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Training Camp Cuts: 1/9/21

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With the start of the season just days away, more teams should be starting to trim their rosters.  We’ll keep tabs on those moves here and update this post throughout the day.

Calgary Flames (per team Twitter and team release)

F Justin Kirkland (to Stockton, AHL)
F Luke Philp (to Stockton, AHL)
D Colton Poolman (to Stockton, AHL)
G Garret Sparks (released from PTO, to Stockton, AHL)
F Eetu Tuulola (to Stockton, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter)

F Adam Cracknell (to Bakersfield, AHL)*
F Seth Griffith (to Bakersfield, AHL)*
F Cooper Marody (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Markus Niemelainen (to Bakersfield, AHL)
G Stuart Skinner (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Ryan Stanton (released from PTO, to Bakersfield, AHL)

*-pending clearing waivers, both will be officially waived on Sunday.

Florida Panthers (per team release)

F Henry Bowlby (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Scott Darling (released from PTO)
F Serron Noel (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Jake Massie (to Syracuse, AHL)
D John Ludvig (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Max Gildon (to Syracuse, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (per team Twitter)

D Mitch Eliot (to Utica, AHL)

Poll: How Should New Jersey Replace Corey Crawford?

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There has been no shortage of praise for young New Jersey Devils netminder Mackenzie Blackwood over the past two years. The 24-year-old goalie has already posted back-to-back seasons with a save percentage of .915 or better over a combined 70 appearances. Last year, he got the results to boot, recording a 2214-8 record – a .591 points percentage versus the Devils’ .493 points percentage on the year. Yet, New Jersey still went out and signed veteran keeper Corey Crawford to a substantial two-year deal this off-season. The move signaled that the Devils do not believe that Blackwood is ready to be a workhorse solo act just yet. So, now that Crawford has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team, what comes next for the Devils in net? New Jersey trusts Blackwood to carry the load in an emergency, but the club does not want to start off a fresh season already short-handed.

How should the Devils replace Crawford?

Internally

Although Crawford is currently gone, there is still no word as to the reasoning nor any projected timeline for his return. Rather than make a move, the Devils could simply look at their internal options to pair with Blackwood for the time being and hope that Crawford’s absence is not too lengthy. Veteran Scott Wedgewood made his return to New Jersey as a free agent this off-season and could be the top option to back up Blackwood as things currently stand. Wedgewood, 28, has 24 games of NHL experience with middling results. He also has considerable AHL experience, but after years as a top workhorse in the league, his numbers have tailed off of late. Wedgewood would be a safe choice given his familiarity with the NHL game, but lacks upside. On the flip side, there is Gilles Senn. Senn, 24, is only in his second season in North America, but already played two games with New Jersey last season. The Swiss wunderkind has been playing games at a top pro level as a teen as well. While he is not yet a polished product and is still adjusting to the competition level of the NHL and AHL, Senn is certainly not afraid of the pressure and is arguably the superior talent to Wedgewood. Evan Cormier, 23, struggled in the AHL and ECHL last year and is not a realistic candidate for an NHL job. So are Wedgewood and/or Senn enough? Or do the Devils need to look elsewhere?

Free Agency

The simplest way to add a goaltender to the mix would simply be to sign one. However, there are not many options to choose from. The top possibility maybe long-time Detroit Red Wing Jimmy Howard, simply because he is an established NHL goaltender and is not currently tied up in a PTO. Yet, there is a genuine question as to whether the sun has set on Howard’s career. Of the 57 NHL goalies who made at least 20 appearances last year, Howard finished dead last in both save percentage and goals against average. At 35, he may be done and not worth another look. However, 2019-20 did mark a steep drop-off in performance for Howard, who had remained a sold starter prior and was an elite keeper for Detroit as recently as 2016-17. So perhaps there is hope for another go-round for Howard.

A similar option to Howard, an aging vet whose play fell off considerably last season but has a long track record of success is Craig Anderson. The former Ottawa Senators starter is currently on a PTO with the Washington Capitals, though. Are the Devils willing to wait for the Capitals’ decision? And if so, is Anderson really much better than Howard, especially given his greater age and injury history?

