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Snapshots: Blackhawks, Kane, Wedin

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It is a quick COVID Protocol turnaround for a few Chicago Blackhawks, well at least two of the three. After missing practice yesterday due to compliance with league protocol, Ryan Carpenter and Erik Gustafsson were back on the ice at morning skate today ahead of their game against the Detroit Red Wings. However, remaining absent was star Patrick Kane, who was also among the protocol group yesterday. The Athletic’s Scott Powers has confirmed suspicions, relaying word from the Blackhawks that Carpeneter and Gustafsson have been removed from the COVID Protocol, but Kane has not. There is no word as to why the trio were initially subject nor why Kane remains, but regardless Chicago will get some reinforcements back but could still be missing their best player tonight. Off to a frustrating 0-4-1 start, the Blackhawks can ill afford to be without Kane for very long. Interestingly, head coach Jeremy Colliton stopped short of ruling Kane out against Detroit, but there will have to be a change to his COVID status within a matter of hours.

  • Another team missing a Kane is the San Jose Sharks. Last season’s leading scorer, Evander Kane, is serving a 21-game suspension for violating COVID Protocol by using a fake vaccination card. Given all of the controversy surrounding Kane over the past year though, a 21-game absence is unlikely what the Sharks expected to result from multiple investigations. The big winger will in fact be eligible to return to the team before the end of November. So where does San Jose go from here? The team is off to an incredible and unexpected 5-0-0 start and is playing well, perhaps without Kane’s distraction in the locker room. However, they have little recourse to prevent him from returning to the club. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that the Sharks cannot terminate Kane’s contract due to the lengthy suspension nor can they do so as an internal form of punishment due to the findings that led to his league suspension. The CBA does not allow either form of double punishment and the NHLPA would not let it fly. They would be supported by a recent report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, which stated the league never considered termination as a punishment for Kane. While the Sharks may be opne to a reunion with Kane, both Johnston and Friedman note that the team’s reaction has been a mixed bag of support and disdain for the situation and Kane’s coaches and teammates have been non-committal about whether or not they want him back. The team has just over a month to decide how to handle his return.
  • Interestingly, a former Chicago Blackhawk and a player once linked to the San Jose Sharks was back on the market this week, albeit briefly. Forward Anton Wedin, who spent the 2019-20 season in the Blackhawks organization, terminated his contract with the KHL’s Sibir Novosibirsk earlier this week. This sparked some speculation that perhaps he would return to North America, even if only on an AHL deal. After all, Wedin made the jump from Sweden to Chicago at 26 and played in four NHL games and recorded 17 points in 31 AHL games. It was by no means a poor season. Wedin, who was only on a one-year deal with the Blackhawks, drew some NHL interest in the 2020 off-season, but ultimately decided to say home in Sweden during the pandemic, totaling 16 goals and 30 points in 39 games with HV71 in his best SHL season to date. Wedin’s name did not appear in any NHL rumors this summer and he signed in the KHL, but after just two points in 14 with Sibir he has moved on. Instead of exploring a return overseas though, Wedin will play out the season in the KHL after signing with Dynamo Moscow for the remainder of the year. Still just 28 and with NHL experience and ability, perhaps Wedin could return to the league in the future.

Artem Anisimov Signs In KHL

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After failing to earn an NHL contract, Artem Anisimov has left for the KHL. The 33-year-old center was in training camp with the Colorado Avalanche, but after being released earlier this month has now signed a one-year deal with HC Lokomotiv, his old team.

It’s been years since Anisimov played in Russia, and even longer since he spent a whole season with Lokomotiv. Selected in the second round in 2006, it was clear that Anisimov’s heart was set on coming to North America and making a name for himself in the NHL. By the 2007-08 season he was grinding in the minor leagues with the Hartford Wolf Pack, a team he would spend two full years with before making the jump to the NHL.

Once he made it, the big center never looked back. Anisimov played in 771 NHL games over 12 seasons, only appearing back across the pond during the 2012-13 lockout. As soon as the NHL resumed, Anisimov was back playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, providing his consistent two-way play.

Never a star, Anisimov was still a valuable piece for the Rangers, Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks for many years. Even in 2019-20 with the Ottawa Senators, he recorded 15 goals in 49 games, though it was clear by then his NHL career was coming to an end. Still just 33, he should be able to play for several more years overseas, but it seems unlikely that he’ll be an impact player on this side of the ocean ever again.

