Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Blackhawks Rumors

Minor Transactions: 9/8/17

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The last 24 hours has been a busy one in hockey. There continue to be more and more PTO’s as well as a few traditional contract signings as well, both in the NHL, and the following minor league deals:

  • The New York Ranger’s AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, have signed 2016-17 AHL All-Star Joe Whitney to a one-year contract, the team announced. A Boston College alum and former captain of the Eagles, the 29-year-old Whitney has had a fine AHL career and has played an important leadership role for many teams, but has not lived up to the potential many saw in college. Whitney spent the first half of his pro career with the AHL’s Albany Devils, eventually earning an NHL contract with New Jersey and appearing in five games with the team between 2013 and 2015. More recently, he has been more of an AHL gun-for-hire, signing one-year deals with the New York Islanders and Colorado Avalanche to be a veteran mentor for their young minor leaguers. Whitney was traded to the Arizona Coyotes for Brendan Ranford at the trade deadline this past season to help support the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners down the stretch. However, the Coyotes and seemingly all other AHL teams weren’t interested in a two-way deal for Whitney’s services this season, leading to his AHL deal with the Wolf Pack. Whitney will still be a valuable research in Hartford, bringing leadership and guidance to a locker room with developing young scorers like Ryan Gropp and Adam Tambellini.
  •  Like Whitney, another former Boston College captain has found AHL employment in Chris Calnan. The big, two-way winger has signed with one of the AHL’s newest teams, the Binghamton Devils, the relocated affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. The announcement of the deal by Binghamton received excited recognition from both New Jersey and ECHL-affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms. The whole chain of teams hope that Calnan can bring the same character, tenacity, and leadership that he showed at BC to his pro game, regardless of what level he plays at. Calnan, 23, was a 2012 third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, but became a free agent in August after failing to reach terms on an entry-level deal with the team after four years in college. In Binghamton, Calnan will look to show that he has the intangibles to be a reliable bottom-six forward at the NHL level. He may not be his uncle, Jeremy Roenick, but Calnan looks like he may have pro chops.
  • Unlike Whitney, a pair of fellow former Coyotes have been unable to lock down even an AHL job this off-season. Branden Troock signed on with the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits earlier today, while Henrik Samuelsson came to terms with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads yesterday. Samuelsson, 23, was a first-round pick of the Coyotes back in 2012, but never came close to reaching his potential, beginning with a scoreless three game stint with the ’Yotes in his first pro season in 2014-15 and only going downhill from there. The team ended up trading Samuelsson to the Edmonton Oilers last season for Mitch Moroz, who signed with none other than the Idaho Steelheads this summer. Samuelsson has just 55 points in his three-year AHL career and will have to work if he wants to add to that point total any time soon. Troock, on the other hand, is neither an Arizona draft pick nor an NHL veteran. The 23-year-old was a 5th-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2012 and was traded to the Coyotes this past February alongside the aforementioned and quickly flipped Brandon Ranford for veteran goalie Justin Peters. Arizona did not make any attempts to re-sign Troock, who was a -7 in 20 games with the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners to close out the season. Troock is more familiar with the ECHL than Samuelsson, having skated in 28 “AA” games over his three pro seasons.
  • A player with similar luck is former San Jose Sharks prospect Patrick McNally. A 2010 fourth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks and a standout at Harvard, the bruising defenseman just couldn’t find any production at the pro level, scoring 18 points in two seasons with the AHL Barracuda. McNally today signed with the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, who ironically play in the former home of the Barracuda, then the Worcester Sharks.
  • A pair with better fortunes today was Alex Wideman and Tyler Sikura. The ECHL forwards are now AHL forwards, after inking deals with the Rockford Ice Hogs today, as per a team announcement. Wideman, the younger brother of Ottawa Senators defenseman Chris Wideman, is back in the AHL after two full seasons of ECHL playing following a quick stint with his brother on the Binghamton Senators in 2015. The 25-year-old scored 55 points in 70 games last season, the best offensive production of his entire career. Sikura is on an AHL contract for the first time, having only played in the American League on loan after signing with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye out of Dartmouth College in 2015. The former Big Green captain has yet to record an AHL point yet, which will surely be his “goal” when he first hits the ice with Rockford.
  • Journeyman goalie Mark Dekanich will be staying stateside this year. He has re-upped with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. The 31-year-old Dekanich is a ten-year pro; a 2006 draft pick of the Predators, he made one NHL start in Nashville and many more starts with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, then jumped overseas to the KHL before returning to minor league duty in North America. While Dekanich could end up playing much of the season down in the ECHL, as he has the past two seasons since returning from the KHL, Dekanic’s veteran presence could prove helpful for promising young Flyers goalie prospects Alex Lyon and Carter Hart, especially while Anthony Stolarz remains sidelined. However, between that trio of up-and-coming keepers, the veteran duo of Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth in Philly, and Leland Irving and John Muse also on AHL deals, there may be a few too many goalies in Lehigh Valley and Reading this season.

