Minor Transactions: 06/16/22
As the Stanley Cup Final is officially underway, all but two NHL organizations are fully focused on preparing their teams for next season. Oftentimes, that includes their AHL affiliates fortifying their depth with veterans and younger players not quite ready for NHL deals. We’ll keep track of those signings and transactions today right here.
- After a rough season for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies that saw them miss the league’s expanded 23-team playoffs, they’re keeping a pair of defensemen around through next year. The Maple Leafs’ affiliate announced today that they’ve re-signed Noel Hoefenmayer and Matteo Pietroniro to one-year AHL contracts. Hoefenmayer excelled with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers this season, finishing 12th in scoring among defensemen with 40 points in just 46 games. He was third in playoff scoring for defensemen, contributing 16 points in 19 games to help the Growlers on a long playoff run. The offensively-gifted defenseman and former Arizona Coyotes prospect will likely see more AHL time next season in hopes of earning an NHL contract with the Maple Leafs in the future. Pietroniro, undrafted, had 27 points in 59 games with Newfoundland last year.
- A Detroit Red Wings prospect remains in the organization, albeit without an NHL contract. Their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, announced today the re-signing of forward Kirill Tyutyayev to a one-year AHL contract. Selected in the seventh round (190th overall) in 2019, the 21-year-old Tyutyayev played just nine games last season in Grand Rapids due to injury, registering just three assists. It was his first campaign in North America. After having not played since early November 2021, Tyutyayev will look for a much smoother sophomore campaign.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
West Notes: Woodcroft, Nill, Preseason
A few months ago, many would have identified the Edmonton Oilers as a team with coaching uncertainty heading into the offseason after they fired Dave Tippett mid-season. However, after their run to the Western Conference Final this year, Jay Woodcroft would appear to have earned the confidence of the team and fanbase to continue in his role. TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting today that Woodcroft and the Oilers continue to have ongoing discussions about a new contract this week, although there’s still more to be done.
With the Oilers yet to be linked publicly to any other coaching free agents, it’s becoming clear that the team prefers to retain Woodcroft as their head coach. It’s important to note that Woodcroft was fully named the head coach when he took over for Tippett; he was not given the interim title. Woodcroft led the Oilers on a 26-9-3 run to end the regular season in addition to their playoff run.
- One team that isn’t having such a smooth time with their coaching hiring process is the Dallas Stars. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun is reporting that potential candidates are hesitant to commit to the Stars given the fact that general manager Jim Nill only has one year left on his deal. It’s understandable that when a coach commits long-term, they’d like to have a solid idea of the team’s vision for the future. With Nill’s future uncertain, Dallas’ new coach won’t have that guarantee.
- The Stars will be playing in two neutral-site preseason games come September and October. On October 1, they’ll be facing off against the St. Louis Blues at Cable Dahmer Arena in Kansas City, home of the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks. Before that, though, they’ll be playing the Arizona Coyotes in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on September 27, as previously announced. It marks a return to normalcy for the NHL’s regular-season preparations.
Snapshots: Colorado Injuries, Florida Coaches, Kelly Cup, Toporowski
As Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports, Colorado Avalanches forwards Nazem Kadri and Andrew Cogliano both skated this morning, while Andre Burakovsky simply had a maintenance day (link). Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar also spoke with the media today, including Chambers, telling them that both Kadri and Cogliano were not yet ruled out for Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals, which is set to get underway Wednesday night in Denver (link).
Cogliano was able to play in all four games of the Western Conference Finals against the Edmonton Oilers, and even played 11:54 in Game Four, his highest mark of these playoffs. Though not one of Colorado’s star players, Cogliano brings with him leadership and plenty of playoff success, a key asset to have in a Stanley Cup Final with many players who have never been in this position before. Kadri, on the other hand, is a key 200-foot player for the Avalanche who was lost just 37 seconds into Game Three of the conference finals where he was boarded, and injured, by Edmonton’s Evander Kane. On Monday, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Kadri had surgery to repair his thumb which was injured during the Kane hit and was unlikely to return in the playoffs. Kadri’s status still has not changed, but today’s comments from Bednar do provide some hope that perhaps the star center will return to the lineup during the series.
- Earlier today, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes tweeted out a video, reporting that the Florida Panthers had relieved assistant coaches Derek MacKenzie and Ulf Samuelsson of their duties. Weekes adds that assistant coach Tuomo Ruutu is still with the club, as is goaltending coach Robb Tallas. Additionally, Weekes says that there have been no contract talks or additional updates on Tallas or head coach and Jack Adams Award finalist Andrew Brunette. Weekes has reported several breaking stories this season, however it is important to note that the moves have not been confirmed yet by the Panthers, who still include MacKenzie and Samuelsson as coaches on their site.