Another option on a PTO, though expected to be released, is Scott Darling. Darling spent last season overseas, but is back in North America looking for an opportunity. When last he played in the NHL, Darling struggled greatly in two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, he was playing in the starter’s role at that time. Prior to Carolina, Darling was an incredibly effective backup – arguably the league’s best – in three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. Could the possibility that he returns to form in a fallback role behind Blackwood combined with his familiarity with Crawford make him the top candidate?

Ex-Devil Cory Schneider is also awaiting the results of a PTO with the New York Islanders, but either way a reunion seems unlikely. Mike Condon is another option and while he has shown promise in the past, two straight horrendous seasons make it difficult to trust him. Zane McIntyre and Richard Bachman round out the list of uninspiring free agent options.

Trade/Waivers

Of course, the Devils have the best chance to find a more suitable backup in the much deeper pool of already-signed players. While they could go the direct route and pursue a trade, there are also going to be numerous strong options available on waivers in the coming days, including the Anaheim Ducks’ Anthony Stolarz who already hit the wire today. Here are some other trade and waivers possibilities:

Adin Hill, Arizona Coyotes
Dustin Tokarski, Buffalo Sabres
Louis Domingue, Calgary Flames
Alex Nedeljkovic, Carolina Hurricanes
Calvin Pickard, Detroit Red Wings
Anton Forsberg, Edmonton Oilers
Andrew Hammond, Minnesota Wild
Charlie Lindgren, Montreal Canadiens
Keith Kinkaid, New York Rangers
Alex Lyon, Philadelphia Flyers
Jon Gillies, St. Louis Blues
Aaron Dell, Toronto Maple Leafs
Michael Hutchinson, Toronto Maple Leafs
Oscar Dansk, Vegas Golden Knights
Pheonix Copley, Washington Capitals
Eric Comrie, Winnipeg Jets

With some established NHL backups, plenty of intriguing young options, and even soma familiar faces like Kinkaid and Domingue, the Devils certainly have plenty to choose from. Do they feel the need to make a trade and give up assets? Or can they hold out for waivers? Or is all the uncertainty just too much for a situation that needs an immediate and clear solution?

Stand pat, scour the remnants of the open market, or make a move for a signed player? What do you think the Devils should do in light of the news of Crawford’s indefinite leave?

[mobile users vote here]

 

 

NHL Will Not Require Blanket Quarantine Period For AHL Recalls

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Alongside the news of three teams opting out, four teams temporarily relocating, and realigned divisions for the coming season, more information continues to emerge following today’s AHL Board of Governors meeting. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that NHL clubs and their AHL affiliates have been informed that there will be no blanket quarantine period for player recalls and reassignments this season. Instead, quarantine measures will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis considering the totality of the circumstances. This will include team protocols, travel logistics, and accordance with local COVID-19 health guidelines.

As Johnston notes, this will make AHL recalls much easier for those teams whose affiliates share a city or even a state or province. Short, safe travel ability and uniform local policies will allow for much shorter quarantine periods. Teams in this situation may even ask their affiliate to maintain the same NHL-level of day-to-day quarantine protocols to make recalls even easier, perhaps even without any quarantine. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and San Jose Sharks (if and when the team returns home from Arizona) all share a city with their AHL affiliate, as do the New Jersey Devils temporarily. The Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Boston Bruins (temporarily), Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins all have their AHL affiliates within state or provincial lines as well.

For those teams with some distance between themselves and their minor league clubs, recalls could remain difficult. Especially for those Canadian teams whose affiliates remain in the U.S. – the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks – quarantine logistics will be a struggle. Johnston points out that for these teams and the American clubs with affiliates elsewhere in the country, travel will be a major obstacle. The one blanket policy for all NHL and AHL players this season is that a seven-day quarantine period is required following a commercial flight. This could also stand to effect any team on a long-term road trip that is desperate enough to make a recall.

However, while this policy will help a great number of teams, it is important to remember that  taxi squads were established for this season to reduce the reliance on AHL recalls, at least as a frequent measure. Regardless of each NHL team’s location relative to their AHL affiliate, most teams will largely use their six-man taxi squad for emergency substitutions and will have options in the meantime should they decide to recall a player who must quarantine.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Devin Shore, Ryan Stanton To Professional Tryouts

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The Edmonton Oilers are bringing some veteran players to training camp, signing both Devin Shore and Ryan Stanton to professional tryouts.

