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Snapshots: CBA Talks, Cirelli, Smirnov

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The heads of the NHL and NHLPA haven’t spoken directly in almost a week, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic who tweets commissioner Gary Bettman and executive director Donald Fehr last talked on Thursday, November 19. LeBrun notes that the “communication stalemate is noteworthy” because of the near-constant dialogue the two had through the first part of the offseason.

While LeBrun once again tweets his confidence something will finally get done and points at the next week as an important stretch, Darren Dreger of TSN adds that it has been that way for a while now. Many have pointed to the end of November as a key threshold if the NHL still wants a January 1. start, something that looks more and more difficult to accomplish with every passing day. The biggest issue in talks continues to be amending the CBA that was agreed to just a few months ago.

  • After the Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed Mikhail Sergachev this afternoon, LeBrun reached out to the agent for Anthony Cirelli, who remains a restricted free agent without a contract for the 2020-21 season. Pat Morris of Newport Sports told LeBrun that there is “nothing new to report” in Cirelli’s contract talks. With the Lightning now close to $2MM over the salary cap ceiling, contracts for Cirelli and Erik Cernak will be very difficult to fit in without a corresponding move.
  • Denis Smirnov, a sixth-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2017, has signed his first professional contract, inking a deal with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL. The Grizzlies signed a trio of players today, including the 23-year-old Smirnov who became an unrestricted free agent when the Avalanche failed to sign him this summer.

 

Minor Transactions: 11/24/20

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Coronavirus updates will dominate the hockey headlines today, but teams around the world are still working to fill out rosters while players desperately try to find employment for the upcoming season. As always, we’ll keep track of any notable transactions right here:

  • After former NHL goaltender Glen Hanlon decided to resign from his job as head coach of the Krefeld Pinguine before the DEL season even got underway, there have been several other departures from the team. Colin Smith, who played one NHL game for the Colorado Avalanche in 2014-15 and was a solid AHL contributor for years, has decided to leave the German club to pursue an opportunity in Sweden. Smith, 27, has spent the last two seasons playing in the DEL.
  • The Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL have snapped up a pair of college players, signing Derek Lodermeier and Jacob Panetta to minor league contracts for this season. Lodermeier, 25, was the captain of the University of Vermont team for the last two seasons, scoring 11 points in 34 games this year.
  • Michael Joly will have to settle for a step down this season, signing an ECHL contract with the Wheeling Nailers after playing the last two seasons entirely in the AHL. Joly, 25, won the Kelly Cup with the Colorado Eagles the last time he played in the ECHL, leading the league in goals and earning playoff MVP honors. He moved up to the AHL with the Eagles in 2018 and had 49 points over the last two seasons.

Minor Transactions: 11/23/20

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As the NHL off-season wears on without much activity, free agents are facing some difficult decisions as they look for employment for next season. Among other minor moves, Monday witnessed a number of payers leaving NHL contracts for minor league pacts and a stagnant market could mean that this is just the beginning.

  • Defenseman Devante Stephens will return to Syracuse next season, but on an AHL contract with the crunch rather than a two-way NHL deal. The 23-year-old, a draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning last season and for the first time in his pro career became a regular in the AHL lineup. However, this was not enough to convince the Bolts that he was worthy of a second look. At least the Crunch were willing to bring him back, announcing a one-year contract.
  • For someone who was traded three times in a nine-month span last season, one would think that forward Aaron Luchuk would be in demand. However, the 23-year-old center will not be getting a new NHL deal with his entry-level contract expiring. In fact, Luchuk was unable to even find an AHL deal. The former Senators’, Maple Leafs’, and Canadiens’ prospect has signed a one-year deal with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, the team announced.
  • University of New Brunswick product Alex Dubeau upgraded to an AHL contract last season and made three appearances with the Belleville Senators. However, he still played the majority of his games in the ECHL and will return to league next season. Dubeau has signed a one-year deal with the South Carolina Stingrays, the team announced.
  • Cam Knuble, son of former NHLer Mike Knuble, will follow in his father’s footsteps to the NCAA, though not to the same school. While Mike attended the University of Michign prior to his 16-year NHL career, Cam is headed to Western Michigan University, effective immediately according to the program. Knuble had previously been commited to nearby Michigan State University, but recently decided not only to change his commitment but to move up his timeline. The undrafted forward hopes that the move puts him on the fright track for a pro future.