Snapshots: Eichel, Franson, Girardi

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

We’ve heard several reports over the past few weeks regarding an extension for Sabres center Jack Eichel. The 20-year-old recently made it clear that he wanted to remain in Buffalo, and he reemphasized those sentiments earlier today. However, as opposed to last time, Eichel wasn’t so keen to give a timeframe on any contractual resolution.

“It’s kind of in my agent’s hands and Mr. Botterill’s,” Eichel said (via Tom Gulitti of NHL.com). “For me, it’s all about just going out and performing, playing well, being a good teammate and trying to help make a positive impact on the Sabres and get the organization back to the playoffs. I want to be in Buffalo. I want to be there for a long time. I want to be there when we’re winning. I want to bring that to the city.

“But in terms of the deal, it’s going to get done at some point whether it’s now or a couple months or next year. Who knows? I just know if my play takes care of itself, then good things will happen.”

The former second-overall pick has been productive during his two seasons in the league, compiling 48 goals and 65 assists in 142 games.

Let’s take a look at more notes from around the NHL…

  • Defenseman Cody Franson signed a professional tryout contract with the Blackhawks earlier this evening, and Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun Times believes the move could give the squad “a much-needed boost on the back end of their back end.” The 30-year-old compiled three goals and 16 assists in 68 games for the Sabres last season, and the writer believes the veteran will be a welcome addition to a team that is “desperate for help on the blue line.” Ultimately, Franson is expected to compete with Jan Rutta, Ville Pokka and Erik Gustafsson for a spot on the team’s third line.
  • Veteran defenseman Dan Girardi signed a two-year, $6MM deal with the Lightning earlier this offseason, and the 33-year-old told Joe Smith of TampaBay.com that general manager Steve Yzerman was a big reason why he chose to sign with the organization. “I came here because ’Stevie Y’ called me personally and said, ’We want you here,'” Girardi said. “I felt that meant a lot to me as a guy who pretty much played his heart out for 11 years in New York, got bought out. You don’t know what’s happening and you get a guy like Steve Yzerman call you personally. It’s like, ’Okay, that’s where I know I need to be.'” Girardi had played the past 11 seasons with the Rangers, and he finished the 2016 campaign with four goals and 11 assists.
  • Alex Nylander is trying to build off his four-game cameo from last season, and the Sabres prospect appeared to be “bigger and more confident” as he prepared for the upcoming Prospect Challenge. As John Vogl of the Buffalo News writes, a solid performance during the rookie tourney could lead to the former first-rounder earning a spot on the team’s NHL roster. “You’ve got to have a good impression on them,” Nylander said. “You’ve got to be working hard and showing what you can do on the ice. It’s like a new start, so it feels really good coming into this year.”

 

Cody Franson Signs PTO With Chicago Blackhawks

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Chicago Blackhawks have signed free agent defenseman Cody Franson to a professional tryout according to freelance journalist Dhiren Mahiban (and later confirmed by Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune). Apparently Franson turned down one-year contracts with other teams in order to head to camp with the Hawks, perhaps to sign a contract after the season begins and Marian Hossa is placed on long-term injured reserve. Either way, Franson will finally have an NHL camp to skate in as he tries to secure himself a position in the league this year.

Cody FransonFranson, 30, is one of the most divisive players in the league. His play is simultaneously lauded for its breakout efficiency and general possession numbers, while criticized for a lack of defensive play (and sometimes even the ability to skate backwards). Some believe that he can still be effective as a low-key powerplay quarterback, getting the puck to the net through traffic, while others think he’s such a liability in his own end that it’s not worth it to deploy him for any meaningful minutes. The Blackhawks will decide that themselves in camp, when he battles with other fringe NHL players for the last few spots.

Michal Rozsival, Michal Kempny and Jan Rutta are all in the running for a full-time position in Chicago’s defense corps, along with several young players including Ville Pokka and Gustav Forsling. Franson may represent more upside than the former group and more stability than the latter, giving him an inside edge at breaking camp with the team. As noted above, the team doesn’t have much cap room to sign him at the moment and would need to do some salary cap gymnastics to fit him in on anything more than a minimum contract. He’s earned over $3MM for the last few seasons, but it’s unlikely that he’ll receive anything close to that even if he does make an NHL roster.

