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Chris Terry Signs In KHL

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Another minor league hockey player has decided to take his talents overseas, as Chris Terry has signed with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL. Terry spent the last two seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, where he has been one of the league’s most consistent scoring threats for some time.

Now 31, Terry was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2007 draft by the Carolina Hurricanes and after some outstanding performances in the OHL, jumped into the professional ranks and never looked back. In his rookie season with the Albany River Rats in 2009-10, he scored 17 goals and 47 points, a sign of what was to come over the next decade. Since then, Terry has posted seasons of 64, 59, 60, 69, 68, 71, 61, and 51 points in the AHL, consistently appearing in the league’s All-Star Game and on the leaderboards. He has received somewhat sporadic opportunities in the NHL, suiting up for 152 games over the years and recording 38 points.

With his latest contract expiring and jobs being tough to come by in North America, Terry will continue his hockey journey in the KHL. It seems likely that the minor league weapon will find success overseas, using his excellent hockey sense and finishing ability to add some scoring to the Torpedo lineup.

Minor Transactions: 12/04/20

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The NHL offseason has come to a standstill, with no unrestricted free agents signed to one-way contracts in a month. Still, the ECHL and many European leagues continue to play or prepare, meaning hockey players signing deals all over the world. We’ll keep track of the notable minor transactions right here.

  • The KHL was especially busy today, with several former NHL players on the move. Trevor Murphy, a 25-year-old defenseman who played eight games for the Arizona Coyotes in 2017-18 was sent from Kunlun Red Star to Ak Bars Kazan. Murphy was never drafted, but after dominating the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires ended up in the Nashville Predators system. The offensive-minded defenseman never stopped producing, scoring 131 points in 257 AHL games, but ended up overseas last year.
  • Zack Mitchell, who had been playing with Dinamo Riga in the KHL, will now suit up for Severstal Cherepovets. The 27-year-old is another undrafted player who once made it to the NHL, playing 34 games with the Minnesota Wild. Mitchell scored 31 points in 61 games for the Ontario Reign in 2018-19 before heading to the KHL.
  • It’s been years since he was in North America, but Sean Collins will continue his KHL career with Kunlun this season. The 31-year-old forward will be spending his fifth year in the foreign league after a successful AHL career ended in 2016. Collins played in 21 NHL games over the years, but never did score a single goal.
  • Another former NHLer who has been playing overseas for several years, Brandon DeFazio is making a mid-season move. The 32-year old, who has spent two of the past three years with the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star with a stop with the Liiga’s Lukko in between, began this season with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga. However, Brno has announced today that DeFazio’s contract has been terminated via exit clause, as DeFazio has found a higher paying offer with an unnamed club in Germany’s DEL. This will be the fourth different country that DeFazio has played in since leaving North America in 2017.
  • Although the team never made a formal announcement, today’s ECHL transactions have indicated that the AHL’s Stockton Heat have signed (and reassigned) goaltender Andrew Shortridge. Shortridge, 25, is a former NCAA standout at Quinnipiac who signed a one-year entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks for last season. However, the Sharks declined to an extend him a qualifying offer in October, making him a UFA. Shortridge struggled in the AHL last season, admittedly in his first pro campaign, but played well in the ECHL and has the size and collegiate production that would imply that he has more to offer.

Snapshots: Liiga, Paajarvi, Bradley

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Just days after the QMJHL announced a month-long pause due to the heightened spread of the Coronavirus, another league is set to make a similar call, but this time it’s a pro league out of Europe. According to a number of sources including The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf, the Finnish Liiga is expected to halt all play through the month of December. This move is expected to carry over to Finland’s junior leagues as well. A number of NHL prospects will be impacted, as will NHL players currently on loan who will return to North America sooner than expected. It does seem as though the shut down will end in January, but the COVID numbers in Finland will ultimately determine when play resumes.

  • Veteran NHL forward Magnus Paajarvi opted to take his talents to Russia last summer, signing a two-year deal with the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. His first season fell short of expectations, as Paajarvi played in only 39 games and recorded just 19 points. His second season has started off much better, as Paajarvi already has 11 ponts through 26 games and will far exceed last season if he stays healthy. Yaroslavl decided to take advantage of the success of the impending free agent, as they have traded Paajarvi to Dynamo Moscow in exchange for another name familiar to NHL fans, Teemu Pulkkinen. Given that Paajarvi was still a serviceable bottom-six forward when he left the NHL, is on pace for a superior season this year with his contract expiring, and has now abandoned any loyalty he might have felt to the KHL club he initially signed with, this could all be leading to an NHL comeback for the skilled power forward next year.
  • Detroit Red Wings prospect Chase Bradley has made his collegiate selection. The 2020 seventh-round pick out of the USHL has committed to the University of Connecticut, the program announced. The St. Louis native is a hard-working forward who is expecting to take a big step forward offensively in his final junior season before moving to the NCAA. Bradley becomes the second NHL prospect commitment for the Huskies this month, as fellow 2020 seventh-rounder Ryan Tverberg (TOR) will also join UConn next season.