Minor Transactions: 11/20/20

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It’s the dog days of…November? The NHL offseason is moving like molasses these days, with no one-way UFA contracts handed out for the last two weeks. While things may be ramping up again at the end of the month, minor leagues and those in Europe have still continued to finesse their rosters recently. We’ll keep track of the notable moves right here:

  • Philip Holm has signed a contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk for the 2020-21 season, bringing him back to the KHL. Holm has tried multiple times to start a career in North America, but ended up playing just a single NHL game with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017-18. His latest NHL deal, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, was terminated in January in order for him to play in Switzerland. He’ll now be in Russia, trying to find some stability.
  • Lawton Courtnall, son of former NHL forward Russ Courtnall and nephew of Geoff Courtnall, will start his professional career with the Wheeling Nailers this season. The 24-year-old forward spent the last four years at Western Michigan University but has now signed a one-year ECHL deal.
  • Top draft prospect Mason McTavish is trying to go to Switzerland to play for the upcoming season, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. McTavish, 17, is eligible for selection in 2021 and scored 29 goals in his rookie OHL season. Switzerland may seem like an outside the box choice, but McTavish was actually born there when his father, Dale McTavish, played in the NLA. The young forward’s plans have “hit some snags” according to Wheeler, meaning he is currently skating in Ottawa while his representatives try to work through the issue.
  • Former Blue Jackets prospect Maxime Fortier has signed a one-year contract with Wichita of the ECHL.  The 22-year-old signed with Columbus as an undrafted free agent back in 2017 but didn’t progress past the minor league level in his first two professional seasons which resulted in him not receiving a qualifying offer last month.

Florida Panthers Announce ECHL Affiliation

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The Florida Panthers have not only adopted the Charlotte Checkers as their new AHL affiliate but will be bringing along the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL as well. Greenville had previously been affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes but will stay joined with the Checkers as they move to a new NHL partnership. Swamp Rabbits head coach and director of hockey operations Andrew Lord released a statement on the new affiliation:

In a season already filled with change and transition, we are proud to establish an affiliation with the Florida Panthers. Having Charlotte close by as our AHL affiliate makes perfect sense geographically, it is one of the closest AHL/ECHL affiliation distance wise in the leagues. Geordie Kinnear is a great coach and Charlotte as an organization won the Calder Cup in 2019, so there are a ton of positives to this affiliation. We are keen to be a great partner and are determined to develop players to the AHL and ultimately onto the NHL.

As Lord makes clear, the connection to the Checkers is the important part here for Greenville, which is just down the road from Charlotte. The two organizations can use the short distance to their benefit with player transactions, something that may be even more important in a year like this one.

Greenville is one of 13 ECHL teams still scheduled to open their season in mid-December, with a game against the South Carolina Stingrays kicking things off on December 11. The league recently lost an entire division of teams that opted to suspend operations due to COVID-19 situations but are trying to push on with a reduced schedule.

Minor Transactions: 11/18/20

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The ECHL was dealt a huge blow today when six more teams opted out, leaving more than 100 players looking for work. Minor league names will be popping up in new places over the new few weeks, and we’ll keep track of any notable deals right here.

  • The Wheeling Nailers, one of the teams still planning on playing this season in the ECHL, signed Dane Birks and Matt Foley today. Birks, 25, was actually still on the entry-level contract he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins until just recently, when the Arizona Coyotes—who had acquired him as part of the Phil Kessel deal—decided not to extend him a qualifying offer. Foley meanwhile has spent the last four seasons at Yale University but will now start his professional career with the Nailers.
  • The Nailers will be losing one of their key forwards after Yushiroh Hirano signed with the Cincinnati Cyclones today. Hirano, 25, has scored 92 points over the last two seasons for Wheeling and has had quite the career so far. The Japanese forward has played in several different leagues around the world and even suited up for his country during Olympic qualifiers.
  • Alex Smith, the captain of the Michigan Tech team in 2019-20 (not the Washington Football Team quarterback), has signed with the Florida Everblades to start his pro career. The 25-year-old scored 23 points in 39 games for the Huskies last season.

