Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Panthers Rumors

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/30/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

West Division

  • Late Monday, the Vegas Golden Knights made a number of roster moves, according to CapFriendly, which includes recalling forward Cody Glass and defenseman Dylan Coughlan, while also calling up goaltender Oskar Dansk on an emergency loan. Dansk was just filling in for Marc-Andre Fleury who got the day off. The team also called up forward Dylan Sikura, defenseman Carl Dahlstrom and goaltender Logan Thompson to the taxi squad.
  • Vegas also announced it has assigned center Cody Glass to the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL, which is somewhat surprising after the forward put up an impressive performance Monday against Los Angeles. Of course, that doesn’t mean he will play a game for Henderson, but something to keep an eye on as Vegas works the salary cap before the trade deadline.

North Division

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have reassigned three players to the taxi squad, including forwards Adam Brooks and Scott Sabourin as well as defenseman Timothy Liljegren. All three played in the Toronto Marlies victory over Stockton Monday with Brooks and Liljegren each picking up goals, while Sabourin picked up a five-minute major. The team also assigned forward Nicholas Robertson and defenseman Calle Rosen to the Marlies.

Central Division

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they have recalled three players from the taxi squad to the NHL club, including forwards Zac Dalpe and Liam Foudy as well as recalling goaltender Cam Johnson on emergency conditions. That likely means that goaltender Joonas Korpisalo may not be ready to step into backup duties. After clearing waivers, the team has also assigned defenseman Scott Harrington to the taxi squad.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled forwards Givani Smith, Evgeny Svechnikov and Frans Nielson from the taxi squad, their standard roster moves before a game.
  • With a need of defensive help, the Florida Panthers announced the recall of veteran Anton Stralman to the NHL squad. The 34-year-old has three goals and nine points in 29 games this season.
  • Another day, another shuffle of forwards in Dallas. The team announced that Ty Dellandrea, Justin Dowling, and Tanner Kero have all been activated from the taxi squad, while Joel L’Esperance has been reassigned to the taxi squad. All four have been transaction fixtures this season.

East Division

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled goaltender Maxime Lagace to the taxi squad from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. After an undisclosed injury to Tristan Jarry, the team may need Lagace closer to home. To make room on the taxi squad, the team has send forward Jonathan Gruden to the WBS Penguins.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Central Notes: Tortorella, Lehtonen, Barkov, McDonagh

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen wasn’t too happy about the two-game sweep the team endured over the weekend to the lowly Detroit Red Wings. In fact, the GM is quite frustrated with the team’s struggles.

“It’s shocking,” Kekalainen said. “Especially to think that we played some of our best hockey just before that (vs. Carolina). To go to Detroit and play like that, get beaten like that twice in a row, is not good.”

However, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required) writes that despite the fact that John Tortorella is in the final year of his contract and is likely moving on at the end of the year, the team doesn’t seem intent on removing their head coach.

“It doesn’t look like a team, that’s the way I would put,” Kekalainen said. “I’m sure (Tortorella) is as frustrated as anybody right now. I’ve said it before: It can’t all fall on one guy. Players should have enough professional pride to always try to be at their best, play for the team, play for the logo and play for the organization. Right now we’re not looking like a team like that.”

  • Sticking with the Blue Jackets, defenseman Mikko Lehtonen will make his Columbus debut, according to Portzline. The blueliner was acquired from Toronto for goalie prospect Veini Vehvilainen on March 12 and has now passed through quarantine. The highly-touted offensive defenseman was a big signing by Toronto during the offseason, but couldn’t work his way into the lineup there, appearing in just nine games with three assists.
  • Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville told reporters that star center Aleksander Barkov should return to the team shortly, according to NHL.com’s Jameson Olive. While Barkov was not on the ice Tuesday, Quenneville said he expects him to return at some point during the team’s four-game homestand. Barkov has missed four straight games with a lower-body injury.
  • Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh was on the ice for practice Tuesday with the team. However, the blueliner, who has missed three straight games due to a lower-body injury, wasn’t a full participant, rotating in at different times during drills, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith. That would suggest that while McDonagh is close to returning to the lineup, he is likely still a few days away from returning to game action

Florida Panthers Looking For Defensemen After Ekblad Injury

at CDT | by 13 Comments

5:00pm: Frank Seravalli of TSN is reporting that Ekblad will require surgery to repair a broken left leg and is out for the rest of the season.

2:35pm: Last week, the Florida Panthers waived veteran defenseman Anton Stralman and moved him off the active roster. It seemed the team had made the decision that Stralman no longer ranked among the team’s best six defensemen, so he was moved to the taxi squad to open up a little more cap space. After all, the team had Aaron Ekblad to carry the right side, logging more than 25 minutes a night and playing the best hockey of his career. The team could afford to take their time and shop around at the deadline for a top-four improvement, knowing that Ekblad could carry the load.

