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Prospect Notes: Holtz, Podkolzin, NCAA Transfers

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While the New Jersey Devils showed signs of life earlier this season, it’s another subpar season for the club and they continued their rebuild at the trade deadline by moving three veterans for picks and prospects. However, help is on the way in the form of an elite prospect. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald confirmed to the media, including The Athletic’s Corey Masisak, that he is actively working on a contract with 2020 first-round pick Alexander Holtz. Fitzgerald did not provide a timeline and stated that the details of the deal and the immigration issues are still being hammered out, so at this point in the season it’s possible that Holtz may not actually suit up with the Devils until next season. Whenever he does arrive though, the reigning No. 7 overall pick should make an immediate impact. The 19-year-old just wrapped up his second full season in the SHL, the top pro level in Sweden, and recorded 18 points in 40 games. Holtz is a prolific goal scorer whose junior and WJC performances have pointed toward a potential future 30-goal scorer or better. Playing with New Jersey’s young forward corps filled with upside, Holtz could make an immediate impact next year as the Devils finally look to take the next step.

  • Similarly, the Vancouver Canucks are in a holding pattern this season with top prospect Vasili Podkolzin. Although GM Jim Benning had stated earlier this season that his intention was to have the 2019 tenth overall pick make his NHL debut this season, he seemed less optimistic about the possibility speaking with the media, including The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. Podkolzin’s KHL season is now over, his SKA St. Petersburg club losing in the semifinals of the Gagarin Cup, so contract talks have officially begun. However, it is more likely that Podkolzin’s deal will not begin until next season with limited time left in this season and contractual and immigration hurtles to jump through. When Podkolzin does debut in Vancouver, he will be hard to miss. The big, strong winger plays an explosive offensive game and is always making his presence felt around the net. Although he recorded only 11 points in 35 KHL games this year, that’s quite an accomplishment for a 19-year-old playing a bottom-six role on a top contender. Canucks fans should be excited for the arrival of Podkolzin, whenever that will be.
  • The NCAA’s extension of eligibility has prolonged a number of NHL prospects’ collegiate careers and the transfer market has been buzzing, with a number of names heading to new places. The biggest move of late has been former Bemidji State goaltender Zach Driscoll transferring to North Dakota. Driscoll has been one of the best goaltenders in the NCAA over the past few years, posting three straight seasons with a GAA of 2.32 or lower, including a 1.63 GAA and .937 save percentage last year. He now moves to the program that finished No. 1 in the nation in the regular season and will take over the starter job for the departed Adam Scheel, who signed with the Dallas Stars, hoping that he too will earn an NHL contract this time next year. In fact, upon Driscoll’s arrival, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Peter Thome announced that he was leaving for the newest Division I program, St. Thomas. Thome, a 2016 sixth-round pick, had sat behind Scheel and Cam Johnson for four years as a stellar backup, but was finally eyeing the Fighting Hawks starting job. Instead, he’ll man the net for St. Thomas in their inaugural season before turning pro.
  • Elsewhere in the transfer market, defenseman Will Cullen, who was expected to have pro interest following a dominant season at Bowling Green, has graduated in three years and has opted to become a grad transfer to Miami (Ohio). Cullen, 24, is a mobile, right-shot defensemen who recorded 25 points in 28 games for the Falcons this season as one of the top scoring defensemen in the NCAA. His decision not to turn pro is a surprise, but the interest should still be there next season.

Trade Deadline Summary: Central Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the Central Division.

Carolina Hurricanes
Status: Buyer

In – F Cedric Paquette, D Jani Hakanpaa, D David Warsofsky, F Yegor Korshkov, 2022 sixth-round pick (ANA), 2022 seventh-round pick (CLB)
Out – F Ryan Dzingel, D Haydn Fleury, F Gregory Hofmann

Chicago Blackhawks
Status: Neutral

In – F Brett Connolly, F Vinnie Hinostroza, F Adam Gaudette, D Riley Stillman, F Henrik Borgstrom, F Josh Dickinson, F Ryder Rolston, 2021 second-round pick (VGK), 2022 third-round pick (VGK), 2021 fourth-round pick (MTL), 2021 seventh-round pick (FLA)
Out – F Mattias Janmark, F Carl Soderberg, F Matthew Highmore, F Lucas Wallmark, D Madison Bowey, D Lucas Carlsson, F Brad Morrison, 2021 fifth-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick

Columbus Blue Jackets
Status: Seller

In – D Mikko Lehtonen, F Gregory Hofmann, 2021 first-round pick (TOR), 2021 first-round pick (TBL), 2022 third-round pick (TBL), 2022 fourth-round pick (TOR), conditional 2022 seventh-round pick (TOR)
Out – F Nick Foligno, D David Savard, F Riley Nash, G Veini Vehvilainen, 2022 seventh-round pick

Dallas Stars
Status: Neutral

In – None
Out – None

Detroit Red Wings
Status: Seller

In – F Jakub Vrana, F Richard Panik, F Hayden Verbeek, 2021 first-round pick (WAS), 2022 second-round pick (WAS), 2021 fourth-round pick (TBL), 2022 fourth-round pick (COL), 2021 fifth-round pick (OTT via MTL)
Out – F Anthony Mantha, D Patrik Nemeth, D Jon Merrill, D Brian Lashoff

Florida Panthers
Status: Buyer

In – F Sam Bennett, D Brandon Montour, F Lucas Wallmark, D Lucas Carlsson, F Brad Morrison, 2022 sixth-round pick (CGY)
Out – F Brett Connolly, F Vinnie Hinostroza, D Riley Stillman, F Henrik Borgstrom, F Emil Heineman, 2022 second-round pick, 2021 third-round pick, 2021 seventh-round pick

Nashville Predators
Status: Neutral

In – D Erik Gudbranson
Out – D Brandon Fortunato, 2023 seventh-round pick

Tampa Bay Lightning
Status: Buyer

In – D David Savard, D Fredrik Claesson, D Brian Lashoff, F Antoine Morand, conditional 2023 seventh-round pick
Out – F Alexander Volkov, G Magnus Chrona, 2021 first-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, 2021 fourth-round pick

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Nick Foligno

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have been the biggest winners of the trade deadline so far, at least among sellers, having successfully moved defenseman David Savard to the Tampa Bay Lightning for first and third-round picks Saturday. Now, as TSN’s Frank Seravalli was first to report, the team has traded captain Nick Foligno as well, for another pricey return. After noting that several teams were in the bidding for Foligno, offering up first-round picks to get a deal done, Seravalli revealed that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the lucky club that will land the veteran forward.

The terms of the Foligno deal are very similar to the Savard trade, with a third team being used as a broker to retain salary. The Blue Jackets retained 50% Foligno’s contract, an expiring deal with a $5.5MM AAV, and traded him to the San Jose Sharks, who retained 50% of the remainder before passing him along to the Maple Leafs, leaving Toronto with just a $1.375MM hit. In exchange, the Blue Jackets receive Toronto’s 2021 first-round pick and 2022 fourth-round pick. The Sharks also receive a Toronto fourth-round pick in 2021 and send depth forward Stefan Noesen to the Leafs.

While the biggest buyers tend to get the most attention at the deadline, as the 2018-19 Blue Jackets can attest, this year’s Columbus team already feels like story of the 2021 deadline. In a market that was expected to suffer from salary cap crunches, border logistics, and a plethora of potential sellers, the Blue Jackets have turned two good-not-great players into a pair of first-round picks and two additional mid-round picks by getting creative with three-team deals to solve financial struggles. Both Foligno and Savard have been long-time Blue Jackets who worked hard and found great success, but to receive a first-rounder for either one would have been a surprise in a normal season, nevertheless in this strange market. GM Jarmo Kekalainen deserves all of the accolades coming to him for these trades, especially if Foligno re-signs in Columbus this off-season as many expect.

With that said, Foligno’s acquisition is still a strong move by the Leafs even at a high cost. Toronto is all-in this season and Folingo provides experience, leadership, work ethic, positional versatility, a strong defensive game, and some scoring as well. The 33-year-old also knows that this could be his best shot at winning a Stanley Cup and is sure to give it all he has. Foligno is the type of veteran depth addition that can often propel a team to a deep playoff run, especially when surrounded by other elite talent, of which there is a plethora in Toronto. Foligno has seven goals and 16 points in 42 games this season, as well as over 100 hits, and has shown in the past that he is capable of even more scoring and more physicality than he has already shown this year.

