Trade Rumors: Wild, Hurricanes, Ristolainen
The Minnesota Wild finally picked up their first win of the season on Monday. Yet, they immediately followed that up with a loss on Tuesday and are on their way to another loss tonight. The Wild will likely head home from their Canadian road trip with a 1-6-0 record on the year and their only points coming against the Ottawa Senators. Combine that with last season’s “big” trade acquisitions of Kevin Fiala, Ryan Donato, and Victor Rask all having been healthy scratches at least once and free agent centerpiece Mats Zuccarello being held scoreless through four games prior to an injury, and it is easy to see why the situation in Minnesota this season is already so bleak. Thus, it should come as little surprise that Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his “31 Thoughts” column that Minnesota will “listen on everything.” New GM Bill Guerin is likely eager to make his mark on the team and hopeful that he can right the wrongs of his much-maligned predecessor, Paul Fenton. As one might expect from the level-headed Guerin, Friedman writes that he is not willing to rush into anything just for the sake of making a move, despite such a poor start. However, should the opportunity present itself to make a move that he feels is right for the team, Guerin won’t be afraid to pull the trigger and shake things up. Friedman feels that team’s biggest need is to add right-handed forwards. Currently, the team has just two: Ryan Hartman and Luke Kunin. If one exists on the trade market, a young, natural right wing or righty center could be a good long-term investment for Minnesota. However, the Wild are likely to be in more of a seller mode than buyer in the immediate future. Much of their roster is signed long-term, but Jonas Brodin, Eric Staal, Marcus Foligno, and perhaps even captain Mikko Koivu, an impending free agent, could be on the block.
- The Carolina Hurricanes hoped to land an NHL forward when they traded away defenseman Justin Faulk, but a potential deal with the Anaheim Ducks that would have brought Ondrej Kase to Raleigh fell through and the team settled for defenseman Joel Edmundson and promising, but raw forward prospect Dominik Bokk. Now, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the search for a top-nine forward continues for Carolina, despite their red-hot start. Neither of the two names mentioned by LeBrun as players that the ‘Canes have kicked the tires on should come as any surprise. The first is disgruntled young Edmonton Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi, who is currently playing overseas. This matches up with a recent report that the Oilers continue to pursue NHL-ready Carolina prospect Julien Gauthier, but turned down a one-for-one offer for Puljujarvi this summer. With both Edmonton and Carolina playing well and wanting immediate help, it could be that the trade now makes more sense for both sides. The second player named is Joshua Ho-Sang, another frustrated young forward who is currently sitting at home waiting to be traded by the New York Islanders, who instructed him not to report to the AHL after he failed to make the team. Both Puljujarvi and Ho-Sang are behavioral question marks, but bring both upside and roster flexibility should reigning GM of the Year candidate Don Waddell decide to make a deal.
- LeBrun also reports that Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is likely no longer on the trade block. While at one point both sides had agreed that a change of scenery was a good idea, the Sabres are off to a strong start this season and Ristolainen recently spoke about how much he is enjoying playing for new head coach Ralph Kreuger and his happiness with being in Buffalo. LeBrun doubts that the team wants to upset their early momentum, while noting that trade talks this summer did not bear any fruit anyway. Ristolainen can still be a key contributor for the team and they seem content to maintain the status quo so long as they continue to accumulate points.
Minor Transactions: 10/17/19
All six home teams won last night in the NHL, including the high-flying Edmonton Oilers continuing their resurgence against the Philadelphia Flyers. Connor McDavid led the way with five points and put himself squarely in the conversation for a second consecutive first star of the week, while Mikko Koskinen made 49 saves as the Flyers poured on the pressure. The action continues tonight with nine more games on the schedule, including the first meeting of the top two 2019 draft picks. Jack Hughes is looking for his first NHL point while Kaapo Kakko and the New York Rangers will suit up for just the fourth time this season. As teams prepare, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- The San Jose Sharks have returned Trevor Carrick to the minor leagues, something that we should get used to this season. Carrick seems to be the player GM Doug Wilson will flip back and forth to save cap room this season on off days (at least until Radim Simek is back to full health), as he’s already been involved in four transactions since the start of the month.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have sent Brian Gibbons back to the AHL after playing two games with the NHL club. Gibbons, 31, has spent plenty of time in the minor leagues over his career to this point but is a nice depth piece for Carolina to call on when they face injury up front.