Then last night happened.

Ekblad, chasing a loose puck in the Dallas Stars end, got his feet tangled with Esa Lindell and fell awkwardly on his left leg. In a mostly-empty arena, you could hear the Florida defenseman cry out in pain immediately and stay down clutching his knee. The play was stopped and a stretcher was brought out to take Ekblad off the ice.

As Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writes in his latest 31 Thoughts column, it appears to be a long-term injury for Ekblad, which will change the challenge for Florida as the deadline approaches. The insider reports that the team was already looking to add a defenseman, but the injury “will add to the urgency” of the search.

Quite frankly, it will be impossible for the Panthers to really replace Ekblad, given how well he has been playing this season. Before last night he had played at least 21 minutes in every single one of his 34 appearances his season, including twice coming just a few seconds shy of the 30-minute mark. His 11 goals have him tied for first among defensemen and his 22 points were good enough for fifth on the Panthers roster.

Selected first overall in 2014, Ekblad has dealt with concussion and neck injuries in the past that have detoured his career path, but things finally were starting to come together once again. After turning 25 in February, he looked like a truly elite option that could anchor a top pairing for years to come.

That kind of player isn’t available on the trade market, though Mattias Ekholm of the Nashville Predators perhaps comes closest. Others like Vince Dunn have been linked to the Panthers in the past and it remains to be seen if the team is now looking for multiple additions. The Panthers of course still won that game against the Stars with ease, taking their record to 22-9-4. That’s just a few points out of first place in the entire NHL, meaning the time seemed right for a deadline push. Whether Ekblad’s injury will make them reconsider or buy even more aggressively will likely come down to price.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Taxi Squad Shuffle: 03/28/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

There has been plenty of roster movement between NHL teams and the taxi squad on a daily basis this season. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of that shuffle news each day:

North Division

  • The Ottawa Senators got the day started on the transaction wire with the swap of two forward prospects, partially reversing the moves they made yesterday. The team announced that Alex Formenton has been recalled from AHL Belleville and assigned to the taxi squad. In a corresponding move, Jack Kopacka has been reassigned from the squad to the minors. Formenton has played in two games with Ottawa so far this year, while Kopacka has spent time on the active roster but has yet to make his Senators debut.
  • Veini Vehvilainen has finally joined the Toronto Maple Leafs after completing his mandating quarantine period. The young goaltender, acquired earlier this month from the Columbus Blue Jackets, has been assigned to the taxi squad, with prospect Ian Scott returning to the AHL Marlies. Vehvilainen’s arrival comes at a good time; starter Frederik Andersen remains sidelined and replacement Jack Campbell was given a rest day, so Vehvilainen and Michael Hutchinson were the only goaltenders in attendance at Leafs practice today. Should the Maple Leafs suffer another injury in net, Vehvilainen is now the next man up with the other three goalies already on the active roster.

East Division

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins are set to wrap up a homestand on Monday before heading out on the road and are taking the opportunity to switch out their taxi squad personnel. Forwards Jordy Bellerive and Josh Currie have been reassigned to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Without announcing any corresponding move, this likely bodes well for the health of numerous Penguins forward currently sidelined by injury or on the COVID Protocol list.
  • The Buffalo Sabres will give young goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forward Brett Murray some play time, reassigning the duo from the practice squad to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Luukkonen, considered the Sabres’ starter of the future, has played in eight AHL games so far this season but could get his first look with the top club before the end of the year. Murray is also looking to make his NHL debut; the 2016 fourth-round pick took a circuitous route to the pros but has nevertheless proven himself to be an effective player in the AHL and could soon get a chance in Buffalo.

Central Division

  • While the Maple Leafs have added former Blue Jacket Vehvilainen to their practice squad, Columbus has gone one step further today by recalling the other side of that recent trade, defenseman Mikko Lehtonen, to the active roster. Lehtonen, a prolific KHL offensive defenseman, recorded three points in nine games with Toronto before the trade, but the Blue Jackets hope that they can put him in a position to be more productive among their deep group of dependable defenders. Forward Stefan Matteau will be taking Lehtonen’s spot on the taxi squad, while promising young forward Liam Foudy will also join the squad after being promoted from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters.
  • The Dallas Stars announced they have swapped a pair of forwards. The team has recalled Nicholas Caamano from the taxi squad and have assigned Justin Dowling to the taxi squad.
  • The Florida Panthers announced they have moved forward Aleksi Heponiemi from the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL to the team’s taxi squad. The diminutive forward has four assists in three games for Syracuse and has an assist in three games for the Panthers this season.
  • The Nashville Predators announced they have recalled goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo from the taxi squad under emergency circumstances as starter Juuse Saros is out and listed as day-to-day. Defenseman David Farrance, who just signed his entry-level deal, has been assigned to the taxi squad. The team also has sent defenseman Jeremy Davies to the taxi squad. Nashville also announced that the teams 2020 second-round pick, Luke Evangelista has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL since the OHL still hasn’t begun their season.

