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Minor Transactions: 8/10/17

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It may be August, but hockey transactions are still ongoing. While the major names on the NHL free agent market appear to still be in a holding pattern, AHL teams have begun to fill out their rosters with minor leagues deals. The result has been a recent influx of minor news, both of AHL signings and those with less luck finding a contract in North America signing overseas. Here’s a rundown of today’s minor moves:

  • NHL veteran Jeremy Morin is headed to the KHL, but not to one of the league’s more well-known clubs. Morin has instead signed on with HC Yugra, a relatively new team to the KHL based in the small ski town of Khanty-Mansiysk. Yugra entered the KHL in 2010 and, after qualifying for the postseason in its first two seasons, has not been back to the playoffs since. Part of Yugra’s struggle may be related to a lack of a diverse lineup. Yugra was one of only three KHL teams in 2016-17 to field a roster of players entirely of Russian decent. By bringing in Morin, the team is finally branching out and may have a foreigner even be its best player next season. Morin, 26, is a 2009 second-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers, but is most well-known as a Chicago Blackhawks prospect after being dealt to the team as part of the return for Dustin Byfuglien back in 2010. Morin skated in 54 games for Chicago between 2010 and 2014, registering 16 points, while also suiting up for over 200 games with their AHL affiliate, the Rockford Ice Hogs. In 2014, Morin was traded away to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Tim Erixon. That kicked off a chain of events wherein Morin was dealt four more times in the last three years, including as part of the package back to Chicago for Brandon Saad, notoriously as the return to Toronto for Richard Panik, and alongside James Reimer to the San Jose Sharks. Unable to find a long-term home, Morin signed on with the Tampa Bay Lightning last summer, looking for a fresh start. Instead, the Lightning also traded him, as he was moved to the Arizona Coyotes in February. Likely sick of the uncertainty that the NHL has showed him in his career, Morin is on the move to Russia, where the ability that has made him a valuable trade chip may finally get a chance to shine for a full season.
  • Recent Chicago Wolves defenseman Kevin Tansey is also on the move. The former Clarkson University standout drew immediate attention in the AHL upon graduating in 2016, jumping right into 11 games with the Binghamton Senators, Ottawa’s AHL affiliate, at the tail end of the 2015-16 season. He expected similar excitement when he joined Chicago for this past campaign, but instead he was buried on the depth chart, skating in only 19 games. The rest of the year, Tansey played for the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks, where he was clearly out of place among inferior talent. Tansey, not known for his offensive ability, managed to record 31 points in 44 ECHL games, showing that he really should be in the AHL. The Grand Rapids Griffins, fresh off a Calder Cup championship, will now give Tansey that chance. The Detroit Red Wings’ affiliate announced today that they have inked the blue liner to a one-year deal. Tansey should be eager to show what he can do in a full season of AHL action.
  • Another rearguard coming off of a big ECHL season has inked an AHL deal, but for Tim Daly it is his first foray into the next level. The former St. Cloud State shutdown defender has played the last two seasons in the ECHL, but after a lack of production in 2015-16, Daly’s numbers took off in 2016-17, as he finished with 38 points in 59 games for the Utah Grizzlies. Historically a more stay-at-home style defenseman, Daly showed his two-way ability last year and caught the eye of the Manitoba Moose, who brought him via loan for a couple of games. Apparently the Winnipeg Jets’ affiliate saw enough in that short sample to sign Daly to a one-year deal. The Moose also announced one-year extensions for forwards Kale Kessy and Elgin Pearce in addition to bringing in Daly.

Kirill Kaprizov Officially Signs With CSKA

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Though it was widely expected since last month, CSKA Moscow of the KHL has finally officially announced the signing of Minnesota Wild prospect Kirill Kaprizov to a three-year contract extension. The deal will expire in the spring of 2020. Interestingly there was some rumor this morning that Kaprizov refuted the fact that he had signed, leading Michael Russo of the Star Tribune to once again call the situation “shady.”

Kaprizov’s draft status as a fifth-round pick shouldn’t fool you, he’s an elite prospect who would likely step right into the Wild’s lineup if he were coming to North America. Instead, he’ll continue to develop in Russia where he dominated last season. Last year in his age-19 season he scored 42 points in 49 games and could battle for the league lead at some point during the contract. The move to a powerhouse like CSKA should help, especially if he is allowed to skate alongside Valeri Nichushkin and Maxim Shalunov. That young line could be one of the most dynamic in the league next season, and rack up points on a team that already went 44-8-8 last year.

Contracts can be bought out more easily in the KHL than in the NHL, meaning there is still a possibility that Kaprizov comes over to the Wild before 2020. Just as likely though is that he stays in Russia for a good part of his career, and only comes across at a later time. Since there is no transfer agreement in place between the two leagues, Minnesota will hold his draft rights in perpetuity.

It will be interesting to see if Kaprizov makes the Russian Olympic team, after he captained the World Junior team to a bronze medal last year. His nine goals and 12 points both led the tournament, and he could easily find himself contributing even alongside players like Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk.