Shore, 26, spent the first part of last season with the Anaheim Ducks before a deadline deal sent him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Sonny Milano. In all, he ended up playing 45 games and recording 12 points, but did also suit up for two postseason matches in the bubble. A veteran of nearly 300 NHL games, Shore’s best offensive production came back in 2016-17 with the Dallas Stars when he scored 13 goals and 33 points.

Stanton meanwhile has a lot less NHL experience but has been a pro for a decade now. The 31-year-old defenseman first hit the AHL in 2010 after going undrafted and has 120 games at the NHL level, mostly with the Vancouver Canucks. Last season he spent the entire year with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, scoring five points in 36 games.

While Stanton seems an unlikely candidate for much NHL time, he does have experience with the Oilers organization. Before playing for Ontario, he spent two years with the Bakersfield Condors. That could be where he ends up even if he earns an NHL contract in camp. Shore though could potentially be a depth forward for the Oilers, or perhaps a taxi squad player capable of stepping into the lineup in a pinch. He’ll have to earn that NHL deal to do it, but given his history it’s certainly not out of the question.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Ethan Bear

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Late last night, the Edmonton Oilers were finally able to get their young up-and-coming defenseman under contract, signing Ethan Bear to a new two-year deal. The contract will carry an average annual value of $2MM through the 2021-22 season, leaving Bear a restricted free agent once again in two years’ time.

The 23-year-old broke out last season, suiting up in all 71 games for the Edmonton Oilers and logging nearly 22 minutes a night for the team. That earned him a tenth-place finish in the Calder Trophy voting, though he was continually overlooked thanks to some other incredible rookie defensemen in the Western Conference. While Bear may not be at the same level as Cale Makar, he’s still an extremely important piece for the Oilers to build around on the back end.

With Oscar Klefbom out for the entire upcoming season, Bear will be asked to do even more for the Oilers this season. Sure, the team has added Tyson Barrie as a powerplay quarterback and Slate Koekkoek as a depth option, but neither one seems like a long-term fit. Instead, Bear and other youngsters like Philip Broberg and Evan Bouchard will make up the next core of defenders for the Oilers, should they all fulfill their potential.

With Bear under contract, the Oilers have now finished all of their restricted free agent negotiations but find themselves slightly over the salary cap ceiling. Klefbom’s hit can be moved to long-term injured reserve to add some more flexibility, though the team will likely attempt to be compliant (under the $81.5MM cap ceiling) on opening day to maximize the relief of that move.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Mark Letestu Announces Retirement

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Mark Letestu never tallied more than 16 goals in a season, but the forward still put together an impressive NHL career as a key utility player, appearing in 567 games. However, that time looks like it’s over as The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required) writes that Letestu is retiring.

“The tool bag … it’s had enough,” Letestu told The Athletic on Sunday. “I skated good enough. I shot the puck really well. I thought the game really well. But I got a lot of breaks along the way, too, right from the very start. Luck is a big part of all of it, absolutely, but I also took advantage of those opportunities and played well when I needed to. I got a lot of time out of being a short, slow guy in a fast man’s league.”

The 35-year-old Letestu hasn’t seen much NHL action since playing 80 games between Edmonton and Columbus in 2017-18. He stayed with Columbus for the 2018-19 season, but spent most of that time with their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, playing 64 games there, while only appearing in two games with the Blue Jackets that year. Last year wasn’t much better as Letestu signed with the Winnipeg Jets last offseason, but even with their injury woes, Letestu still only played seven games for the Jets.

Letestu originally signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, eventually playing four years for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He signed with the Edmonton Oilers in 2015 and played with the Oilers for three seasons before the Blue Jackets reacquired him at the trade deadline in 2018 to help out in their playoff hopes. He was known as a jack-of-all trades forward, who could operate in any situation on the ice, making him quite valuable to any team that had him. His best season was in 2016-17 with the Oilers when he tallied 16 goals and 35 points (along with 11 points in 13 playoff games). In all, Letestu scored 93 goals and 210 points over his 12-year career.

