Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

KHL

Vegas Golden Knights Considering Nikita Gusev Trade

at CDT | by 9 Comments

It was a huge acquisition when the Vegas Golden Knights convinced Russian superstar Nikita Gusev to come to North America and sign his entry-level contract last season, even if it did mean he would be a restricted free agent again without ever playing an NHL game. Gusev’s one year deal expired after the 2018-19 season regardless of whether the Golden Knights gave him any playing time down the stretch—which they did not—and now he’s in a contract negotiation with them as an RFA. Unfortunately, that negotiation does not seem to be going smoothly as Jesse Granger of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the gap in salary is still $2MM per season. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express explains on Twitter that Gusev is looking for a two-year, $8MM deal while the Golden Knights want to sign him for half of that total.

Vegas president George McPhee admitted that if they can’t work something out they will look at all the options, and noted that there is interest in him around the league. That’s not a surprise given Gusev’s incredible record in the KHL. The 26-year old forward scored 82 points last season in just 62 games for SKA St. Petersburg, his third consecutive season recording more than a point-per-game. Those kind of totals don’t happen often in that league, leading some to believe that he could have a similar impact as some other Russian imports over the years—Artemi Panarin, who just signed a seven-year, $81.5MM in free agency, is the most common comparison.

NHL success though is not guaranteed. For every success story from the KHL over the years there have been equal numbers of failures, including one that Vegas fans should be quite familiar with. Vadim Shipachyov, who has also been a better than point-per-game player in the KHL several times, failed to find any opportunity with the Golden Knights for one reason or another and ended up terminating his contract in order to return to Russia. Shipachyov recorded 68 points in 61 games for Dynamo Moscow last season in the KHL.

Gusev may be a dynamic offensive player in the NHL, but the Golden Knights simply can’t afford to pay him $4MM as their salary structure is currently constructed. The team already has had to dump good players this offseason to make room for what they already have, and adding another player like Gusev without knowing exactly what his impact will be could be risky. That said, there are plenty of other teams who would be able to take that risk and likely will be lining up to hear what it would cost to acquire him.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Ness, Miele, Bennett

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The Arizona Coyotes already made their big splash this off-season, acquiring Phil Kessel, so it comes as little surprise that the team made one unassuming announcement about three players signed to two-way contracts. Defenseman Aaron Ness has signed a two-year deal, as has forward Andy Miele, while forward Beau Bennett has signed a one-year deal. No financial terms have been disclosed.

Ness, 29, is the only one of the trio who spent last season in North America. A depth piece for the Washington Capitals, and before that the New York Islanders, Ness has played in 47 career NHL games and can be a useful minor league piece in case of emergency. The Coyotes have great depth on the blue line, but the team will be happy to let Ness, who scored a career-high 55 points last year with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, play a key role with the Tuscon Roadrunners while acting as deep option should injuries strike at the top level.

Miele, 31, begins his second stint with the Coyotes organization after spending the past two seasons abroad. A player with incredibly impressive numbers in the AHL, Miele branched out to the European ranks in search of a greater role. He enjoyed back-to-back strong seasons, first in the Swedish Hockey League and last year in the KHL, but appears ready to try his hand in the NHL again. Miele has only 15 NHL games to his credit, but he and the ’Yotes hope that his time overseas has further developed his game to the point that he can contribute in Arizona.

Bennett, 27, was limited to just five games with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk last season, his first outside North America, but that didn’t stop the Coyotes from taking a chance on him. Now in his fourth NHL stop, Bennett is looking to get back to being a regular in the league, as he was in his first five pro seasons. The 2010 first-round pick has skated in 200 NHL games, recording 64 points, and enjoyed the best season of his career just a few years ago in 2016-17 with the New Jersey Devils. If GM John Chayka and company see the residual upside in Bennett, he could be an intriguing option for the Coyotes this seaosn.

Nikita Scherbak Signs In KHL

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Though it had been expected for a while, Nikita Scherbak officially signed in the KHL today after failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Kings. Scherbak inked a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk, ending his NHL career for at least the time being.

Scherbak, 23, was selected in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2014 but was never able to live up to that top prospect status. The Russian winger was a strong offensive weapon in the minor leagues, but registered just eight points in his 37 NHL contests. Eight of those came with the Kings after he was claimed off waivers in December, but by January he had been waived again and sent to the minor leagues to finish the season with the Ontario Reign.