- Nelson Nogier has been recalled once again by the Winnipeg Jets, who take on the New York Islanders tonight. Winnipeg is off to a 4-4 start to the season despite massive changes to their defense corps, but will need even more from their group to compete for a Central Division playoff spot.
Minor Transactions: 10/13/19
The Oilers and Avalanche stayed undefeated and the Senators stunned the Lightning on Saturday, which featured a busy slate of 14 games. As usual, Sunday is somewhat quieter, but tonight’s three match-ups feature two Pacific Division rivalry games and a battle between injury-bitten clubs as the Jets host the Penguins. As teams react to yesterday’s games and prepare for tonight and the week ahead, follow along with all of the roster transactions right here:
- Fresh off of an inspired first win of the season over the reigning President’s Trophy winners, the Ottawa Senators are getting ready to welcome a veteran asset back to the lineup. The team announced that rookie forward Vitaly Abramov has been reassigned to AHL Belleville. In his place, Mikkel Boedker is expected to return to the lineup, reports the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. Boedker left the team’s season opener with an injury and has not played since, but seems ready to return and contribute. The 29-year-old is hoping to re-discover his 50-point form as he’s expected to play a larger role in Ottawa this year compared to last.
- The Minnesota Wild are still searching for their first point on the season – they are the only team without one – and are calling in reinforcements. The team announced that they have recalled forward Gerry Mayhew from the minors. Mayhew’s recall has been much-anticipated after he broke records in AHL Iowa last year with 27 regular season goals and nine postseason goals in just eleven games. A standout at Ferris State University, Mayhew’s production has actually improved at the pro level. The 26-year-old recorded 60 points last year for Iowa and already has six points through five games this year. The Wild hope that he again excels against elevated competition in his first NHL call-up. The team could certainly use the help. The Minnesota Wild also announced that prospect Ivan Lodnia has been assigned from the Iowa Wild of the AHL to his junior team, the Niagra Ice Dogs of the OHL. The 20-year-old hasn’t played a game with the Iowa Wild and will instead play an overage season in the OHL. Drafted in the third-round of the 2017 draft, Lodnia appeared in just 41 games last year, posting solid numbers, however, 17 goals and 45 points. Lodnia appeared in six regular season games at the end of the 2018-19 season, but failed to register a point.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Curtis Lazar from the Rochester Americans of the AHL, according to The Athletic’s Joe Yerdon. With a four-game schedule coming up this week, which includes a three-game road trip to California, the team needed some extra forward depth, especially after the injury to Conor Sheary. Lazar spent all of last season in the AHL with the exception of one game with the Calgary Flames. He’ll likely be used as a healthy scratch, but could work his way into one game.
- The Carolina Hurricanes announced they have recalled forward Brian Gibbons from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The 31-year-old forward has fared well in the AHL with a goal and four points in four games. He spent all of 2018-19 in the NHL, playing 44 games (two goals and five points) with the Anaheim Ducks before being traded to Ottawa where he posted six goals and 14 points in 20 games. He will likely be there to provide depth after the injury to Jordan Martinook.
Edmonton Oilers Linked To Hurricanes’ Julien Gauthier
Julien Gauthier, a highly-regarded 2016 first-round pick, played two full seasons in the AHL before finally getting recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes last week. It was a long time coming for the young power forward, who many felt deserved his first NHL opportunity earlier in his pro career. Yet, the big promotion wasn’t all it was cracked up to be; Gauthier skated in the Hurricanes last two games, but saw just over eight minutes of ice time on average and failed to record a point or even a shot on goal. After last night’s defeat at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the team announced that Gauthier had been reassigned to the Charlotte Checkers. It was a very limited NHL debut for the 21-year-old and again raises questions about his future role in Carolina.