Morning Notes: Jagr, Morin, Samsonov

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Jaromir Jagr didn’t think he’d be left out in the cold this summer, waiting for an NHL contract long into the offseason. The 45-year old spoke with NHL.com correspondent Micheal Langr and discussed the challenges he’s faced so far and what he wants to do going forward. Joking that he could play for Kladno in the Czech Republic, a team that he owns, he still has his sights set on 2,000 points in the NHL.

Jagr is actually coming off another fine season even though his goal total dropped to 16. His possession play is still elite, and despite his lack of foot speed and reputation doesn’t hurt you defensively. He could still be an extremely effective option for teams looking to round out their top six and get some help on the powerplay.

  • According to our friends at Roster Resource, Jeremy Morin has signed in the KHL for this season, leaving the North American system after several unsuccessful years. Morin was drafted 45th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, but has found little success in the professional ranks. Heading to the KHL will allow him to re-invent his game and potentially compete for a chance on the US Olympic team if he gets off to a fast start.
  • Ilya Samsonov is one of the best goaltending prospects in the world, and Washington Capitals fans will be happy to hear that he’s willing to play in the AHL if he comes across to North America next year. In a new interview with Daria Tuboltseva of Championat, Samsonov speaks about the constant communication he has with the Washington front office, and how it would be a dream to eventually play with Russian superstars like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov. Samsonov is still only 20, but has an outside chance at going to the Olympics with Team Russia because of his outstanding first two seasons in the KHL. Last year he posted a .936 save percentage and was nearly unbeatable.

Still Waiting For Nikita Zadorov Announcement

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Colorado Avalanche fans have been waiting patiently since the end of the season for news surrounding restricted free agent Nikita Zadorov. Back in July he told Sport-Express in Russia that he’d play for CSKA if he couldn’t come to an agreement with the Avalanche, as the KHL team had already offered him a lucrative contract. After a season which he flashed the potential that made him a first-round pick and centerpiece for Ryan O’Reilly, the Avalanche couldn’t accept his departure.

Earlier this month it was reported that the two sides were closing in on a two-year deal, and Alexey Schevchenko—the same reporter who conducted the interview referenced above—even went so far as to say that a deal was done. The contract would reportedly pay Zadorov $2MM per season. That number has filtered throughout the rumor mill, but has still yet to be confirmed by a North American source or announced by the team.

It does sound like Zadorov will be returning, and for good reason. The Avalanche simply can’t be as historically bad as they were last season, and the big Russian defender can be a part of the turnaround. In 56 games last season he averaged more than 19 minutes a night, and established himself as one of the most devastating open-ice checkers in the league. Now 22, Zadorov could easily take another step forward this season and start to put himself on the map among up-and-coming defensemen in the league. For a team like Colorado who is committed to a rebuild, he’ll be positioned as a key cog going forward.

Morning Notes: Wrenn, Crosby, Sochi

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Just being a second-round pick doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a shot at the NHL, and that’s what William Wrenn has had to come to grips with this offseason. After bouncing around the minor leagues for several years, the former San Jose Sharks’ pick will head to the KHL for a new chapter in his career.

Wrenn played last season with the Toronto Marlies, his fifth straight in the minor leagues since coming out of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Before that it was the University of Denver where he played just two seasons, beginning an interesting journey after being selected 43rd-overall. With Dinamo Riga next year, the 26-year old defenseman will try to prove that there’s more to his game.

  • Sidney Crosby turned 30 years old today, finishing the first part of his career with 1,027 regular season points and three Stanley Cups. Crosby has eight years remaining on his current contract meaning it may be his last one, and interestingly the Penguins will get quite the discount in a few years. Crosby is due just $9MM total in the last three seasons, making him affordable even if his play does decline rapidly in his mid-thirties.
  • After prevailing on Sunday in their first game at the Sochi Open, players for Team Canada will continue their audition for the Olympic roster with a game against Russia today. Former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Jesse Blacker scored the winner yesterday, and Justin Peters earned the shutout. The full roster for the Canadian squad can be found here.

Snapshots: Shalunov, Prust, Dorsett

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The Chicago Blackhawks were disappointed when Maxim Shalunov signed a three-year deal in the KHL, but Scott Powers of The Athletic writes that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be out of their plans for that long. As we’ve seen multiple times over the past year, KHL contracts can be terminated early to allow players to come over to the NHL.

Remember this year that an entire team’s contracts were terminated after their new owners refused to pay debts. While that’s not going to happen to Shalunov’s new team, CSKA Moscow, there are always ways around their contracts.

  • Brandon Prust will be in NHL training camp again this year, as according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider, he’ll be in Los Angeles come September. Prust spent last season playing in Germany after going through training camp with the Maple Leafs, and has been clear about his desire to return to the NHL. It’s unlikely that he’ll earn a contract, but perhaps Los Angeles will have room for a fourth-line veteran.
  • Derek Dorsett underwent surgery on his neck in December but is now on track to be ready for the start of the season. Rick Dhaliwal of NEWS 1130 in Vancouver reports that Dorsett has “no issues with his neck” and that he’s already skating to get ready for training camp. He played just 14 games for the Canucks last year, but has been a fairly effective bottom-six player for his career. In 2014-15 he set a career-high with 25 points, and will be in the lineup more than not to protect the young players Vancouver is set to use this year.

