Minor Transactions: 01/02/22
The new year has brought with it a flurry of activity between NHL and AHL rosters. However, the top North American leagues are not alone in a noticeable uptick in transactions. Elsewhere, several other familiar names are making moves. With European leagues closing in on their postseasons prior to the stretch run in the NHL, expect these transactions to appear with greater frequency in the coming weeks, too.
- Former AHL MVP Daniel Carr has finally found some consistency in his career. The skilled forward played for four different NHL teams over the past four seasons and was never able to hold down a roster spot despite his impressive minor league numbers, especially after leaving the Montreal Canadiens. He opted to leave North America last season, inking a two-year deal with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League. Carr only played in eight games for the team in 2020-21, but was a point-per-game player all the same. This year, he has 13 points in 12 games, continuing to make a major impact albeit in limited action. Lugano has decided to reward Carr’s strong play in hopes that he can be a core piece of the team moving forward and Carr has jumped at some long-term stability in his career. The team has announced a new three-year extension for Carr, which will keep him in Switzerland through the 2024-25 season and into mid-thirties. This likely marks the end of Carr’s NHL career, but he could be a superstar in the National League through the duration of his new deal.
- When goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis left North America in 2018, it initially seemed like the right move. Gudlevskis had an excellent first season in the KHL, recording a 2.37 GAA for his hometown team, Dinamo Riga. However, the following season got off to a horrific start and Gudlevskis ended up leaving midseason to play in Germany and then split last year between Austria and Slovakia. Well, Gudlevskis finally found his stride once again in Slovakia between late last season and early this year and now he is elevating back to another top European league. Brynas IF of the SHL has announced a contract with Gudlevskis for the remainder of this season. The former Tampa Bay Lightning net minder will now have a chance to show what he can do at the top level in Sweden in hopes that it leads to another contract with a top club. At 29 and with connections still in North America, a return to the AHL and perhaps even the NHL at some point can’t be ruled out if he continues to perform. His newest gig with Brynas will tell a lot about his ability to play at an elite level.
- Yevgeni Oksentyuk is moving on from his stint in the ECHL, at least for now. The Dallas Stars prospect has played almost exclusively at the “AA” level in his first pro season in North America, but the AHL’s Texas Stars have recalled him from Idaho Steelheads. Oksentyuk, a 2020 sixth-round pick out of Belarus, has nine goals and 16 points in 17 ECHL games this season and appears ready for the next level. The undersized forward will always have to work hard to excel against bigger, stronger competition in North America, but has found success so far in the ECHL and the OHL before that and could continue to develop for the Stars.
Minor Transactions: 12/12/21
With a lighter schedule at the NHL level today, expect some moves from other niches of the hockey world. For those more minor moves, we’ll keep an ongoing list of today’s transactions right here.
- There’s a junior trade on the block today, as WHL netminder Cole Tisdale was dealt from the Tri-City Americans to the Prince Albert Raiders Saturday night in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round pick, a team release from the Raiders confirms. The 19-year-old netminder is playing his first full WHL season but now finds himself on his third team. Originally a draft pick of the Kelowna Rockets, he was moved to Tri-City after six games with Kelowna this year. After just two games there, he now finds himself in Prince Albert looking for some stability.
- As the Pittsburgh Penguins organization becomes healthier, the baby Penguins in AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton are making corresponding moves. Today, they re-assigned forward Shaw Boomhower to the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, per a team tweet. The 23-year-old Boomhower took last season off from hockey entirely but has impressed with six points in 12 games in Wheeling. He didn’t get into a game with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during his callup.
