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Oilers Rumors

Deadline Primer: Edmonton Oilers

February 21, 2017 at 8:17 pm CDT | by Brett Barrett 2 Comments

With the trade deadline now just weeks away, we’re going to start taking a closer look at each team.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?

For the first time in years, the Edmonton Oilers are legitimate buyers at the trade deadline. NHL leading scorer Connor McDavid and Cam Talbot have lead the way thus far, and have the Oilers comfortably in second place in the Pacific Division. Despite the fact that the Oilers are a top-ten team in the NHL, GM Peter Chiarelli is on record as saying he isn’t “heavily interested” in the rental market, but did say the team deserves some tinkering because they’re “in the conversation.”

Record

32-19-8, 2nd in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Cautious buyer

Deadline Cap Space

Current cap space: $17.811MM
Deadline cap space: $21.375MM
48/50 contracts, via CapFriendly

Draft Picks

2017: EDM 1st, STL 3rd*, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, VAN 5th**, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th
2018: EDM 1st, EDM 2nd, EDM 3rd, EDM 4th, EDM 5th, EDM 6th, EDM 7th

A carryover from the now defunct compensation rule, the Oilers will need to surrender their 2nd round pick to Boston for hiring Chiarelli as GM back in April of 2015.

* The Oilers will receive either St. Louis’ third in 2017 or their second in 2018 in exchange for Nail Yakupov. The conditional pick becomes the second if Yakupov scores 15 goals this season; because Yakupov has just three goals so far this season, it’s likely to be a third.
**The Oilers will receive either a fourth or fifth round pick from Vancouver for defenseman Philip Larsen. It’s not known what the performance conditions are, but with Larsen sitting at one goal and six points in just 20 games, it’s safe to assume he won’t hit the required production thresholds.

Trade Chips

While the Oilers don’t have many forward prospects, they’re fully-stocked with blue-liners. When healthy, the Oilers have 10 or 11 legitimate NHL options. They could move one of Brandon Davidson or Kris Russell for help up front. Davidson is a likely candidate to be claimed in the expansion draft and is the Oilers most notable trade chip. with the emergence of Matt Benning, there’s an outside chance that pending-UFA Russell could be traded once the Oilers get Darnell Nurse back.

The Oilers don’t have much in the forward prospect cupboard, with just Jesse Puljujärvi and Tyler Benson showing promise as legitimate NHL scoring forwards. On the back-end, Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones are dominant in the WHL, and Markus Niemeläinen is a bright spot on a bad Saginaw Spirit team in the OHL. Over in Russia, potential seventh-round steal Ziyat Paigin has played well above his draft slot.

While some teams could be willing to move first-round picks in a somewhat-weaker draft class, the Oilers are without a second round pick and therefore won’t be likely to deal their first. Despite their successful season, they’re still a building team and will look to stock up on forwards. Don’t expect the Oilers to deal prospects or high picks for rentals; if a notable asset is moved then the return will likely be a long-term solution.

Player To Watch

D Brandon Davidson

Team Needs

1) Right-handed scorer – The Oilers’ biggest need is a right-handed top-nine forward who can shoot the puck. Center Leon Draisaitl has had success playing on the right side with McDavid, but both men produce at the same level when separated. That gives Chiarelli the option of acquiring either a center or right-winger. A center would allow Draisaitl to play on the wing, while a right-winger would allow McLellan to keep his two leading scorers on separate lines. Some players who could be of interest include Martin Hanzal, Radim Vrbata, Patrick Sharp, Patrick Eaves, Thomas Vanek, Brian Boyle, and Tyler Johnson. The initial asking price for lefty centers Hanzal and Boyle is out of Chiarelli’s stated price range, while the others are simply players who fit the Oilers’ needs and are on the market.

