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Minor Transactions: 8/28/18

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August is almost over and training camps are right around the corner. Yet, players continue to make decisions on where they’ll play this season. On a day with a surprising amount of signing news, here are some other smaller moves around the hockey world:

  • The AHL’s Providence Bruins have added another body up front. Mark Divver of the Providence Journal reports that the team has signed center Brett McKenzie to his first pro contract. An unsigned 2016 seventh-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, McKenzie just wrapped up an OHL career that featured 224 points in 328 games. Most recently, he led the Owen Sound Attack in playoff scoring with eight goals and eight assists in just eleven postseason contests. The big pivot also plays a strong physical game and can make a living lower in the lineup. The P-Bruins are already an extraordinarily deep AHL team and McKenzie may spend some time down in the ECHL, but could fight his way into a consistent role with the team during the season.
  • AHL teams tend to be more interested in adding younger players out the junior and college ranks as bottom-six contributors than recycling past AHLers. Hayden Hodgson is a case in point, as the former Cleveland Monsters grinder was unable to find another AHL deal this off-season. Instead, Hodgson has signed with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL, the league announced. Hodgson spent some time in the ECHL last year and will be able to play a bigger role at the lower level. It remains to be seen whether he can show the offensive upside to ever climb back up the hockey ranks though.
  • The most common route for elite American prospects in recent years has been through the U.S. National Development Program and then into the NCAA or right into the NHL. However, that path didn’t yield the desired results for young defenseman D.J. King. Despite having great size and playing a prominent role on the blue line for both the U-17 and U-18 squads this past season, King went undrafted in June. This likely points to a lack of belief in his offensive abilities, as he produced little in the way of scoring for the USNTDP. In an effort to improve that image before his next go-round in the draft, King has signed with his junior rights holder, the defending OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs. Hamilton has announced the deal with King, who they are excited to bring in after spending a second-round pick on him back in 2016. Former NHL defenseman and Bulldogs President and GM Steve Staios spoke to King’s upside as a prospect, citing his leadership, toughness, and puck-moving ability. Perhaps a change of scenery is all the big defender needs to boost his production this season.

Minor Transactions: 8/23/18

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As the start of the NHL season draws closer, players at every level around the globe continue to make decisions on their hockey futures. Keep track of today’s signings here:

  • Former Philadelphia Flyers forward Roman Lyubimov allegedly left the NHL last summer because he wanted a chance to play for his native Russia at the Olympics this past winter. However, he was not selected to the Olympic squad after all. It turns out that it might not have been his only motivation for jumping to the KHL anyway. Lyubimov, a free agent this off-season, has decided to stay at home in Russia, with Metallurg Magnitogorsk announcing a contract with the 26-year-old forward. It seems a combination of both wanting to play in the KHL and a lack of production in his one NHL season – six points in 47 games – was likely the cause of his jump overseas last year.
  • Avery Peterson, one of the more well-known college free agents to hit the UFA market last week, has settled for an ECHL contract. The Idaho Steelheads have signed the former University of Minnesota-Duluth forward to a one-year deal, the team announced. The big two-way center played a key role in the Bulldogs’ run to the NCAA Championship this past season, but with limited offensive upside, Peterson will have to prove that he can make a difference at the pro level.
  • It’s been a while since Matthew Finn has been considered a budding NHL prospect and even longer since he was drafted in the second round of the NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2012. Yet, the smart, capable defenseman continues to make a living in the minors. Finn has signed an ECHL deal with the Florida Everblades after spending part of last season with the team while on a contract with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. While Finn has logged plenty of time at the “AA” level, this is his first ECHL contract. The former Guelph Storm captain will bring leadership and experience to the Estero-based squad and if he is able to replicate his production from his last healthy season spent in the ECHL, should be back in contention for an AHL deal next summer. At this point though, it seems unlikely that we will ever see Finn at the NHL level despite his initial promise when drafted.

Golden Knights To Name Fort Wayne Komets As ECHL Affiliate

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August 21: The Golden Knights have officially announced the affiliation.  It is a one-year agreement for the 2018-19 season.