An unrestricted free agent now that he was not given a qualifying offer, there is potential for a return to North America one day for the speedy winger. That won’t come for at least a few years, but perhaps if he can develop his game further back home and find some of what made him such a high draft pick in the first place there will be another team that is willing to take a chance on him.

Stefan Elliott Signs With KHL’s Dinamo Minsk

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Stefan Elliott surprised many when he left North America as a restricted free agent 2016 and signed with the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan. The Canadian defenseman had just finished a season in which he played in 21 NHL games, the second most of his career, and looked like he might be a fit as a depth option for the Nashville Predators after they had acquired him mid-season from the Arizona Coyotes. This time around, coming off a return home that yielded just three NHL appearances, it comes as less of a shock that Dinamo Minsk of the KHL has announced that they have signed Elliott to a one-year contract.

Elliott, 28, was an impending unrestricted free agent with his one-year deal signed last summer with the Pittsburgh Penguins expired. After two years abroad, in Russia and Sweden respectively, the Penguins brought Elliott in as a potential minor league leader and deep blue line depth option. A 2009 second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche, Elliott had always been very successful in the AHL and Pittsburgh hoped for the same and possibly more. Instead, Elliott got off to a slow start with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and was traded to the Ottawa Senators in a swap of minor pieces. Elliott got to play in three games with Ottawa and also put up strong numbers with AHL Belleville.

Regardless, even with the Senators there did not seem to be long-term opportunity for Elliott to play a significant role, so a move back to Europe seemed like a strong possibility. The ongoing UFA discussion window likely confirmed Elliott’s doubts of finding a suitable NHL offer. He thus returns to the KHL, where he recorded 11 points in 31 games a few years ago, but joins a new team in Minsk. The club is excited about the addition, but so too should be Elliott, who could very likely be the team’s top player next season. Teemu Pulkkinen, Quinton Howden, and Patrick Wiercioch have departed and the aging Kostitsyn brothers, Sergei Kostitsyn and Andrei Kostitsyn, and former collegiate and minor leauge defender Oleg Yevenko are the only other notable players on the roster. As the go-to guy, Elliott could be in for a productive season that once again sparks interest back in North America.

Tomas Hyka, Brooks Macek Sign In KHL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

June 25: Hyka’s two-year deal in the KHL is now official, and he’ll be joined overseas by Chicago Wolves teammate Brooks Macek.

May 27: While Tomas Hyka is busy dominating the AHL playoffs, he may have already made some future plans. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that Hyka has agreed to terms with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL, despite being just one win away from the Calder Cup Final with the Chicago Wolves. Hyka is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer after his one-year two-way contract expires.

If the report is true and Hyka leaves North America, it would be a blow to the Vegas Golden Knights who are going to need inexpensive contributors over the next several seasons. Hyka has only recorded seven points in his 27 games with the Golden Knights over the last two seasons, but is a near point-per-game performer in the minor leagues and has earned himself a bigger opportunity at the NHL level. Originally a sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2012, he never signed with the team and instead joined the Golden Knights as the organization’s third player after Reid Duke and Vadim Shipachyov.

The 26-year old Hyka has 14 points in 16 playoff games with the Wolves and could earn a berth in the Calder Cup Final with a win tonight. If he does join the KHL it would be his first stint in the Russian league, after playing previously in Sweden and his home of the Czech Republic. The Golden Knights can retain his exclusive rights temporarily by issuing him a qualifying offer.

Snapshots: Claesson, Talbot, Abbandonato

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The deadline to extend qualifying offers to impending restricted free agents arrives on Tuesday, and another intriguing name can be added to the list of those likely not receiving an offer and hitting the open market. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks reports that Rangers defenseman Fredrik Claesson will not receive a qualifying offer from the team. Brooks cites roster space as the reason that New York has opted not to retain the 26-year-old, who played in 37 games in his first – and now only – season with the Rangers. The team only would have merely had to offer Claesson a two-way contract worth $735K to hold on to his RFA rights, but apparently are content to let him leave. With four veteran blue liners already signed, recent acquisition Jacob Trouba as well as Anthony DeAngelo as restricted free agents, and top prospects Adam Fox and Libor Hajek pushing for ice time, the Rangers do have plenty of depth without Claesson. Nevertheless, the former Ottawa Senators starter should draw plenty of attention as a new addition to the UFA market. Claesson joins a growing list of talented players not expected to receive qualifying offers, including Vancouver’s Derrick Pouliot, Los Angeles’ Nikita Scherbak, and Edmonton’s Ty Rattie and Tobias Rieder. 