Minor Transactions: 12/05/21
Notable in-season roster moves are not limited only to NHL trades, claims, recalls, and reassignments. Transactions in the minors, European leagues, and junior and college ranks often include familiar names or impact current NHL prospects. Keep up with all of these moves here:
- New Jersey Devils prospect Jaromir Pytlik is on his way to play with none other than Jaromir Jagr. The young Czech forward has had a disappointing season in Finland, loaned by the Liiga’s KalPa to the second-tier Metsis. Pytlik has opted to move on from that situation and return home, signing a contract for the remainder of the season with Rytiri Kladno. Kladno, of course, is most famous for player-owner Jagr and also features a number of other former NHLers. Pytlik, a big, well-rounded center selected by the Devils in the fourth round in 2020, will now have the opportunity to take a big step in his development by learning from one of the best to ever play the game.
- Former Boston Bruins prospect Cedric Pare has signed his first AHL contract, as the Belleville Senators have announced a one-year deal with the young center. Pare had been with the team on loan from the ECHL, but earned an official promotion with four points in 13 games. Pare, 22, was an underwhelming prospect for the Bruins, who ultimately opted not to offer him an entry-level contract. However, Pare then rose to relevance as the center for eventual top overall pick Alexis Lafreniere for the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic in 2019-20. After the big, two-way center excelled in the ECHL last season as well, he looks to have the makings of a capable pro.
- Another former QMJHL star is getting a shot at the AHL, though for now on a loan basis. The ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions have announced that leading scorer Peter Abbandonato has been recalled by the AHL’s Laval Rocket. Abbandonato recorded 111 points for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in his final junior season in 2018-19 and, though not immediately considered a future NHLer, at least looked to be an intriguing pro. He recorded 27 points in 55 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch over the past two years, but could not find an AHL deal this summer. Back home in Quebec though, he will get his shot in Laval after notching 11 goals and 23 points in 17 games with the Lions.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Minor Transactions: 12/03/21
It’s been a hectic day in the world of North American minor hockey, with a flurry of roster moves at the NHL level leading to compensatory moves elsewhere. Here’s a list of today’s minor transactions.
- The AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins recalled goalie Tommy Nappier from the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers after COVID cases on the Penguins postponed their next two games. Undrafted, Nappier was a standout at Ohio State for the past four years, posting a save percentage above .930 in every season except for his last. He hasn’t gotten off to a smooth start in his first professional season, however, posting just a .877 save percentage in four games with Wheeling. He’s fared better at the AHL level with a .900 save percentage and a 1-3-0 record with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
- Cedric Pare has been signed by the AHL’s Belleville Senators for the rest of the season after spending the beginning of the season with the team on a try-out, per a team release. The 22-year-old Pare impressed in his first professional season last year, scoring 40 points in 67 games for the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies after going undrafted through his junior career. He has two goals and two assists through 13 games with Belleville in 2021-22.
- Per the ECHL’s transactions page for Friday, the AHL’s Utica Comets recalled left wing Luke Stevens from the Adirondack Thunder. Stevens, the son of Kevin Stevens and former property of the Carolina Hurricanes, went unsigned after finishing his college career with Yale University. Now in the Devils organization on the AHL deal, he has no points through four games this season at the AHL level and is still looking for his first professional point.
Minor Transactions: 12/2/21
It’s been a busy day for news at the NHL level, with unfortunately a high number of COVID protocol placements over the past few days. It’s caused a ripple effect across leagues, with teams making rapid roster transactions in order to keep up. Here’s a list of today’s minor transactions across the hockey world:
- Netminder Evan Fitzpatrick has been sent back down to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Fitzpatrick was a high draft pick (59th overall) of the St. Louis Blues in 2016 but was left unqualified this offseason after some rough stints in the ECHL. He joined the Panthers on a PTO for training camp, didn’t earn a deal, but stayed in the organization on a minor-league deal. He’s having a much better start to this season – despite a 1-3-0 record, he’s posted a .927 save percentage.
Minor Transactions: 11/28/21
It was a busy day for waiver and front office news, but the litany of transactions doesn’t stop at the NHL level. There have been a variety of transactions today at lower levels of North American hockey. We’ll keep track of those here:
- The AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins have brought in forward Matt Berry on a professional tryout contract from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, per a team release. The 29-year-old ECHL veteran and Michigan State alumnus didn’t play in 2020-21 due to COVID, but has absolutely lit up the ECHL with nine goals and 15 assists through just 15 games with Toledo this season. Undrafted, the Canton, Michigan, native now gets a chance to impress in the Red Wings organization.