West Division

  • As they embark on a road trip, the Minnesota Wild have called in reinforcements up front in Luke Johnson. The veteran AHLer has been recalled to the taxi squad from AHL Iowa, where he has only played in two games this season versus six with Minnesota. A taxi squad fixture, Johnson has been a reliable depth piece for the Wild this year.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have assigned defenseman Jordan Gross to the taxi squad.

Anton Stralman Clears Waivers

at CDT | by 7 Comments

Saturday: As expected, Stralman has cleared waivers, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.

Friday: The Florida Panthers are in a position to compete for the Stanley Cup, and now may be trying to clear a little cap room for the stretch run. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the team has placed Anton Stralman on waivers today. The veteran defenseman carries a $5.5MM cap hit through the 2021-22 season, $1.075MM of which can be buried if placed on the taxi squad.

Because of that contract, exposing Stralman to the rest of the league comes with virtually no risk. There aren’t any teams out there looking to bring in that much money for a veteran nearing the end of his career, even if Stralman does have plenty of playoff experience. In fact, even the Panthers aren’t playing him every night, and when they do he is receiving fewer and fewer minutes. After averaging more than 20 minutes in each of the last six seasons, Stralman has only cracked 18 once since the start of March. Last night in a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, he played just 14:18.

The simple fact is that the Panthers have better options than the 34-year-old at this point and could even be potentially looking to bring more in at the deadline. The team recently sent Noah Juulsen to the AHL on a conditioning loan, meaning he is nearly back from injury, and there are other names more deserving of the nightly ice time.

Still, waiving Stralman doesn’t mean they’re cutting him. Once he clears, the team will be able to move him back and forth from the taxi squad between games to bank additional cap space while still using him whenever necessary. There’s also the chance another team could be interested if the Panthers retain salary, especially should he clear waivers.

It’s been a great career for the veteran defenseman, even if it is approaching the end. The 216th-overall pick in 2005 by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Stralman proved everyone wrong when he reached the NHL as a regular just a few years later. Now, after 847 regular season games and 108 more postseason contests, he may be shifting to a part-time role with the contending Panthers.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Deadline Primer: Florida Panthers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Although we’re just two months into the season, the trade deadline is already less than a month away.  Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers are in an unusual position. Usually a team that is either standing pat or selling, the team has taken a whole new level under head coach Joel Quenneville, becoming a dominant team in the East as they sit just two points behind first-place Tampa Bay with the Carolina Hurricanes just one point behind them. However, no other team is particularly close behind those three teams, practically guaranteeing them a playoff spot. The question is, however, can they get out of the East?

Record

20-6-4, 44 points, 2nd in Central Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$8.48MM in full-season space ($15.98MM at the trade deadline), 1/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: FLR 1st, FLR 2nd, FLR 3rd, FLR 4th, FLR 5th, FLR 6th, FLR 7th, WIN 7th
2022: FLR 1st, FLR 2nd, FLR 3rd, FLR 4th, FLR 5th, FLR 6th, FLR 7th

Trade Chips

The Panthers best asset is someone who isn’t even signed to a contract. The team let forward Henrik Borgstrom leave for the Liiga this offseason, but still retain the restricted free agent’s rights. The once-highly touted prospect has struggled in the Panthers organization despite his incredible success in two years at the University of Denver. Borgstrom played in 50 games for Florida during the 2018-19 season, playing mostly a third-line role, scoring eight goals and 18 points. The belief last year was that Borgstrom would move up into the lineup and improve on those numbers. Instead, he spent most of the season with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL, where he struggled and was rumored to be unhappy with his role. Regardless, he is still a player that has value and could be a valuable chip for a rebuilding team that could use a player that could immediately step into an NHL lineup. With HIFK Helsinki in the Liiga, the 23-year-old Borgstrom has 11 goals and 19 points in 27 games.

Florida also has a full complement of draft picks over the next two years, another way to pry a veteran player loose from selling teams. The team has drafted in the late lottery in the past few years, but now will be drafting much later. That makes those picks much more tradeable with many teams eager to get their hands on any first-rounder.

Others to Watch For: F Brett Connolly ($2.43MM, 2023 UFA); F Aleksi Heponiemi ($925K, 2022 RFA); D Keith Yandle ($6.35MM, 2023 UFA)

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Forward – The Panthers have been quite successful this season and have done it with a number of players who normally wouldn’t have been considered top-six players a year ago, including Patric Hornqvist and Alexander Wennberg. The team could use a big boost if they could add a significant piece to their top-six, which would allow either Hornqvist or Wennberg to move a line back and fortify the team’s depth. The team could definitely use more experience up front, pushing one of those two down to the third line. Of course, Hornqvist has been thriving this year with 11 goals and 24 points in 30 games, suggesting the team might be better off looking to add a center instead, but the team could certainly look to add more offense, no matter what it adds.