  • At 35 years old, veteran Max Talbot is calling it a career. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun revealed that Talbot has decided to retire and end his playing days, but will stay involved with the game as a development adviser for CAA, a top hockey agency. Talbot may have spent his twilight years overseas, playing the past three seasons in the KHL, but few will forget his accomplishments in the NHL. Talbot spent eleven season in the league, making a name for himself as a top two-way player. Talbot received votes for the Selke Award as the league’s best defensive forward in four different seasons and was one of the most dangerous shorthanded specialists in the league during the prime of his career. Talbot spent the first six seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, helping the team to a 2009 Stanley Cup title, and made stops in Philadelphia, Colorado, and Boston before heading for Russia in 2016.
  • As one pro career ends, another begins. QMJHL leading scorer Peter Abbandonato has signed with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, per TVA’s Mikhail Lalancette. It’s a two-year minor league deal for Abbandonato, who needs time to develop despite his impressive junior numbers. Abbandonato was a late-blooming forward, an undrafted and slightly undersized center who broke out this season in his final year of junior eligibility. The 21-year-old had a phenomenal season, though; he recorded 111 points in 68 games, including 82 assists, which also led the league and by a wide margin. Abbandonato then added 27 points in just 15 playoff games to help the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to a QMJHL title. Like fellow undrafted top junior scorer Justin Brazeau of the OHL, Abbandonato had no other option but to sign a minor league deal and show that his skill set is pro-ready. If he can do that, Abbandonato should earn an entry-level contract, perhaps even before his AHL contract expires.

 

Overseas Notes: Yakupov, Kovar, Erixon, Garteig

at CDT | by 5 Comments

Former No. 1 overall pick Nail Yakupov won’t be joining any of the most recent draft class in the NHL next season. The bust of a former top prospect enjoyed his best season as a pro in the KHL last season and has decided not to press his luck. SKA St. Petersburg has announced a new three-year extension with Yakupov, keeping the 25-year-old in the KHL until 2022 at the earliest. Yakupov finally decided to move on from the NHL last summer and returned to home to Russia to ink a one-year “show me” deal with SKA. He did just that, recording 33 points in just 47 games and another eight points in the postseason for one of the KHL’s top clubs. Now, he has likely either decided to stay in Russia for the remainder of his career or that his best odds of being an impact player in the NHL down the road are to continue developing overseas. Either way, we won’t be seeing Yakupov in North America anytime soon. The top pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2012 from the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, Yakupov played three underwhelming seasons with the Oilers and last suited up in the NHL in 2017-18, a season split between the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. Moving forward, he’ll suit up alongside Jori Lehtera, Sergei Plotnikov, Viktor Tikhonov, and recently drafted goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov in St. Petersburg.

