the team on their road trip.  Taking his place on the roster is blueliner Trevor Carrick, who has been recalled from Charlotte of the AHL.  Carrick has played three games in the minors so far this season, collecting a pair of assists.

2017-18 Primer: Carolina Hurricanes

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With the NHL season now underway, we continue our look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come.  Today, we focus on the Carolina Hurricanes.

Last Season: 36-31-15 record (87 points), seventh in Metropolitan Division (missed playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $14.57MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Justin Williams (free agency, Washington), F Marcus Kruger (trade, Vegas), D Trevor van Riemsdyk (trade, Vegas), G Scott Darling (trade, Chicago)

Key Departures: F Jay McClement (free agency, unsigned), D Matt Tennyson (free agency, Buffalo), G Eddie Lack (trade, Calgary)

[Related: Hurricanes Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Sebastian AhoPlayer To Watch: F Sebastian Aho – The Carolina Hurricanes are heading into the season with several exciting rookies this season in Martin Necas, Haydn Fleury and Janne Kuokkanen. All three have impressed in training camp, but for all their youth and flash you shouldn’t forget about last year’s version.

Aho turned 20 years old just this summer and already has a season under his belt with 24 goals and 49 points. For all the ink that was spilled last year over Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and other rookies, Aho quietly put together an outstanding season at age-19 in Carolina and could explode into super-stardom this year. Remember that this is a second-round pick who jumped right from the Finnish professional ranks to the NHL, and clearly still has room to grow.

The Hurricanes will have a fun, up tempo offense this year with speed on every line, but look no further than the top unit with Aho, Jordan Staal and Elias Lindholm as one of the best in the league. Each brings a different skill to the table, and should be able to dominate teams at even strength at both ends of the rink. When you think that Staal—who was recently named co-captain with Justin Faulk—is one of the elder statesmen on the team at 29, it starts to show just how much potential this squad still has.

Key Storyline: The Hurricanes are a sexy pick to make the playoffs this year. Everything written above would have you believe that they’ll easily surpass their 87-point total from last year and glide into the postseason on a barrage of goals. That could happen, but it will still take a lot of work to overcome the daunting task that is the Metropolitan Division.

The reigning Stanley Cup Champions are standing in their way in Pittsburgh, as are three other 100-point teams from a year ago in New York, Washington and Columbus. New Jersey, Philadelphia and the other New York (sorry, Islanders’ fans) aren’t going to lay down, and the Atlantic looks improved and ready to compete for both wild card spots. The Hurricanes will need everything to go right for them to climb this mountain, and a lot of it starts in net.

When the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006 it was on the back of a rookie goaltender who stole the job and earned himself the Conn Smythe trophy in the process. Now Carolina will hope another goaltender will steal Cam Ward’s job and run with it. While Scott Darling isn’t the 21-year old upstart Ward was in 2005-06, he’s being given his first chance to earn a real starting position in the NHL and is ready to prove that he’s more than just a backup.

Fighting his way up from the Southern Professional Hockey League, Darling has taken a step forward at every level and recorded an impressive .923 save percentage behind Corey Crawford in Chicago. If he can bring that same level to the Hurricanes every night, they’ll be a team to be reckoned with. Luckily, Darling will have the experience of Ward to help him along the way, in what could be the veteran netminder’s final season in Carolina.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Training Camp Cuts: 10/02/17

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Training camp is over for all the clubs around the NHL, and the season begins on Wednesday. By tomorrow evening, all teams must submit their cap-compliant 23-man roster, meaning there will be several cuts today. We’ll keep track of them all right here, as teams try to slip players through waivers or send them back to junior and European clubs.

Anaheim Ducks

F Giovanni Fiore – San Diego (AHL)
F Kalle Kossila – San Diego (AHL)
F Scott Sabourin – San Diego (AHL)
D Jacob Larsson – San Diego (AHL)

Boston Bruins

F Jordan Szwarz – Providence (AHL)
F Tommy Cross – Providence (AHL)
F Jakub Zboril – Providence (AHL)
F Peter Cehlarik – Providence (AHL)
F Danton Heinen – Providence (AHL)
F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson – Providence (AHL)
F Teddy Purcell – Released from PTO
G Malcolm Subban – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Calgary Flames

D Rasmus Andersson – Stockton (AHL)
G Jon Gillies – Stockton (AHL)
F Luke Gazdic – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Garnet Hathaway – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Carolina Hurricanes

F Lucas Wallmark – Charlotte (AHL)
F Phillip Di Giuseppe – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Chicago Blachawks

F Vinnie Hinostroza – Rockford (AHL)
F Jordin Tootoo – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Tomas Jurco – Waivers for purpose of assignment
G Jean-Francois Berube – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Colorado Avalanche

F Gabriel Bourque – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Dallas Stars

F Remi Elie – Texas (AHL)
F Roope Hintz – Texas (AHL)
F Jason Dickinson – Texas (AHL)
F Curtis McKenzie – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Patrik Nemeth – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Detroit Red Wings

D Libor Sulak – Lahti (Finland)
F Matt Lorito – Grand Rapids (AHL)
F Ben Street – Grand Rapids (AHL)
D Brian Lashoff – Grand Rapids (AHL)
D Dylan McIlrath – Grand Rapids (AHL)
F David Booth – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Ryan Sproul – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Los Angeles Kings

F Brooks Laich – Released from PTO

Minnesota Wild

F Luke Kunin – Iowa (AHL)
D Ryan Murphy – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Montreal Canadiens

G Charlie Lindgren – Laval (AHL)
F Andreas Martinsen – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Byron Froese – Waivers for purpose of assignment

New Jersey Devils

F Brian Gibbons – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Brian Strait – Waivers for purpose of assignment

New York Islanders

F Devon Toews – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Stephen Gionta – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Steve Bernier – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Philadelphia Flyers

F Matt Read – Waivers for purpose of assignment

San Jose Sharks

F Brandon Bollig – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Brandon Mashinter – Waivers for purpose of assignment
G Troy Grosenick – Waivers for purpose of assignment

St. Louis Blues

F Sammy Blais – San Antonio (AHL)
D Jake Walman – Chicago (AHL)
G Jordan Binnington – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Cory Conacher – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Toronto Maple Leafs

F Carl Grundstrom – Frolunda (SHL)
F Miro Aaltonen – Toronto (AHL)
F Frederik Gauthier – Toronto (AHL)
F Andreas Johnsson – Toronto (AHL)
F Kasperi Kapanen – Toronto (AHL)
F Tobias Lindberg – Toronto (AHL)
F Trevor Moore – Toronto (AHL)
F Nikita Soshnikov – Toronto (AHL)
F Dmytro Timashov – Toronto (AHL)
F Mason Marchment – Toronto (AHL)
D Travis Dermott – Toronto (AHL)
D Justin Holl – Toronto (AHL)
D Andrew Nielsen – Toronto (AHL)
D Michael Paliotta – Toronto (AHL)
D Rinat Valiev – Toronto (AHL)
G Kasimir Kaskisuo – Toronto (AHL)
F Colin Greening – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Chris Mueller – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Kerby Rychel – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Ben Smith – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
D Vincent LoVerde – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
G Garret Sparks – Waivers for purpose of assignment.

Vancouver Canucks

D Andrey Pedan – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Vegas Golden Knights

F Teemu Pulkkinen – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Washington Capitals

F Anthony Peluso – Waivers for purpose of assignment

Winnipeg Jets

F Jack Roslovic – Manitoba (AHL)
F Brendan Lemieux – Manitoba (AHL)
F Michael Spacek – Manitoba (AHL)
F J.C. Lipon – Waivers for purpose of assignment.

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