August 8: Another day, another potential ECHL affiliate off the market for those NHL teams still searching. Justin Cohn of The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana reports that the hometown team is just “a signature away” from becoming affiliated with the league’s newest team, the Western Conference champion Vegas Golden Knights. As the organizational depth of the Knights grows even more in the team’s second year, it needs a location for those players who are not getting enough play time at the AHL level. Who better than the Komets, Vegas coach Gerard Gallant’s first head coaching gig, to solve that problem.

The nature of NHL-ECHL partnerships often varies team-by-team. Some NHL programs maintain strong, lasting relationships with their “AA” affiliate and devote multiple players to their ranks, while others use it solely in an emergency to stash a player or two and switch affiliations frequently. It is always to the benefit of an NHL squad to have an ECHL affiliate, but some teams simply cherish the option more than others. Last season, the Komets were affiliates of the Arizona Coyotes and, as Cohn writes, ’Yotes prospects Artur Tyanulin, Trevor Cheek, and Michael Houser were a key part of the team’s run to the Western Conference Finals. However, Arizona unexpectedly dropped Fort Wayne as their affiliate in favor of former AHL franchise the Norfolk Admirals. In search of a new feeder team, Cohn relays that the team had been talking to both Vegas and the Nashville Predators, but Nashville has instead chosen to share the nearby Atlanta Gladiators team with the Boston Bruins. With just one contender remaining, it is now all but official between the Golden Knights and Komets.

There have been several changes in allegiance this off-season, but once this affiliation becomes official – as well as Nashville and Atlanta – there will only be a handful of NHL and ECHL teams left un-aligned. According to the league, the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, and Tampa Bay Lightning remain without an ECHL affiliate, while the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Orlando Solar Bears, and Rapid City Rush do not have NHL affiliates. There is still some time for some of those teams to figure out a deal before the puck drops on the 2018-19 season.

Minor Transactions: 08/21/18

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One day closer to the start of the NHL preseason, and there are more moves happening in other corners of the hockey world. We’ll keep track of them right here.

  • Igor Eronko of Sport-Express is reporting that David Desharnais will see his contract terminated in the KHL, only to sign with another team. Desharnais signed quickly this summer with HC Lokomotiv, but is apparently headed somewhere else to start his KHL journey. The diminutive center played 71 games for the New York Rangers last season and actually contributed 28 points, but took a deal just a few days into free agency to head overseas. Now 31-years old, Desharnais could eventually return to the NHL if he can prove his offensive touch is still around.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Martins Dzierkals has signed with Dinamo Riga of the KHL, heading back to his home country of Latvia after several years in North America. Drafted in the third round three years ago, Dzierkals never earned an NHL contract from the Maple Leafs but had been working with their development staff and playing in the ECHL. The talented forward will test his game at a higher level in 2017-18, and could try to earn a contract somewhere else in the NHL in the next few years.

Minor Transactions: 08/17/18

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The hockey machine continues to chug along this offseason, with veteran players finding homes overseas and junior stars swapping sweaters. We’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • Matt Frattin has re-signed with Barys Astana in the KHL, returning to the league after playing in Switzerland at the very end of last season. Frattin, a former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect scored 29 points in 42 games during his first taste of KHL action last year and should find success again going forward. In 135 NHL games, Frattin recorded just 35 points but always showed flashes of a high offensive ceiling. Now 30 years old, his NHL career is likely behind him.
  • Former NHL defenseman Karl Stollery is heading to Jokerit of the KHL, leaving Dinamo Riga after a successful 2017-18 campaign. Stollery logged huge minutes for the club and also participated for Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics. After a great four year career at Merrimack College, Stollery tried to grind his way through the North American minor leagues and only managed to suit up for 23 NHL contests.
  • The Hershey Bears have signed Logan Pyett and Adam Morrison to AHL contracts, giving the team some more experience for this season as they look to bounce back. Pyett is a former Detroit Red Wings prospect who has played in the KHL the last few seasons, while Morrison was originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in round three of the 2009 draft. The 27-year old goaltender has spent most of his professional career in the ECHL, but regularly posts solid numbers and should give the Bears some depth at the position.
  • The Oshawa Generals have traded four draft picks to acquire Giovanni Vallati from the Kitchener Rangers, bringing in the Winnipeg Jets prospect to give them another puck-moving defenseman for this season. Vallati has a ton of talent though still is learning how to use those skills to lock down the defensive zone and play a more consistent game. Two second and two third round picks was the cost to acquire the 18-year old, meaning the Generals will hope to get immediate dividends from Vallati.