- While the NHL and AHL continue to battle for a league champion, the ECHL has crowned their own, with the Florida Everblades winning the 2022 Kelly Cup last night. The Eastern Conference Champion Everblades defeated the Western Conference Champions, the Toledo Walleye, in the finals to secure the title. The Playoffs MVP was awarded to former University of North Dakota star goaltender Cam Johnson. Johnson has played parts of four seasons with the Everblades, as well as parts of three AHL seasons, including time with the Binghamton Devils and the Cleveland Monsters.
- The Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins, have made an early offseason signing, bringing in forward Luke Toporowski on a two-year AHL contract, reports NHL.com’s Mark Divver. The 21-year-old Toporowski is a skilled forward who has produced offense every step of the way. Toporowski began his junior career in 2017-18 with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL, where he would spend three seasons before moving to the USHL, playing with the Sioux Falls Stampede for a majority of the 2020-21 campaign before heading back to the WHL. In 2021-22, the forward had 63 points in just 49 games spread between the Spokane Chiefs and the Kamloops Blazers. Divver adds that Toporowski is likely to join the Boston Bruins in development camp this summer too.
Luke Cavallin Signs AHL Contract
The Toronto Maple Leafs have obviously decided on a very specific development path for goaltenders. Like Keith Petruzzelli and Dryden McKay before him, Luke Cavallin has signed a two-year AHL contract with the organization, following his outstanding season for the Flint Firebirds.
Cavallin, 21, was an undrafted overage prospect playing in the OHL this season, where he posted a 36-14-4 record and a .910 save percentage. A few days ago, he was ousted from the third round of the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion, his team failing to score a goal in the deciding game seven after losing game six in overtime. In 19 playoff appearances, Cavallin registered a .929 save percentage.
If he is a late bloomer, he’ll now have the time and resources to continue his path through professional hockey with this two-year minor league contract. The young netminder will likely start in the ECHL given how many goaltenders are now in the Maple Leafs system, giving him the chance to play for the Newfoundland Growlers in 2022-23.
For Toronto, finding a long-term solution in net has been extremely difficult. Jack Campbell, the team’s starter this year, is a pending free agent and could be headed to the open market next month. Taking swings with these young netminders could potentially pay off, but there is still lots for Cavallin to improve on before he makes a mark in the NHL.
Chicago Blackhawks Will Not Sign Niklas Nordgren, Chad Yetman
While most of the draft picks that will see their exclusive rights expire in a few hours were selected near the very end of the draft, some are actually relatively high picks. Filip Johansson is the highest among any of them as a first-round selection, but other second and third-rounders are also set to hit unrestricted free agency. One of those is Niklas Nordgren, picked 74th overall in 2018 by the Chicago Blackhawks. Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Nordgren–nor Chad Yetman, a 2020 sixth-rounder–will not sign by the deadline.
It worked pretty well when the Blackhawks used a high pick on an undersized forward in 2016 but the same can’t be said about Nordgren, who never did develop the ability to bring his offense to the highest professional level. The 22-year-old winger spent this past season mostly in the Finnish second-tier, where he had three goals and 22 points in 26 games. Over 66 games in Liiga (Finland’s highest level) spread over parts of five seasons, Nordgren has just six goals and 17 points.
There may still be time for the 5’9″ forward to develop into a strong offensive piece but at this point, it would be hard to justify an NHL contract.
The same could be said about Yetman, who actually received an opportunity in the Blackhawks system, albeit at the lower levels. The 22-year-old winger was an overage selection in 2020, picked 172nd overall after his junior career with the Erie Otters came to an end. He has spent the last two seasons splitting time between the Rockford IceHogs and Indy Fuel on AHL contracts but has certainly not done enough to earn an entry-level deal.
In 18 games with Rockford this season, he had just one goal and four points. While the production is better at the ECHL level, it’s not even clear yet if he’ll eventually settle into an AHL role. Hitting free agency should come as little surprise.
Overseas Notes: Blankenburg, Verbeek, Merkulov
Nick Blankenburg‘s World Championship is over. Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports that the Blue Jackets’ rookie defenseman has left Team USA due to injury. Blankenburg sustained a knee injury during the international tournament in Finland and decided to return home. However, Hedger adds that the injury is not supposed to be severe and that Blankenburg’s health by the start of next season is not in doubt. Even with the early exit from the Worlds, Blankenburg has had quite the unforgettable year. The 24-year-old defender had a career season as the senior captain of Michigan, recording 14 goals and 29 points in 38 games en route to a Frozen Four appearance. He then signed with Columbus as an undrafted free agent and proceeded to record three points in seven NHL games down the stretch. Blankenburg earned a spot with Team USA at the World Championship and played in four games with the team. He will look to continue his success streak by winning a regular role with the Blue Jackets next season.