Snapshots: CBA Talks, COVID Restrictions, KHL

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There have been no serious negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA for more than a week, according to Kevin McGran. The two sides have been near-silent, a tactic that reminds McGran of the previous lockouts, including one in 2012 that he details in today’s piece for the Toronto Star. Other reporters and insiders have expressed the same thing over the past few days, but McGran’s piece includes one potentially jaw-dropping nugget—some league governors may have agreed to the memorandum of understanding on Gary Bettman’s recommendation, which guaranteed player salaries for the upcoming season, without actually reading it first.

It’s not clear at all when the two sides will finally agree on something, but McGran predicts an early-January deal that would have the season starting in February. That would potentially line up with the suggestion that Darren Dreger of TSN made on Twitter this morning, noting that even if a deal is reached soon, postponing training camps until after the holidays “has to be considered.”

  • Part of that consideration will be the varied county, state, provincial, and federal health guidelines. In Santa Clara County, where the San Jose Sharks reside, new restrictions have limited the preparation even further. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic relates a statement from the Sharks, which explains that the team is reviewing local options for rehab and training while revising their current voluntary programs. The San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, who are also based in Santa Clara, will hold their “home” games the next two weeks in Arizona. Remember, the Sharks are one of seven teams expected to receive an extra week of training camp before the season begins, after failing to qualify for the bubble postseason this summer.
  • While the NHL tries to get a season underway, the KHL continues to play as if little has changed. Today saw quite the transaction, with Magnus Paajarvi and Teemu Pulkkinen swapping teams. Paajarvi, 29, played nearly 500 games in the NHL before heading to the KHL in 2019 and will be going from Yaroslavl Lokomotiv to Dynamo Moscow. Pulkkinen, 28, has played the last three seasons in the KHL after a short NHL career and had 14 points for Moscow this season.

Minor Transactions: 11/28/20

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While the transaction lists for North American leagues remain relatively empty given unknown and delayed start dates, hockey is alive and well in Europe and those leagues and teams continue to collect loans and signings from North America. Keep up with all of the minor moves, overseas and otherwise, right here:

  • Despite his status as a second-round pick, goaltender Olof Lindbom has still not seen any action in the SHL, Sweden’s top league, since he was drafted by the New York Rangers in 2018. That could change soon, as the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks have announced that they have acquired Lindbom on loan from the Allsvenskan’s Mora IK. This is not Lindbom’s first promotion, but he has only ever sat as a backup in previous opportunities. However, this loan was prompted by an injury to Malmo starter Oscar Alsenfelt, leaving former Boston Bruins prospect Lars Volden, who has struggled of late, as the only other keeper on the roster. Lindom’s odds of finally making his first SHL appearance seem high. He needs to get used to facing top competition if he hopes to ever compete for a roster spot in New York given their deep stable of talented, young goaltenders.
  • After four seasons with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, the first three spent on an entry-level contract, Eric Cornel will not return to the team this season. The Buffalo Sabres’ 2014 second-round pick has signed a one-year deal with the DEL’s Nurnberg Ice Tigers, the club announced. Cornel was a productive two-way forward for Rochester, even if he didn’t live up to his draft billing. He has a chance to take on even more responsibility and improve his scoring numbers in Germany. Cornel will join a Nurnberg team that rosters a number of former NHL players and prospects.
  • Joe Whitney has also made the move to Germany, signing a one-year deal with the Iserlohn Roosters per a team announcement. Whitney is a veteran of 450 AHL games as well as a cup of coffee in the NHL, but has not played in North America since 2017-18. The veteran forward is coming off back-to-back strong seasons in Sweden with the SHL’s Linkoping HC, but has seemingly opted to try his hand somewhere new.
  • A fellow journeyman with considerable AHL experience and a brief showing in the NHL, Morgan Ellis finds himself looking for a new job after being released by the KHL’s Dinamo Riga. Ellis has made stops in the DEL, SHL, and KHL over the past three years and expected to remain in the KHL this season, but was terminated by mutual agreement, according to the team. The former Montreal Canadiens prospect defenseman will have to look elsewhere, in Europe or perhaps back in North America, for a place to play this season.