Edmonton Oilers Sign Slater Koekkoek

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The Edmonton Oilers have added some depth to their back end as they announced the signing of defenseman Slater Koekkoek to a one-year deal worth $850K.

Koekkoek, 26, became an unrestricted free agent in October when the Chicago Blackhawks opted not to make him a qualifying offer. Many were surprised by the move, as Koekkoek enjoyed a career year in 2019-20 and to the tune of just $925K as well. While Koekkoek’s numbers, both offensively and defensively, aren’t stellar, he still earned a career-high 42 games and 16:45 in average time on ice.

The tenth overall pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, Koekkoek certainly hasn’t lived up to expectations. However, he is still a serviceable two-way defenseman who plays with size and has good possession numbers. The Oilers also won’t be asking him to play too big of a role. Even with the season-long absence of Oscar Klefbom, Edmonton still has a veteran top four of Darnell Nurse, Adam Larsson, Kris Russell, and big free agent addition Tyson Barrie, as well as promising prospects Caleb Jones and William Lagesson, not to mention unsigned RFA Ethan Bear likely to be back in the fold. Koekkoek figures to serve as an extra defender for the Oilers or potentially even a member of the newfound taxi squad, but could still prove to be a value at such a minimal salary.

TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report that Koekkoek was signing in Edmonton while Oilers radio analyst Bob Stauffer first reported the $850K cost.

Minor Transactions: 12/24/20

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’Twas the month before hockey and all over the Earth,
Fans are excited for a new season’s birth;
There was quite a delay to the new league year,
’Til the NHL announced that it was practically here;
Of course, before we get started in just a few weeks,
Rosters are in need of numerous tweaks;
And as teams maneuver a salary cap squeeze,
Free agents also continue to find work overseas;
So stay tuned for some moves before the return to play;
From the NHL to KHL to NCAA;
Here are the minor transactions that were made today:

  • Free agent goaltender Ivan Nalimov has decided to remain in Europe for another season. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect, if you can still call him that at 26 years old, has previously expressed an interest in making the jump to North America. In fact, at one point he had requested that Chicago trade his rights to a team willing to give him an opportunity. Yet, for whatever reason, Nalimov will stay in the KHL for another year, signing a one-year contract with Dinamo Riga. The Blackhawks own Nalimov’s NHL rights in perpetuity, but if they weren’t willing to give him a chance this season without much talent and experience in net themselves, it seems unlikely that the two sides will ever get together.
  • The New Jersey Devils are on a more strict timeline to make a decision on prospect forward Nikita Popugaev. The 2017 fourth-round pick, whose skill is clear but whose work ethic is suspect, spent last season on an AHL contract with the Binghamton Devils but played exclusively in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder. He returned to Russia this off-season and signed with the KHL’s Dinamo Moscow. However, after a brief demotion, he has now been traded to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, the team announced. The Devils have until June 1st to decide if they want to sign Popugaev or lose his rights and a change of scenery mid-season won’t make that evaluation any easier.
  • The Edmonton Oilers face a similar situation with forward Bogdan Yakimov. Yakimov, a 2013 third-round pick, spent parts of two season in the Oilers’ organization shortly after being drafted, but only saw one NHL game. He has spent the past five seasons, including this year, back in the KHL. His current contract expires at the end of this season and his NHL rights expire on his 27th birthday in October, so both sides have limited time to decide if they are interested in a second chance. Potentially helping the cause is Yakimov’s inability to stay put in the KHL. For the second time already this year, Yakimov has been traded, as HK Sochi announced that they have acquired Yakimov from SKA St. Petersburg, who had only added him in a deal with Severstal Cherepovets in May. Yakimov’s size and two-way focus may be better appreciated back in North America and the promise of some consistency, even if that comes in Bakersfield instead of Edmonton, may appeal to the veteran center.
  • The University of Minnesota has gained a major commitment in U.S. National Team Development Program defenseman Ryan Chesley. The U-17 standout announced that he will join the Gophers when he begins his NCAA career. A 2022 NHL Draft prospect, Chesley still has another year with the USNTDP to go before he likely enrolls at Minnesota. In that time, his prospect stock could continue to climb; the 16-year-old is a right-shot defenseman with decent size scoring at better than a point-per-game pace this year, checking a number of major boxes for NHL scouts.

