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Minor Transactions: 07/09/20

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The NHL off-season may not be starting until October this year, but AHL free agency is alive and well. While the league has not yet shared their plans for the 2020-21 season, that hasn’t stopped teams from extending players, signing new ones, and even importing players from overseas. Here are some recent notable minor league deals:

  • Defenseman Keaton Middleton has signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Eagles, the team announced, but the Avalanche and GM Joe Sakic definitely had a hand in this signing. A former captain of the Saginaw Spirit and OHL All-Star, Middleton has the makings of a future NHLer. At 6’5” and 234 lbs., Middleton is a true shutdown defenseman who plays a strong defensive game. His size and strength earned him a fourth-round selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016, but the club opted not to sign him. However, his past two seasons with the San Jose Barracuda has shown that he has pro chops. Middleton was a +18 and added 26 points in 102 AHL games. The 22-year-old now moves to Colorado where he can continue to refine his two-way game in hopes of landing an NHL contract next summer.
  • Nathanael Halbert is getting another go with the Laval Rocket. The former QMJHL defenseman who spent the past four years at McGill University played in five games at the end of the season with Laval and apparently did enough to impress the club into extending him for one year, according to a team release. The 24-year-old has never been known for his regular season production, but his playoff numbers at the college and junior level show that he has that valuable clutch gene. A native of Nottingham, England, Halbert hopes to be an unlikely hero for Laval this season and possibly beyond.
  • Making his way back to North America is journeyman forward Jesse Mychan. The 28-year-old winger has signed a one-year deal with the Iowa Wild, as reported by his agency. Mychan is no stranger to the AHL, having suited up for ten games over three separate stints and nearly 200 more games in the ECHL. However, he has spent time in Wales, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and most recently Denmark over the past few years. An experienced pro who has found great success in the ECHL in the past and starred for Denmark’s Esbjerg Energy for the past two year, Mychan hopes he is finally ready for an extended AHL stay in 2020-21.

Pair Of New Jersey Devils Prospects Depart For Europe

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New Jersey Devils forward prospects Nikita Popugaev and Ludvig Larsson will be playing outside of the organization next season. Each has signed a contract in Europe and are unlikely to have a role with the Devils in 2020-21. The immediate impact of their departures will be minimal, as the duo were known more by name than for their accomplishments in the minors this year.

Popugaev, 21, was a fourth-round pick of the Devils in 2017. However, he was considered a potential first-round pick early in the draft process due to his 6’6” stature and physical and technical gifts. His stock dropped once questions of his hockey IQ and work ethic began to overshadow is ability. Unfortunately, those questions have materialized into real problems for Popugaev early in his pro career. Following his junior career in the WHL, Popugaev returned home to Russia but failed to produce in the KHL. He finished the 2018-19 season with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils and his five points in 17 games were not enough to convince New Jersey that he was worthy of an entry-level contract. Instead, they signed him to an AHL contract, an unusual move for a drafted player. Rather than take this as a sign that he needed to work harder and improve, Popugaev instead spent this entire season in the ECHL and still only produced moderate numbers. With concerns from both team and player on what is in store for his future with the Devils, Popugaev has opted to return to the KHL, as his agent announced that he has signed a try-out deal with Dynamo Moscow. Popugaev is expected to either land an actual contract with Moscow or another KHL club once his try-out has been completed. This does not rule out the potential for a continued relationship between Popugaev and the Devils, but the team has until June 1, 2021 to sign him to an entry-level deal or else surrender his rights.

As for Larsson, his time with New Jersey and quite possibly North America is over. A former college standout who recorded back-to-back 20-point seasons with Merrimack College and Penn State University in his final two years in the NCAA, Larsson looked like he had the chops for the pro game. A versatile player who played forward and defense in college and was an excellent skater, Larsson certainly needed some seasoning in the minors but an NHL future was not impossible. However, perception was not reality for the 24-year-old. Larsson recorded two points in seven games for AHL Binghamton to close out the 2018-19 season on an amateur tryout, but after signing a one-year minor league deal he contributed only two more points this season in 19 games with Binghamton and spent just as much time in the ECHL as the AHL. Larsson has decided to return home to Sweden, as Allsvenskan club Mora IK per a team announcement. Barring an incredible turnaround in which Larsson’s play in the Allsvenskan lands him a contract in the SHL or another elite European league after next season and he continues to produce at a high level there as well, his time in North America is likely over.

Early Signings From The Start Of AHL Free Agency

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While we’ll be waiting until November for the start of NHL free agency to begin, the AHL free agent market still got underway on July 1st like usual.  The limitations are that players had to have been on minor league deals previously and sign another one for next year or head overseas; anyone hoping to convert to an NHL contract will have to wait.  The early indication is that many will be waiting to sign but here is a rundown of the handful of moves made so far.

