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Edmonton Oilers Place Kris Russell On LTIR, Open Up More Cap Space

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Before making the Mike Green trade last night, CapFriendly reports that the Edmonton Oilers placed Kris Russell on long-term injured reserve due to a concussion, which will free up a significant amount of cap room that the Oilers now can use to acquire another player before the trade deadline. Russell, who has a $4MM AAV, will now head to LTIR, freeing up $2.97MM in cap room LTIR relief. The Oilers have not confirmed the transaction yet.

Russell has been out since Jan. 29 after sustaining a head injury. While the shot-blocking blueliner has been skating recently, head coach Dave Tippett has also been clear that Russell isn’t ready to return to the ice any time soon. However, that doesn’t mean that Edmonton expects Russell to miss the rest of the season, although that is a possibility. If Russell does return this season, however, it means this cap savings may not be a permanent solution for rest of the season. However, the roster move helps explain the Green transaction as the Oilers added a $2.69MM contract to its books, which they would have struggled to fit into their structure as of yesterday.

The Oilers have expressed interest in several players before the trade deadline with rumors that Edmonton has shown significant interest in Ottawa’s Tyler Ennis, but with $2.97MM in available cap space to work with, the team has now opened more options to them, although general manager Ken Holland has been clear that he doesn’t want to trade the team’s first-round pick in any deadline deal.

 

Edmonton Oilers Acquire Mike Green

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The Edmonton Oilers have added some experience to their defensive group ahead of the trade deadline, acquiring Mike Green from the Detroit Red Wings. In return, Detroit will receive Kyle Brodziak and a conditional 2020 fourth-round draft pick. That pick can become a 2021 third if the Oilers make the Western Conference Finals and Green plays in 50% of the games. The Red Wings will also retain 50% of Green’s salary.

Green, 34, still has a little life left in those legs after nearly 900 games in the NHL and will try to help out the Oilers down the stretch. A longtime powerplay quarterback and puck-moving option, Green has still logged more than 21 minutes a night for the Red Wings, though they haven’t been very successful. With just 11 points and a -32 rating, an opportunity to play with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl must seem like a dream come true. To that end, Green had to waive his partial no-trade clause to agree to this deal, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

It’s obviously unclear how exactly the Oilers will deploy Green, but it is worth mentioning that they already had the top ranked powerplay in the league. That included Oscar Klefbom however, who is still out with an injury.

For the Red Wings, they are simply using some of their cap space to make the deal work. Brodziak is not expected to play again after missing this season with a back injury, meaning the draft pick is the entire return. That’s not a huge amount to get for a former 70-point defenseman, but with the way Green has played this season they will just be happy to get anything at all.

The Red Wings now have nine picks in the upcoming draft and could add more as they continue to sell off expiring assets.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

West Notes: McDavid, Kuemper, Holland, Lehner, Samberg, Simmonds

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The Edmonton Oilers are getting back a familiar face in Connor McDavid as the team announced the star forward returns tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. That might be perfect timing with Edmonton barely holding onto third place by just one point, although they are also just one point away from second place. McDavid has missed six games with a quadriceps injury.

In fact, it looks like McDavid will be teamed with Sam Gagner and Alex Chiasson for Sunday’s game and is expected to join the power play. McDavid has 31 goals and 81 points through 55 games this year and should be able to add some extra offense for the Oilers for the team’s stretch run. The Oilers have gone 3-2-1 without their star player.