Minor Transactions: 11/20/20

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It’s the dog days of…November? The NHL offseason is moving like molasses these days, with no one-way UFA contracts handed out for the last two weeks. While things may be ramping up again at the end of the month, minor leagues and those in Europe have still continued to finesse their rosters recently. We’ll keep track of the notable moves right here:

  • Philip Holm has signed a contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk for the 2020-21 season, bringing him back to the KHL. Holm has tried multiple times to start a career in North America, but ended up playing just a single NHL game with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017-18. His latest NHL deal, signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2019, was terminated in January in order for him to play in Switzerland. He’ll now be in Russia, trying to find some stability.
  • Lawton Courtnall, son of former NHL forward Russ Courtnall and nephew of Geoff Courtnall, will start his professional career with the Wheeling Nailers this season. The 24-year-old forward spent the last four years at Western Michigan University but has now signed a one-year ECHL deal.
  • Top draft prospect Mason McTavish is trying to go to Switzerland to play for the upcoming season, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. McTavish, 17, is eligible for selection in 2021 and scored 29 goals in his rookie OHL season. Switzerland may seem like an outside the box choice, but McTavish was actually born there when his father, Dale McTavish, played in the NLA. The young forward’s plans have “hit some snags” according to Wheeler, meaning he is currently skating in Ottawa while his representatives try to work through the issue.
  • Former Blue Jackets prospect Maxime Fortier has signed a one-year contract with Wichita of the ECHL.  The 22-year-old signed with Columbus as an undrafted free agent back in 2017 but didn’t progress past the minor league level in his first two professional seasons which resulted in him not receiving a qualifying offer last month.

Mikko Lehtonen Terminates KHL Loan

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Next stop, Toronto. Mikko Lehtonen has terminated his contract with Jokerit of the KHL and will be heading to North America soon to join the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Lehtonen, 26, signed a one-year contract with the Maple Leafs in May that will represent his first opportunity in the NHL. The smooth-skating Finn was undrafted but continued to develop overseas, winning the KHL Defenseman of the Year award last season. He scored 49 points in 60 games to earn that honor, a pace that he was blowing out of the water this year as he scored at a point-per-game rate.

Unfortunately, Lehtonen was limited to just 17 games with Jokerit this year because of COVID-19. The defenseman contracted the disease in October and had to wait out a quarantine with the rest of his teammates, though he only experienced mild symptoms.

Still, his performance should have fans in Toronto excited about his potential as a top-four option in the NHL. Lehtonen’s not a flashy player but racks up points with quick breakout passes and a heavy dose of shots in the offensive zone. His ability to score from the point could make him a candidate to run one of Toronto’s powerplay units, taking over the role from the departed Tyson Barrie.

Like all the other players under contract, Lehtonen will have to wait on the league’s final decision for when training camp officially starts. But with no loan agreement holding him back, he can head to Toronto to start his quarantine and begin to prepare for his first chance in the NHL.

Shore Brothers To Play Overseas

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For at least the next several weeks, Drew Shore will get to play with his brother. HK Dukla Trencin in Slovakia has signed both Drew and Nick Shore until the end of the calendar year.

Drew, 29, has been traveling the world the last few years, suiting up in several different countries after his NHL career petered out. He last played for the Vancouver Canucks in 2016-17, scoring just two points in 14 games. Though he was a second-round pick in 2009 by the Carolina Hurricanes, Drew ended up playing just 94 NHL games, a number dwarfed by his younger brother. He has a chance to catch up if he can somehow land himself a job with the Hurricanes, who signed him to a one-year two-way contract last month. He would likely return if training camp starts at some point in December.

Nick, 28, wasn’t drafted quite as high but ended up with a longer and more productive NHL career to this point. He played 63 games last season, split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets, scoring six points. Nick is one regular season game shy of 300 for his career, though there is certainly no guarantee that he cracks that mark.

This offseason has been difficult for fringe NHL players like the Shore brothers, but Drew did land himself an NHL contract in the early part of free agency. Nick may have to settle for something similar, or perhaps take another year off from North America and search for a job overseas. In 2018-19, Nick played for Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the KHL, scoring 21 points in 43 games.