2) Backup goaltender — The signing of Jonas Gustavsson has not worked out for Chiarelli. The veteran backup is buried in the AHL after a horrific start to the year, and prospect Laurent Brossoit is currently serving as backup to the busiest starter in the NHL in Talbot. As of this writing, Brossoit is playing for Edmonton as they face the Tampa Bay Lightning on the first night of a back-t0-back. If Brossoit can show his worth, then perhaps Chiarelli holds off on spending an asset on a backup. However, an injury to Talbot would be catastrophic to the Oilers. Two players of interest could be Jaroslav Halak and Michal Neuvirth; both men have struggled in the NHL this season, but have histories as solid options in the NHL and could be had for cheap. Halak is dominating in the AHL, but makes $4.5MM this season and next. If the Islanders are willing to take back Benoit Pouliot or Mark Fayne to make the salaries work, then Halak could be an option. Neuvirth has struggled in a tandem with Steve Mason, and could be acquired as a rental for a low cost, perhaps one of the Oilers’ third rounders.

Deadline Primer 2017| Edmonton Oilers| Todd McLellan Benoit Pouliot| Brandon Davidson| Brian Boyle| Jaroslav Halak| Jonas Gustavsson| Kris Russell| Laurent Brossoit| Martin Hanzal| Patrick Sharp| Peter Chiarelli

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Snapshots: Oilers, Eberle, Kaprizov

February 21, 2017 at 11:10 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Edmonton Oilers are in a position to buy for the first time in several deadlines, but that doesn’t mean they should. Their core is still incredibly young, led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl along with a handful of defenders 25 and under. Spending prospect or draft pick capital on a high-priced rental isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but when you’re looking to build long-term success it’s not usually prudent. That’s what Peter Chiarelli thinks at least, in the latest piece from David Staples of the Edmonton Journal. Chiarelli admitted that the group that is winning for the first time in a while deserves some additions, but doesn’t think his front office will be busy on deadline day.

When Chiarelli mentions his offseason moves that are “coming around” he certainly is referring to Adam Larsson, who after a shaky start to the season is starting to turn into the minute-muncher that they’d hoped for. While plus-minus isn’t a perfect stat by any means, Larsson was a -3 through the end of 2016 and has been a +17 since. While a lot of that is dependent on linemates and situations, Larsson has by all accounts started to turn the corner into the excellent puck possession defender they had hoped for. Chiarelli doesn’t think rentals are on the table for his squad, and he might be right. A turned corner by Milan Lucic, another offseason acquisition, would give the Oilers everything they need to make a deep run in these playoffs.

  • Darren Dreger of TSN was on the radio this morning and mentioned that a while back teams were kicking the tires on Jordan Eberle, though discussions didn’t go very far. It will be interesting to see whether the Oilers shop him this summer, as they have to pay Draisaitl this summer and McDavid the year after. After moving Taylor Hall last summer, Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are likely targets this time ’round.
  • Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that Minnesota Wild prospect Kirill Kaprizov will move to CSKA Moscow in the KHL after this season, when his contract is up. Currently playing with Salavat Yulayev, Kaprizov has 42 points in 49 games. The 19-year old winger was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, and would be a big addition if the team eventually convinces him to come to North America. For now, he’ll reportedly go to one of the KHL’s best teams and look to continue his development.

Edmonton Oilers| KHL| Minnesota Wild| Snapshots Adam Larsson| Connor McDavid| Jordan Eberle| Leon Draisaitl| Milan Lucic| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins| Taylor Hall

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Afternoon Transactions: Oilers, Hurricanes, Blues, Wild, Capitals

February 19, 2017 at 1:39 pm CDT | by Ben Levine 2 Leave a Comment

Assorted transactions from around the NHL this afternoon:

  • The Oilers announced (via Twitter) that they have assigned defenseman Jordan Oesterle to the Bakersfield Condors. The 24-year-old was recalled to the NHL earlier this month. In two games with the Oilers this season, Oesterle hasn’t recorded a point, although he has compiled three goals and 15 assists in 26 AHL games.
  • The Hurricanes announced that they have recalled forward Phil Di Giuseppe from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The 23-year-old has recorded one goal and one assist in 18 games with the Hurricanes this season, and he’s collected 20 points in 33 games with the Checkers.
  • The Blues have assigned forward Kenny Agostino to the AHL, reports Norm Sanders of the Belleville News-Democrat (via Twitter). The former fifth-rounder has played in seven games with St. Louis this season, compiling one goal and two assists. In 48 AHL games, Agostino collected 18 goals and 42 assists.
  • The Wild announced that they have returned right winger Alex Tuch back to Iowa of the AHL.  Minnesota’s first round pick (18th overall) back in 2015 has played in six games with the big club this season, being held off the scoresheet while averaging 10:42 of ice time per night.  He’s having a strong rookie year at the minor league level though, scoring 12 goals and 13 assists in 36 games with Iowa.
  • The Capitals announced they assigned center Jakub Vrana to Hershey of the AHL.  He was recalled on Friday but didn’t play over the weekend.  The 20 year old has a goal and two assists in 12 games with the Capitals this season and has put up 25 points in 33 games with Hershey.  Washington is off until Wednesday and there’s a good chance they’ll recall Vrana before that time but they will save a bit of cap space in the meantime by sending him down for a few days.

Carolina Hurricanes| Edmonton Oilers| Minnesota Wild| St. Louis Blues| Washington Capitals Alex Tuch| Jakub Vrana| Jordan Oesterle| Kenny Agostino| Phil Di Giuseppe

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Red Wings Notes: Vanek, Larkin, Mantha, Holland, Howard

February 17, 2017 at 5:55 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

The Red Wings have had a few discussions with Thomas Vanek’s agent Steve Bartlett regarding a possible contract extension, reports ESPN’s Craig Custance (Insider required).  However, it will take a no-move clause for Vanek to consider signing prior to the trade deadline.

The reason for that is the upcoming expansion draft.  Bartlett wants to avoid a scenario where he signs now and then is left unprotected in that draft, creating the risk that he could wind up with the Golden Knights; a full no-move clause would alleviate that but also force Detroit to leave another forward exposed.  From the Red Wings perspective, that may not be the best move especially considering they appear to be heading towards selling at the deadline.  With that in mind, Custance argues that GM Ken Holland would be wise to move Vanek now even though he has expressed a willingness to remain with the Wings beyond this season.

[Related: Vanek’s trade candidate profile]

Other news and notes from Detroit:

  • Skating is an area of focus for a pair of young players but for entirely different reasons, writes Dana Wakiji of the Wings’ team site. Head coach Jeff Blashill noted that they’ve been working with center Dylan Larkin to stop more often instead of just playing with speed at all times.  While Larkin’s speed was a major weapon early on last season, he has been guilty of trying to play too quickly at times this year which have contributed to some struggles.  On the flip side, Blashill noted that they’re working with winger Anthony Mantha to skate more frequently instead of stopping and watching or slowing the play down.
  • In a reader mailbag, MLive’s Ansar Khan suggests that Holland is likely to retain his job beyond this season. With the team set to miss the playoffs for the first time in a quarter-century, some have wondered if the timing would be right to turn the team over for someone else to build; Holland has held the GM title since 1997.  Khan also doesn’t expect a decision to be made regarding Blashill’s future and the rest of Detroit’s coaching staff until after the season.
  • Goalie Jimmy Howard was on the ice today but won’t be available to play before the Wings hit their bye week on February 22nd, reports George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Howard suffered a setback earlier this week as he continues to recover from a sprained MCL.  It’s expected that Howard will return to Grand Rapids of the AHL during the bye week with the hope that he’ll be able to get into another game down there.

Detroit Red Wings| Jeff Blashill| Ken Holland Anthony Mantha| Dylan Larkin| Jimmy Howard| Thomas Vanek

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Friedman’s Latest: Dallas, Colorado, Flyers, MVP

February 16, 2017 at 3:09 pm CDT | by Brett Barrett 1 Comment

Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman made his weekly appearance on Edmonton radio, and commented on a few topics from around the NHL.