  • It looks like the Arizona Coyotes will get a significant boost to their team as well. The Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Darcy Kuemper from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL from his conditioning stint. The netminder has been out with a lower-body injury since Dec. 19. He was close to a comeback several weeks ago, but suffered a setback. Kuemper played Saturday for Tucson, stopping 26 of 28 shots, and looks ready to join the Coyotes’ lineup. Kuemper was one of the top goaltenders in the league before his injury, posting a 15-8-2 record with a 2.17 GAA and a .929 save percentage.
  • NHL.com’s Tim Campbell writes that Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland isn’t interested in moving the team’s 2020 first-round pick just to add a piece to the team at the trade deadline. Edmonton is currently one point out of second place in the Pacific Division, but the GM is resistant to moving such a pick, considering the team is still building. “I’m hoping that we can compete for a playoff spot and more on an every-year basis,” said Holland. “You can’t be in the trading game every deadline, well maybe with secondary pieces, but you can’t trade first-round picks [every year].”
  • The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reports that while the Chicago Blackhawks have discussed trading goaltender Robin Lehner to the Carolina Hurricanes after the team lost both their goaltenders Saturday night. However, the scribe adds that at this moment, Carolina considers Chicago’s asking price for the goaltender far too high. However, both teams will continue to talk up to the trade deadline on Monday.
  • In an interview with the Winnipeg Sun’s Scott Billeck, University of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman and Winnipeg Jets’ 2017 second-rounder Dylan Samberg, said that he is focused on winning a third-straight NCAA championship. However, he also said, after that, he has every intention of joining the Winnipeg Jets after his season is complete. The Jets were hoping the 6-foot-4, 215-pound blueliner would sign with the team last summer where he would have likely played a significant role with Winnipeg this year. However, Sampson would like to help his school be the first to win three straight national titles. “They took a chance on me, they wanted me for a reason and I respect that,” said Samberg. “I respect the organization, they have a lot of great people, and it’s not that far from home, which is nice. I want to eventually get to the Jets.”
  • TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks are no longer in the running for New Jersey Devils forward Wayne Simmonds. There was a time that Vancouver was quite interesting in adding the veteran leader to their roster, but the team is evidently looking in a different direction.

Trade Rumors: Kreider, Barrie, Green, Frolik, Coyotes

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The New York Rangers are working on two fronts with Chris Kreider as the trade deadline nears on Monday. The Rangers are negotiating with Kreider and his agent on a potential contract extension, but at the same time, are preparing for the possibility they will have to trade him if a deal can’t be worked out.

Now TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that hopes for a contract extension between the two sides are fading. That could make the trade deadline on Monday even more interesting as it is quite clear that the Rangers will trade him if the two sides cannot get negotiations to shift. The likely sticking point is term as New York doesn’t want to find itself stuck with a major contract headache in a few years and if Kreider, who is likely heading for his last big contract, is looking for a seven or eight-year deal, that could be the sticking point. New York may have some cap room to work with now, but with a number of young players likely needing big raises in the next few years, the team must be careful with asset management.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs got a scare Saturday when Tyson Barrie went down with an apparent shoulder injury in the first period against Carolina. Many thought that might be the end of rumors that the Maple Leafs were planning to trade the gifted offensive defenseman for a more defensive-minded blueliner. However, Barrie returned and finished the game. Now, The Province’s Patrick Johnston reports that the Vancouver Canucks are very much in the mix for Barrie, which would likely be a package built on defenseman Troy Stecher. TSN’s Rick Dhaliwal confirms that the two teams are deep in talks. Barrie would provide the Canucks an offensive playmaker, but Johnston adds that isn’t what the team truly needs on their defense, making the trade a confusing one.
  • Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal writes that the Edmonton Oilers are a likely destination for Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green. The scribe writes that Green’s no-movement clause turned into a 10-team modified no-trade clause on Feb. 1 and he believes that Edmonton is not on that 10-team list. Considering the familiarity between general manager Ken Holland and Green, the two teams might be a perfect match and Detroit is likely very willing to retain half of Green’s $5.375MM AAV.
  • The Athletic’s Ken Wiebe wonders whether whether the Buffalo Sabres might be willing to move forward Michael Frolik. The 32-year-old has six goals and 13 points in 54 games, but more importantly, is a efficient penalty killer, something that playoff teams are often interested in. Throw in the fact that Frolik will be an unrestricted free agent, meaning he won’t count against any team’s cap long-term. Frolik does have a $4.3MM AAV, but Buffalo could consider retaining some of that to add to make a deal work.
  • The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta writes that the Arizona Coyotes are likely entering the trade deadline with a need for a defenseman after Jakob Chychrun went down with a lower-body injury, who currently has no timetable for a return. However, with little cap room to work with, if the team attempts to acquire a player with a significant salary, Arizona may be forced to trade off a current roster player to make that work.

Ken Holland Has Talked With Anton Slepyshev's Agent About Returning To Edmonton

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  • Two years ago, winger Anton Slepyshev failed to lock down a regular role with the Oilers and decided to return to the KHL. The move has been a fruitful one as he was January’s player of the month in that league and is having his most productive year with CSKA Moscow.  GM Ken Holland told Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED (audio link) that he has had talks with Slepyshev’s representatives about bringing the 25-year-old back to North America for next season.  Holland was active in bringing affordable Europeans over last summer in Gaetan Haas and Joakim Nygard and it appears he may be eyeing a similar strategy for this offseason as well.