2) Top-Four Defenseman – The Panthers might want to make a play for a top-four defenseman who can play next to Aaron Ekblad. There are rumors that the team is looking at young players like Vince Dunn and Dante Fabbro as potential long-term pieces to the franchise. Florida does have a significant number of prospects, if they are willing to move them, to acquire a core piece and give the team extra defensive depth, even if they are 11th in the NHL in goals allowed.

Anthony Duclair And Anton Stralman Expected To Return Tonight

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • The Panthers will have winger Anthony Duclair and defenseman Anton Stralman back in their lineup tonight against Chicago, relays George Richards of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link). Duclair has done relatively well in his first season with Florida, picking up two goals and eight assists in 19 games and had missed the last six games with a lower-body injury.  Meanwhile, Stralman, who had missed four straight with a lower-body issue of his own, sits third among Florida blueliners in ATOI at 20:09 per contest.

Markus Nutivaara And Anthony Duclair Expected To Play On Upcoming Road Trip

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • Panthers defenseman Markus Nutivaara and winger Anthony Duclair will accompany the team on their five-game road trip, reports Jameson Olive of Florida’s team website (Twitter link), suggesting the veterans are nearing a return. Nutivaara has missed the last nine games with an upper-body injury while Duclair missed his first game Monday due to a lower-body issue but it appears he won’t be out for long.

Florida Panthers To Sign Logan Hutsko To Entry-Level Contract

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Mar 1: The Panthers had to wait until March to officially announce the deal because the two-year, entry-level contract will begin in the 2021-22 season. Panthers GM Bill Zito released a short statement on him:

Throughout Logan’s collegiate career, he displayed unmatched determination and character. He possesses a dynamic level of skill, coupled with great pace and compete. We are excited for Logan’s future and look forward to his continued development in our organization.

Feb 11: Logan Hutsko’s season came to a surprising end this week after it was reported that a lingering ankle injury would keep him out for the remainder of the campaign. A senior at Boston College, Hutsko had the option to return for a fifth season due to the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility to current athletes. He also could have waited until August to become an unrestricted free agent and sign with any NHL team. Instead, he will do neither. The Panthers prospect has committed to the team that drafted him, as TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that Hutsko has agreed to terms on an entry-level contract with Florida.

Hutsko, a Florida native, is a quality addition to the pipeline for the Panthers. The 22-year-old has been a top contributor at Boston College in each of his four years. In fact, it was Hutsko’s near point-per-game freshman season that got him selected by Florida in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft. Were it not for injuries, he likely would have been selected even higher. While Hutsko has had some durability issues throughout his young career, he has still managed to record 101 points in 114 games as a top scorer for one of the top programs in the nation.

A product of Shattuck St. Mary’s, the U.S. National Team Development Program, and the historic Boston College program, Hutsko has had an elite developmental path and the result is a polished prospect. While his skill and skating may not be first class, his hockey IQ and work ethic certainly are. With a mature game and the versatility to play center or right wing, Hutsko should have the opportunity to push for a role in Florida sooner rather than later. As long as he can stay healthy, Hutsko may even find a permanent place in the Panthers lineup in no time.

Brett Connolly Clears Waivers

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Mar 1: Like almost every other skater this season, Connolly has cleared waivers. He can now be assigned to the taxi squad or sent to the minor leagues.

Feb 28: The Florida Panthers put forward Brett Connolly on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. The one-time Stanley Cup champion with the Washington Capitals has struggled in Florida this year as the team hopes to move him to their taxi squad if he goes unclaimed.

The 28-year-old forward has put up just one goal and three points in 16 games with Florida this year, which likely isn’t good enough for head coach Joel Quenneville, who is trying to build a winner in Florida. Connolly has been relegated to fourth-line duties and now has been scratched four of the last five games.

Connolly is just another veteran who finds himself on waivers. The forward helped lead Washington to the Stanley Cup title back in 2018. He then took his game up a level with Washington the next season, scoring career-highs with 22 goals and 46 points in his free-agent year. The Panthers swooped in and signed him to a four-year, $14MM contract in the summer of 2019. He posted solid numbers in his first year under Quenneville, scoring 19 goals and 33 points. However, this year has been a totally different story.

Connolly, despite his experience as a solid bottom-six forward, isn’t a likely candidate to be claimed due to his $3.5MM AAV and the fact that he has another two years on his contract after this year. That should be enough to scare teams away from claiming him.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top