Six More ECHL Teams Opting Out Of 2020-21 Season

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1:15 pm: The league has made it official. The six teams from the North Division will suspend play for the 2020-21 season, though the release does confirm that all are expected to return in 2021-22. ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin released a statement explaining the decision:

As we continue to navigate the continually changing regulations across North America, we recognize the difficult nature of this decision. While some of our teams’ host cities have allowed upcoming plans to include fans inside arenas, we unfortunately do not see the same path for these highly-affected areas in the Northeast.

As part of the decision, every player under contract with the affected teams is now a free agent. This does not include those under NHL contracts that had been playing for the affiliate.

11:45 am: The ECHL will not have a North Division this season as all six teams have decided to opt-out of the 2020-21 campaign. Jeff Marek of Sportsnet was the first to report the news, which has since been confirmed by Greg Wyshynski of ESPN and is expected to be officially announced later this afternoon. The six teams that will be ceasing operations for the upcoming season are the Adirondack Thunder, an affiliate of the New Jersey Devils, the Brampton Beast (Ottawa Senators), Maine Mariners (New York Rangers), Newfoundland Growlers (Toronto Maple Leafs), Reading Royals (Philadelphia Flyers) and Worcester Railers (New York Islanders). These six teams join the Atlanta Gladiators (Boston Bruins) and Norfolk Admirals (independent) who had already opted out.

This is a tough blow for the ECHL’s desire to hold a 2020-21 season and will send players from each of the affected teams scrambling to find new jobs. It also means that the NHL teams who are partnered with these minor league affiliates will find it much more difficult to find playing time for some of their young players. The ECHL is routinely used as a development league, most notably for an organization’s goaltending prospects that need to get on the ice as much as possible.

The league has 18 teams left to play this year, with 13 of those expected to start next month. The schedule will kick off on December 11 and consist of 72 games for the 13 teams, with the other five set to start in January and play a reduced schedule. Still, even those plans seem temporary following today’s news.

Goalie Notes: Delia, Warm, Smith

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There are still plenty of free agent option available, but to this point the Chicago Blackhawks seem content to enter next season with their current stable of untested goaltenders, truly committing to their rebuild by going with youth over experience in net. Who will emerge from the group of Malcolm Subban, Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen, and Matt Tomkins? Given his relative experience, draft pedigree, and recent success at winning the backup job for the Blackhawks’ postseason run, most have their money on Subban. However, don’t underestimate Delia. In a profile by the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope, Delia states that he is confident in his ability to win the job:

I’d be remiss if I said I wasn’t frothing at the mouth. It’s an opportunity not many people get, and I don’t want to let that pass me by… When (Chicago) signed Robin [Lehner], I was kind of cutting my teeth because I thought I earned the position, but then, coming full circle, I was like, ‘You can’t try to earn a position as a backup goalie. You try to earn the starting position’… Without a doubt, I think I can earn that job. There’s no complacency when it comes to training camp. Every single day you step on the ice, you’re proving how much better you are than the other two guys. We all have to have that mindset.

Delia may have the stats on his side, too. While Subban has 48 more NHL appearances than Delia, in his extended experience he has failed to show that he can be a reliable option. Subban has an .899 save percentage and 2.97 GAA and has struggled the most as a starter, with just 23 quality starts out of 60. Granted, Delia has also struggled in the NHL with a 3.65 GAA, but a) in a much smaller sample size and b) with a a superior .906 save percentage and .438 quality start percentage. Delia also has the advantage of being used to a starter’s schedule; Subban has never made more than 36 appearances in a pro season and no more than 22 in each of the past three years, while Delia has made 32 appearances in back-to-back seasons and played in 40 games in 2017-18 as a first-year pro. With Delia, Subban, and Lankinen all having comparable AHL numbers in varying levels of experience, it could come down to NHL success and more natural fit as a No. 1 to determine the winner of the starter’s job and on both counts Delia appears to have the edge.