Friedman broke down some potential sellers, saying he could see “a lot of teams throwing themselves at Johnny Oduya” out of Dallas. The Stars have lost six of their last seven games, and are now seven points out of the final wildcard spot. Other names out of Dallas include pending UFAs Patrick Eaves and Patrick Sharp, and “maybe” Ales Hemsky. The latter was expected to be done for the season, but will play again this season according to Mike Heika of the Dallas News.

One of the few clear sellers, the Colorado Avalanche, has set a “very high price” for their players, according to Friedman. However, there may be a wider market than many realized. Friedman listed Pittsburgh among others as unexpected teams calling GM Joe Sakic. Citing GM Jim Rutherford’s willingness to win now and “sort things out” in the offseason, Friedman speculated that the Penguins could consider moving Olli Maatta as part of a package for Matt Duchene. To be clear, Friedman isn’t suggesting the Penguins have made an offer, simply that they’re interested and Maatta is the kind of player that the Avalanche would be interested in. Another potential suitor for Duchene could be Montreal, but GM Marc Bergevin “doesn’t like the price.”

Former Canadiens forward and Flyers UFA signing Dale Weise will be a healthy scratch in Edmonton tonight; he has just two goals and five points in 46 games after signing a four-year contract worth $2.35MM per season. Friedman pointed out that many players struggle in their first year with a new team, but the Canadiens won’t be interested in re-acquiring Weise at his current term.

Staying in Philadelphia, Friedman said it’s not just Shayne Gostisbehere who “doesn’t look like himself.” The whole team is looking for answers; after their ten-game winning streak earlier this season, they’ve won just eight games of their last 25. Friedman told Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer that several teams scouted Gostisbehere “to death” over the summer, and he hasn’t been able to adjust his style.

It remains to be seen what will happen in the next couple weeks, as the GMs are all playing “one big poker game” leading up to the deadline, according to Friedman.

Trade deadline aside, Friedman chatted about the MVP race this season. With Brent Burns sitting between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby at the top of the scoring race, Friedman predicted a scoring title would guarantee an MVP title for Burns. However, he also said that if Edmonton makes the playoffs, then Friedman “doesn’t know how [he’s] not going to vote for Connor McDavid.”

Another consideration is goal scoring. Both Burns and Crosby are outscoring McDavid considerably, but Friedman pointed out that McDavid has clearly put the Oilers on his shoulders and elevated them to a playoff team.

Colorado Avalanche| Dallas Stars| Edmonton Oilers| Joe Sakic| Marc Bergevin| Minnesota Wild| Montreal Canadiens| Philadelphia Flyers| Pittsburgh Penguins| Players| San Jose Sharks| Transactions Ales Hemsky| Brent Burns| Connor McDavid| Dale Weise| Elliotte Friedman| Johnny Oduya| Matt Duchene| Olli Maatta| Patrick Sharp

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Gustav Nyquist Receives Six Game Suspension

February 15, 2017 at 4:40 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

Bob McKenzie of TSN was first to report on Twitter that Detroit Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist has been given a six-game suspension for his high stick on the Minnesota Wild’s Jared Spurgeon this weekend. This comes after Nyquist waived his right to an in-person hearing that came with an expected minimum of six games. Because the Red Wings have a mandated bye-week starting a week from today, he’ll be eligible to return March 4th against the Edmonton Oilers.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweets that it will cost Nyquist $158,333.33 in salary, though that amount will still count against the Red Wings’ cap. Gustav Nyquist

His suspension comes on the heels of Antoine Vermette receiving a ten-game ban for a much less violent stick infraction. That incident came with a automatic minimum suspension of 10 games, because it involved an official. The six game suspension is tied for the second longest suspension this season with Radko Gudas for his late, high hit on Austin Czarnik back in October. Gudas was a repeat offender, while this is Nyquist’s first interaction with the Department of Player Safety.