In Noesen, the Leafs add yet another forward option who can safely be sent to the taxi squad or AHL after clearing waivers earlier this season. The 28-year-old rental has over 200 NHL games under his belt and plays a gritty, hard-nosed style. Noesen is easy to forget in this deal, but could slide into a fourth-line role with Toronto if injuries strike. He was not being utilized by the Sharks this season, who will gladly move on and eat $1.375MM of Foligno’s cap in exchange for a draft pick.

 

Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire David Savard

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Official now, the Tampa Bay Lightning have nabbed one of the best rentals on the market. The team has acquired David Savard as part of a three-team deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Detroit Red Wings.

  • To Lightning: David Savard, Brian Lashoff
  • To Blue Jackets: 2021 first-round pick (TBL), 2022 third-round pick (TBL)
  • To Red Wings: 2021 fourth-round pick (TBL)

Columbus and Detroit will both be retaining part of Savard’s $4.25MM cap hit. Columbus retained 50% of the contract in the first deal with Detroit, and then the Red Wings retained an additional 50% of what remained. That leaves the Lightning carrying just 25% of the $4.25MM, or $1.0625MM.

Three picks may seem like a lot to give up for a player on an expiring contract, but it was required in order to facilitate the salary retention. The Lightning now add a top-four defenseman that they can fit into their tight salary cap structure. GM Julien BriseBois is making something of a mockery of the cap system, as the Lightning are nearly $18MM over the cap ceiling thanks to their huge amount of salary on long-term injured reserve. Nikita Kucherov, who makes up $9.5MM of that LTIR salary, is expected back for the playoffs once the cap ceiling is no longer used.

This move, just like the other maneuvering the Lightning have done this season, pushes the limit of the CBA but has actually been done before. Last season the Toronto Maple Leafs were involved in the trade that sent Robin Lehner from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Vegas Golden Knights, retaining salary along the way in exchange for a draft pick. Like Tampa Bay, the Maple Leafs were deep into LTIR, meaning it didn’t really affect their cap situation by taking on some retained salary.

The outside-the-box thinking in Tampa Bay didn’t start with BriseBois. Former GM Steve Yzerman, who is now running the Red Wings, was known for his creative trade work; once again, he’s pulled off a deal to net an asset without giving up much of anything. Detroit gets a fourth-round pick just for a small salary commitment, but getting Lashoff and his $325K minor league guarantee off the books basically evens things out. The 30-year-old defenseman shouldn’t play much of a role for the Crunch and it wouldn’t even be surprising to see him loaned back to the Grand Rapids Griffins where he has played this season.

For Columbus, cashing in on Savard was a necessary move for GM Jarmo Kekalainen after the season did not go his way. The Blue Jackets have struggled for much of the year and it seemed unlikely that the team would re-sign Savard with other negotiations coming up. Landing a first and third for him should be considered a huge win, even if they will likely be extremely late picks thanks to Tampa Bay’s strong performance. Columbus has begun to start restocking the cupboard that was left so bare when they went all-in for the end of the 2019 season, acquiring the likes of Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel.

All three teams seem to come out ahead in this deal, not something that can often be said at the NHL trade deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Lightning And Blue Jackets Working On David Savard Trade

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The Lightning have been cap-strapped all season long but have been looking to add to their back end.  It appears they’re making some progress on that front as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that they are discussing a David Savard trade with the Blue Jackets.  TSN’s Frank Seravalli tweets that Savard has been notified of the trade although the exact return is not yet known.

Savard has been a reliable stay-at-home defenseman for the better part of the last decade, averaging more than 20 minutes per game in 597 career NHL contests, all with Columbus.  That had him positioned to be potentially the top blueliner to move between now and the trade deadline despite what has been a particularly quiet season by his standards.  He has just a goal and five assists in 40 games with a team-worst -19 rating and a career-low possession rate with a 43.1% Corsi mark.  However, given how much the Blue Jackets have struggled this season, he’s certainly a prime candidate to rebound and GM Jarmo Kekalainen knows that with the asking price in recent days for the pending unrestricted free agent involving a first-round pick.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic notes (via Twitter) that Columbus may indeed get that as part of the return and as we saw last year with the pickups of Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois isn’t against moving first-rounders at this time of year.

