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Colorado Avalanche Place Igor Shvyrev On Unconditional Waivers

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Thursday: According to CapFriendly, Shvyrev has cleared waivers.

Wednesday: Though it won’t grab many headlines after the league’s announcement yesterday, there is a little bit of other hockey news today. The Colorado Avalanche have placed Igor Shvyrev on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. Shvyrev’s entry-level contract was scheduled to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season.

The 21-year old Shvyrev was a fifth-round draft pick of the Avalanche back in 2017 and came over to North America after just one more season in the KHL. In 2018-19 with the Colorado Eagles he recorded 13 points in 57 games, but still showed enough flash and promise to excite Colorado fans. Unfortunately things stagnated this season, with Shvyrev often seeing only fourth-line duty with the Eagles. He scored just nine points in 49 games and now looks like he’s headed back home.

Technically he will become an unrestricted free agent allowed to sign with any other NHL organization for the 2020-21 season, but it seems likely that the young forward will return to the KHL. Colorado will not retain any exclusive rights but will gain a contract slot moving forward.

Snapshots: Las Vegas, Draft Update, Avalanche, Brackett

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With two different leagues, the NHL and NBA, looking into neutral sites to finish out their 2019-20 seasons, Las Vegas looks to be at the top of the list. MGM Resorts have reportedly shown interest, offering to host either league in the city. However, Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now reports that Vegas has become the source of a turf battle between the two leagues as the main neutral site for the playoffs.

The NHL might have the advantage, however, considering that the Golden Knights are well established in the city, while there is no NBA team. The NBA is also considering Disney World as a potential site.

  • While talk of an early June draft has quieted somewhat in the last week, that doesn’t mean the idea is dead. According to The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy, an NHL general manager told him that the league has been consistently telling teams that they will have at least one month’s notice before the draft, meaning that the original projected date of June 5 isn’t going to happen. The earliest the league could put a draft together would be mid-June. Of course, with many general managers resisting an early draft, it remains completely up in the air, meaning it could happen soon or in the October/November time frame.
  • In his most recent mailbag series, the Denver Post’s Mike Chambers warns fans not to get too excited about the UFA free agent market and the fact that Colorado should have plenty of money to spend. With two star players potentially available in winger Taylor Hall and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, many have felt that Colorado might add a star to push themselves to the top of the Central Division. However, Chambers said the team is not interested in either player and is more interested in continuing to build its team from within. The team is happy with its top-six and with Cale Makar and Erik Johnson on the right side, as well as the fact that prospect Conor Timmins is close to NHL ready, there isn’t any room for Pietrangelo either.
  • Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre writes that the Vancouver Canucks are likely to lose Judd Brackett, the team’s director of amateur scouting when his contract is up at the end of June. Brackett has been a key figure in Vancouver since he was promoted to the position back in 2015 and has been a key piece in rebuilding the franchise. However Elliotte Friedman recently reported on 650 radio in Vancouver that the two sides are likely to break ties after he rejected an extension offer recently. “Judd Brackett and the Vancouver Canucks clearly are not comfortable with each other. For whatever reason, the organization is not comfortable with him, and he is not comfortable with them. I think everybody can see that at this point in time,” Friedman said. MacIntyre also notes that the impasse between the two teams has nothing to do with pay or job title, but more likely because despite drafting well the last few years with Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, the team shook up the scouting department last offseason, firing four of his scouts.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Justus Annunen

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The Colorado Avalanche have signed goaltender Justus Annunen to a three-year, entry-level contract, adding another interesting prospect to the organization. Annunen played this season at the highest level in Finland, where he is expected to stay for another year according to Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic.

Annunen, 20, was picked 64th by the Avalanche in 2018 and has quickly become one of the top goaltending prospects in the league. A legitimate “goalie-of-the-future” candidate for the Avalanche, the third-round pick recorded a .929 save percentage as a rookie in Finland’s top league while also posting a .921 mark at the World Juniors.

Standing an imposing 6-foot-4, Annunen also has the quick reflexes and sound positioning to make a name for himself in professional hockey. While he may still be a few years away from making an impact for the Avalanche, getting him under contract was an important first step.

