As expected, a pair of veteran wingers have been made healthy scratches tonight in order to ensure they will be healthy to be dealt. Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy was first to report (via Twitter) that Canucks winger Thomas Vanek is being held out of the lineup although News 1130’s Rick Dhaliwal adds (Twitter link) that this merely precautionary and that this should be interpreted that a trade is getting closer to being worked out. Meanwhile, Oilers winger Patrick Maroon has also been held out of their lineup tonight against Anaheim. Interest in him has picked up considerably as the day has progressed and he is expected to be dealt before the deadline.
Oilers Rumors
Edmonton’s Maroon Could Be Next Chip To Be Moved
With a few trades already in the books today, the trading scene only seems to have intensified. Now with the market established for several players, teams are working the phones even harder now. In fact, Pierre LeBrun reports that Edmonton Oilers scorer Patrick Maroon could be the next piece to go as the scribe reports that seven teams have reached out to Edmonton.
Having already moved Mark Letestu in a three-team deal earlier in the day, general manager Peter Chiarelli can focus more on Maroon. The 29-year-old winger could easily bring in a similar haul that the New York Rangers got for Rick Nash when they traded him to Boston this morning for a first-round pick, Ryan Lindgren and veterans Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey. Even better is Maroon’s contract situation, which is better than Nash’s. Nash had a cap hit of $7.5MM, but Maroon is in the final year in which he is making $1.5MM, meaning many playoff teams could easily fit that into their remaining cap space.
While he’s not duplicating the 27-goal season he put together a year ago, Maroon has 14 goals and 16 assists this year with the Oilers and at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, he is a physical winger who can put the puck in the net, a prized possession for a team looking for playoff help.
Edmonton’s Letestu Traded To Nashville, Then Flipped To Columbus
The Nashville Predators traded winger Pontus Aberg to the Edmonton Oilers for center Mark Letestu and then immediately flipped Letestu to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2018 fourth-round pick, according to Pierre LeBrun.
Letestu return to Columbus where he played for four years before signing with the Oilers in 2015. The bottom-six center fills a depth need at center as Columbus has struggled at the position with injuries, but also as a special teamer. He is an excellent penalty killer. In 60 games this season, the 33-year-old Letestu has eight goals and 11 assists and a minus-17 plus/minus ratio. He had a big year last year when he scored 16 goals for the playoff-bound Oilers.
The Oilers added a young scoring forward Aberg, who has had trouble breaking into the Predators’ lineup. The former second-round pick in the 2012 draft has been in and out of the lineup, often as a healthy scratch and has appeared in just 37 games with just two goals and six assists to show for it. He did make a name for himself during the Predators playoff run last year when he had to fill in due to injuries and scored two goals and three assists in 16 games.
For Nashville, the move is essentially a roster dump as the team is likely trying to clear a roster spot to eventually add 2017 first-rounder Eeli Tolvanen when his season is over when his KHL team has been eliminated from the playoffs. The Predators are also likely to bring in veteran Mike Fisher back as well, so roster space was needed.
Minor Transactions: 2/24/18
Though the expectation is to see less “minor” transactions and more fireworks over the next 48 hours, the day-to-day operations of NHL teams don’t stop just because of the trade deadline. With a busy slate of 12 games coming up today, teams continue to tweak their rosters in preparation, though some moves could also signal an impending trade. Follow along to find out.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have reversed the decision they made yesterday, announcing an identical swap of Joonas Korpisalo and Markus Hannikainen for Jeff Zatkoff. Zatkoff heads back to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters after just one day, while Korpisalo and Hannikainen re-join the Jackets. The veteran goalie Zatkoff has yet to make an NHL appearance this season, but Korpisalo hasn’t had much better luck, struggling through 12 games, including just two dismal performances in February.
- Blake Pietila is on his way back to the minors, as the New Jersey Devils have also changed their mind on a recent call-up, sending the young forward back to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. Pietila played in his first two NHL games of the 2017-18 campaign on this call-up, but failed to record a point in under 20 minutes of total ice time.
- St. Louis Blues beat writer Lou Korac notes that the AHL lists defenseman Jordan Schmaltz and forward Tage Thompson headed to St. Louis and defenseman Chris Butler and forward Sammy Blais reassigned to the San Antonio Rampage. More likely than not, the Blues are swapping out some in-between players for others to shake up a lineup that has been ineffective of late, but there’s also a good chance that they would like to showcase all of their young pro talent ahead of the deadline. St. Louis has just three wins in their past ten games and risk missing the playoffs if their play doesn’t improve one way or another.
- According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the New York Rangers have placed Peter Holland on waivers today. Holland is no stranger to having an uncertain future; the 27-year-old has been with four different NHL organizations in the past two years and wouldn’t be surprised to join a fifth on this go-round through the waiver wire. However, the 2009 first-rounder is on pace for the fewest NHL games and points of his career this season and may not hold much value for other teams.