With a $4.25MM cap hit, Columbus will almost certainly need to retain a sizable part of Savard’s contract to facilitate a move; they can retain as much as 50%.  Even so, with Tampa Bay having just $370K in LTIR room per CapFriendly, other moves will need to be made to make this happen.  If Jan Rutta is going to be out for the rest of the regular season, he could be shifted there which would add another $1.3MM to their already high LTIR pool which would help but not completely open up the space to do this deal.

If Tampa Bay is able to get this done, Savard would represent a big addition to their back end, a group that is already pretty strong at the top with Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak.  However, they’ve struggled to put a reliable third pairing together with none of their options playing more than Rutta’s 16:02 per night; Luke Schenn and Callan Foote have both seen somewhat regular minutes but are logging less than 13 minutes a game.  Adding Savard, someone who is capable of handling more than 20 minutes a game, certainly would bolster their depth and allow them to take a bit of pressure off their top-four down the stretch and give them some crucial injury insurance heading into the playoffs.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Riley Nash

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Riley Nash may not play again during the regular season, but he’s now in a situation where the playoffs could be a possibility. The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Riley Nash from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional seventh-round selection in 2022. Nash is expected to miss four to six weeks with a sprained knee, meaning he essentially is a playoff pickup for the Maple Leafs. If he plays in 25% of the Maple Leafs’ playoff games this season, the seventh-round selection will become a sixth-rounder.

The veteran forward will likely be put on long-term injured reserve through the end of the season, meaning his cap hit is basically irrelevant to the Maple Leafs. Toronto had placed Frederik Andersen on LTIR earlier today as well, meaning the team can go further into the extra room with Nash placed there. Once the playoffs begin, the salary cap isn’t used, meaning Toronto could activate both players without penalty.

It may seem complicated, but at the end of the day, this is the Maple Leafs exercising their financial power to grab some added playoff depth at a very low cost. Nash may not even be ready to contribute this season, but for just a seventh-round pick it’s a worthwhile gamble. The 31-year-old center isn’t much of an offensive presence, with just two goals and seven points through 37 games this season, but has long been lauded for his checking abilities and defensive prowess.

For Columbus, getting anything back for an expiring contract that wasn’t going to play again this season is a win, though obviously, they would have rather moved him without the injury involved. The Blue Jackets aren’t technically out of the playoff race in the Central Division, but after losing Nash, Boone Jenner, and Zach Werenski over the last few days, things aren’t looking good.

This move does not take Toronto out of the running for another forward, in fact, it could give them even more cap flexibility depending on Andersen’s injury situation. GM Kyle Dubas has been open about his desire to improve the club with rentals, pushing some chips to the middle in this unique season.

Zach Werenski To Miss Rest Of Season

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are losing key players daily. This time it is Zach Werenski who will miss the rest of the regular season. The star defenseman will undergo surgery next week to repair a sports hernia that he has been playing through much of the season. GM Jarmo Kekalainen explained that the decision to have surgery now will allow Werenski to be at full strength in time for training camp in the fall.

Werenski joins Boone Jenner and Riley Nash on the sidelines as the deadline approaches, with all three players likely done for the rest of the regular season. Given the team is also holding David Savard out in anticipation of a trade, the Blue Jackets season is all but over. The team now sits just six points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings for last place in the Central Division, though technically are also just seven points out of a playoff spot.

This will go down as a lost season for Werenski despite his strong production of late. The 23-year-old defenseman will end the year with seven goals and 20 points in 35 games, averaging more than 24 minutes a night for the first time in his career.

Notably, Werenski is under contract with the Blue Jackets for just one more season and will reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2022. At that point, he will be coming off a $7MM salary and since his contract was signed before the new CBA rules came into effect, just his qualifying offer will match that $7MM. Of course, he will also be eligible for arbitration, a place where his outstanding counting stats will provide plenty of leverage. Since entering the league in 2016-17 as a teenager, Werenski ranks third among all defenders in goals with 65, behind only Brent Burns and Dougie Hamilton.