It will be interesting to see what the Avalanche do with regards to goaltending over the next few years, as Philipp Grubauer will be an unrestricted free agent in 2021, Pavel Francouz will join him as a UFA in 2022, and Annunen is joining an interesting trio alongside Hunter Miska and Adam Werner as potential options down the road.

Third Colorado Avalanche Player Tests Positive For COVID-19

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The NHL has announced that a third player from the Colorado Avalanche has tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement, the league reports that the player is in self-isolation and has not had close contact with any other Avalanche players or staff members. This makes eight players that have tested positive, three from the Avalanche and five from the Ottawa Senators.

Of note, the Senators and Avalanche played in San Jose on consecutive nights after the county of Santa Clara recommended against large gatherings. The Avalanche also played in the Staples Center the night before the Brooklyn Nets—who had multiple players test positive—and two nights before the Senators. Obviously there is no way of telling exactly how or when the virus was transmitted to the Avalanche player.

As with all of the other announcements, the player’s name was not included.

2020 Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalists Announced

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The second round of voting has closed, and the Hobey Baker Hat Trick Finalists have been announced. 78 players were nominated for the award this year, and a fan vote was added to the opinions of NCAA head coaches to determine the final ten names, which has now been reduced to just three.

The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country and has an impressive line of winners over the past few years. In 2013-14, Johnny Gaudreau took home the award as a junior for Boston College, followed by Jack Eichel in his only year for Boston University in 2015-16. Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher and Adam Gaudette don’t bring quite the same impact but are still NHL regulars after winning between 2016-18.

Last year’s winner was UMass defenseman Cale Makar, who has gone on to be one of the most impressive rookies in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche. Makar leaves big shoes to fill by this year’s finalists.

The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.

The finalists are as follows:

Jordan Kawaguchi – University of North Dakota (undrafted)

Kawaguchi, 22, was a phenomenal offensive player for UND this season, recording 45 points in 33 games. That total put him second in the country behind only Jack Dugan of Providence College—who is noticeably absent from this group—and ahead of some of the more experienced senior forwards around the NCAA. Undrafted out of the BCHL despite some eye-popping offensive numbers, the 5’9″ forward will be returning for a fourth year at North Dakota before starting his professional career.

Scott Perunovich – University of Minnesota-Duluth (agreed to terms, St. Louis Blues)

Perunovich, 21, ended the season with the second-most points among any defenseman in the country, scoring 40 in just 34 games. Through three seasons at UMD Perunovich has absolutely dominated the college landscape, driving play every time he touches the ice. He has already decided to leave before his senior season, agreeing to two different contracts with the Blues–one that starts if the 2019-20 season ever resumes, and one that will start in 2020-21.

Jeremy Swayman – University of Maine (signed, Boston Bruins)

Swayman, 21, is perhaps the surprising finalist only because as a goaltender he doesn’t get the opportunity to compare offensive numbers to the other candidates. Well, perhaps we should be looking a little closer at his jaw-dropping numbers in net after he posted a .939 save percentage in 34 starts for Maine. Swayman has been an excellent goaltender since entering the program in 2017, but after dropping his goals-against average to just 2.07 this season he has taken a huge step forward. Even as a fourth-round pick, he will enter the Bruins’ system as one of the most interesting goaltending prospects to keep an eye on.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Potential Compliance Buyout Candidates: Part I

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As the current Coronavirus crisis wears on, it seems more and more likely that the NHL will not return to action soon and when play resumes, it will almost certainly not be the full remaining regular season schedule. That lost revenue is expected to impact the 2020-21 salary cap, perhaps even keeping the current $81.5MM upper limit in place. Given that teams expected an increase, initially projected to be between $84-88.2MM, this stagnation could have a harsh impact on a number of clubs’ cap situations. As such, many expect that compliance buyouts will return in some form or fashion to ease that pain. These buyouts, which do not count against the salary cap, would allow for teams to open up space that they otherwise expected from a cap increase.

