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Yakupov Traded to St. Louis Blues

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Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos and John Shannon confirm that Nail Yakupov has been traded to the St. Louis Blues for prospect Zach Pochiro and a conditional 2017 3rd round pick. Both Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson and Blues beatwriter Jeremy Rutherford reported earlier this evening that the St. Louis Blues were the front-runners for Edmonton Oilers’ much-maligned prospect.

The former first overall pick has not lived up to expectations in Edmonton, scoring only 50G and 61A in 252 career games. Last season was his worst statistically as he scored only 8G and 15A in 60 games. Yakupov is a RFA next summer as he plays out the final year of his $2.5MM a year contract. The move gives Edmonton over $11MM in cap space. Conversely, the Blues will only have just under $1.5MM in cap space after this trade.

The conditional 3rd rounder will become a 2nd in 2018 if Yakupov scored at least 15 goals, reports John Shannon. Forward Zach Pochiro, the prospect acquired by Edmonton, spent most of last season in the ECHL. He scored 9G and 17A in 44 games for the Quad City Mallards.

Yakupov was linked to the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday, and TSN’s Bob MacKenzie reported that Yakupov requested a trade. The Blues were not publically tied to Yakupov trade talks this offseason.

 

Training Camp Cuts: 10.07.16

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It’s the final week of training camp, and teams are close to naming their opening night rosters. In order to do that, there are still a handful of cuts to be made.

Here are the cuts made on Friday, October 7, 2016:

Anaheim Ducks (via team release):
C Kalle Kossila (assigned to San Diego, AHL)
D Brandon Montour (assigned to San Diego, AHL)
D Shea Theodore (assigned to San Diego, AHL)

Boston Bruins (via Chris Johnston):
C Zac Rinaldo (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Providence, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (via Bill Hoppe):
D Tyson Strachan (to Rochester, AHL)
C Cal O’Reilly (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Rochester, AHL)
D Taylor Fedun (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (via Chris Johnston):
C Linden Vey (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Stockton, AHL)
D Tyler Wotherspoon (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Stockton, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (via Mike Morreale):
G Anton Forsberg (assigned to Cleveland, AHL)
LW Markus Hännikäinen (assigned to Cleveland, AHL)
LW Sonny Milano (assigned to Cleveland, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via Frank Seravalli):
D Griffin Reinhart (assigned to Bakersfield, AHL)

Nashville Predators (via Chris Johnston):
LW Austin Watson (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Milwaukee, AHL)

New York Rangers (via Steve Zipay):
C Gabriel Fontaine (assigned to Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL)
LW Nathan Gerbe (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Hartford, AHL)
LW Tanner Glass (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Hartford, AHL)
C Cristoval “Boo” Nieves (assigned to Hartford, AHL)
G Magnus Hellberg (assigned to Hartford, AHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (via team Twitter):
C Jake Guentzel (assigned to Wilkes-Barre, AHL)
RW Carter Rowney (assigned to Wilkes-Barre, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release):
F Kenny Agostino (to Chicago, AHL)
F Ivan Barbashev (to Chicago, AHL)
F Samuel Blais (to Chicago, AHL)
D Jordan Schmaltz (to Chicago, AHL)
G Jordan Binnington (to Chicago, AHL)
D Mike Weber (released)

More to come…

Training Camp Battles: Jets, Blue Jackets, Caggiula, Chabot

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Jets coach Paul Maurice isn’t ruling out carrying three goalies (Ondrej Pavelec, Michael Hutchinson, and Connor Hellebuyck) to start the season, writes Paul Friesen of the Winnipeg Sun.  Hellebuyck is viewed as Winnipeg’s goalie of the future but is the only waiver exempt goalie of the three.  It’s uncommon but not rare for teams to carry three (the Islanders did for the bulk of last year) as not only does it mean that one is in the press box every night, it also prevents the team from carrying another extra skater which is often more desirable.

Pavelec is entering the final year of his contract which carries a cap hit of $3.9MM.  However, he struggled last year with a save percentage of just .904 with a GAA of 2.78 which would make it very difficult to trade him.

Hutchinson, meanwhile, signed a two year deal this offseason with a more manageable cap charge of $1.15MM.  While his numbers weren’t much better than Pavelec’s last year (a slightly worse GAA while being three points higher in save percentage), he likely slots in as the backup moving forward and doesn’t appear to be a candidate to be traded.

If they do keep all three up to start, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Winnipeg shuffle Hellebuyck back and forth between their AHL affiliate, who plays out of the same area as the Jets.