- After clearing waivers himself, newly-acquired L.A. goaltender Scott Wedgewood is heading to the AHL, per Kings beat writer Josh Cooper. Joining Wedgewood on the trip to the AHL’s Ontario Reign is forward Jonny Brodzinski, while defenseman Paul LaDue has been recalled. LaDue has played in only seven games with the Kings this season after 22 in his 2016-17 rookie campaign and again looks to be just a depth option for Los Angeles on this call-up.
- The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled prospect Laurent Dauphin from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. The 22-year-old center was re-acquired by Arizona on Jan. 10 after he had been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks during the offseason. Dauphin was originally traded in June with Connor Murphy for defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson. The prospect was then reacquired when Arizona traded forward Anthony Duclair to Chicago with Richard Panik. Dauphin had 17 goals last year for the Roadrunners and was expected to take that next step. However, he struggled with the Rockford IceHogs early on, scoring just four goals to go with 10 assists in 33 games. He seems to have found his game since then as he has five goals and 10 assists in just 16 games and might be ready to take on a role with Arizona now that the team moved Tobias Rieder recently to Los Angeles.
- The Edmonton Oilers announced they recalled winger Ty Rattie and activated Andrej Sekera from injured reserve today. The 25-year-old Rattie has 20 goals and 19 assists with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, but has struggled to break into the NHL over the years. He signed with Edmonton in the offseason. Sekera, who was struck in the face with a puck back on Feb. 9, has struggled this year after tearing his ACL last season. He has no goals and one assist in 18 games for Edmonton with a minus-10 rating. The team did need some defensive depth after they traded away Brandon Davidson to the New York Islanders earlier today.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have assigned forwards Tomas Hyka and Stefan Matteau to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL today, according to the Chicago Wolves. Hyka scored his first NHL goal Friday and had played well, but the team is likely making space for recently acquired Ryan Reaves and the impending return of James Neal to the lineup. Both were likely expected to be returned to Chicago by Monday anyway, as if the Golden Knights want them to play in the AHL playoffs, they must not be with the NHL club at the trade deadline.
- The Anaheim Ducks announced they have recalled forward Kalle Kossila from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. The 24-year-old averages more than a point a game as he has 13 goals and 25 assists in 35 games for the Gulls. For the Ducks, he has one goal and one assist in 10 games.
Edmonton Trades Brandon Davidson To Islanders
The Edmonton Oilers announced they have traded defenseman Brandon Davidson to the New York Islanders in exchange for a 2019 third-round pick, a move that might be considered a win-win move for both teams.
For the Oilers, the team really cashed in on Davidson’s success this season considering he was untradeable just a couple of months ago. He was picked up in the middle of the year when Edmonton claimed him from the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 3. The Canadiens, who tried to trade him off could find no takers at the time and forced them into placing the blueliner on waivers. However, he fared well in Edmonton as a bottom-tier defenseman. The fact the team was able to get a third-rounder for him is an excellent move from Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli. Many people assumed the Oilers might keep the 26-year-old defenseman around for next season. Ironically, it marks the second time in two years the Oilers have traded Davidson at the trade deadline. They sent him last year to Montreal in exchange for forward David Desharnais.
As for the Islanders, the team adds some much needed defensive depth for a team that is struggling with injuries on the blueline. Davidson immediately fills in as a bottom-pairing defenseman where the team needs the most help. The Islanders, who have the No. 4-ranked offense in the NHL, need help on defense as they have allowed more goals per game than any other team in the league at 3.56 per game. Nevertheless, the Islanders are still fighting for a playoff spot, which if they can secure a spot, might aid them in their bid to re-sign center John Tavares at the end of the season. Davidson, who makes $1.425MM this year will be a restricted free agent for the Islanders when the offseason hits. He is unlikely to make much more than that next season, making him a solid, inexpensive player who might fill the shoes of one of their potential defensive free agents like Calvin de Haan or Thomas Hickey.
Davidson played 13 games for the Canadiens earlier this year and had just one assist in limited playing time. He had played 23 games for the Oilers since being acquired and has had three goals and an assist and is averaging now 16:29 of ice time combined between both teams as the Oilers have used him quite a bit. While not a great puck-moving defenseman, Davidson is a solid defenseman who can hit hard.
The Islanders may still have a bigger move planned in the upcoming days before the deadline as they have moved a 2019 third-rounder instead of moving one of the multiple picks they have for this year’s draft. New York has two first-rounders, two second-rounders as well as their third, fourth and fifth round picks for 2018, most of which they picked up in the Travis Hamonic trade in the offseason with the Calgary Flames.