- According to the ECHL’s transactions page, the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack recalled defenseman Jeff Taylor from the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen on Sunday. Taylor, originally a seventh-round draft choice by the Penguins in 2014, has failed to replicate the success he had in his first full professional season in 2017-18 after graduating from Union College. However, he’s had a hot start with eight points in 10 games for Jacksonville this season and will now look to try his luck again at the AHL level.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Minor Transactions: 11/23/21
Once the hockey season kicks into full gear, few transactions outside of NHL trades, claims, recalls, and reassignments garner much attention from the masses. Yet, some notable moves in other league do continue throughout the year. A handful have taken place today in fact:
- The rare AHL trade has not been as uncommon so far this season, as the third trade of the season has been completed. As the narrative of the Senators’ poor organizational depth on the blue line continues to be an issue for both Ottawa and Belleville, the farm team brought in some help today. The AHL Senators announced that they have acquired defenseman Jack Dougherty from the Providence Bruins in exchange for future considerations. Dougherty is a name familiar to fans in Belleville, having played for the team the past two seasons. He only played one game with Providence this season, so his usage could have just as much to do with the deal to send him back to Belleville as does the Senators’ own needs. Dougherty, 25, was a second round pick of the Nashville Predators back in 2014 and a standout for both the U.S. National Team Development Program and in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks. While he never panned out, with no NHL experience to speak of, Dougherty has settled nicely into a role as a useful, two-way defenseman in the AHL.
- Sometimes very capable pros slip through the cracks in the off-season and are forced to settle for ECHL contracts and the hopes of proving on AHL injury loans that they can still play at a high level. Such is the case for goaltender Jon Gillies and forward Nick Lappin, who have both joined the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms on PTO’s today, on loan from their respective ECHL clubs. Gillies, 27, was on a PTO this fall with the New York Islanders that did not result in a contract. His time with the Maine Mariners has actually been spent mostly with their AHL parent club, the Providence Bruins, where he posted stellar numbers in three games, but again without a new contract in the end. The accomplished collegiate goalie and experienced pro is hoping Lehigh Valley finally takes notice of his ability and rewards him with an AHL deal. Lappin is hoping for the same result from his time with the Phantoms. The 29-year-old forward is not the same player he was as a regular call-up of the New Jersey Devils for several years, but also hasn’t had the chance to play a complete season in the past two years. Lappin will try to take advantage of this AHL opportunity to show he still plays with the same physicality and grit and that his scoring touch is not lost.
- In a quirk of the transfer process in Switzerland’s National League, former NHLer Chris DiDomenico has already signed a new contract… with a different team… for next year. The 32-year-old journeyman has signed a two-year deal with SC Bern, but first will complete the current season with HC Fribourg-Gotteron in a strange arrangement. DiDomenico actually made his name initially in Switzerland (and Italy) from 2012 to 2017 before signing with the Ottawa Senators. When he left North America after two seasons with the Sens, he returned immediately to Switzerland and started producing at an elite level once again. As dangerous as he looks this season with Fribourg, tallying 26 points in his first 24 games, he could be even better next year in Bern with fellow former NHLers Cory Conacher, Kaspars Daugavins, and Dominik Kahun.
Minor Transactions: 11/14/21
There’s a six-game slate in the NHL tonight on this Hall of Fame weekend, but transaction action keeps rolling along at lower levels of the game as well. As COVID rears its ugly head again, affecting the rosters of multiple teams this season, teams in the AHL and ECHL have had to adjust their rosters as they lose players to their NHL affiliates. Keep track of today’s minor transactions right here.