Adam Carlson, Pierre-Cedric Labrie Sign ECHL Contracts

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No one likes to see former NHL players and prospects reduced to signing ECHL contracts to continue their pro hockey careers, but as the off-season wears on, opportunities are drying up and more players are being forced to make the difficult drop-off from a two-way big league contract to a one-way “AA” contract. Young goaltender Adam Carlson and veteran forward Pierre-Cedric Labrie are the latest names to endure this fate, as each of their new teams announced one-year contracts with the players today.

Carlson, 24, is no stranger to the ECHL. In fact, when he joins the Rapid City Rush, it will be his fourth different team in the league in a calendar year. Carlson suited up for the South Carolina Stingrays, Indy Fuel, and Kansas City Mavericks last season, while playing on a two-way contract with the Washington Capitals. While he did get into six games with the Caps’ AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, his pedestrian numbers in a small sample size weren’t eniugh to secure an AHL contract this off-season. A former star in the NAHL and a one-year standout at Mercyhurst University, Carlson was a well-regarded prospect when he signed with Washington in 2016. He was even fourth in the organization’s depth chart for a time behind Braden Holtby, Philipp Grubauer, and Vitek Vanecek. However, when the Capitals did not qualify him this off-season, it was clear Carlson was not going to be in the NHL any time soon. Still young and developing, Carlson’s pro dreams are not quite dead but he has his work cut out for him to get back into NHL consideration.

Labrie is in a very different situation. The 31-year-old winger has already had a taste of the NHL and has played in over 670 pro games. Yet, in all that time, Labrie has never suited up in the ECHL. The veteran left wing was undrafted out of the QMJHL, but signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks as soon as he left juniors. Since, Labrie has made a career for himself in the AHL, playing for seven different teams over 11 years, all while playing on a two-way NHL contract for all but two seasons. Labrie has 196 points over his AHL career, including a career-high 35 in 2011-12. That same year, he also made his NHL debut, skating in 14 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning. In three seasons in the Lightning organizations, Labrie played in 46 games with Tampa, contributing five points. So, when the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder announced that they had signed Labrie, it was big news for the team. Unlike most players on one-way ECHL contracts, Labrie has NHL time, years of AHL experience as a leader and producer, and has never before played at that level. Unfortunately, it seems the market simply never developed for the veteran forward, though it is surprising to see such a well-traveled pro (and Patrick Roy’s son-in-law) wind up at the AA level at 31 years old.

Minor Transactions: 08/15/18

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August is already half over and NHL training camps are just around the corner. In the meantime we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around professional hockey right here.

  • The Rockford Ice Hogs have agreed to terms with CHL undrafted free agent Connor Moynihan on a one-year AHL contract. Moynihan is an intimidating presence on the ice, standing 6’5″ and willing to engage physically when necessary. His 21-goal output for the Halifax Mooseheads last season doesn’t instill confidence he’ll ever reach the NHL, but has at least earned him a roster spot in the minor leagues.
  • New Jersey’s ECHL affiliate has added an undrafted college free agent, as the Adirondack Thunder have signed Nikolas Olsson out of Boston University. Olsson had just three points for the Terriers this season, but has been part of the team’s leadership group for the past two years. The 24-year old forward will continue his dream of playing professional hockey in the minor leagues, while trying to unlock some more offensive potential.
  • The final piece of the University of Michigan’s potent top line from last season is moving on to the pros. Dexter Dancs has signed with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, the Dallas Stars affiliate announced. It may not be a coincidence that Dancs inked in the Dallas system; the team signed fellow Wolverines first-liner Tony Calderone to an entry-level deal earlier this off-season. While Dancs surely benefited from skating alongside Calderone and promising Edmonton Oilers center prospect Cooper Marody, he himself is also a very talented player. A big winger with speed and good hands who got better each year in Ann Arbor, Dancs could easily play a major role for the Steelheads and work his way into contention for an AHL contract next summer.