Edmonton Oilers Will Not “Blow It Up”
Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli scheduled a press conference today where he took questions from several media members, and the overriding theme of the day was that the team would not “blow it up.” Chiarelli is not looking to dump players for draft picks just to start the development process again, but instead make tweaks to the roster to try and get back to the level of success found in 2016-17. The team is prioritizing speed in any acquisitions they make, and admitted that they had looked at a couple “hockey deals” recently.
Chiarelli also said that there had been interest in both Patrick Maroon and Mark Letestu, though wouldn’t go into specifics on either player. He also said they’d looked into extensions with some of their pending free agents.
The Oilers have struggled through a very disappointing season, but aren’t going to push the eject button just yet on this group. Though there is work to be done, a Connor McDavid-led team could jump right to the top of the league next season with some adjustments, just as it did a year ago. Chiarelli says he’s not involved in some bigger things going on around the league, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Edmonton is one of the quietest teams at the deadline, outside of perhaps selling off a few rentals. Any big changes are more likely to happen in the summer.
Trade Candidates: Mark Letestu
With the trade deadline just days away, we continue to profile several players that have a good chance to be dealt by February 26th.
Mark Letestu has not had a good season. In fact, in many ways this is the worst season of his NHL career. However, when Trade Deadline season rolls around each year, experienced, versatile depth forwards on expiring contracts are consistently the most common type of player dealt. Letestu fits the bill, hence the rampant speculation that he will be traded. Like Letestu, the Edmonton Oilers have not had the 2017-18 campaign they expected and have no reason to keep Letestu and, based on his play this season, are likely eager to trade him to the highest bidder. This is not a question of if Letestu will be dealt, but when and to whom.
Contract
Letestu is in the final season of a three-year, $5.4MM contract signed with the Oilers in 2015. The deal holds a $1.8MM cap hit and no trade protections.
2017-18
The 32-year-old Letestu is coming off a career-high 35 points in 2016-17. While he may not be an offensive juggernaut, Letestu has been the definition of reliable in his nine-year NHL career. He can play on the power play and penalty kill, excels at the face-off dot, and is hardly ever found taking a bad penalty. In 2017-18, he has continued to dominate the dot and play clean hockey; that’s about all he’s done right. Letestu has seen his offense disappear this season and, with it, his play time. He is currently on pace for 25 points this season, 10 fewer than last year and tied for the second-least of his career. Even worse, most of that production came earlier in the season. Letestu recorded 16 of his 18 points prior to the new year and is currently on a 24-game goal-less streak, with just two assists to show for the last two months. To qualify that lack of impact on the score sheet, consider that Letestu is still averaging more than two minutes per night on the power play as well. Between his significant power play and penalty kill time – despite no offense and a team-worst plus/minus – Letestu is left with under nine minutes a night of five-on-five time this season.
Season Stats
58 GP, 8 goals, 10 assists, 18 points, -16 rating, 10 PIM, 91 shots, 12:57 ATOI, 50.7 CF%
Potential Suitors
Despite a miserable season, there continues to be immense interest in Letestu. That is not to say that the Oilers will receive an immense return when they trade him, but there will be some competition driving up the price for a player that otherwise would be worth very little. Some teams may consider Letestu’s personal struggles a function of Edmonton’s poor season and hope for a bounce back to his 2016-17 level of play with a change of scenery. Others may just see him as a specialist and continue to use him as Edmonton does – power plays, penalty kills, face-offs, and little else.
Among the teams rumored to be interested in Letestu are the Winnipeg Jets, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He would fit well as an energy line or 13th forward on any of those teams. Other squads who could use another body up front include the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, and Boston Bruins, while several others are sure to do their due diligence on his availability as well. However, as The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline alluded to, the perfect fit for Letestu is likely back with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Letestu spent parts of four seasons in Columbus before signing with Edmonton, including arguably his best season in 2013-14. Not only that, but Portzline points out that Letestu and his family still call Ohio home. While too much stock is often put into familiarity when it comes to transactions and Letestu likely won’t have a say in his destination, the landing spot makes sense for other reasons as well. The Jackets are still fighting hard for a playoff spot and may not be willing to pay for a premium player with their playoff future still uncertain. Letestu will likely be more affordable and, as an added bonus, can jump right into the lineup, rejoining some past teammates and lending his experience to the many younger, newer Jackets forwards. More specifically, Columbus has also struggled greatly with special teams this season, sporting the league’s worst power play and a bottom-five penalty kill. They may have a better chance than anyone at giving Letestu an environment where he can rediscover his even strength game and scoring touch, but even if he doesn’t, he can at least help to rejuvenate the special teams.
Likelihood of a Trade
The likelihood of Letestu being traded is as close to 100% as any player on the block. The Oilers have absolutely no reason to keep him and there is high interest in his services. At some point over the next few days, Letestu will have a new home for the remaining months of the 2017-18 season.