  • Similarly, Jan Kovar is not messing around with an NHL return after a 2018-19 season that did not go as expected. The veteran Czech forward signed a one-year, $2MM contract with the New York Islanders last summer, but that contract was terminated before the regular season even began, once it became clear that Kovar would not crack the opening night roster. Yet, he still wound up in the AHL, playing for the Providence Bruins for two months in hopes of earning a contract with Boston. When that also failed to materialize, Kovar finally returned to Europe, signing with HC Plzen of his native Czech league. Rather than stay in the Czech Republic, return to North America, or even go back to the KHL, where he had spent the previous five seasons and found much success, Kovar has instead decided to try his hand at playing in the Swiss NLA. EV Zug, an NLA finalist last season, have announced a one-year contract with Kovar. The team is excited about the addition and expect Kovar to be a key piece for them next season. The contract does have a temporary NHL exit clause, but it expires on Tuesday and there has been no talk of any NHL interest in Kovar. It’s safe to assume that he’ll be joining Carl Klingberg, Raphael Diaz, and company next season.
  • Give Tim Erixon credit. The 2009 first-round pick out of Skelleftea in Sweden has not played in the NHL since 2015, but has remained in North America, grinding it out for another opportunity in the AHL. However, it’s finally become time to return home. The SHL’s Vaxjo Lakers have announced a two-year contract with Erixon and plan to use him in a major role, unlike the minor league depth capacity that he has filled for several years. A veteran of 93 NHL games 331 AHL games with six different organizations, Erixon is an experienced defenseman who also became a leader and mentor at the minor league level. He heads back to Sweden as a respected and capable veteran player who should be a difference-maker for the Lakers. Vaxjo continues a strong off-season, now adding Erixon to a list of additions that also includes Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Marcus Davidsson, Emil Pettersson, and Matt Bodie.
  • Fresh off of a Kelly Cup championship with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers, goaltender Michael Garteig has decided to take his talents to Finland. The 27-year-old keeper has signed a one-year deal with Tappara, the Liiga club announced. Garteig was a former standout at Quinnipiac University and was briefly a prospect of the Vancouver Canucks. However, he has played the past two seasons on a minor league contract and altogether has only seen ten total games in the AHL in three pro seasons. Yet, Garteig was stellar for the Growlers last season, especially in the playoffs, where he posted a .928 save percentage and 2.19 goals against average. Tappara hopes those numbers translate to the Liiga, as the team seeks a replacement for former NHL veteran Niklas Backstrom in their tandem with young Christian Heljanko. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Wouter Peeters also hopes to push for some starts next season.

Free Agent Notes: Salary Cap, Marner, Gusev, Duchene, Dillon

at CDT | by 4 Comments

With rumors of the 2019-20 salary cap possibly being lower than the $83MM that teams initially expected, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that an NHLPA spokesperson told him that there should be an announcement on the salary cap this evening.

With talks that the salary cap could be as low as $81.5MM, LeBrun writes that the NHLPA is taking their time to weigh that number. That number is expected to have a significant effect on teams, especially on those that are tight to the cap as that leaves them even less room to work with and could force teams to dump salaries even more than ever.

  • LeBrun also tweets that the agent for Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner, Darren Ferris, is expecting to hear from other teams on Wednesday, the day the RFA speaking period begins. With plenty of talks of high demands and a suggested willingness to sign an offer sheet, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has his hands full. Dubas and Ferris did not meet this week in Vancouver and Ferris is expected to leave the draft for home, although there is plenty of time for both Dubas and Ferris to meet next week.
  • While many fans of the Vegas Golden Knights have been looking forward to seeing KHL star forward Nikita Gusev play this season, TSN’s Darren Dreger suggests that the restricted free-agent may not end up getting the chance. With plenty of cap concerns, Vegas may not have enough money to sign the 26-year-old winger, and the Golden Knights may opt to trade him to relieve some of those cap issues. Dreger adds that multiple teams have inquired about Gusev, who currently would be penciled in on their third line and could be expendable for the right price. Gusev signed a one-year deal, $925K in April of this year, but he didn’t appear in a game for the Golden Knights. He won the KHL MVP award in 2018 and has scored 63 goals in the last three season for SKA St. Petersburg.
  • The Athletic’s Craig Custance reports that he has heard there won’t be any deal between the Columbus Blue Jackets and unrestricted free agent center Matt Duchene before the speaking period opens on Sunday. While that isn’t a major surprise, of all the Blue Jackets’ big-named free agents, Duchene was their best hope to re-signing. However, especially after the recent P.K. Subban deal, it is believed that Nashville has become the front-runner for Duchene’s services.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that the San Jose Sharks would be open to moving defenseman Brendan Dillon for the right price. Dillon, who is currently slated to play on the top defensive pairing next to Brent Burns is making $3.27MM, but with significant cap issues coming this offseason, the team could use the extra cap room to try and make sure it can sign all of its top free agents, including restricted free agent Timo Meier, as well as unrestricted free agents Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist, although the latter two are less likely to return.