Andrej Nestrasil Signs In KHL

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According to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express, HC Neftekhimik has signed free agent forward Andrej Nestrasil for the upcoming season. Nestrasil was not issued a qualifying offer by the Carolina Hurricanes this spring after a scathing interview he gave in the Czech Republic in which he said “I’m done here, 100%. I do not want to continue here.”

Nestrasil played just 19 games for the Hurricanes last season, bouncing up and down constantly from the minor leagues as an injury replacement, but spending the majority of his time in the AHL. The 26-year old was a third-round pick by Detroit in 2009, but hasn’t ever really shown an ability to consistently contribute at the NHL level. In 128 career games he has just 48 points, and rarely found the scoresheet even at the minor league level this year.

Instead he’ll head to Neftekhimik who went 28-28-4 last season but drew just over 5,000 fans on average. One of the much less popular teams, Neftekhimik could use a player to excite their fans and perhaps Nestrasil can be that. After all, during his time in the QMJHL he was a highlight machine that seemed to do everything at top speed. It’s hard to see him ever returning to the NHL after his poor experience, though if he breaks out there may be a little more guarantee coming from another team. Carolina no longer holds his rights after failing to qualify him.

Andrei Markov Will Play In KHL In 2017-18

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Monday: Ak Bars Kazan has announced a two-year deal with Markov.

Thursday: Breaking his own news, Andrei Markov announced on a conference call with reporters that he will play in the KHL in 2017-18. He was willing to sign a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens but couldn’t come to an agreement, and had other offers from around the NHL before deciding to head back to Russia. In his own words:

I didn’t see myself with any other NHL team. I didn’t see myself wearing another jersey.

NHL.com correspondent Sergey Demidov reports that it will be Ak Bars Kazan that signs Markov, though he wouldn’t confirm it on the call. It’s likely that he’ll retire having only played for a single NHL team, something that’s hard to find in professional sports these days. He did say he could return to Montreal in a year, though that would be a surprising turn after the team clearly wasn’t ready to meet his asking price this summer. The 38-year old will be able to play in the Olympics next year, which would be his fourth such tournament for Russia.

Markov was clearly upset that he was leaving Montreal, but did say that it was a positive move for his family. Just recently Markov got married and has several children, who can now all move back to Russia together. Earlier this year he brought his young twin boys over from Russia after their mother passed away.

It’s a likely end to what was an outstanding NHL career, with 990 regular season games and 572 points. He obviously could have helped a large group of teams around the league still, but never wanted to play for a different team. Montreal had been the team that gave him his first shot in North America, and it was going to be where he finished his career.

Dwight King Expected To Sign In KHL

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There are still quite a few names from our Top 50 Free Agent List still yet to sign, and one of those is the 49th-ranked Dwight King. According to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver, that’s about to change with the veteran forward expected to sign in the KHL. Dhaliwal reports that the Canucks had some interest in him before moving on.

While King isn’t a household name by any means, he nevertheless has been an effective fourth line player throughout his career. With size (6’4″ 232-lbs) and some surprising offensive skill, he can provide some much needed secondary (or tertiary) scoring in limited minutes. Twice he’s scored double digit goals, and even registered 30 points in 2013-14 with the Los Angeles Kings.

With more effective players like Drew Stafford, Jaromir Jagr and Thomas Vanek still available it’s easy to see why King would be left out in the cold, and he should find some success in the Russian league even if he doesn’t possess the elite puck skills that are so prevalent there. Still just 28, he could easily return to the NHL at some point in the future.

KHL, IIHF Hand Out Three Doping Suspensions

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The KHL has suspended three players for violating their doping policy, after working with the IIHF to test 377 samples from the league. Derek Smith has been suspended until September 2nd, 2018, Andrei Konev until November 19th of this year, and Danis Zaripov until May 22nd, 2019 for use of a prohibited substance. Zaripov’s suspension carries a longer penalty for also testing positive for a prohibited masking substance.

Zaripov is easily the most recognizable name of the group, known as one of the best non-NHL players in the world. The 36-year old suited up for Russia at the 2010 Olympics, and holds five World Championship medals. He also has won the Gagarin Cup—the KHL championship—four times and has scored over 450 career points for Ak Bars Kazan since the KHL began in 2008.

Smith had a cup of coffee in the NHL, playing 94 games over five seasons before heading overseas to continue his career. He played 44 games in the KHL this season, registering nine points. The 32-year old defenseman was undrafted, but signed with the Ottawa Senators out of Lake Superior State in 2007.

Konev is the youngest of the bunch at 28, but has had trouble finding regular work in the KHL over the years. Playing in just 24 games this past year, he registered two points. The defenseman hasn’t played more than 24 games in a single season since 2009-10, often finding himself on the fringes of the roster.

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