Minnesota Wild Suspend Ivan Lodnia

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There have long been expectations for Ivan Lodnia to get to the pro ranks in North America and now, just when it seemed like he was finally there, it may already be over for the young forward. Lodnia, in the fifth year of his entry-level contract but just the first in which he had planned to play within the Minnesota Wild organization, has been suspended indefinitely. Lodnia opted not to report to the ECHL’s Iowa Heartlanders after failing to earn a roster spot with the AHL’s Iowa Wild. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that the team has in turn informed Lodnia’s agent that he is on unpaid suspension until he agrees to play in the ECHL – or until the two sides decide on a mutual contract termination.

Lodnia, 22, was once a well-regarded prospect for the Wild, but that status is now in doubt. A 2017 third-round pick, Lodnia had the rare development path of playing for both the U.S. National Team Development Program and in the Canadian major junior ranks with the OHL’s Erie Otters and Niagara Ice Dogs. Lodnia signed his entry-level deal in the same year that he was drafted and proceeded to play at a near point-per-game pace in the OHL that season and even earn some AHL action on an amateur tryout with Iowa. Following a move to Niagara, he succeeded in topping a point-per-game pace in his final two junior seasons. The young forward looked primed to get his start in the AHL last season, but due to the delay in the start of the season he instead was playing in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk and the Wild opted to leave him on loan with the club through the 2020-21 campaign. Lodnia managed only seven points in 27 games with Minsk, but it was it his first pro experience.

One can understand why Lodnia might be confused and frustrated with his current situation. A young forward with strong junior numbers, solid draft pedigree, and pro experience who the team once valued so much that they signed him almost immediately drafting him: why is he not getting a chance in the AHL? While Lodnia does not seem like the caliber of prospect that should be in the ECHL, ultimately it is his job to play where the Wild ask him to play. After a season spent overseas seeing minimal ice time, Minnesota may want him to play top line minutes in the ECHL rather than a depth role in the AHL. The team may also be concerned about him even getting into the Iowa lineup with a full set of a dozen forwards signed to NHL deals who are also currently assigned to the AHL. Not only that, but Iowa’s current forward corps boasts a number of top prospects as well as seasoned veterans. Lodnia may simply be the odd man out right now.

Whatever the reasons, Minnesota has the right to assign their prospects where they see fit and to suspend them if they do not report. Per Russo, Lodnia is currently at home and still debating whether he will report to Iowa City or not and will remain suspended until there is a shift in the status quo. If no resolution can be reached, Lodnia’s contract could be terminated, making him a free agent. It’s an interesting possibility given that, on paper, he still looks like a good prospect and may not be the typical clean waive-and-terminate if other NHL teams are interested. However, Lodnia’s insistence on playing where he wants and not where the team needs him could be a turn off to rival clubs. With KHL experience already on his resume, perhaps a termination could lead to a return to Europe like so many do, though it would be a disappointing result for a long path toward NHL relevance for Lodnia.

Ilya Kovalchuk Named GM Of Russian Olympic Team

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The Russian entry to the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, will feature many familiar faces on the ice. Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy were named as the first three players on the roster earlier this month, with many more NHL talents to come. Those familiar faces won’t stop on the roster though, as the coaching staff and front office are also filled with names many North American hockey fans will know.

Ilya Kovalchuk has been named general manager of the squad, according to KHL reporter Gillian Kemmerer. He joins head coach Alexei Zhamnov, as well as assistants Sergei Gonchar, Sergei Fedorov, Alexei Kudashov, and Evgeni Nabokov on the quest for Olympic gold.

Kovalchuk, 38, spent last season in the KHL playing for Avangard Omsk when he failed to find an NHL deal. Despite being very open about his desire to win a Stanley Cup before he retired, he was forced to settle for another Gagarin Cup championship, his third in an outstanding career. One of the most impressive goal-scoring talents in NHL history, he’ll now start a new chapter in the front office, trying to help his country win another Olympic gold. Kovalchuk was the tournament MVP in 2018 when the Russians won, though no NHL players were eligible to attend that event.

Mikko Lehtonen Signs Long-Term Contract In KHL

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The brief experiment of KHL stud defenseman Mikko Lehtonen plying his trade in North America is over, perhaps for good. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that Lehtonen has signed a four-year deal with SKA St. Petersburg. At 27 years old, this could mark the end of his NHL career. The move comes less than a week after his contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets was terminated.