The Edmonton Oilers may have a solution to the situation: a trade. The Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins reports that there continues to be interest out of Edmonton in acquiring Gauthier. This is not the first time that his name has come up as an Oilers target, as it was previously noted that his name popped up as a possible swap for divorced prospect Jesse Puljujarvi. Leavins adds that not only is the team intrigued by Gauthier’s minor league production, and the size and skill to translate it to the NHL level, but also his waiver-exempt status, allowing him to be moved back and forth to the AHL as needed. Edmonton is not deep on the wing and Gauthier would likely stand a good chance of earning a regular role for the team, but that waiver flexibility provides added value just in case.
By all accounts, Gauthier alone was not enough for GM Ken Holland to part with Puljujarvi this off-season. However, the status quo has changed immensely since then. Puljujarvi signed in Finland and a recent report from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston indicates that he is content to stay there all season if he has to. Puljujarvi is a top-ten scorer on a per-game basis thus far in the Liiga, with 11 points in 11 games for Karpat, his hometown team. He has made it clear that he does not want to play in Edmonton and is okay with the success and familiarity of playing in Finland this year if that is his only option. If Puljujarvi has not signed by December 1, he is ineligible to play in the NHL this year, so the Oilers would have to make a trade before that point. Previous comments by Holland made it seem like the team would rather play the long game with Puljujarvi, hoping he boosts his value in the Liiga this year, rather than trade him for a lesser return. However, the team has started the year 5-0-0 and may be shifting their mindset forward to adding immediate help, rather than building for the future. Gauthier would present a chance to do both – add a young, developing forward, but also one that could step in immediately. While Puljujarvi was selected third overall in 2016, 21 picks ahead of Gauthier, there is reason to believe that they could be comparable NHL players. It’s a move that Carolina would certainly be open to as well, as Puljujarvi is willing to sign once traded and would add to their core of talented young Finns.
Of course, the Oilers could also try to pry Gauthier out of Raleigh without moving Puljujarvi. Tyler Benson, Kailer Yamamoto, and Ryan McLeod are all promising young forward prospects that the team could dangle for the Hurricanes as part of the return for Gauthier. If Edmonton truly has their mindset on acquiring the up-and-coming power forward and Carolina does not share in their high regard for him, a deal is very likely to be made, one way or another.
Minor Transactions: 10/12/19
It was a relatively quiet night in the NHL on Friday, with just three games on the schedule. However, the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres made the most of spotlight by extending their season-opening point streaks. The ‘Canes are back in action again tonight, looking to stay perfect alongside a number of other unbeaten teams. At least one member of the elite group will fall, as the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers go head-to-head. It’s a busy night of action that could be preceded by a busy day of roster transactions. Keep up with all of the moves here:
- Golden Knights authority SinBin Vegas reports that it will be Oscar Dansk getting the call from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves to replace the injured Malcolm Subban as the backup to Marc-Andre Fleury. It’s a somewhat surprising decision for a couple of reasons. First, Vegas acquired Garret Sparks from the Toronto Maple Leafs this off-season with what many considered was the intention of making him a quality third-string option who could put pressure on the often unreliable Subban. In their first opportunity to recall Sparks, they passed. Second, in Dansk’s first appearance of the AHL season, he surrendered seven goals on just 25 shots – a .720 save percentage. Dansk looked out of sorts and surely not ready for an NHL promotion. It could be that the Knights are making a short-term move ahead of tonight’s game by recalling a fresh Dansk in case of emergency instead of Sparks, who got the start last night for the Wolves. However, if Dansk remains as the backup moving forward while Subban is sidelined, the team will have to hope he can replicate his stellar performance from a brief call-up in 2017-18 rather than his showing in his AHL season debut.