 

David Savard Expected To Be Held Out

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Another top name is expected to be held out of the lineup tonight, as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that David Savard will likely be a healthy scratch tonight for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Savard is currently listed in the top spot on Frank Seravalli of TSN’s Trade Bait board.

Savard, 30, is arguably the top defenseman on the market as the deadline approaches, given his long history of success in Columbus and expiring contract. The right-handed blueliner carries a $4.25MM cap hit in the final season of a five-year, $21.25MM deal signed in 2015. Though his offense has dried up a bit in the past few seasons, there was a time not too long ago that Savard was one of the most consistent do-it-all two-way defensemen in the league, racking up solid point totals and playing on both special teams.

This season he has just six points in 40 games and like many of the other Blue Jackets players is getting destroyed in terms of possession numbers. Still averaging nearly 20 minutes a night, Savard is a -19 on the year, worst on Columbus and only ahead of a few Buffalo Sabres players league-wide. While those poor numbers have a lot to do with the disappointing effort from the Blue Jackets this season, Savard isn’t a true top-pairing option at this point and shouldn’t be seen as one on the open market.

Still, there’s value in his versatility and 600 games of experience should still get him a fair bit of interest. If a deep contending team can plug him in on a second or third pair for a stretch run, there’s a real chance that Savard’s numbers rebound. He could be an incredibly valuable piece for a playoff run and given the dearth of top-four options on the market, could fetch a high price.

That’s exactly why the Blue Jackets can’t afford to risk an injury, especially after what has happened to some of their other chips the last few days. Riley Nash and Boone Jenner have both been ruled out for the rest of the regular season, taking them off the market for Columbus. If Savard had somehow suffered an injury as well it would be a missed opportunity to bring back some of the assets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has expended over the last few years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Boone Jenner Undergoes Surgery

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have lost another forward and another potential trade chip. Boone Jenner has undergone surgery to repair a broken finger and will miss approximately six weeks. That effectively ends his season, unless the Blue Jackets make a run down the stretch and creep into a playoff spot in the Central Division.

Jenner, who has one year remaining on his contract and carries a cap hit of $3.75MM, could have been an interesting trade chip if the Blue Jackets decided to sell at the upcoming deadline. He’s the second name that is now out of that conversation after Riley Nash was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury yesterday.

While Nash was perhaps more likely to get dealt given he is on an expiring contract, Jenner is a more important player to the Blue Jackets, playing 18 minutes a night as the team’s most reliable center. He has just eight goals and 17 points this season, a far cry from the 30-goal performance he registered as a 22-year-old in 2014-15, but sees more short-handed ice time than any other player on the team and is also a contributor on the powerplay. Even if he hasn’t been exceptionally effective, taking a piece that involved out of the lineup certainly won’t help the Blue Jackets as they look to go on that stretch run.

It is still possible that a team could acquire Jenner for next season, but more than likely this means he’ll remain with Columbus through Monday’s deadline.

Riley Nash Out 4-6 Weeks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without one of their key depth players for a while, as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is reporting that Riley Nash will be out for four to six weeks. The veteran center suffered a lower-body injury in last night’s game when he collided with Noel Acciari.

Importantly, Nash was a potential trade chip at next week’s deadline given his status as a pending free agent. Portzline even tweets that he was “likely to be moved,” meaning this injury will cost the Blue Jackets an asset or two as well. This is exactly why teams like the New Jersey Devils pull top rentals from the lineup as the deadline approaches, hoping to avoid an injury that takes any deals off the table.

Of course, the 31-year-old Nash was never going to bring back a premium asset for the Blue Jackets in a season where he has just two goals and seven points through 37 games. A one-time 40-point center, Nash has been nothing more than a bottom-six checker for the majority of his career and has just 33 points in his 179 games with Columbus. With a $2.75MM cap hit his market was likely relatively small, so pulling him from the lineup would have certainly seemed like overkill.

Now, Nash goes into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and could have played his last game with Columbus.

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