Many fans will be surprised by this outcome, given what looked like intent to injure on Nyquist’s part. He seemed to be looking right at Spurgeon when he attacked him in a retaliatory manner—Spurgeon had cross checked him into the boards moments prior.

In the league’s official video report, the Department said that it was “not an accidental or inadvertent high stick”. Nyquist said during his phone hearing that he was trying to get his stick around Spurgeon’s body to deliver a cross check of his own. In the report, they do include that since there was no injury sustained on the play (Spurgeon would return to the game quickly after receiving stitches in the dressing room) and he had no prior history of discipline, he was given a lesser suspension.

As Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports, Ken Holland will not appeal the suspension. It sounds like Nyquist admitted fault in the hearing and will accept his punishment. Perhaps it is true that he wasn’t attempting to high-stick him, but he has to control his stick at all times. It could have easily resulted in a much more severe injury for Spurgeon.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Detroit Red Wings| Edmonton Oilers| Injury| Minnesota Wild| Newsstand Antoine Vermette| Austin Czarnik| Bob McKenzie| Gustav Nyquist| Jared Spurgeon| Radko Gudas

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Evening Transactions: Blues, Oilers, Devils, Sharks

February 14, 2017 at 4:48 pm CDT | by Ben Levine 2 Leave a Comment

News and notes from around the NHL this evening:

  • The Blues announced that they have recalled forward Wade Megan from the Chicago Wolves. The 26-year-old made his NHL debut earlier this season, scoring a goal in his first career game. In 50 games with Chicago this season, Megan has collected a league-high 23 goals to go along with 22 assists. Earlier today, the team placed forward Paul Stastny on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
  • The Oilers have activated winger Iiro Pakarinen from the injured reserve, the team announced on Twitter. This wasn’t a huge surprise, as Pakarinen was recalled earlier this week following the demotion of forward Anton Lander. After scoring five goals and compiling eight assists last year, the 25-year-old hasn’t played a single game for the Oilers this season.
  • The Devils announced (via Twitter) that they had activated defender Jon Merrill from the injured reserve. After having missed the past four games with an upper body injury, the 25-year-old is expected to play for New Jersey tonight. In 27 games this season, the former second-rounder has accounted for one goal, three assists, and 18 penalty minutes.
  • The Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate, announced (via Twitter) that they have acquired defender Alex Gudbranson on loan from the Wild. The 22-year-old has spent this season playing with the Quad City Mallards of the ECHL, where he’s compiled four goals and 11 assists in 45 games.
  • As part of their near-daily roster shuffle for cap reasons, the Sharks announced (via Twitter) that winger Timo Meier and Marcus Sorensen, as well as defenseman Tim Heed, have all been sent to their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda.  Of the three, only Meier has played a semi-regular role in the NHL this season, suiting up in 25 games while recording three goals and two assists.

Edmonton Oilers| Minnesota Wild| New Jersey Devils| San Jose Sharks| St. Louis Blues| Toronto Maple Leafs| Transactions Alex Gudbranson| Iiro Pakarinen| Jon Merrill| Marcus Sorensen| Tim Heed| Timo Meier| Wade Megan

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Trade Notes: Oilers, Krejci, Parenteau, Boyle

February 14, 2017 at 2:50 pm CDT | by Ben Levine 2 2 Comments

The Oilers are on pace to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-2006 season. As a result, there’s some pressure on general manager Peter Chiarelli to make some moves that will help the team secure that playoff birth. While the executive admitted that he doesn’t believe his team is a true Cup contender, he did provide some insight into his pre-deadline strategy.

“I really don’t want to delve into that market,” Chiarelli said (via Sportsnet’s Mark Spector). “I think there are areas we can tinker with; I think the team deserves it. We wanted to be in the conversation. We are.

“(But) we’ve made a lot of moves in the summer, and they’re coming around. I’d rather see those play out…(Deals) fall in your lap … but I don’t see being heavily involved in that market.