- Casey Bailey is back in North America, inking a one-year deal with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. It’s been a somewhat precipitous decline for Bailey, who once seemed like a surefire NHLer. A standout at Penn State University, Bailey left school early in 2015 to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He even played in six games and recorded his first (and only to date) NHL point in that same season. In his first full pro campaign, Bailey put up good numbers in the AHL in a season split between the Toronto Marlies and Binghamton Senators after he joined Dion Phaneuf in the package sent from Toronto to Ottawa that year. The following season, Bailey again performed well in the AHL and skated in seven games with Ottawa, but it wasn’t enough to earn an extension or draw NHL interest as a free agent. After one more season in the minors, again with strong numbers, Bailey opted to head overseas last year, joining HC Slovan Bratislava of the KHL. However, he failed to find his footing and recorded just five points in 45 games. With Bratislava leaving the KHL, on top of a tough first season with the team, Bailey had more than enough reason to return to North America. The question now is whether he can turn this opportunity with the Stingrays into something more, perhaps working his way back into relevance at the pro level.
- The Carolina Hurricanes announced they have activated defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk from non-roster injured reserve. The 28-year-old missed training camp and the first few games of the season as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Van Riemsdyk has been practicing with the team for a while already, so he may not require a conditioning stint. He has been a key piece to the Hurricanes’ defense as he has appeared in all but seven games in the past two years. With Carolina, however, loaded in defensive depth, the team hasn’t missed him too much, but could be eventually forced to make another roster move.
Jordan Martinook To Undergo Core Muscle Surgery
The Carolina Hurricanes will be without veteran leader Jordan Martinook for the next while, as the forward is scheduled for surgery on Friday. The procedure will repair a core muscle injury and comes with an estimated recovery timeline of six to eight weeks.
This is not the first time Martinook has been out with a core muscle injury. At the end of the Eastern Conference Finals in May, the then-26 year old Martinook had a similar surgery that was expected to keep him out four to six weeks. He obviously recovered in time for the season and played in Carolina’s first four games, recording a single point. His new injury explains why the team recalled Julien Gauthier yesterday.
Martinook isn’t a key offensive piece for the Hurricanes, recording just 15 goals and 25 points last season, but is a big part of the leadership group. Notably, he took young forward Andrei Svechnikov under his wing and helped him navigate the NHL after stepping into it at such a young age, and was named an alternate captain last month. His absence will be noticed, though the team does look strong enough this season to handle injuries like this.
Julien Gauthier Recalled By Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes look ready to give one of their top prospects a chance at the NHL level. Julien Gauthier has been recalled and could potentially make his debut on Friday against the New York Islanders.
Gauthier, 21, was selected 21st overall in 2016 by the Hurricanes and has slowly developed into the goal-scoring power forward they envisioned. Standing 6’4″ the former QMJHL standout was impressive in the preseason with Carolina and has already scored twice in two games for the Charlotte Checkers. That’s picking up just where he left off last season when he potted 27 goals for the AHL club.
Interestingly, Gauthier’s name has come up a few times in the summer as a potential trade target, likely because of the Hurricanes’ healthy prospect depth. Most notably he was apparently included in Jesse Puljujarvi talks with the Edmonton Oilers, though obviously nothing materialized yet on that front. Carolina is off to a perfect 4-0 start this season and have had no trouble scoring goals, meaning Gauthier will have to pull his weight if he does get into any game action.
Snapshots: Pietrangelo, Ho-Sang, Marleau
Sportsnet’s “Saturday Headlines” segment was filled with interesting information this week, headlined by negotiations between the defending champion St. Louis Blues and No. 1 defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. The status quo has shifted dramatically over the last two weeks in terms of extension talks between the two sides, as the Blues first acquired Justin Faulk from the Carolina Hurricanes and handed him a seven-year, $45.5MM extension and then signed another impending free agent, Brayden Schenn, to an eight-year, $52MM extension. The team would obviously still like to re-sign their captain, but they have significantly more future salary committed now, as well as more security on the blue line in Faulk if Pietrangelo does leave. How that affects contract talks remains to be seen. Elliotte Friedman reports that GM Doug Armstrong plans to meet with Pietrangelo’s Toronto-based Newport Sports agents when the Blues visit the Maple Leafs this week to open up the conversation. Friedman adds that St. Louis’ preferred contract would be similar to that of Arizona Coyotes top defender Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who signed an eight-year, $66MM extension in 2018. Friedman implies that Pietrangelo would likely be able to beat an $8.25MM salary on the open market. However, a proportional contract to Ekman-Larsson’s based on either this year’s salary cap or next year’s projected salary cap would place that number between $8.5-8.75MM at least, which could be enough to keep Pietrangelo. The real question is whether the Blues can afford that, with nearly $74MM already committed to 17 players next season.