Lehtonen’s time in North America was tumultuous, to say the least. Lehtonen signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a one-year deal in May 2020. Despite the future contract being signed in-season, implying that Lehtonen was a player that Toronto had been closely following and had prioritized, his time with the Leafs was short-lived. Lehtonen was traded to Columbus in March after playing in just nine games. He played much more frequently for the Blue Jackets down the stretch, logging 17 games. Yet, he produced the same three points in Columbus as he did in Toronto, totaling zero goals, six points, and a -2 rating to show for his first year. Unsurprisingly, Lehtonen failed to crack the Columbus roster in training camp this season. However, he refused to report to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, leading to a pass through unconditional waivers and a contract termination.

Though some players have contracts terminated and are still able to find another landing spot in the NHL, such as Sami Niku last month, it should come as no surprise that Lehtonen has instead opted to return to Russia. The KHL’s Defenseman of the Year in 2019-20, Lehtonen recorded 17 goals and 49 points in 60 games for Jokerit. He was then a point-per-game player in 17 games with the club before reporting to Toronto last year. A player who has previously produced at a high level in Sweden and his native Finland, Lehtonen simply seems built for the European game. Joining a powerhouse like SKA, Lehtonen is returning to a more comfortable style of play and skill level and will have the surrounding talent to produce and chase a Gagarin Cup every year. Once his current deal is over in 2025, it is doubtful that a then-31-year-old Lehtonen will try to return to the NHL.

Columbus Blue Jackets Recall Yegor Chinakhov

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a hot start this season. The team, which faces few expectations this season, has opened the season with an 8-2 drubbing of the Arizona Coyotes and a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Max Domi are currently among the top-ten scorers in the league and Elvis Merzlikins is 2-0 with a .948 save percentage and 1.47 GAA.  Now, they’re about to get even better.

The Blue Jackets have announced this morning that top prospect Yegor Chinakhov has been recalled from the AHL – and after just one game. The skilled Russian forward is in his first season in North America after recording 10 goals and 17 points in 32 games in his first full KHL season in 2020-21, followed up by five goals and seven points in 21 playoff games en route to a Gagarin Cup title. He was right back at it in his AHL debut, scoring a goal for the Cleveland Monsters in an opening night win. The Blue Jackets have apparently seen enough to try the young forward out at the NHL level and it would not be a surprise to see the dynamic young talent stick on a Columbus roster that is trying to rebuild while staying relevant.

Chinakhov, 20, is already a remarkable story and a testament to Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen and his scouting staff, so it would not be a surprise to see him continue to find success. The No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Chinakov was a much-maligned selection as a relatively unheralded overage prospect. Considered the biggest surprise of the first round, Chinakhov’s name first gained attention for the wrong reasons. He quickly changed the narrative last season, earning a full-time role with the KHL’s Avangard Omsk and not only taking home a championship, but also Rookie of the Year honors with top numbers across the board for U-20 players. Now he is not only a pro in North America in just his second season after being drafted, but preparing for his NHL debut. The perception of Chinakhov has changed dramatically, but he is still playing with a chip on his shoulder and ready to reward Columbus for their faith in him, hopefully for years to come for a franchise that desperately needs loyal, homegrown talent.

AHL Shuffle: 10/15/21

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An increasingly tight salary cap situation for many teams across the league has expectedly led to a lot of wheeling, dealing, and maneuvering early on this season, especially in the recalls and assignments department. We’ll keep track of all of today’s minor NHL to AHL and AHL to NHL roster moves right here.

Atlantic Division

  • Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards reports the Panthers re-assigned Chase Priskie and Maxim Mamin to the Charlotte Checkers. Priskie was recalled Thursday prior to the team’s season opener against Pittsburgh but was a healthy scratch. Mamin had previously been listed as a non-roster player. Mamin last played in the NHL with the Panthers in 2018-19, playing seven games, but has played in the KHL ever since.

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

  • The Vegas Golden Knights assigned Peyton Krebs, Jonas Rondbjerg, and Jake Leschyshyn to the Henderson Silver Knights ahead of the team’s season opener tonight. All three played in Thursday night’s 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, and they’ll likely be recalled soon as the team continues to deal with injuries and absences in the bottom six.