Snapshots: Aberg, Bournival, Pasquale, Glass

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Minnesota is not expected to tender winger Pontus Aberg a qualifying offer this summer, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription required).  The Wild acquired him from Anaheim in January in the hopes that he’d be able to give them some much-needed secondary scoring after picking up 11 goals in just 37 games with the Ducks.  However, he managed just a single tally in 22 games with Minnesota.  Between that and the fact he has arbitration eligibility where his dozen goals would have him in line for a nice raise from the league minimum $650K he made over each of the last two seasons, the fact that they’re leaning towards letting him go shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Tampa Bay UFA Michael Bournival has retired, the Lightning’s AHL affiliate in Syracuse announced (Twitter link). The 27-year-old showed some promise early in his career with Montreal but injuries limited him in his time both there and with Tampa.  In 2018-19, he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after just five games.  He wraps up his career with 127 NHL games between Montreal and Tampa Bay (regular season and playoffs), posting 12 goals and 11 assists.
  • While he made his NHL debut this past season, Lightning UFA goaltender Eddie Pasquale is heading overseas. Barys Nur-Sultan of the KHL announced that they’ve signed the netminder to a one-year contract.  Pasquale was the starter for AHL Syracuse in 2018-19, posting a 2.35 GAA in 45 appearances while also getting into three games with Tampa Bay, his first career NHL appearances.  Between this and their trade of Connor Ingram earlier today, their goaltending depth has taken a bit of a hit.
  • Veteran winger Tanner Glass has retired and will join the Rangers in a player personnel role, reports Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post. He spent parts of four seasons with New York in the past and after failing to land an NHL contract last summer, he played in France in 2018-19.  He wraps up his playing days with nearly 600 career NHL games played with six different teams.

Overseas Notes: Tomek, Johansson, Avangard

at CDT | by 2 Comments

A difficult and winding developmental path will now take Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matej Tomek back to his native Slovakia. The 22-year-old goaltender, a third-round pick in 2015, has had a tough go of it in North America. Initially selected out of the NAHL, after dominating the second-tier U.S. junior league in his first season, Tomek has since struggled to find his place. Tomek first spent two seasons at the University of North Dakota, but made zero appearances as a freshman and had just two poor outings as a sophomore. He opted to leave the program in search of more opportunity, spending the following season with the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks, where he regained some confidence but still left scouts wanting more. Tomek made his return to the college ranks this past season, playing for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Yet, again Tomek fell into a backup role and disappointed with an .845 save percentage and 4.73 GAA in five games. Likely the smart move, Tomek has decided to take a break from North American hockey for a while and HK Dukla Trencin of the Slovak Extraliga has announced a one-year contract with the young, local product. Although 22 already, Tomek’s rights belong to the Flyers until August of 2021, so one or two good seasons in Slovakia could keep his NHL hopes alive despite his recent struggles.

  • The Swedish Hockey League regular season champs are watching as their core is dismantled this off-season by NHL signings. Farjestad BK, who surprisingly lost in the semifinals despite dominating the regular season, have already seen their top two scoring forwards, Oskar Steen and Joakim Nygard, sign with Boston and Edmonton respectively, prospect Fabian Zetterlund join New Jersey, and goaltender Adam Werner inked with Colorado. Now, a fifth name could also depart for North America. Hockey News SE reports that two-way center Linus Johansson has been drawing NHL attention and at least one unnamed team has made a concrete offer. The big 26-year-old forward is expected to make his decision in the coming days. Johansson is actually not a stranger to North America, having played a season in the NAHL back in 2011-12. The late-blooming forward was never considered an NHL prospect coming up through junior hockey and only debuted in the SHL in 2016. However, he has impressed in three seasons as a well-rounded player and physical force and now must decide if he wants to try taking his game to the highest level.
  • Give the KHL’s Avangard Omsk some credit; the team is not short on confidence as they approach this off-season. Insider Igor Eronko writes for Sport-Express that free agent targets include veteran UFA Jason Spezza, as well as RFA’s Sven Andrighetto, Teddy Blueger, and Zemgus Girgensons, and recent Calder Cup winner, Tomas Jurco. While there has been some speculation that the Colorado Avalanche may not qualify Andrighetto, it’s hard to imagine that he wouldn’t be able to find an NHL opportunity if that is his priority. There has been nothing to imply that either Blueger or Girgensons are looking to leave their respective teams. Spezza, while coming off a disappointing stint with the Dallas Stars, is a former standout NHL center who easily remains top-50 free agent this summer. Jurco may be the only realistic name on the list, but kudos to Omsk for putting those names out there and being aggressive on the NHL free agent market. We’ll soon see how that works out for them.

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

scroll to top