Goalie Notes: Delia, Warm, Smith

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There are still plenty of free agent option available, but to this point the Chicago Blackhawks seem content to enter next season with their current stable of untested goaltenders, truly committing to their rebuild by going with youth over experience in net. Who will emerge from the group of Malcolm Subban, Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen, and Matt Tomkins? Given his relative experience, draft pedigree, and recent success at winning the backup job for the Blackhawks’ postseason run, most have their money on Subban. However, don’t underestimate Delia. In a profile by the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope, Delia states that he is confident in his ability to win the job:

I’d be remiss if I said I wasn’t frothing at the mouth. It’s an opportunity not many people get, and I don’t want to let that pass me by… When (Chicago) signed Robin [Lehner], I was kind of cutting my teeth because I thought I earned the position, but then, coming full circle, I was like, ‘You can’t try to earn a position as a backup goalie. You try to earn the starting position’… Without a doubt, I think I can earn that job. There’s no complacency when it comes to training camp. Every single day you step on the ice, you’re proving how much better you are than the other two guys. We all have to have that mindset.

Delia may have the stats on his side, too. While Subban has 48 more NHL appearances than Delia, in his extended experience he has failed to show that he can be a reliable option. Subban has an .899 save percentage and 2.97 GAA and has struggled the most as a starter, with just 23 quality starts out of 60. Granted, Delia has also struggled in the NHL with a 3.65 GAA, but a) in a much smaller sample size and b) with a a superior .906 save percentage and .438 quality start percentage. Delia also has the advantage of being used to a starter’s schedule; Subban has never made more than 36 appearances in a pro season and no more than 22 in each of the past three years, while Delia has made 32 appearances in back-to-back seasons and played in 40 games in 2017-18 as a first-year pro. With Delia, Subban, and Lankinen all having comparable AHL numbers in varying levels of experience, it could come down to NHL success and more natural fit as a No. 1 to determine the winner of the starter’s job and on both counts Delia appears to have the edge.

  • Another goalie headed to Chicago, but not to the Blackhawks but rather the AHL Wolves, is former WHL standout Beck Warm. The Wolves have announced a one-year deal with the first-year pro and there’s reason to believe that the Carolina Hurricanes’ new affiliate could have a diamond in the rough on their hands in Warm. The 21-year-old had an impressive 2018-19 season with the Tri-City Americans, making 61 appearances to the tune of a .916 save percentage and 2.94 GAA. When those numbers slipped to begin the 2019-20 campaign, a trade to the Edmonton Oil Kings resulted in Warm winning 11 of 15 games with a .915 save percentage and 2.30 GAA. If he can replicate his best numbers from junior to the pro level, Warm could find great success. With Carolina employing five goalies for the coming season, Warm could spend much of the year in the ECHL. However, the Hurricanes have zero goalies under contract beyond 2020-21 and could look at Warm as an entry-level contract candidate as they reboot their goalie group next year.
  • One veteran goalie not returning to North America is Jeremy Smith. The journeyman netminder, who made stops with the Predators, Blue Jackets, Bruins, Avalanche, Hurricanes, and Islanders, never had any problem finding a two-way contract. However, he finally moved on from the minors last year to take over the starting job for the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL. Although Smith ended up splitting time with Simon Hrubec, the tandem were among the most consistent in the league. The Red Star began their new season without Smith and the results have been disastrous; the team allowed well over three goals per game through their first 24 contests and the struggling Hrubec has been traded away. As a result, Kunlun has signed Smith to a one-year extension and they hope he can stabilize the net in his return.

Golden Knights Loan Ryan Murphy To KHL

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It turns out that Ryan Murphy’s time in the KHL hasn’t come to an end after all as Dynamo Minsk announced that they’ve added the defenseman on loan from the Henderson Silver Knights, AHL affiliate of Vegas.  The deal is for the duration of the KHL season but Vegas reserves the right to recall him to their farm team at any point before then as well.

The 27-year-old spent last year with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk in the KHL after spending most of the 2018-19 season in the minors.  Murphy fared relatively well in his first international stint, picking up eight goals and 15 assists in 56 regular season games which was enough to get him another opportunity in North America as he inked a minor league pact with Vegas back in August.

While he’s on an AHL-only deal for the time being, a good showing overseas could help Murphy’s chances of getting converted to an NHL two-way pact.  Cap space is going to be an issue for the Golden Knights all season so as long he’s willing to sign for the minimum, it’s possible that he could suit up for them at some point next season and give them an experienced option (he has 175 games of NHL experienced) at a low price.

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