  • Defenseman Stuart Percy is leaving the AHL and has signed with Vaasan Sport, the SM-liiga team announced.  The 27-year-old was once viewed as a promising NHL prospect and he got into a dozen games with Toronto in the past but has bounced around the minors over the last few years.  He spent parts of the last two seasons with Belleville (Ottawa’s affiliate) but was limited to just five games this season.
  • The Canadiens have signed Sam Vigneault and Corey Schuenemann to minor league deals, per a team release from their affiliate in Laval. Vigneault inked an entry-level deal with Columbus back in 2017 and while the center was non-tendered last summer, he stayed with their farm team in Cleveland where he had 11 goals and five assists in 57 games.  Schuenemann, meanwhile, played his first full professional season in 2019-20 and posted respectable numbers for a blueliner, collecting three goals and 18 helpers in just 44 games with AHL Stockton, Calgary’s affiliate.
  • After spending last season on an AHL deal with Nashville following a non-tender by New Jersey, goaltender Cam Johnson is dipping down a level once again as the Florida Everblades of the ECHL announced (Twitter link) that they’ve signed the 25-year-old to a one-year deal. Johnson actually spent all of this season with the Everblades, posting an impressive 2.32 GAA with a .925 SV% in 21 games so he will remain in Nashville’s extended organization.

Snapshots: Boudreau, Pilut, Ducks, Graber

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While former Minnesota head coach Bruce Boudreau was planning on his coaching stint with the Wild being his last, he’s still hoping to coach again, notes Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required).  As things stand, there isn’t a real vacancy in the league as several interim coaches remain at the helm (including in New Jersey despite their being a search ongoing, one that Boudreau is not a part of) so the 65-year-old may have to wait for a little while yet for another opportunity to come up.  He sits 22nd on the NHL’s All-Time wins list with 587 while his regular season points percentage (.635) puts him fifth among coaches with at least 200 games of NHL coaching experience.  For a team that’s looking to turn things around quickly, Boudreau should garner some consideration as other vacancies become available.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Lawrence Pilut surprised many when he opted to sign a two-year deal in the KHL over re-signing with the Sabres. It turns out the main issue wasn’t his role with the team but rather the money as Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News reports that the team wasn’t willing to offer him a one-way contract until after the deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk was agreed upon.  Pilut only played 13 games with Buffalo this season after suiting up 33 times with the big club during his rookie campaign which is likely why their preference was to give him another two-way pact.  Buffalo will retain his NHL rights by tendering him a qualifying offer this offseason.
  • The Ducks announced that they have signed a multi-year affiliation with Tulsa of the ECHL. The term of the deal was not disclosed.  Anaheim has been without an affiliate at that level for the last two seasons.  Meanwhile, the move means that the Blues, who had previously been affiliated with Tulsa, will be looking for a new partner for next season.
  • The Capitals have signed Will Graber to a minor league contract, their AHL affiliate in Hershey announced.  The 24-year-old recently wrapped up what was a strong career at Dartmouth and ranged between 25 and 27 points in each of his final three seasons with the team.  While his primary position is on defense, he did spend time up front with the Big Green as well and if he’s able to do that successfully in the pros, his value will certainly go up.

Ondrej Vala Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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The Dallas Stars have placed Ondrej Vala on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. Vala’s entry-level contract was set to extend through the 2020-21 season, but after finding himself playing mostly in the ECHL the past two seasons he will likely pursue other opportunities.

Vala, 22, is a Czech-born defenseman who spent three seasons in the WHL before signing with the Stars as an undrafted free agent. During his time in the organization he has played just a handful of games at the AHL level, instead spending most of his time with the Idaho Steelheads. In 115 career ECHL games, the 6’4″ defenseman has 28 points and 85 penalty minutes.

A two-time representative for the Czech Republic at the World Juniors, he is likely headed back to Europe to continue his career.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils, Capitals Affiliate, Hurricanes Arena

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While the opening of free agency is still almost certainly several months away, it certainly seems as if the Devils will be looking for help on the wing on the open market.  They’ve moved from Taylor Hall, Blake Coleman, and Wayne Simmonds in trades this season and as Corey Masisak of The Athletic notes (subscription required), there are some questions surrounding the current NHL readiness of some of their prospects.  With Kyle Palmieri and Nikita Gusev each just a season away from unrestricted free agency as well, adding some help on the open market would serve as insurance if New Jersey can’t come to terms on extensions with those two between now and next offseason.  Of course, Hall is arguably the top winger that will be available while others like Mike Hoffman, Evgenii Dadonov, and Tyler Toffoli will also garner plenty of interest.

More from the Metropolitan Division:

  • After getting an extension done with their AHL affiliate in Hershey, the Capitals now have to turn their focus to doing the same with their ECHL team in South Carolina. The Stingrays team owner Todd Halloran told NBC Sports Washington (audio link) that he expects that they will get a deal done in the coming weeks.  Washington has been affiliated with them since 2014 and previously had been with them from 2004-2012 as well with a two-year stint in Reading in between.
  • The Hurricanes are nearing an agreement on a five-year extension on their current arena lease, reports Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer. The deal would overwrite their current one that is slated to expire in 2024 and would run through 2029.  The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is expected to delay the official announcement while any potential arena renovations are now on hold.

Minor Signings: McLaughlin, Windsor, Schneider

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The Vegas Golden Knights have finally announced the signing of Jake McLaughlin to an AHL contract for the 2020-21 season, something that had been previously reported. The news is notable—as the team points out—because it is the first AHL signing since being approved for the purchase and relocation of the San Antonio Rampage to Henderson.