Franson had 19 points in 68 games with the Buffalo Sabres last year, but has 30+ point upside if given the opportunity. He recorded two such seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, including 32 in just 55 games before being dealt to the Nashville Predators in 2015. At 6’5″ he’s not a physical player, but can use his long reach to adequately break up plays, and uses a strong first pass to exit the zone. Likely his most important attribute is that he’s right-handed, something that is in high demand around the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Cody Franson Narrows List Of Potential Teams

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Cody Franson has been waiting all summer to sign with a team, and Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 now reports that it is down to just the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks with a chance to sign the defenseman. Vancouver, a team close to Franson’s hometown and where Dhaliwal covers the NHL apparently did not show any interest. Franson is expected to sign a one-year deal, though there are cap complexities to him coming in for either club.

The Blackhawks, who currently project over the cap to start the season, will have some financial flexibility once Marian Hossa is placed on long-term injured reserve (if he hasn’t already), and would be able to fit Franson in on a low-paying contract. That said, if the contract is worth anything close to the $3.3MM per season that Franson has been paid on each of his last two contracts, the team would be precariously close to the cap even after Hossa’s placement. Pushing against it all season is a tough way to operate, especially with potential bonuses and other injury risks on their roster already.

Edmonton has a bit more cap room at the moment, but with Connor McDavid a near-lock for his full Schedule B bonuses, and Jesse Puljujarvi a possibility for the same, that cap room could vanish quickly. Signing many more players to push them closer to the cap is a risky game, as they can’t allow much of those bonuses to carry over to next year when McDavid’s $12.5MM salary kicks in. The team already has over $60MM committed to just 13 players for the 2018-19 season.

Jack Skille Expected To Sign In KHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Running out of time to find an NHL contract before the puck drops on the 2017-18 season, another veteran has taken the quiet off-season as a sign to move on. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that free agent forward Jack Skille is expected to sign with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL in the coming days. The 30-year-old’s decision to continue his career overseas comes a decade after making his NHL debut in 2007.

Skille was selected #7 overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2005 and made the jump to the NHL two years later after a short stint with the University of Wisconsin. Although Skille has never lived up to his draft slot, the two-way winger has nevertheless found an NHL contract in each of the last ten seasons. After three seasons in Chicago, spent mostly with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, Skille was traded to the Florida Panthers in 2011 and there developed into a bona fide NHLer. Skille has only played in 22 AHL games since his trade to Florida, instead spending parts of three seasons with the Panthers, two seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and most recently a year apiece with the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks. Through 368 NHL games, Skille registered 84 points, including a career-high eight goals with the Avs just two years ago, but made his name not by his offense, but by his grit and toughness, his ability to win battles along the boards, and his quickness and tendency to always be in position to make a defensive play. Skille’s impressive ability to find an NHL gig as a reliable depth player is over for now, but may not be over for good, depending on his play in Europe.

With Minsk, Skille steps into a position where he will be relied on more for offense than any other time in his pro career and could also fill a leadership role. He also won’t be alone in Belarus though; he joins a squad with several NHL veterans such as Rob Klinkhammer, Quinton Howden, Justin Fontaine, Marc-Andre Gragnani, and new starting goalie Jhonas Enroth. The team is set to make some moves this season and Skille adds yet another talented contributor to the mix. If Minsk makes a leap up the standings in 2017-18 with Skille leading the charge in all three zones, there is little doubt that he will again draw interest from NHL teams next summer and beyond as a dependable and versatile depth option.

Snapshots: Gudbranson, Cammalleri, Jagr

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Once you get past the obvious, such as Colorado’s Matt Duchene and the entire Vegas Golden Knights’ roster, The Hockey News’ Matt Larkin has several interesting players who he lists as Top 10 trade candidates for the upcoming season, including Vancouver’s Erik Gudbranson, Los Angeles’ Mike Cammalleri and New Jersey’s Drew Stafford to name a few.

Gudbranson is a perfect trade candidate for the Canucks at the trade deadline. With young defensemen like Ben Hutton and Troy Stecher already on board to go with veteran Chris Tanev, he is not as critical of a keeper for a team looking to rebuild over the next few years. Add in the influx of young defensive prospects in their system, including Olli Juolevi (fifth overall pick in 2016), Guillaume Brisebois (third-rounder in 2015), Jordan Subban (fourth-rounder in 2013) and Jalen Chatfield, the team won’t miss Gudbranson too badly.