Trade Rumors: Thornton, Gustafsson, Ennis, Koivu

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San Jose Sharks veteran center Joe Thornton has been quite tight-lipped about whether he has any interest in being traded to a contender. However, with just two days left, Thornton admitted to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required) that he is tempted to join a contending team, although the 40-year-old forward also made it clear in the interview that his career is not over yet.

“You know, it is,” Thornton said, when asked whether he is tempted to go to a contender. “But it’s not like I feel like this is my last year. I feel like I’m healthy, I feel like I still have a lot in the tank left. It’s not like a last-hurrah-type thing. I feel good, and my mind feels great. It’s not like, ‘Oh, this is going to be my last shot at it.’ So, that’s where my mind is at right now.”

That could indicated another scenario if Thornton prefers to remain in San Jose to end his career. The team could still trade the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent to a contender before the deadline, allowing him to chase a Stanley Cup with the possibility the Sharks might be able to re-sign him in the offseason once again.

“There’s lots of possibilities,” he said. “That could be an option. There’s lots to play with. It is what it is, and we’ll see what happens. I’m a Shark now, and I love being a Shark.”

  • Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reports that while there is no deal in place, the Vegas Golden Knights are the clear front-runners to adding Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Erik Gustafsson before the trade deadline. However, the scribe also notes that Chicago fans shouldn’t get too excited as it is not expected to be a big package. The 27-year-old Gustafsson, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, had a career year in 2018-19, scoring 17 goals and 60 points, but has struggled with the Blackhawks this year as he has just six goals and 26 points.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Ottawa Senators are expected to hold out forward Tyler Ennis from Saturday’s game as the team is expected to move him before the trade deadline and want to protect the veteran from possible injury. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Ennis is a candidate to be traded to the Edmonton Oilers, although there are several teams still rumored to be interested in acquiring him. Ennis could be an interesting trade chip. The 30-year-old has 14 goals and 33 points, his best season since the 2014-15 season. TSN’s Darren Dreger also notes that the Senators are holding out forward Vladislav Namestnikov as well.
  • Minnesota Wild center Mikko Koivu has been on a few lists as a potential trade candidate recently. However, The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that the center has informed general manager Bill Guerin that he will be staying with the Wild for the remainder of the season. Koivu has a no-movement clause as he wraps up his two-year, $11MM contract this season and has made it clear to management that he has no interest in leaving the team. The 36-year-old has struggled this season, posting just two goals and 15 points through 46 games. He has played his entire career in Minnesota, a total of 1,019 games.

Minor Transactions: 02/22/20

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At this time of year, every game is important to both ongoing playoff battles and teams’ final decisions on their trade deadline stance. Friday was no different, as the Blues asserted themselves against the division rival Stars, the Avalanche narrowly edged the Ducks to keep up in the Central as well, the Islanders got a much-needed win, and the Oilers, Predators, and Hurricanes all failed to come away with two points in upset losses. However, the fiercest battle in the NHL right now is at the top of the league, where the Bruins and Lightning are simultaneously batting for the Atlantic Division title, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and the President’s Trophy. As good as Boston has played of late, they have still lost ground to a Tampa club that has been unstoppable since December. After a rare Bolts loss to Vegas on Friday, the Bruins needed to take advantage in a Pacific clash of their own in Calgary. The odds seemed bleak after allowing three goals to the Flames in the first six minutes of play, but Boston shut out Calgary for the rest of the game and came away with a meaningful 4-3 win to increase their lead over Tampa Bay to five points. Whether it is a top contender, a fringe playoff team, or a bottom-dweller, every minor move also has significance at this time. With the trade deadline arriving in just two days, look for today to be a busy day for roster tweaks:

  • The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled a pair of players, including Las Vegas native Gage Quinney. The 24-year-old forward has finally earned an NHL appearance with 32 points in 42 games so far this season, among the top producers on the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. The trade of Cody Eakin opens up a roster spot up front in Vegas for Quinney and his teammates in the minors, at least until Alex Tuch returns from injury or the Knights make a trade addition. Also returning to the top level is defenseman Zach Whitecloud, who has skated in seven games with Vegas so far this season.
  • Scott Wilson is on his way back down to the minors, as the Buffalo Sabres announced that they have reassigned the veteran forward. The move is somewhat surprising, as Wilson has contributed two points in four games since being recalled earlier this month and seemingly looked like he would either stick with Buffalo for a while longer or could potentially be a candidate to be traded as an affordable depth addition for a contender. Instead, the impending free agent will head back to the AHL’s Rochester Americans, where he has 19 points in 29 games this year.
  • After losing Cody Goloubef on waivers yesterday, the Ottawa Senators have promoted Christian Jaros to fill his place on the back end. Jaros, 23, played in 61 games with Ottawa last season but only six so far in 2019-20. As the Senators get set to trade away multiple pieces before the deadline on Monday, Jaros is one of a number of minor leaguers from AHL Belleville expected to see an increased role down the stretch.
  • The injury-riddled Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled defenseman Gabriel Carlsson from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Carlsson was just sent down yesterday, but the team will need him as they take on the Predators tonight without any regulars expected to return to the lineup. Carlsson, a big, stay-at-home defender, has been a good fit in Columbus as a spot starter, even if he has yet to produce a point in six games this season.
  • Darcy Kuemper is taking an important step towards returning to the lineup as the Arizona Coyotes have assigned him to the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners on a conditioning stint.  He has missed just over two months with a lower-body injury but was one of the top goalies in the league before being injured.  Assuming there are no setbacks, he should return to Arizona sometime next week and give them a huge boost in their push for a playoff spot.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers have returned defenseman Mark Friedman to AHL Lehigh Valley, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer.  He has been shuffled back and forth in recent days and managed to get into Thursday’s game with the big club where he logged more than 16 minutes of ice time.
  • With Erik Gustafsson being held out of the lineup with the trade deadline on the horizon (he won’t be joining the Blackhawks for their upcoming road game), Chicago will be recalling defenseman Lucas Carlsson from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL, reports Mark Lazerus of The Athletic.  If he gets into the lineup, it will be his first NHL action.  Carlsson is in his second season with Rockford and has 26 points in 48 games this season.
  • The Colorado Avalanche announced they have recalled forward Logan O’Connor from the Colorado Eagles of the AHL. With only 12 healthy forwards on the roster, O’Connor should provide some insurance in case of injury for the time being. The 23-year-old returns after a stint with the Avalanche in December where he played seven games with one goal. The forward has 12 goals and 25 points in 40 games with the Eagles.
  • The Edmonton Oilers announced they have assigned forward Colby Cave and defenseman Evan Bouchard to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Cave has played in six games since being recalled on Feb. 10, but hasn’t picked up a point in that span. He has one goal in 11 games for Edmonton this season. His assignment likely indicates that Connor McDavid is ready to return to the Oilers’ lineup. As for Bouchard, the 10th-overall pick in 2018, he will have to wait to make his 2019-20 debut. He was recalled Wednesday and has been a healthy scratch twice. He is expected to play with Bakersfield on Saturday and could return to be Edmonton’s seventh defenseman on Sunday again.

Minimal Interest In Jesse Puljujarvi

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Jesse Puljujarvi hasn’t been in the news much lately but with the trade deadline almost upon us, his name has surfaced as a potential trade candidate.  The restricted free agent remains ineligible to play this season but to a rebuilding team that might be interested in acquiring him, that wouldn’t be much of a deterrent.

However, Oilers GM Ken Holland told reporters, including Postmedia’s Jim Matheson, that he hasn’t been shopping the winger nor have teams really been calling about him.  He had indicated last month that he was open to moving Puljujarvi but his preference wasn’t to move him for a rental player.  That could also be limiting the market for him as at this time of year, pending unrestricted free agents comprise the majority of the players that get moved.

The 21-year-old ranks second in scoring in the SM-liiga with Karpat this season with 21 goals and 27 assists in 48 games and sits one point out of the top spot on the scoring leaderboard.  Perhaps even more importantly, he’s averaging 18:41 per night which is well above the 11:57 per night he had with Edmonton last season.  From a development perspective, that’s significant.

Puljujarvi requested a trade out of Edmonton over the summer and signed back in Finland when it was clear that a move wasn’t coming.  The December 1st RFA signing deadline came and went without a trade.  Based on how things are looking now, the trade deadline is likely to come and go without a move as well.  If that happens, the 2016 fourth-overall pick will need to decide if he’d be better off returning to the Oilers next season or continuing to hold firm with his trade request.