Tampa Bay Lightning Enter Partnership With Orlando Solar Bears

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After the Toronto Maple Leafs had changed their ECHL affiliation to the Newfoundland Growlers for the upcoming season, the Orlando Solar Bears were without an NHL partner. No more, as the Tampa Bay Lightning have announced a three-year affiliation agreement with the ECHL club that will give them an excellent geographical advantage. The Solar Bears have been a solid ECHL organization since joining the league in 2012, posting winning records in five of the six seasons and qualifying for the playoffs in four of them.

While the ECHL isn’t quite at the level of the AHL, more and more it is being filled with legitimate NHL prospects that have either a very focused developmental mission or just need more ice time than they would get at the next level. The Lightning have a perfect example of that in Yanni Gourde, who was considered too small by many and had to spent parts of two seasons in the ECHL during the beginning of his professional career. Gourde has battled all the way to the NHL where he recorded 25 goals and 64 points in his first full season and looks like he’ll have a long career.

Previewing The August College Free Agent Market

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On Wednesday, August 15th, all drafted players who went the NCAA route and graduated this spring will become free agents if they remain unsigned by the team that holds their NHL rights. Unlike the last couple of summers, which featured names like Will Butcher, Alexander Kerfoot, Jimmy Vesey and Matt Benning, there is no standout name in this year’s class of late summer college free agents. However, as of now, CapFriendly reports that 16 players are set to hit the market next week. Some of them will not be in search of an NHL contract. Brown forward Max Willman was granted an additional year of NCAA eligibility due to injury and has committed to Boston University next season as a graduate student-athlete. UConn’s David Drake has already worked out an AHL deal with the affiliate of the team that drafted him, the Philadelphia Flyers, and Wisconsin’s Matt Ustaski has a similar arrangement with the Winnipeg Jets. Cornell’s Jared Fiegl and Dwyer Tschantz have already accepted their place in the pro hockey hierarchy and signed ECHL contracts. All of these players can technically sign with an NHL team after August 15th, but it is unlikely.

So what of the other available players? Here is a quick summary of the eleven collegians you may see sign with an NHL team in the coming weeks and a prediction of where they’ll end up:

D Terrance Amorosa, Clarkson (PHI, Rd. 5 – 2013)

Amorosa is the most productive of the players on this list over his NCAA career and he accomplished that feat as a defenseman. A smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman, Amorosa’s 27 points were key to a hugely successful season for the Golden Knights. Whether his choice or Philadelphia’s, it is not a major surprise that the young defenseman-heavy Flyers weren’t a good fit. The Quebec native has been training with NHLers in Montreal this summer and seems poised to find NHL employment somewhere, with an AHL floor. Prediction: NHL contract

D Kelly Summers, Clarkson (OTT, Rd. 7 – 2014)

The only Clarkson defenseman with more points than Amorosa last season was frequent pair-mate Summers. Not only is Summers slightly younger than Amorosa, he is also a little bigger and played in more games over the duo’s four years in Potsdam. Summers, who is also a right shot, recorded 30 points last season for the Golden Knights and possesses a great first pass. He may not want to sign in Ottawa, but he’ll be happy to sign elsewhere. Like Amorosa, hard to see Summers signing at any level below the AHL. Prediction: NHL contract

F Judd Peterson, St. Cloud State (BUF, Rd. 7 – 2012)

If anything works against Peterson, it will be age and mileage, as the hard-working forward played in two USHL seasons in addition to four NCAA seasons since being drafted out of high school by Buffalo. Yet, that has also added to his hockey IQ and leadership ability as well. The Huskies captain put up respectable offense in each of his seasons at St. Cloud and by the end was also a responsible defensive asset. He even has a summer coaching gig at St. Cloud hockey camps. Peterson got a taste of the pro game with a brief tryout with the AHL’s Rochester Americans to end the year and seems like a good bet to challenge for an energy line role with an NHL team down the road, if not right away. Prediction: NHL contract

D Steven Johnson, Minnesota (LAK, Rd. 4 – 2014)

It’s somewhat surprising to see Johnson still unsigned. After wrapping up his season with the Gophers, Johnson jumped right in with the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign and didn’t look out of place in four games. The two-way defender led all Minnesota defensemen with 15 points last year and was one of the team’s ice time leaders. He will likely transition well to the AHL after facing tough Big Ten competition and could help an NHL club relatively soon as a depth option. Prediction: AHL contract

F Avery Peterson, Minnesota – Duluth (MIN, Rd. 6 – 2013)