- Hayden Verbeek‘s uncle may be the new GM of the Anaheim Ducks, but the young forward won’t wait around for NHL free agency in hopes of a family deal on a new contract. Verbeek has opted to leave North America altogether and sign a one-year deal with Slovakian club HK Spisska Nova Ves, the team announced. Verbeek is no stranger to Slovakia, having played in the Extraliga early in 2020-21 while awaiting the delayed AHL season. While Verbeek played exclusively in the AHL after returning last year, he did spend some time in the ECHL this season, which could have been the deciding factor in his move overseas. Four seasons into his pro career, including the first three on an NHL contract, Verbeek has played largely in the AHL but has been demoted to the ECHL in three seasons and has seen no NHL action. Looking for a more consistent role in a top league, Verbeek will try his hand again in Slovakia next season.
- When Georgi Merkulov, a star prospect out of the MHL, left Russia in 2020 to embark on a development path in North America with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms and then the NCAA’s Ohio State Buckeyes, the odds that he would one day star in the KHL slipped. Then-rights holder HK Sochi decided to trade Merkulov to Amur Khabarovsk, doubting that he would ever suit up for the team. When Merkulov surprisingly turned pro after just one college season, signing with the Boston Bruins this spring, those odds fell even further. Amur has now decided to move on as well. KHL powerhouse CKSA Moscow, whose youth system Merkulov developed in, has decided to take a long-term gamble, acquiring the rights to their former prospect, per the KHL. In exchange, Amur received minor league defenseman Ilya Dervuk. Merkulov recorded 20 goals and 34 points in 38 games this season for Ohio State as one of the top freshmen in the NCAA and then added five points in eight AHL games with the Providence Bruins. Boston certainly hopes that this scoring prowess translates to the NHL and that these KHL trades are ultimately meaningless.
Vegas Golden Knights Announce ECHL Affiliation
The Vegas Golden Knights have a new ECHL affiliate, after announcing an agreement with the Savannah Ghost Pirates. The new franchise will begin play in the 2022-23 season after originally being announced in October 2021. In addition to the affiliation, the Ghost Pirates have also announced the first coach in franchise history, hiring Rick Bennett.
Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon released a short statement:
This affiliation with Savannah gives us alignment from the ECHL level through Henderson and up to the NHL. We are excited to lead the hockey operations and have a proven developer of talent as a head coach in Rick Bennett.
Bennett, 54, had been the head coach of Union Collee for more than a decade before resigning earlier this year, and won a National Championship in 2014 with the program. He also took home the NCAA Coach of the Year award that season and even has some previous experience coaching in the ECHL. That came when he was a player-coach with the Jacksonville Lizard Kings in the late-nineties, as his playing career came close to an end. A veteran of more than 250 ECHL contests as a player, he also had a cup of coffee in the NHL with the New York Rangers.
While the Ghost Pirates won’t have a ton of real NHL prospects, the ECHL is often used as a goaltending development stop. Jiri Patera, for instance, played 15 games for the Fort Wayne Komets this season, between stints with the Henderson Silver Knights.
Snapshots: Seattle, Kakko, Blues-Coyotes
The Seattle Kraken have added some famous names to their ownership group, adding Marshawn Lynch and Macklemore as minority investors. The two will “lead major Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena initiatives to connect with hockey fans, music lovers, and community members alike.” Though the on-ice results haven’t come yet for the expansion franchise, the ownership group, led by billionaire David Bonderman, have already established a strong connection to the Seattle area.
More from around the league:
- The New York Rangers have ruled Kaapo Kakko out on a week-to-week basis, following his injury against the Detroit Red Wings this weekend. The young forward had only recently returned from an upper-body injury that stole nearly three months of his season. In 41 games so far, Kakko has just 16 points, a career-low, despite averaging more ice time when he is in the lineup. Two of his seven goals came last week against the Philadelphia Flyers, suggesting he was back on the right track; he was injured the following game.
- The St. Louis Blues and Arizona Coyotes will play a preseason game in Witchita, Kansas next season, in the home of the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder. The two squads will do battle on September 24 in the 15,000-seat arena, giving a whole new fanbase a taste of NHL action. The full slate of preseason games will not be released until later this summer.
Sean Avery Released By Orlando Solar Bears
Feb 25: Without actually appearing in a single game, Avery has now been released from his ECHL contract by the Solar Bears.