Cammalleri is a solid candidate. Larkin does not believe the Kings are going to succeed at making a playoff run and the 35-year-old wing could be that veteran “glue guy” for a team needing one piece for a Stanley Cup run, if Cammalleri can stay healthy, which is not something he has done often lately. Stafford would also make sense as a rental player at the deadline. After being traded at the deadline from Winnipeg to Boston last March and just signing a one-year deal with New Jersey this year, it’s very likely he’ll be on the move again if he can put up some points as a Devil.

To see the full list of 10 candidates, go here.

  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers tweets that Chicago Blackhawks prospect Andrei Altybarmakyan made his KHL debut today with St. Petersburg SKA. At just 19 years old, Powers writes, that’s a big deal and should develop into a promising prospect. The wing was a third-round pick in the 2017 draft two months ago.
  • San Francisco Examiner’s Paul Ladewski writes that the San Jose Sharks really need to sign a veteran to help out general manager Doug Wilson. Citing Wilson’s non-interest in being patient with young players, he points to 45-year-old Jaromir Jagr as an excellent player who could fill the void of Patrick Marleau. He cites Jagr’s work ethic, which could help light a fire under an aging team that’s running out of time. Jagr had 16 goals and 30 assists last year for Florida. The scribe suggests a one-year, $4MM deal would be perfect. NBC Sports Kevin Kurz tweets that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Sharks sign one veteran before camp starts, but doesn’t name Jagr.

Minor Transactions: 9/2/17

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the calendar flipping from August to September, there has been a flurry of activity across hockey. Players who have been holding out for more money or better situations are feeling the pressure of an impending season and finally settling for what they can get. Thomas Vanek is one example, while a plethora of PTO’s in recent days provides another. Outside the NHL, lower tier players are facing the same scenario. Here are some minor moves as evidence:

  • Michael Kostka is headed overseas, at least for now. Calgary Flames beat writer Ryan Pike reports that Kostka has agreed to a tryout with Skelleftea AIK of the Swedish Hockey League. This is the first time that Kostka has ventured across the pond, as he has made a career out of being a dependable AHL depth option for several NHL teams. A four-year starter and eventual captain for the UMass Minutemen, Kostka signed a two-year deal with the Florida Panthers out of school in 2008 and and then returned to the Panthers in 2011 after a breakout campaign on an AHL contract in 2010-11. This began a pattern of one-year, two-way contracts for the reliable defenseman. Kostka made his NHL debut in 2012-13, skating in 35 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, then signed with the Chicago Blackhawks and played in nine games with them in 2013-14 and another 19 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning following a mid-season trade. Kostka then played in seven games with the New York Rangers in 2014-15 and 15 games with the Ottawa Senators in 2015-16. All the while, Kostka has provided consistency on offense and defense in the AHL, as well as veteran leadership. However, only last year with the Senators and later the Flames organizations – following the Curtis Lazar trade – did Kostka have his first season since his NHL debut without a game played at the highest level. Now 31 years old, it appears the yearly demand for Kostka as AHL depth has ended and he will now take his talents to Sweden in hopes of playing a major role once again, this time with Skelleftea. Should he fail to make the team or simply wish to return to North America, the veteran blue liner would undoubtedly be welcomed by a number of AHL teams happy to take him on a minor league deal.
  • The AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, announced that they have signed defenseman Brandon Anselmini to a one-year deal. The former Ferris State University rearguard played for the AHL’s Texas Stars, the affiliate of Chicago’s Central Division foes, the Dallas Stars, last season. However, Anselmini only skated in ten AHL games, spending the bulk of the campaign with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. Although Anselmini performed well in his first pro season at the ECHL level, it’s doubtful that he’s ready for a full-time AHL role. The undersized defender is a good depth option for Rockford, but is likely destined for more time in the ECHL.
  • Yet, at least Anselmini found an AHL contract to begin with. A player he could help to replace with the Ice Hogs, Nolan Valleau, has not been so lucky. Valleau, who signed with the Chicago Blackhawks out of Bowling Green State University two years ago, was not tendered a qualifying offer by the team this off-season and became an unrestricted free agent. After a 2016-17 season where he played entirely in the AHL, but scored just eight points and played to a -19 rating, there hasn’t been much interest in the 24-year-old in the AHL, nevertheless another NHL team. Instead, Valleau has signed with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, the team announced. The Solar Bears’ press release indicated that they are very excited to have Valleau, who could take on a leadership role for the “AA” squad. Perhaps the puck-moving defender could find his way back to the AHL next season and beyond if he makes the most of his time in Orlando.
  • Another non-qualified UFA settling for an ECHL deal after being on an NHL contract is Zach Pochiro. Pochiro, a 2013 fourth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis native, has signed with the Allen Americans, the team confirmed. Unlike Valleau though, Pochiro is extensively familiar with the ECHL. The former Prince George Cougars standout has played in 103 ECHL games since signing with the Blues in 2014. In comparison, he has only skated in five AHL games and of course no NHL games in that span. Even after being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in the Nail Yakupov deal last summer, a change of scenery was not enough to change his career trajectory, leading to the Oilers passing on retaining his rights. Perhaps the reality of an ECHL contract will help the once-promising 23-year-old to re-focus.