Some other minor league signings from today:

  • The Syracuse Crunch have signed Clint Windsor to an AHL contract, interestingly for the rest of the 2019-20 season and all of 2020-21. Obviously Windsor may not get a chance to play this season depending on when the AHL resumes from their current “pause” but signing does make a difference. The ECHL, where Windsor had been playing, stopped paying their players on March 16th after the league season was canceled entirely. Though there have been some assistance funds for the ECHL, it would seem that a deal with an AHL organization—a league that was instructed by the NHL to continue to pay their players during the pause—would be more lucrative.
  • Cole Schneider, who was having one of the best seasons of his career for the Milwaukee Admirals, will get a chance to do it again next year. The 29-year old forward has signed a one-year extension with the Nashville Predators’ AHL affiliate. Schneider had 46 points in 54 games for the Admirals before the shutdown and has been a consistent offensive producer for nearly a decade.

Alex Belzile Agrees To Terms With Montreal Canadiens

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The Montreal Canadiens have decided to reward minor league forward Alex Belzile with a one-year contract extension, agreeing to terms on a two-way deal for the 2020-21 season. Belzile will earn $700K at the NHL level and $225K in the minor leagues, with a $250K guarantee. That’s an impressive accomplishment for a player who went undrafted and toiled in the ECHL for years before developing into an AHL regular.

Belzile, 28, has still never seen a game in the NHL but you can bet that he’s still working towards that goal. The Canadiens clearly think he can contribute to the organization, as GM Marc Bergevin explained:

Since joining our organization, Alex has continued to impress us with his determination and work ethic. He’s a role model for the younger players we have developing in Laval. His on-ice skillset combined with his leadership qualities will help him battle for a roster spot at training camp next season.

After earning his first NHL contract just over a year ago, Belzile has unfortunately dealt with injury and was limited to just 20 games for the Laval Rocket this season. He did record 14 points in that time, but will hope to be fully healthy and contributing a full season whenever hockey resumes.

In 74 games with the Rocket in 2018-29, the Saint-Eloi, Quebec native was the team’s most consistent offensive threat, leading the club with 19 goals and 54 points.

NHL, AHL Not Likely To Follow Same Course For Potential Return

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While it has been clear that the AHL would follow suit to the same policies that the NHL would put in place when it came to the suspension of play and how they would operate beyond that, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that in the wake of the ECHL cancelling their season due to the COVID-19 epidemic, it’s likely that the AHL will not mirror the NHL when it comes to a potential return to the ice this season as they would have some big challenges in front of them.

Whether that means that the AHL will also cancel their season in the upcoming days is unknown. However, Johnston points out that while the NHL has the reserves and the power to push the playoffs off to the summer, if necessary, the AHL may not have that ability. The league has a number of obstacles, which includes travel and revenue issues that it would have to deal with to postpone the rest of the 2019-20 season and the Calder Cup playoffs further into the season.

The AHL has a number of upper-level teams hoping their season will continue with the Milwaukee Admirals, the Nashville Predators’ affiliate, leading the way with a league-leading 90 points this season as it hopes to get a chance to win the Calder Cup. The AHL decided to suspend their season on Thursday.

 

ECHL Expected To Cancel Season

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The ECHL announced that the league will be shutting down for the rest of the season. The ECHL Board of Governors approved the cancelation of both their remaining regular season games as well as the playoffs due to the Coronavirus.

ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin released a statement:

“The decision by the ECHL to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 Season does not come lightly, as this is an emotional time for our Players, Coaches, Member Teams, Fans and Staff. At this point in the Season, there has been immense dedication and countless hours committed in moving towards what is traditionally the most exciting part of the hockey year.

With that said however, as each passing day raises additional concerns for the safety of those in the ECHL community and as we take precautionary measures in conjunction with our local authorities across the continent to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it has become apparent that this is the prudent decision. Our game and our product are based on our Fans and their ability to cheer on their favorite ECHL team and Players at one of our many facilities around the continent. Without that social environment and game atmosphere, the ECHL simply isn’t the same.

“On behalf of the ECHL and our Board of Governors, we appreciate the Professional Hockey Players’ Association for their assistance during this unprecedented time and working as partners in hockey to reach this decision for the best interest of the ECHL and its Players. This decision allows our Players the opportunity to return to their homes and removes the uncertainty that currently exists.

“While we are hopeful that this period ceases and an opportunity to return to normalcy for the hockey calendar presents itself, in the interim, we ask all Fans, Players, Coaches, Officials, and Staff to continue to abide by the measures put in place by their local authorities and follow precautionary protocols for their safety, as we will begin preparations for the 2020-21 ECHL Hockey Season.”

While the AHL and NHL both currently have suspended their seasons, the ECHL is the first of the three to cancel their season. The ECHL announced on Thursday that they had suspended their season due to concerns about the COVID-19 epidemic. The ECHL is the first league in North America to have cancelled their season, although several leagues in Europe have already cancelled their seasons.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report the news.

 

 

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