- Joshua Ho-Sang isn’t opposed to playing in the AHL, just doing so any longer for the New York Islanders. At least that’s what Friedman reports that his camp is telling other NHL teams. Ho-Sang has requested a trade from the Islanders and the club is trying to oblige, giving him permission to talk to other teams. Ho-Sang is letting them know that he is willing to do “whatever it takes” to find a regular NHL role, even if that means starting the process in the AHL. This could potentially broaden the level of interest in the disgruntled winger, who may not have the best reputation but honestly seems in search of a fresh start.
- Chris Johnston reports that Patrick Marleau remains “confident” that he will find a home in the NHL this season. The respected veteran had the final season of his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs bought out following a trade to the Carolina Hurricanes this off-season, but so far hasn’t been able to find an ideal fit to continue playing. Much of the speculation had him returning to the San Jose Sharks, with whom he played much of his Hall of Fame career with, but the team was not as receptive to a comeback as expected. Marleau maintains that he would like to stay close to his family in San Jose, making Pacific Division rivals like the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes and Vegas Golden Knights the likely targets. However, given the Sharks’ 0-3 start and early scoring woes, perhaps the team will come calling after all. Marleau continues to work out and stay optimistic for whenever an opportunity does arise.
Minor Transactions: 10/06/19
After a loaded Saturday slate, there are just three NHL games on the docket today. However, off-day teams could still use the time to make roster transactions to prepare for the coming week. Meanwhile, minor league and European teams alike continue to tinker with their rosters early in the year. Keep up with all of the action today right here:
- The KHL’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk made a swap of NHL veterans today, announcing the signing of forward Andrej Nestrasil and the release of defenseman Paul Postma. Nestrasil, 28, has had a strange start to the new campaign. The former Carolina Hurricanes forward was somewhat surprisingly not offered a contract extension by the KHL’s Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk this off-season despite two good seasons with the team since leaving the NHL. Without any options, Nestrasil returned home to the Czech Republic and signed with HC Ocelari Trinec just two weeks ago. After only two games with club – and a team-leading four points in those two games – Magnitogorsk came calling with an offer to return to the KHL for at least one more year and Nestrasil took it. His roster spot came at the cost of Postma’s in a way, whose contract was jointly terminated. Postma last played in the NHL with the Boston Bruins in 2017-18 and enjoyed a strong first KHL season with Ak Bars Kazan last year. He signed with Metallurg this summer, but lasted just ten games into his new one-year contract before the two sides apparently agreed to part. While there has been nothing yet to link the two sides, Postma spent much of his NHL career with the Winnipeg Jets, who are sorely in need of some defensive depth right now and could potentially look into a reunion.
- Another former Bruins defenseman, Chris Casto, is headed overseas. After spending last season on an AHL contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Casto has opted to head to Germany. Grizzlys Wolfsburg of the DEL has announced a one-year deal with the 27-year-old former college standout. Ironically, what prompted the move was a season-ending injury to another past Boston defensive prospect, Ryan Button. Like Button, Casto could never take his well-rounded game to that next level in North America, but could be an impact player in Europe.
- Ben Thomson has found a new home in the AHL. The 26-year-old enforcer has signed a one-year deal with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the team announced. Thomson spent last season on the opposite coast with the San Diego Gulls, but will now head back to tri-state area, where he once suited up for three games with the New Jersey Devils. A fourth-round pick of New Jersey in 2012, Thomson made a name for himself with the AHL Devils as an aggressive checking forward a consistent penalty minutes leader. That role has continued to find him employment at the minor league level, but Thomson is unlikely to get back to the NHL any time soon.