“I don’t think it’s the right time for this team, but having said that … once you get into the playoffs, you never know.”

As we anticipate the March 1st trade deadline, let’s explore some other trade notes from around the NHL…

  • An NHL executive told WEEI’s Jimmy Murphy that Bruins center David Krejci has been a target of multiple teams (Twitter link). However, the same sourced wondered whether the veteran could now be off the market due to his and his team’s recent play. The 30-year-old has 14 goals and 25 assists this season.
  • That same executive also told Murphy that Predators general manager David Poile has been “a lot more aggressive” over the past year, and that sentiment apparently applies to this season (Twitter link). Nashville is currently slotted in as the top wild-card team in the Western Conference.
  • It seems like P.A. Parenteau’s name has been floating in trade rumors for the better part of a year, and the Devils winger recently told Andrew Gross of NorthJersey.com that he understands that he could be on the block if the team falls further out of the playoff hunt. “I went through it last year,” Parenteau said. “I was having a really good year and I didn’t get traded. Who knows? The market changes every year. I’m aware of my age, and when I sign a one-year deal like that, if the team is going to be out of playoff contention, there’s a chance I get moved.”
  • Joe Smith of TampaBay.com tweets that he isn’t surprised at the trade talks surrounding center Brian Boyle, citing the veteran’s leadership presence in the locker room. However, Smith says these are the reasons why the Lightning should actually be looking to keep the 32-year-old. In 50 games this season, the veteran has collected 13 goals and seven assists, and he’s on pace to set career-highs in both categories.

Boston Bruins| David Poile| Edmonton Oilers| Nashville Predators| New Jersey Devils| Tampa Bay Lightning Brian Boyle| David Krejci| P-A Parenteau| Peter Chiarelli

2 comments

Bob McKenzie On Talent Outside The NHL

February 13, 2017 at 6:59 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

In his latest piece, Bob McKenzie of TSN breaks down two players who may be under NHL contract in a few months. First, is Josh Healey who has made an impact on the NCAA ranks in a few different ways. His bone-crushing hits have been felt across the country, with the league even suspending him twice now. One executive that McKenzie quotes says that he “hits too hard for college hockey” and he really does. Even if he’ll never be a top-pairing guy in the NHL, his skating ability and physical presence has basically every team in the league considering signing him when his season at Ohio State finishes.

Healey headlines what is an underwhelming NCAA class, but he will create somewhat of a bidding war regardless. He has attended the summer development camps of the Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers in the past, and all three should be expected to be in the conversation for him this spring. Other teams—like the defense-strapped Toronto Maple Leafs—will surely have a conversation with him as well.

The other player McKenzie mentions is 25-year old Jakub Jerabek, a Czech defenseman who has been turning heads all year. Though he had several successful years in the Czech men’s league prior to this year, it’s the transition to the KHL and a higher level of competition that has NHL scouts considering him. With 32 points in 56 games and a strong offensive skillset, he’ll likely earn a contract if he chooses to come to North America. As McKenzie notes, at his age he’ll only be able to sign a one-year entry-level contract, like Nikita Zaitsev of the Maple Leafs this past summer.

Calgary Flames| Edmonton Oilers| KHL| NCAA| NHL| Nashville Predators| Players| Toronto Maple Leafs Bob McKenzie

5 comments

Minor Transactions: 2/12/2017

February 12, 2017 at 11:52 am CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

The Washington Capitals rewarded rookie Zach Sanford for scoring his first NHL goal, the game-winner in their 6-4 defeat of the Anaheim Ducks yesterday, by sending him back down to the AHL. The Capitals announced this morning that they have reassigned Sanford to the Hershey Bears. Of course, the team is entering its bye week, so his demotion is not so much a reflection of his performance, as it is an effort to get him some more ice time while the NHL squad takes a break. The first-year pro has just two points in 21 games with Washington this season, but has 14 points in Hershey.