- As the Ottawa Senators deal with the NHL’s worst COVID outbreak this season, the AHL’s Belleville Senators made a minor trade yesterday, acquiring forward Chris Wilkie from the Rockford IceHogs in exchange for future considerations. Wilkie, a product of Colorado College, was originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers back in 2015. This is his second professional season, and he notched a goal and assist in his Belleville debut yesterday.
- Defenseman Alec Rauhauser was returned to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits today after being loaned to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. Rauhauser, an undrafted free agent, spent last season in the Florida Panthers organization after four seasons at Bowling Green State University. He made his AHL debut in one game with the Syracuse Crunch but spent the majority of the season in Greenville. In 52 games over two seasons, Rauhauser has 13 ECHL points.
- The AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms recalled forward Charlie Gerard from the ECHL’s Reading Royals today. Gerard is in his second professional season after a four-year run at Minnesota State University-Mankato and showed promise last season with 34 points in 49 games in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies. Now with the Phantoms on a professional contract, he’ll get his chance to show what he can do within the Flyers organization.
Snapshots: Three Stars, Kuznetsov, Gravel
The NHL has released their Three Stars for last week, and at the very top is a name familiar to individual awards. Leon Draisaitl has been named the first star of the week after racking up ten points in five games and jumping in front of teammate Connor McDavid in the league scoring race. Draisaitl not only is leading in overall points but is also tied with Alex Ovechkin for the league goal-scoring lead with ten in his first ten games. The 2020 Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner, Draisaitl now has 529 points through the first 488 games of his NHL career.
The other two spots belong to a pair of goaltenders who could potentially be teammates at next year’s Olympics. Jack Campbell and John Gibson receive the second and third honors respectively after near-perfect weeks. The Toronto Maple Leafs netminder went 3-0 with a .968 save percentage, stopping 92 of 95 shots against some tough competition, while Gibson allowed just a single goal on 63 shots, winning both his games last week. While not considered much of a candidate for the U.S. Olympic squad until recently, Campbell’s play so far has put him in that conversation. Across ten games, he leads all American netminders with a .936 save percentage.
- In 2019, Evgeny Kuznetsov received a four-year suspension from the IIHF after testing positive for cocaine at the World Championships. That would normally have meant he would not be eligible to play for Russia at the upcoming Olympics, but a report from RIA Novosti indicates that there is renewed hope that the suspension will be reduced and Kuznetsov will be able to play. Alexei Zhamnov, head coach of the Russian team, told Sport-Express that either tomorrow or the day after they should know more about Kuznetsov’s situation.
- Alexis Gravel, who was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018, is leaving the ECHL to join the University of Quebec-Trois-Rivieres for the rest of this season. The 21-year-old netminder will be remembered fondly by Halifax Mooseheads fans, where he starred in the QMJHL and even took home a Memorial Cup Most Outstanding Goaltender award. Gravel did not sign an entry-level contract with the Blackhawks and is an unrestricted free agent. He posted an .863 save percentage in two appearances with the Allen Americans this season.
Minor Transactions: 11/07/21
Today may not be a busy day on the NHL schedule, but it’s certainly been a hectic day on the transactions slate at all levels of the game. There was a lot of action today on the NHL to AHL wire, but there have been some other moves today, too. Keep up with today’s minor transactions here.
- New York Rangers goalie prospect Talyn Boyko was dealt in the WHL today from the Tri-City Americans to the Kelowna Rockets. Boyko was drafted in the fourth round in 2021, largely because of his massive 6′ 8″ frame. However, it’s been a rough start for Boyko with a 1-6-1 record and .887 save percentage on the season. Hopefully a move to Kelowna turns his fortunes around this season.
- Carolina Hurricanes netminder Beck Warm was re-assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves from the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, per the AHL transactions page. The move comes after Alex Lyon was brought up to Carolina today in the wake of Antti Raanta‘s injury Saturday, meaning Chicago needed another goaltender. Warm’s impressed in the ECHL with a 4-1-0 record and .921 save percentage to start the year.