Oilers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Put Extension Talks On Hold

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While the Oilers were believed to be making progress on a long-term extension with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the days leading up to the opening of free agency in October, those talks instead appear to have been shelved.  GM Ken Holland spoke with reporters on Monday (video link), and indicated that those discussions are on the back burner for now:

His agent Rick Valette and I had many conversations during the two weeks around free agency in October. But the marketplace has changed so much that basically our conversations have ended, and I would hope at some point once we get up and running, we can pick back up and see if we can find a solution to keep Nuge in an Oilers uniform. Certainly, that’s my goal, but the deal’s got to work for Ryan and for the Oilers.

The 27-year-old has been a mainstay in Edmonton’s lineup since they selected him with the first-overall pick back in 2011.  While he hasn’t quite lived up to the offensive expectations associated with that selection, Nugent-Hopkins has certainly been a core piece and in recent years, his production has improved as he has spent more time on the wing alongside one of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.  Last season, he had the highest point-per-game mark of his career (0.94), notching 22 goals and 39 assists in 65 games while averaging 20:28 per night in ice time.

It’s that uptick in production that makes his deal a little trickier to finalize right now.  His current contract carries a $6MM AAV and salary.  Had he continued to hover around the 50-point mark as he had before the 2018-19 campaign, he likely would have only been in line for a small raise.  However, if his production stays at that level, the asking price is only going to go higher.  While Edmonton will have some cap flexibility next offseason (around $28MM), they still have half a roster to fill out with that money and taking a quarter of that or more for Nugent-Hopkins will certainly take a big chunk out of it.

For his part, Nugent-Hopkins doesn’t seem to be too worried about the step back in discussions, telling 630 CHED’s Reid Wilkins (audio link) that his focus now is simply on the upcoming season.

Obviously a weird, different time to be talking contracts.  Right now, I’m just focused on getting the season started. In my mind, I know it’s there, but I’m going to put it on the back burner and just really focus on getting the season going and getting started the right way.

As things stand, Nugent-Hopkins will be one of the top forwards available if he makes it to the open market next summer.  Whether it comes from Edmonton or someone else, he should be able to still land a raise, even in a UFA market that should largely resemble this one with very limited cap space to go around.

Oscar Klefbom Out For 2020-21 Season

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Though there had been speculation for months, Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland finally confirmed today that defenseman Oscar Klefbom will miss the entire upcoming season. Klefbom is hoping to be ready for the start of the 2021-22 campaign. Holland also explained that Gaetan Haas will miss the start of training camp after being a close contact with a positive COVID-19 case in Switzerland.

It’s tough news for Klefbom, who was dynamic for the Oilers last season, scoring at the best pace of his career (34 points in 62 games) and logging more than 25 minutes a night. The 27-year-old defenseman has only played more than 66 games in a single season once through his entire career and will now miss an entire campaign due to an injury in his prime.

For the Oilers, though they’d obviously much rather have a healthy Klefbom on the ice, his injury may clear up some things financially. The team was capped-out but now could potentially move the defenseman’s $4.167MM cap hit to long-term injured reserve to add some relief. That process is complicated, but Edmonton could now add another free agent or trade for a player to help shore up the back end. Names like Travis Hamonic (whose preference to play in Western Canada should be noted) and Sami Vatanen both immediately come to mind, though nothing is certain yet.

Still, neither of those players have the same impact that Klefbom has shown over the last few seasons, meaning other internal names will likely have to step up. If there’s one player that could benefit most, it’s Tyson Barrie who signed a one-year, “prove it” deal with the Oilers to try and get his career back on track. Barrie has a good shot to be on the first powerplay with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, an enviable position for anyone trying to pump up their point totals.

Ethan Bear, the remaining unsigned restricted free agent for Edmonton, also should have an increased role this season when he eventually signs. The 23-year-old scored 21 points in 71 games last season, trailing only Klefbom and Darnell Nurse among Oilers defensemen.

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