Here is a rundown of the top compliance buyout candidates for the first third of NHL teams:

Anaheim Ducks: Adam Henrique

– The first team on the list is a tough call. Henrique has had a good season and the Ducks are not in significant cap trouble. However, with a long list of promising forward prospects and a defense that needs work, the team could opt to move on from the veteran forward and to create roster space and cap flexibility. Henrique, 30, is signed for four more years at $5.825MM.

Arizona Coyotes: Phil Kessel

– The Coyotes are in one of the worst positions in the league in terms of cap space, so the team would have to use a compliance buyout if the opportunity is offered to them. Kessel has been a relative bust in his first season with the ‘Yotes and is signed for two more years at $6.8MM. He has the potential to improve in year two, but Arizona may not have the luxury of taking the chance. The added cap space would be a major relief for the team.

Boston Bruins: John Moore

– Given the Bruins’ depth on defense in both veteran assets and budding prospects as well as Moore’s relegation to a backup role on the Boston blue line, he has become an expendable asset, especially if both Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug are back next season. Moore is signed longer than any current Bruins defenseman with three years and $8.25MM remaining, but the team’s commitment to him seems less than any of his fellow blue liners.

Buffalo Sabres: Kyle Okposo

– Unfortunately for the Sabres, the Okposo signing in 2016 has never panned out. His production dropped from 64 points with the New York Islanders in 2015-16 to just 45 points in his first year in Buffalo and that total has gone down in every year since. Okposo was on pace for just 24 points this year and may not even reach that mark. The Sabres would be quick to part ways with Okposo, who has three years at $6MM annually left on his contract, taking up valuable cap space that the team needs to use to improve the rest of their roster.

Calgary Flames: Milan Lucic

– Even with the salary being retained by the Edmonton Oilers on Lucic’s contract, his $5.25MM cap hit is still a pain for the Flames. The veteran power forward is not going to score 20+ goals or 50+ points in a season ever again and Calgary could do more with the added cap space over the next three years.

Carolina Hurricanes: Jake Gardiner

– For whatever reason, the Gardiner signing simply has not worked out as the Hurricanes had hoped. Gardiner, who was signed late last summer at a relative discount, has been a fine addition, but hasn’t been the point producer and power play ace that Carolina had hoped for. Following the deadline addition of Brady Skjei to arguably the deepest blue line in the NHL already, Gardiner and his remaining three years and $12.15MM are expendable.

Chicago Blackhawks: Brent Seabrook

– One of the more obvious choices on this list, Seabrook’s contract may the worst in the NHL right now. The 34-year-old has four years left at $6.875MM AAV on an eight-year, $55MM deal signed back in 2015. Over the term of the contract, Seabrook has declined rapidly and is a shell of his former self, regardless of health. The cap-strapped Blackhawks would not think twice about moving on.

Colorado Avalanche: Erik Johnson

– Johnson is a well-liked and well-respected long-time member of the Avalanche. However, as time has gone on the team has surrounded him with better, younger, and more affordable blue line options. As valuable as Johnson’s experience and leadership may be, he is an expendable piece without a clear future role. Signed through 2022-23 at a $6MM cap hit, Johnson is an expensive piece to keep around just for the intangibles and the Avs could look to use this opportunity to clear some space for some anticipated big game hunting this off-season.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Alexander Wennberg

– Blue Jackets fans have been calling for Wennberg’s head for years now and may finally get their wish. The once-promising young forward turned a 59-point 2016-17 season into a six-year, $29.4MM contract and then proceeded to regress immensely over the past few seasons instead of continuing to improve as expected. With another three years left at $4.9MM per, Wennberg doesn’t seem likely to get back to a level of play that would warrant his current cap hit and Columbus could move on, even from a 25-year-old homegrown product.

Dallas Stars: Andrew Cogliano

– The Stars are a team with numerous big names and long contracts, but their most inefficient name might just be Cogliano. Rather than using a buyout to move a heavy cap hit, Dallas could opt to trim the fat by removing a player that hasn’t been a good fit. Cogliano has showed that his six points in 32 games last season with the Stars following a trade from Anaheim was not a fluke; he followed it up with 14 points through 68 games this year. Expecting Cogliano to get back to 30+ point form in 2020-21 in his final year at $3.25MM seems hopeful at best and Dallas could use that space elsewhere with some lineup holes to fill this summer.