  • Another goalie headed to Chicago, but not to the Blackhawks but rather the AHL Wolves, is former WHL standout Beck Warm. The Wolves have announced a one-year deal with the first-year pro and there’s reason to believe that the Carolina Hurricanes’ new affiliate could have a diamond in the rough on their hands in Warm. The 21-year-old had an impressive 2018-19 season with the Tri-City Americans, making 61 appearances to the tune of a .916 save percentage and 2.94 GAA. When those numbers slipped to begin the 2019-20 campaign, a trade to the Edmonton Oil Kings resulted in Warm winning 11 of 15 games with a .915 save percentage and 2.30 GAA. If he can replicate his best numbers from junior to the pro level, Warm could find great success. With Carolina employing five goalies for the coming season, Warm could spend much of the year in the ECHL. However, the Hurricanes have zero goalies under contract beyond 2020-21 and could look at Warm as an entry-level contract candidate as they reboot their goalie group next year.
  • One veteran goalie not returning to North America is Jeremy Smith. The journeyman netminder, who made stops with the Predators, Blue Jackets, Bruins, Avalanche, Hurricanes, and Islanders, never had any problem finding a two-way contract. However, he finally moved on from the minors last year to take over the starting job for the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL. Although Smith ended up splitting time with Simon Hrubec, the tandem were among the most consistent in the league. The Red Star began their new season without Smith and the results have been disastrous; the team allowed well over three goals per game through their first 24 contests and the struggling Hrubec has been traded away. As a result, Kunlun has signed Smith to a one-year extension and they hope he can stabilize the net in his return.

Minor Transactions: 11/17/20

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It’s the dog days of…November? The NHL offseason is moving like molasses these days, with no one-way UFA contracts handed out for the last two weeks. While things may be ramping up again at the end of the month, minor leagues and those in Europe have still continued to finesse their rosters recently. We’ll keep track of the notable moves right here:

  • Brandon DeFazio, who played two games for the Vancouver Canucks in 2014-15 and was a standout at the AHL level, has signed with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech professional league. DeFazio has been travelling the world playing hockey in recent years, suiting up in the KHL and Liiga. His numbers dropped off a cliff with Kunlun Red Star last season, but he’ll try his luck again overseas in a new league.
  • Cameron Hebig, who was not extended a qualifying offer by the Edmonton Oilers and became an unrestricted free agent, has signed an ECHL contract with the Florida Everblades for 2020-21. Hebig, 23, scored 29 points in his rookie season in the AHL a few years ago but ended up spending half of 2019-20 in the ECHL anyway. The undrafted forward will have to take a big developmental step if he has any hope of making an NHL roster.
  • Mads Sogaard, the 37th overall pick in the 2019 draft, has been loaned to Esbjerg Energy in Denmark for the upcoming season. The 19-year-old goaltender had played the last two seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. Joining him is defenseman Mathew Hill of the OHL’s Barrie Colts, a sixth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2019.
  • Former Dallas Stars prospect Cole Ully has signed a one-year deal with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays, the team announced. Ully returns to the Charleston-based club after playing the whole season with the Stingrays this past year while on an AHL contract with the Hershey Bears. Ully previously played parts of four seasons in the minors for the Stars after being selected in the fifth round in 2013.
  • The rumors have been confirmed and top 2021 NHL Draft prospect Brandt Clarke is officially headed to Sweden. Vasby IK of the Allsvenskan announced that Clarke has joined the team, though they do not state definitively whether it is on a loan basis from the OHL’s Barrie Colts or if he has signed on for the full season. Either way, the club did not pull any punches in describing their excitement for Clarke’s arrival (translated):

    Sometimes it is easy to use superlatives when describing new acquisitions. But this time, the title super talent is simply the only correct description one can make of the Canadian acquisition… Clarke will probably be the greatest talent in the entire history of Väsby Hockey.

Jakub Skarek Loaned To Peliitat

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The New York Islanders have sent another prospect overseas, this time loaning Jakub Skarek to Peliitat in the Finnish second league. Skarek should be back in time for NHL training camp, if only because the Islanders don’t have any other goaltenders signed.

The 21-year-old join Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin as the only three under NHL deals in the Islanders organization, meaning he would be the default third-string option should anything happen to one of the roster goalies. That’s a lot to ask of a player that has only one professional season under his belt in North America and split time between the AHL and ECHL.

Of course, the Islanders are still expected to sign Cory Schneider at some point, though it is curious why the deal hasn’t happened yet. If they do, Skarek could go back to being a developmental project for the team this season. For now, he’ll get his legs under him back in Finland for the same team he played for in 2018-19. The Czech-born goaltender has a long way to go if he wants to push for an NHL spot, meaning every minute of game action is important.

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