- The jury is still out on who the goalie of the future may be for the Boston Bruins, if any of their current prospects. Dan Vladar has the most history with the organization, while Jeremy Swayman may have the most intrigue as he continues his development at the University of Maine. However, the most likely candidate may be 20-year-old Kyle Keyser, an undrafted signee who finished his junior career off on a high note with a strong OHL season and a World Juniors showing with Team USA. Yet, the Florida native will at least start his first pro season closer to home with the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators. Mark Divver reports that Vladar and free agent third-string Maxime Lagace will begin their seasons with AHL Providence, while the Bruins have reassigned Keyser to Atlanta. It’s not uncommon for young goaltenders, even talented ones, to spend some time in the ECHL for the purpose of consistent starts, but Keyser will certainly be looking to prove he is worth of a look in the AHL right away this season.
- The Ottawa Senators are certainly not lacking in prospect depth and the team seems likely to switch their talented young names in and out of the NHL and AHL lineups early on to ensure equal ice time until they can get a better feel for who belongs in Ottawa full-time. Today, the team has reassigned Drake Batherson and Filip Chlapik to AHL Belleville. They did not announce a corresponding move, meaning the same duo or two other prospects could be called up in the coming days.
- With Evgeny Kuznetsov returning from suspension, the Washington Capitals had some salary cap maneuvering to do. The team has announced that forward Travis Boyd has been placed on waivers for the purpose of reassignment to the AHL’s Hershey Bears. They also announced that rookie defenseman Martin Fehervary has been sent down to Hershey. The 2018 second-round pick performed well in the team’s first three games, but some more seasoning in the minors won’t hurt. As for Boyd, the 26-year-old center is probably safe on the waiver wire, but is more of a risk than last season after recording 20 points in 53 games last season. The team has also “demoted” defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, but it is a paper move expected to be made frequently this season by the Capitals as they look to bank as much cap space as possible while fighting a very tight cap crunch.
Eastern Notes: Hischier, Van Riemsdyk, Ladd, Miller
With teams trying to get a jump on their 2020 restricted free agents, another team has started negotiations with one of their players. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun (subscription required) writes in his notebook that the New Jersey Devils have started negotiations with center Nico Hischier. While the talks are preliminary so far, it’s a good sign the team wants to tackle the negotiations early as opposed to having it affect their training camp or a potential holdout of the 2020-21 season.
Hischier, the first-overall pick in the 2017 draft, has been a key piece to the Devils team the last two years. He put up a solid rookie campaign as an 18-year-old, scoring 20 goals for a total of 52 points. Despite missing 13 games last season, his numbers were solid as well, putting up 17 goals and 47 points and has established himself as a reliable top-six player who is currently centering the top line. Whether he will remain the top-line center or move to the second line once 2019 first-overall pick Jack Hughes establishes himself is unknown, but it gives the Devils two elite centers to build around.
- The Carolina Hurricanes got some news on the health of veteran defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery in early May, is getting closer to a return, according to News-Observer’s Chip Alexander. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said he expects van Riemsdyk to return “soon,” but isn’t ready to refer to him as day-to-day either. “He’s definitely getting closer,” said Brind’Amour. The 28-year-old played 78 games for the Hurricanes last year.
- New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said that veteran forward Andrew Ladd practiced Saturday and will continue to practice with the team in a non-contact jersey for a while, according to Newsday’s Andrew Gross. The Islanders intend to protect the 33-year-old from injury from the torn ACL injury he sustained in March and isn’t expected back until November. Ladd only played 26 games for the team last season and only produced 12 goals the year before. Ladd still has three more years on his contract after this one at $5.5MM AAV.
- New York Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller, the team’s 22nd-overall pick in the 2018 draft, was suspended by the University of Wisconsin hockey team for a violation of team rules, according to Wisconsin State Journal’s Todd Milewski. No word on how long the suspension is for or whether he will miss the season opener on Friday against No. 11 Boston College, but associate head coach Mark Osiecki said that Miller was still with the team and involved in off-ice workouts. He is not practicing with the team at the moment. The blueliner scored five goals and 22 points in 26 games last season as a freshman with the Badgers.