Stay tuned for Part II coming soon.

A Second Colorado Player Tests Positive For COVID-19

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For the second time this week, the Colorado Avalanche announced that one of their players has tested positive for COVID-19.  Unlike the first player who had recovered prior to the announcement, this does not appear to be the case here.  The full statement from the team is below.

The Colorado Avalanche were advised late last night that a second player has tested positive for COVID-19. The player is in self-isolation. All other Avalanche players, staff and others who might have had close contact with the player have been informed and remain isolated as per prior League direction and are monitoring their health and will be in touch with Club medical staff as necessary. No other Avalanche player or staff member has shown symptoms at this time.

This announcement means that there are now four NHL players that are known to have tested positive for the virus with the two Colorado players joining a pair of Ottawa players who were diagnosed last week.  There is a connection between both teams as both played in the Staples Center (home to the NHL’s Kings plus the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers) in Los Angeles around the same time the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets did.  The Nets had four players test positive while the Lakers have two known cases.

Colorado Avalanche Sign Jacob MacDonald

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The Colorado Avalanche have reached another extension with a minor league standout, inking Jacob MacDonald to a two-year contract. The deal comes after the team extended T.J. Tynan yesterday, and secures the Colorado Eagles will have their top two offensive weapons again next season. MacDonald was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer but will now remain under contract through the 2021-22 season.

While MacDonald may be listed as a defenseman on the release, he’s been much more than that for the Eagles this season. Thanks to the injuries that the Avalanche were dealing with, the Eagles were at times short on capable forwards. That’s when they turned to MacDonald, who moved up and became one of the team’s key offensive contributors. In 56 games with the Eagles this season the 27-year old has 42 points, only a few shy of Tynan’s 47. The idea that he can play both positions successfully makes him even more valuable, but there could even be more than just the AHL in his future.

Though he may have only two games at the NHL level in his career, MacDonald has been so successful in the minor leagues he may be fighting for a roster spot with the Avalanche at some point. The team does have several players headed for free agency, including Mark Barberio and Kevin Connauton who will both be unrestricted. Even Nikita Zadorov, who is still a restricted free agent, could have an uncertain future with the club thanks to his cost. The 24-year old would need a $3.2MM qualifying offer, a number that becomes a little trickier to swallow should the salary cap stay flat (or even decrease) thanks to lost revenue.

Even without an NHL opportunity, it’s obvious that MacDonald can be an asset for the Colorado organization.

Colorado Avalanche Player Tested Positive For COVID-19

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Another NHL organization has been hit with the coronavirus (COVID-19). The Colorado Avalanche have announced that one of their players tested positive, though after isolating since his first symptoms appeared, he has subsequently recovered. The team has notified anyone that came in close contact with the player, who once again was left unnamed.

Previously, only the Ottawa Senators had announced that players—two, in that case—had tested positive for the virus. This is the third case in the NHL so far. Of note, the Senators and Avalanche played in San Jose on consecutive nights after the county of Santa Clara recommended against large gatherings.

The Avalanche also played in the Staples Center the night before the Brooklyn Nets—who had multiple players test positive—and two nights before the Senators. Obviously there is no way of telling exactly how or when the virus was transmitted to the Avalanche player.

T.J. Tynan Signs With Colorado Avalanche

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The Colorado Avalanche have rewarded minor league forward T.J. Tynan with another contract, re-signing him for one more year. The team did not release financial details, but Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now reports the deal is a two-way contract worth $800K at the NHL level. It includes a $500K AHL salary, a high number for a minor league player.

It’s easy to see why, as Tynan has always been an exceptional offensive player in the AHL. Through 42 games with the Colorado Eagles this season he recorded 47 points, though amazingly only five of those were goals. He also spent 16 games with the Avalanche, recording his first and only NHL point.

The 28-year old was originally a third-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets but has just 19 NHL games to his name at this point in his career. That likely means he’ll be headed to the minor leagues again next season, though he will have to clear waivers.

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