Minor Transactions: 02/21/18
After a busy night in the NHL, the league has just three games on tap for today. Instead, teams might use their time off to cement their status for the trade deadline and make inquiries around the league. All the minor moves we’ll keep track of right here. Refresh the page throughout the day to make sure you stay up to date on all the comings and goings.
- Tucker Poolman has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Winnipeg Jets, after being scratched again last night. It’s been eight straight games in the press box for Poolman, who will get a chance to play again with the Manitoba Moose.
- In addition to claiming and assigning Gabriel Dumont, the Tampa Bay Lightning have sent Matthew Peca to the Syracuse Crunch. Peca has scored five points in 10 games for the Lightning, and is scheduled to become a Group VI free agent this summer.
- After being acquired yesterday, the San Jose Sharks have recalled Eric Fehr from the minor leagues, sending Rudolfs Balcers back down in his place. Fehr could get into the lineup as a fourth-line player in the coming days, after an impressive performance for the San Diego Gulls through the first part of the season.
- The Anaheim Ducks have recalled Reto Berra under emergency conditions while John Gibson deals with his latest injury. Ryan Miller will start for now, and will need him to help them towards the playoffs like Jonathan Bernier did a year ago.
- Speaking of goaltenders, the Edmonton Oilers have returned Laurent Brossoit to the minor leagues as Al Montoya is set to get back on the bench. Montoya needs to play just three more games for the Oilers to force them into sending a fourth-round pick to Montreal instead of a fifth.
- Ryan Sproul is on his way back to the minor leagues after getting into four games with the club. Sproul has a point in each of his last two games, but will need to wait for his next chance to get into the lineup.
- The New Jersey Devils have returned Nick Lappin to the AHL as several players approach a return to the ice. Lappin has played in just six games with New Jersey this season, but is leading the Binghamton Devils in goals with 17.
- After Carey Price took a shot to the head last night, the Montreal Canadiens have recalled Charlie Lindgren under emergency conditions. With him comes Noah Juulsen under a regular recall, ready to make his NHL debut after battling injury this season. Juulsen was called “very close” to NHL ready in September by his GM, before breaking his foot in training camp.
Goalie Interference Frustrations Boiling Over
The NHL’s issues with inconsistency in goalie interference calls are getting out of hand. Complaints from players, coaches, and executives have been flooding in since last season. Discussions were promised over this past off-season, but seemingly nothing came of it, as the problem has only grown larger in 2017-18. Last month, coaches and league executives met to discuss the rule and Commissioner Gary Bettman promised to work with officials to back off the call. Weeks later, there has been no ascertainable change. In fact, there were several incidents of inconsistent calls on one night earlier this month, stirring up frustrations. Bettman said in January that “Overall, the system works,”, but most around the league would probably disagree at this time.
So when will things change? The NHL’s goalie interference call has become somewhat of a joke like the NFL’s “what is a catch?” problem, but in a game where every goal, scored or called back, carries so much weight, this issue is no laughing matter. Perhaps one of their own players lashing out at the rule will cause the league to take action. That’s what happened tonight following the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes after the ’Yotes scored the game-winning goal while bumping into the goalie, but won a goalie interference challenge when their own keeper, Antti Raanta was interfered with on the erased game-tying goal. The opposing goalie, Cam Talbot, stood at the other end of the ice seething. The Edmonton Sun’s Rob Tychkowski caught up with Talbot after the game and got an honest reaction:
“There’s no consistency and I’m f*****g sick of it. It’s f*****g ridiculous. You can quote me, they can fine me, I don’t give a f**k anymore.”
Talbot also spoke on more of a case-by-case basis about the rule, illustrating its inconsistency (video). For Talbot, generally a mild-mannered and polite person, as well as the NHL wins leader in 2016-17, to speak out publicly and be so clearly emotional about the topic, one would think the league would take notice. A respected goaltender unable to contain his frustrations should indicate to the league that this is a major problem. It may not be possible for a clear goalie interference rule to be firmly decided on and implemented by officials this season, but Bettman and the NHL’s leadership need to step up and put some effort into fixing this problem, starting by publicly addressing Talbot’s comments and again reiterating that changes will be made. If they don’t, goalie interference inconsistency will only continue to be a mark on the 2017-18 season.
Oilers Recall Laurent Brossoit On Emergency Basis, Assign Keegan Lowe To AHL
- Edmonton announced (Twitter link) that they have recalled goaltender Laurent Brossoit from Bakersfield (AHL) on an emergency basis. The move was necessary after Al Montoya left practice early on Friday after taking a shot up high. To make room for him on the roster, the Oilers sent defenseman Keegan Lowe back to Bakersfield.