Feb 23: Sean Avery is a professional hockey player once again. The previously retired forward has signed an ECHL contract with the Orlando Solar Bears. He will begin on the team’s reserve list, as he returns to pro hockey after a decade away from the game.
Avery, 41, last played during the 2011-12 season, when he suited up 15 times for the New York Rangers and seven times for the Connecticut Whale of the AHL. Over parts of ten years in the NHL, the undrafted forward played in 580 regular season games, racking up 90 goals, 247 points, and 1,533 penalty minutes.
Perhaps known best for leading the league to create the “Avery Rule” which hands out a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty if a player “positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender’s face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play.” Avery’s on-ice antics made him one of the most talked-about players in the game during the peak of his career, though he was also an effective offensive player at times.
In 2006-07, a year split between the Rangers and Los Angeles Kings, Avery recorded 18 goals and 48 points, to go along with his 174 penalty minutes. Fifteen of those points came on the powerplay, while he also contributed on the penalty kill.
It is not yet clear when he will make his Solar Bears debut.
Minor Transactions: 02/16/22
With NHL action ramping up as the trade deadline approaches in just over a month and the Olympic tournament ongoing, it would seem to be an odd time for much other notable news around hockey. Yet, there has actually been a flurry of recent action surrounding players and teams familiar to NHL fans:
- A busy year for veteran defenseman Eric Gelinas continues. Gelinas initially signed with the Carolina Hurricanes this past offseason following an outstanding 2020-21 campaign in Sweden with Rogle BK. However, when it became clear that he was buried on the ‘Canes depth chart and would be stuck with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves for the year, Gelinas’ contract was terminated in late November and he returned to Rogle. However, this was only a short-term pact and Gelinas signed a new contract for the remainder of the SHL season with Djurgardens IF last week. Now he’s on the move again – at least in a future sense. A quirk of the European league structures, Gelinas has in fact signed a two-year deal with SC Bern of the Swiss National League, but one that does not start until next season. Gelinas will finish the season in Sweden before making the jump to Switzerland. The 30-year-old defenseman has nearly 200 games of NHL experience and has found success in a number of European leagues, making him a highly-desirable asset that both Djurgardens and Bern are extremely excited to have under contract.
- Matt Quercia has finally had enough of the college game. The senior forward has decided to leave Michigan Tech in the middle of the season to sign his first pro contract, inking a deal with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers according to the league’s transactions register. Quercia was in his first season at Michigan Tech after transferring from Boston University. Overshadowed with the Terriers, Quercia hoped he might find a bigger role with the Huskies. Instead, he had just four points in 14 games and Michigan Tech, one of the surprises of the season with a current national rank of No. 14, has found success without much help from the transfer. Quercia hopes things will be different in the pro ranks.
- Quebec native Charles-David Beaudoin is moving on from the AHL’s Laval Rocket. The 28-year-old defenseman has played in just five games with the team this season versus 28 with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions and has decided to chase more opportunity elsewhere. Beaudoin has signed with IF Bjorkloven of Sweden’s second tier Allsvenskan for the rest of the season, the team announced. The AHL veteran could return to North America this summer, but likely has a better chance of playing an impact role in Europe, especially if he is not content spending time in the ECHL.
- A pair of former Calgary Flames teammates are on the move in Europe, going their separate ways after briefly reuniting in the KHL. Emile Poirier, a first-round pick of the Flames in 2013, is joining the aforementioned Gelinas in Djurgardens for the remainder of the season, the team announced. Since leaving North America after the 2019-20 season, Poirier has played in Slovakia and then in the KHL with Latvia’s Dinamo Riga to this point this season, finding success in both places. He now joins a Djurgardens club loading up for the SHL postseason. Hunter Shinkaruk, a 2013 first-rounder himself – selected two spots after Poirier by the Vancouver Canucks, is leaving Dinamo Riga for Sweden as well. He has signed with HV71 of the Allsvenskan, the club announced. Shinkaruk wound up in Calgary in a swap for Markus Granlund and appeared to be on his way to a regular role, but like Poirier ended up stuck in the AHL and left North America during the 2019-20 season. In Poirier and Shinkaruk, Riga has lost two of its top six scorers, but fortunately still has former San Jose Shark Lukas Radil leading the team.
- The Providence Bruins are bringing back a power forward for another season. The team has announced that former OHL star Justin Brazeau has signed a one-year extension. Brazeau, 24, has mammoth size and the on-ice presence to match in his net front presence and checking ability, but is still a project due to his skating ability. Nevertheless, Brazeau has six goals and two assists in 19 games with Providence this season and ten goals and 20 points in 18 ECHL games, showing that he is still capable of scoring despite some shortcomings in his game. That makes him a worthwhile investment for at least one more season for the Bruins.