Other training camp battles to follow:

  • Still with goaltenders, there is a battle brewing for the number two job with Columbus, notes Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch. Sergei Bobrovsky is the surefire starter but incumbent Curtis McElhinney plus youngsters Anton Forsberg and Joonas Korpisalo are both in the mix as well.  Of the three, only the 33 year old McElhinney would have to clear waivers.  Forsberg has had the best preseason but if the team decides that it’s best for their young players to play more in the AHL than dress as the backup with the big club, they may opt to keep the veteran around to start the season and see if one of the youngsters forces his way into the role midseason or as a spot starter.
  • Edmonton rookie center Drake Caggiula has turned heads at camp, writes Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun. The Oilers signed the small but highly coveted college UFA late last season and he has made a run at a roster spot.  Tychkowski opines that his strong play could allow the team to bump Leon Draisaitl up to the wing to further strengthen their second line.
  • 19 year old defenseman Thomas Chabot has made the opening Ottawa roster, according to a tweet from his junior team in Saint John.  Chabot was Ottawa’s top pick in 2015 (18th overall) and had 45 points in 47 games at the QMJHL level last season.  He’s eligible to play in nine NHL games before burning the first year of his entry-level contract.

Blackhawks Interested In Nail Yakupov

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TSN’s Bob McKenzie notes (Twitter links) that Chicago has shown some interest in trading for Edmonton Oilers right winger Yakupov but that no deal is imminent.  Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal recently wondered if Yakupov would find himself in the press box to start the season after a not-so-strong training camp.

Yakupov was the first overall pick of the Oilers back in 2012 but has failed to live up to the hype.  His best season came in his rookie year – the lockout-shortened campaign, where he had 31 points in 48 games.  Since then, he hasn’t to come close to the half a point per game mark.  Last season, he had just eight goals and 15 assists in 60 games while playing a career low 14:13 per game.

The 23 year old is entering the second and final year of a two year bridge deal that carries a cap hit of $2.5MM.  That makes it intriguing that the Blackhawks are showing interest as they have been perpetually cap-strapped as of late and this year will likely be no exception once they fill out the rest of their roster.  (Cap Friendly has them with roughly $4.4MM in space but only 19 players on the roster.)  However, Chicago is lacking in experienced forward depth and would likely be able to use Yakupov inside their top nine and there’s no denying that Yakupov has some offensive upside in him.

[Related: Blackhawks Depth Chart]

Sportsnet’s Mark Spector adds that Chicago would likely be sending AHL player(s) to the Oilers in return and would also require Edmonton to retain some of his cap charge if they can reach an agreement on a deal.  Spector also notes that the belief is that GM Peter Chiarelli would like to get something done before start of the regular season next week.

Oilers Name McDavid Team Captain

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As expected, the Edmonton Oilers have announced that Connor McDavid will be the team’s captain for the 2016-17 season and likely well beyond. At just 19-years-old, McDavid becomes the youngest team captain in NHL history, as the team tweeted, edging out Vincent Lecavalier for the honor by about six weeks.

The top overall selection in the 2015 draft, McDavid has the potential to be a generational talent. McDavid was one of only five players last season to average better than a point-per-game, tallying 48 in 45 contests as a rookie. It’s likely had he not missed nearly half the season due to injury that he would have been an easy choice for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie.

Despite his youth, McDavid appears perfectly suited for the role of captain. He served in the same capacity for both his junior club, the Erie Otters, and for Team North America at the World Cup.

In addition to giving McDavid the “C,” the Oilers also appointed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jordan Eberle and Milan Lucic as alternates.

While it’s a near-certainty McDavid will soon be one of, if not the best hockey player on the planet, it remains to be seen whether he can finally lead the long-suffering Oilers back to the postseason in 2016-17. The Oilers have long boasted tremendous talent and skill but have failed to reach the playoffs in a decade. After several high-profile offseason acquisitions and with their best player now leading the way, Edmonton looks poised to make a jump in the standings.

Professional Try-Outs Remaining In Camp

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We’re now two weeks into training camp, and there are still a handful of professional try-out contracts (PTOs) remaining in camp. With the difficult economic situation in the NHL, these veterans have been forced to take PTOs to try earn contracts.

Here’s an updated list:

Anaheim Ducks:
LW Sean Bergenheim
G Yann Danis
C Kyle MacKinnon

Boston Bruins:
D Christian Ehrhoff

Calgary Flames:
D Nicklas Grossmann
LW Chris Higgins
LW Lauri Korpikoski

Colorado Avalanche:
RW Gabriel Bourque
LW Rene Bourque

Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Brad Thiessen

Detroit Red Wings:
D Nathan Paetsch

Edmonton Oilers:
D Eric Gryba
RW Kris Versteeg

Los Angeles Kings:
RW Devin Setoguchi

Minnesota Wild:
LW Ryan Carter

New Jersey Devils:
G Anders Lindback

New York Islanders:
C Stephen Gionta

St. Louis Blues:
D Mike Weber

Toronto Maple Leafs:
LW Rich Clune
D Raman Hrabarenka
LW Brandon Prust
C Colin Smith

Vancouver Canucks:
RW Jack Skille
RW Tuomo Ruutu

Information via Cap Friendly.