This page will be updated throughout the day

Minor Transactions: 10/13/21

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The NHL season may be officially underway following Tuesday’s opening pair of contests, but many players are still trying to find homes for the 2021-22 campaign. Follow along as we track these and other notable minor moves across the hockey world:

  • Coming off of a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, the fifth NHL contract of his career despite having played only 30 NHL games and zero since 2016-17, veteran defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon wasn’t so lucky this time around. The 28-year-old has settled for an AHL pact, signing a one-year deal with the Utica Comets per a team release. Wotherspoon has extensive AHL experience, including several seasons of strong production and history as a locker room leader, making him an attractive get for the Devils new affiliate. Whether he can turn this opportunity into an NHL deal next season though remains to be seen.
  • Similarly, defenseman Luke Green has been unable to find a new NHL deal after he was not qualified by the Winnipeg Jets this summer. However, Green could not land an AHL gig either. The 23-year-old has signed with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, per the league’s registry. After two years in the AHL and one season in Finland without any production, Green has to prove that he is more than just his junior numbers in the QMJHL by finding some sustained success in the pros.
  • Fredrik Handemark’s stay in Russia has been even shorter than it was in North America. After coming over from Sweden last season and playing in eight games with the San Jose Sharks and another 14 in the AHL, it was somewhat surprising to see Handemark head back to Europe this off-season. However, he was at least heading to one of the best teams outside of the NHL in KHL powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg. Yet, just 15 games into his contract with SKA and despite having totaled six points already, Handemark and the club have agreed to a mutual termination of his contract, St. Petersburg announced. Swedish source Expressen reports that Handemark is expected to return to the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL, where he was captain for several years before jumping to San Jose, and is likely to sign a long-term deal. At 28, Handemark’s days in the NHL (and any other league) are likely over if this is the case.

Minor Transactions: 10/12/21

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Opening Night of the 2021-22 NHL campaign has finally arrived and all eyes are on the season-opening matchups between the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins and the league’s newest team, the Seattle Kraken, and the Vegas Golden Knights. Yet, it has also been a very busy day for “minor” transactions, both the advent of regular NHL recalls and reassignments as well as several notable signings and trades. Keep up with all of these moves right here:

  • AHL trades are not common, but there is already one in the books for this season. The Belleville Senators have announced that they have acquired forward Jake Lucchini from the Laval Rocket for future considerations. Lucchini, 26, spent the past season and a half with Laval, but without much to show for it. The former Michigan Tech standout and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect has yet to make his mark on the pros, but will get another shot with Belleville this season.
  • A KHL trade today also contained some recognizable names. SKA St. Petersburg has acquired former NHL forward Valentin Zykov from Sibir Novosibirsk. The return is another former NHL forward, Vladislav Kamenev, and San Jose Sharks prospect Yegor Spirodonov. Zykov had been playing in Sweden to begin this year, but now that his KHL rights have transferred he has agreed to a one-year deal with SKA. Zykov skated in 15 games with the Vegas Golden Knights just last year, recording four points. Kamenev spent all of last season in St. Petersburg after notching eight points in 38 games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2019-20. Spirodonov, a 2019 selection, has yet to be given much of a chance in the KHL and could be bound for North America next season if he doesn’t earn a greater role with Novosibirsk.
  • Ben Hutton’s late-preseason PTO with the Anaheim Ducks didn’t result in an NHL contract – at least not yet – but the veteran defenseman is remaining with the organization. Hutton has signed an AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls, the team announced. Hutton began last season with the Ducks and that familiarity with the organization combined with the team’s potential seller status could lead to a promotion to an NHL deal at some point this year.
  • After initial rosters were finalized yesterday with a vast number of AHL assignments, at least one team is already switching things up. The Dallas Stars have recalled forwards Joel Kiviranta and Jacob Peterson from AHL Texas and sent fellow forwards Oskar Back and Ty Dellandrea and goaltender Jake Oettinger back in a corresponding move. If Peterson plays in Dallas’ opener on Thursday, it will mark his NHL debut.

Nikita Gusev Signs In KHL

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After failing to earn an NHL contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, with who he attended training camp on a professional tryout, Nikita Gusev is headed back to the KHL. The free agent forward has signed a contract with SKA St. Petersburg through the end of the 2021-22 season.

Gusev, 29, is one of the more impressive one-and-done performances in recent NHL history. He came to the NHL with huge expectations in 2019 after a long successful career in Russia and put up 44 points in 66 games with the New Jersey Devils. Since then, he’s scored four goals, registered ten points and now couldn’t even find a contract.

That doesn’t mean a future in the NHL is completely out of the picture, Gusev is still young enough to try again next year. But unless his skating ability drastically improves in the next few months, it’s hard to see how any team would trust him in a top-six role. Given he doesn’t offer much outside of creative offensive play, the KHL may end up being where he plays out the rest of his career.

One thing on the horizon is the Olympics, where Gusev could still very likely be part of the Russian contingent. He was outstanding at the 2018 Games (which did not include NHL players) and has been dominant at World Championship tournaments in the past. That could be a place to catch the eye of another North American team, but whether he even wants to continue that path is unclear at this point.

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