Another strange player to see available, Peterson is a Minnesota native drafted by the Wild out of Grand Rapids High School and starring for Duluth over the past two years, including helping the team to a National Championship in April. Peterson got off to a rough start in his first two collegiate seasons at Nebraska-Omaha, but since transferring has really turned his game around. He isn’t a high-skill player, but he has the rare combination of both size and speed and can be a useful bottom-six player. He has okay odds of landing an NHL deal, but Minnesota did seem like the most likely spot. It seems more likely that he starts in the minors. Prediction: AHL contract

F Shane Eiserman, New Hampshire (OTT, Rd. 4 – 2014)

Eiserman is a good, consistent forward and a former member of the U.S. National Development Program. However, he has never quite reached the ceiling that some thought he may have. As a one-dimensional scoring forward with just pedestrian offensive numbers, Eiserman still needs to polish his game and find out where he fits at the pro level. Prediction: AHL contract

F Aidan Muir, Western Michigan (EDM, Rd. 4 – 2013)

A big, physical winger and a locker room leader for the Broncos, Muir is a nice asset for a team. However, the offense just isn’t there yet and the competition gets much harder at the next level. He can be a role player in the AHL and grow his game from there, but could slip into ECHL territory. Prediction: AHL contract

D Johnathan MacLeod, Boston University (TBL, Rd. 2 – 2014)

In this day and age, just playing for BU is a sign of talent. Add a second-round draft position and you may think that you’re looking at a Chad Krys clone. Unfortunately, MacLeod lacks similar potential. Amidst the talent of the Terriers blue line, MacLeod’s inability to make plays at the college level cost him games through the years. He never cracked double-digits in points and only mustered 3 points as a senior. Perhaps his ability will shine through at the AHL, as his resume alone should get him to that level to begin with. Prediction: AHL contract

D Michael Prapavessis, RPI (DAL, Rd. 4 – 2014)

Prapavessis put up good numbers in his college career, especially for a defenseman. Unfortunately, RPI simply isn’t an elite program and leading that team isn’t worth as much as others. Prapavessis has both talent and intelligence and could still be a surprise. He may wind up in the AHL right away, but more likely he will have to work his way up. Prediction: ECHL contract

D Jack Glover, Minnesota (WIN, Rd. 3 – 2014)

Glover may have led the Gophers in plus/minus last season and is certainly a defensive force, but his skating and offensive game simply leave too much to be desired. Prediction: ECHL contract

F Tyler Bird, Brown (CLB, Rd. 5 – 2014)

Bird got better offensively as his career with the Bears wore on, but he still was less than spectacular at putting up points. His lack of a defensive game leaves little upside otherwise. Prediction: ECHL contract

 

Minor Transactions: 08/09/18

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The NHL is still waiting on a transaction this week, but other leagues are busy making moves. We’ll keep track of some of the minor dealings right here.

  • After being traded just yesterday, Sergey Kalinin has inked a four-year contract with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, likely meaning any chance of an NHL return is over for the veteran forward. Now 27, Kalinin played 121 games for the New Jersey Devils and 19 with the Toronto Marlies before returning to Russia last season, and would have to make quite the impact in order to garner any NHL interest in four years.
  • Johnny Austin has signed an AHL contract with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, after playing just a few minor league games with the Laval Rocket last season. Austin spent four years at the University of Connecticut, where he led all defensemen in scoring in 2017-18 with 19 points in 35 games. The 23-year old is undersized, but should give the AHL Penguins another powerplay option this season.
  • Matt Lane, another undersized offensive college player, has signed an AHL contract with the Milwaukee Admirals. The 24-year old forward has played the majority of the last two seasons in the ECHL, where he recorded 25 points in 59 games last year. A gold medalist at the 2012 U18 World Championships with USA Hockey, Lane is trying to get to the next level in professional hockey after a solid career with Boston University.
  • Andrew Crescenzi is headed to the EBEL next season, where he will suit up for HC Bolzano out of Italy. After playing many years in the minor leagues including the last several in the Los Angeles Kings organization, Crescenzi made his NHL debut in a two-game stint during the 2017-18 season. Unfortunately held scoreless, he’ll take his talents to Italy where he may be able to use his huge frame and physicality more effectively.

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