Trade Rumors: Barrie, Simmonds, Senators, Canadiens

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After years of mediocrity, the NHL’s Canadian teams have come to play in 2019-20 and are at the forefront of many of the trade deadline’s biggest story lines. However, perhaps the even bigger surprise than the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks being buyers is that the Toronto Maple Leafs could end up as sellers. In a very Canada-centric segment of TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Bob McKenzie reports that, following a difficult week, the Leafs have begun to receive calls on pending UFA defenseman Tyson Barrie, the team’s big off-season addition. McKenzie notes that this could have just as much to do with a suddenly barren defense market as it does with other teams doubting Toronto’s playoff chances, but regardless the team has not closed the door on a possible deal. Barrie has been a poor fit with the Maple Leafs but could benefit a number of other teams down the stretch and in the postseason. The team has seen the high prices that sellers have received so far and could be enticed to make a move of their own. However, McKenzie does note that Toronto is not expected to move Barrie without receiving a defenseman with term in exchange or without a second deal in place to flip picks and prospects for that elusive top-four right-shot defender.

  • The Vancouver Canucks already made a big splash with the acquisition of Tyler Toffoli, but they remain interested in the New Jersey Devils’ Wayne Simmonds as well, a target of theirs since last summer. However, Pierre LeBrun reports that the two sides have not been able to work out the salary cap details in a way that would make the addition work for the strapped Canucks. He suspects that this due to the likelihood that Brock Boeser will return from injury prior to the end of the regular season and the team must account for that cap increase. Seemingly at an impasse, talks are dead for the time being. However, Vancouver could circle back closer to the deadline if Simmonds still has not been dealt and the Devils are willing to be more flexible.
  • Yet again, the Ottawa Senators are one of the primary sellers at the deadline. While their offerings this year pale in comparison to last, they could still turn a nice profit with their current pieces. The insiders note that Vladislav Namestnikov is a healthy scratch tonight (and for the foreseeable future), as the Senators have at least four concrete offers on the table for the versatile forward. Toronto, Winnipeg, Colorado, and Columbus are named as the teams known to have interest, but there are likely more in play. Additionally, value veteran Tyler Ennis could be a nice depth piece for a contender and Edmonton is reportedly the front runner for his services. However, the biggest trade chip in Ottawa is center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and the news tonight is that the two sides have actually begun formal extension talks. While the Senators continue to field offers, it is believed that they have set a high asking price and would prefer to re-sign Pageau. LeBrun even wonders if they would risk keeping him past the deadline without a new deal if the camps are close, especially given the departure of homegrown talent at this time last year.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have a suspicious healthy scratch of their own tonight in Artturi Lehkonen, who has remained out of the trade deadline limelight until now. The 24-year-old winger can be streaky, but is on pace for a career high in points this season nonetheless and still has one year left on his contract before becoming a restricted free agent. It remains to be seen if this decision is even related to a possible deal and, if so, whether Lehkonen is for sale by himself or rather part of a bigger deal. Despite the newfound confusion surrounding Lehkonen, the focus in Montreal remains on Ilya Kovalchuk. The veteran scorer is definitely drawing interest, but LeBrun reports that a framework for a one-year, bonus-laden contract extension is also in place if the Habs opt to keep him. Kovalchuk has proven to be a tremendous fit in Montreal and the team may want to hold on to that positive note in an otherwise disappointing season.

Edmonton Oilers Recall Evan Bouchard

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The Edmonton Oilers have recalled top prospect Evan Bouchard from the AHL, as they deal with the injury to Oscar Klefbom. Markus Granlund has been assigned to the Bakersfield Condors, while Klefbom moves to injured reserve.

In 50 games this season with Bakersfield, Bouchard has recorded seven goals and 33 points, easily leading all defenders and trailing only Josh Currie and Tyler Benson for the team scoring lead. The 20-year old defenseman was selected 10th overall by the Oilers in 2018 and played seven NHL contests with them last season before returning to the London Knights of the OHL.

A two-way horse that regularly logged more than 30 minutes in a single game while in junior, the 6’3″ Bouchard’s real upside is in his offensive ability. Though he doesn’t have the same skating ability or puck skills of some other top rookie defensemen like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, his quick decision making and precision passing (even at great distances) can create countless chances for his teammates. His shot has also always been a weapon, including getting him to a 25-goal season in his draft year.

Klefbom is dealing with an injury that will keep him out a few weeks, meaning Bouchard may get a chance to show what he can do at the NHL level. The question is how many games will he get, as his contract is still slide-eligible. That means if Bouchard plays in fewer than ten games with the Oilers down the stretch his entry-level contract would still not kick in until next season, giving Edmonton another cheap year. Of course, many teams look much more closely at the 40-game threshold that would move a player one year closer to unrestricted free agency, something that Bouchard can no longer hit this season.

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