Sanford was nearly a point-per-game player for the Boston College Eagles last year, scoring 39 points in 41 games as a sophomore. A 2013 second-round pick of the Capitals, he chose to leave BC early this summer and get an early start on his pro career. The Eagles have felt the effect of his and others decisions to depart the team, leaving BC without a single junior on the squad. Sanford joined defenseman Steven Santini and forward Miles Wood of the New Jersey Devils, forwards Alex Tuch and Adam Gilmour of the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks goalie prospect Thatcher Demko, and Florida Panthers defenseman Ian McCoshen as former Eagles who skipped out on the 2016-17 NCAA season. While Boston College still sits atop the Hockey East Conference with a 13-4-1 record so far, their overall record of 18-9-2 going into this week had them ranked 7th overall, behind local rivals like Boston University and Harvard, and following losses to BU and Merrimack, they should fall even farther down the ranks.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • As expected, Ottawa Senators goalie Andrew Hammond cleared waivers and has been reassigned to the AHL’s Binghamton Senators, according to the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch. It’s been a monumental career collapse for Hammond, who is just two years removed from posting an unreal .941 save percentage and 1.79 goals against average in 24 games in his rookie season with the Senators. Hammond’s numbers tailed off some last year, but he was still impressive. No one could have predicted that through six games in 2016-17, the young keeper would have an abysmal .837 goals against average and 4.08 goals against average. Whether it’s due to injury or mechanical problems or even just the stress of the fluid state of Craig Anderson’s availability and the competition with newcomer Mike Condon, Hammond has not performed like himself at all this year and no team was willing to take a chance on him at this time. It’s unfortunate for Hammond, who likely needs a change of scenery, but has never played well in the AHL and would be better served to sit on the bench with another NHL team for a while.
  • The Montreal Canadiens announced last night that they have demoted forward Daniel Carr to the St. John’s Ice Caps of the AHL. Carr has two goals and seven assists in 33 games with the Habs this season, but is still trying to carve out a permanent role for himself on the team.  The move opens up a roster spot for them to activate right winger Brendan Gallagher off IR.
  • The Los Angeles Kings also made a move late last night, reassigning defenseman Paul LaDue to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. LaDue made his NHL debut last Tuesday and recorded his first NHL point on Thursday, but will head back to the minors with just those two games under his belt. A member of the NCAA champion University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux last year, LaDue capped off a third straight season of about 20 points in 41 games, and has maintained that pace in the AHL with 18 points through 36 games with Ontario in 2016-17.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have again sent down forward Anton Lander to the AHL. Once considered to be surefire NHL regular, Lander has struggled all season long in Edmonton, scoring just one goal and three assists in 22 games. When Lander has spent time with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, scoring has been no problem, but he has not been able to translate that success to the next level. In his stead, the Oilers have recalled Iiro Pakarinen. Like Lander, Pakarinen was expected to be a contributor in Edmonton after playing in 63 games last season. However, he managed to score just 13 points in that time, and in response has seen no NHL action yet in 2016-17. With Lander not capitalizing on his chances, it seems likely that GM Peter Chiarelli has decided to give Pakarinen another shot.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they’ve sent winger Erik Condra and center Gabriel Dumont to Syracuse of the AHL.  Condra has been held off the scoresheet in 13 NHL games this season but has been better in the minors with 26 points in 29 contests.  As for Dumont, he has ten points in 19 games with the Crunch plus a pair of points in 14 contests with Tampa Bay.  With the team off on their bye week until Saturday, this will give them a chance to stay in game shape before likely being recalled later in the week.

More to come.

AHL| Edmonton Oilers| Los Angeles Kings| Montreal Canadiens| NCAA| Ottawa Senators| Tampa Bay Lightning| Transactions| Waivers| Washington Capitals Andrew Hammond| Anton Lander| Daniel Carr| Erik Condra| Gabriel Dumont| Peter Chiarelli| Zach Sanford

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