 

 

More to come throughout the day

 

Henri Jokiharju Expected To Participate In Training Camp

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic catches us up on several of the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospects, including Henri Jokiharju who is now considered likely to start training camp with the club. Last we heard it was in doubt after he suffered a knee injury in July. Jokiharju was the Blackhawks’ first-round selection this year, and will likely return to the Portland Winterhawks where he was outstanding as a 17-year old rookie. Scoring 48 points in 78 games, he was one of the most impressive puck-rushing defensemen in the entire WHL, and should only develop further this year.

Minor Transactions: 8/26/17

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Just as NHL teams have begun to fill out rosters with affordable deals and tryout offers, such as those yesterday for Drew Stafford (New Jersey) and Jay McClement (Pittsburgh), minor league squads are also trying to get their teams in order with the season set to start in just a little over a month. Here are some recent minor moves:

  • The pro game has not been kind to the Rupert twins, but all hope is not lost. Ryan Rupert, a 2012 sixth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs and one of the smaller pieces sent to Ottawa alongside Dion Phaneuf in that massive 2016 exchange, was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Senators this off-season and became an unrestricted free agent. After splitting each of his first three pro seasons between the AHL and ECHL, it was unlikely that he would find an NHL contract. However, it was somewhat of a surprise when he and brother Matt Rupert signed ECHL deals with the Indy Fuel back in July. The Rupert twins were both very successful junior players with the OHL’s London Knights, with each wearing the alternate captain “A” for a season and combining for over 400 points during their tenure. After a brief reunion with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in 2014-15, Ryan has amassed 58 points in 149 AHL games and 40 points in 53 ECHL games, while the undrafted Matt has 56 points in 125 ECHL games, as well as a couple AHL games on his resume. The duo seem to at least be worthy of an AHL contract, even if they do spend much of the season in the ECHL. It seems that one team agrees, as the Rockford Ice Hogs have invited the twins to camp on a tryout basis, according to The Sporting News’ Murray Pam. The Chicago Blackhawks’ affiliate is set to have some exciting, young players on the roster this season, but could use a couple hard-working minor league veterans like the Ruperts as well. If the tryout doesn’t pan out, the pair will likely return to Indy for the coming season and try to boost their in-season loan value and free agent stock for next summer.
  • The San Diego Gulls, the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate, announced that they have re-signed defenseman Brian Cooper to a one-year contract. Cooper, 23, was a fifth-round pick of the Ducks in 2012, but signed a minor league deal with their affiliate last season after not being offered a pro contract by the team. Cooper played four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha after being drafted, delivering modest offense and a solid defensive game, especially given his 5’10”, 196-lb. stature. The Alaska-native brought the same skill set to the AHL in 2016-17, recording 10 points in 37 regular season games for the Gulls and another pair of clutch points in the postseason, all while playing mistake-free in his own end. Cooper is expected to play a larger role for San Diego next season, as he works towards showing Anaheim that he can indeed be an NHL-caliber player one day.

More to come…

Roy Radke Signs In Finland

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After another underwhelming season with the Barrie Colts, the Chicago Blackhawks allowed their exclusive negotiating rights with Roy Radke expire in June. Despite that, he still attended Chicago’s development camp this summer, and was expected to get an AHL deal somewhere around the league. Instead he has signed with SaiPa of the Finnish Liiga, where he’ll try to take the next step in his professional career. The deal is for one season and includes a “trial period.”

Radke was selected in the sixth round two years ago, but failed to deliver on his promise as a fast, hard-nosed power forward. Too often for the Barrie Colts would he let defenders move him off the puck, and sometimes avoided going into the corners in the offensive zone. Still armed with a big shot and enough speed to create offense off the rush, he’ll need to start using his big frame more effectively. There is a good chance he returns to North America eventually to join a minor league team, but for now he sems quite excited to start with SaiPa.

The Blackhawks haven’t received a single game of production from their 2015 draft class just yet, with their top selection Graham Knott just entering the AHL this season. In fact, Knott remains the only player signed so far out of the draft class, with the others either playing in the NCAA or Europe. While that’s not unexpected, the team will need to start getting contributions soon from their last few draft classes if they’re to keep the championship-level organization fed.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top