Oilers’ Hendricks To Miss “Weeks”

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The Edmonton Oilers will start the season without one of their best penalty killers and leaders.

Forward Matt Hendricks left the Oilers’ Tuesday night win over the Anaheim Ducks in the second period with a lower-body injury. According to Oilers head coach Todd McLellan, Hendricks will miss “weeks”.

Hendricks absence, combined with Iiro Pakarinen’s serious knee injury sustained earlier this week, gives a couple of young forwards a better chance of cracking the opening night roster. Center Anton Lander, right winger Tyler Pitlick, and left winger Anton Slepyshev are battling for the 12th and 13th forward slots. Expect Lander and Pitlick to have the inside track on those jobs.

The Oilers have already suffered several injuries in training camp, with WHL-bound second-round pick Tyler Benson injuring his shoulder, Patrick Maroon and Oscar Klefbom missing short amounts of time with minor injuries, Pakarinen’s knee injury, and Brandon Davidson taking a headshot.

Training Camp Cuts: 10.05.16

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We’re now a week away from the beginning of the NHL regular season. Teams are getting closer to their final rosters, and with that comes more cuts.

Here are the cuts made on October 5, 2016:

Carolina Hurricanes (via General Fanager):
G Michael Leighton (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Charlotte, AHL)
D Keegan Lowe (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Charlotte, AHL)
C Brody Sutter (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Charlotte, AHL)
D Matt Tennyson (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Charlotte, AHL)
LW Brendan Woods (on waivers for purpose of assignment to Charlotte, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (via team release):
D Keith Aulie (released from PTO)
D Marc-Andre Bergeron (released from PTO)
RW Mike Brown (released from PTO)
C Jarret Stoll (released from PTO)
RW Daniel Zaar (assigned to Cleveland, AHL)

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Snapshots: RFA Updates, Oilers Injuries, Boyle

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Good news, Calgary Flames fans: Johnny Gaudreau isn’t interested in a trade to solve his contract impasse.

The star forward’s agent, Lewis Gross told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that they are not interested in taking the Jacob Trouba route. When asked if there’s a point where that could change, Gross reiterated that Gaudreau has “no intention of asking for a trade at this time.”

Friedman appeared on Sportsnet 960 in Calgary on Monday morning, and said while “at this time” may feel like a red flag, he “really felt” that Gaudreau has no desire to leave Calgary.

It’s not clear what both sides are looking for on a long-term deal, with the Flames likely wanting the contract to start with a six and Gaudreau wanting it to start with a seven or eight. However, Friedman believes “both sides move and this gets done.”

Friedman pointed to another high-profile RFA winger, Nikita Kucherov, as having no interest in being traded from Tampa Bay. However, the Lightning will likely have to make a trade to accommodate Kucherov’s demands.

Meanwhile, Friedman believes Arizona Coyotes winger Tobias Rieder is close to publicly requesting a trade, like Trouba did late last month. We reported last week that Rieder’s agent thinks a trade would be best for both sides.

In other news from around the hockey world:

  • The Oilers thin blue-line may be a little thinner for the near future, with Brandon Davidson being classified as day-to-day after being hit in the head by Los Angeles Kings’ winger Tanner Pearson. Pearson received a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for targeting Davidson’s head. The NHL will likely be taking a look at this one.
  • Edmonton will also be without the services of winger Iiro Pakarinen for at least a month after an ugly leg injury in Sunday night’s game. Pakarinen was battling in the corner with Kings defenseman Matt Greene when it appeared his skate caught a rut in the ice as he fell. The Finnish winger was expected to be a fourth line or extra forward in the NHL. He played 63 games with the Oilers last season, scoring 5 goals and 13 points.
  • With the news of Barret Jackman’s retirement coming on Monday, TSN’s Darren Dreger expects another veteran defenseman in Dan Boyle to announce his retirement sometime this week with the help of the San Jose Sharks.

Training Camp Cuts: 10.03.16

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With just over a week towards the start of the NHL regular season, teams are continuing to pare down their rosters.

Here are Monday’s cuts:

Anaheim Ducks (via team release):
LW David Booth (released from PTO)
RW David Jones (released from PTO)
LW Max Jones (to London, OHL)
LW Antoine Laganiere (released from PTO, will report to San Diego, AHL)

Calgary Flames (via NHL.com):
D Ryan Culkin (to Stockton, AHL)
RW Matt Frattin (to Stockton, AHL)
G Jon Gillies (to Stockton, AHL)
D Mikhail Grigorev (released from PTO)
C Mark Jankowski (to Stockton, AHL)
LW Morgan Klimchuk (to Stockton, AHL)
D Oliver Kylington (to Stockton, AHL)
RW Emile Poirier (to Stockton, AHL)
D Colby Robak (released from PTO)

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