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Minor Transactions: 10/01/19

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Teams all around the league are setting their opening day rosters to get cap compliant, while minor league clubs are still out finalizing their groups for the upcoming season. We’ll be right here to keep track of all those moves like always:

Los Angeles Kings Assign Nikolai Prokhorkin To AHL

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The Los Angeles Kings are only just starting their rebuilding phase of their franchise, and the team has already decided that KHL veteran winger Nikolai Prokhorkin won’t be part of their immediate future as the team announced that they have assigned him to the Ontario Reign of the AHL.

The 25-year-old was brought in to Los Angeles with the hopes of immediately jumping into their lineup. He has played six full seasons in the KHL already, and had his best season last year when he picked up career highs with St. Petersburg SKA with 20 goals and 41 points. A fourth-round pick back in 2012, he opted to sign with the Kings in May to a one-year, entry-level contract, which would make him a restricted free agent next season. He did attempt to sign with the franchise back in 2012 and played eight games with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, before his contract was ruled illegal and was forced to return to Russia.

Prokhorkin does have a European assignment clause that can go into effect at a later date, according to Fox Sports Jon Rosen, but there so far has been no indication that Prokhorkin intends to return to the KHL. With a significant amount of young players on the roster, Prokhorkin may just want to play for Ontario to get used to North American rinks and hope the team will recall him at some point so he can prove he belongs in the Kings’ lineup at a later date.

 

 

Saku Maenalanen Signs In KHL

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One of the unsigned restricted free agents that wasn’t getting nearly as much press recently was Saku Maenalanen of the Carolina Hurricanes. Well, unsigned no more, as Maenalanen has now inked a deal with Helsinki in the KHL. The contract is a one-year deal with another option year, and will get him playing hockey almost immediately. The Hurricanes will retain his rights after issuing a qualifying offer earlier this summer.

Maenalanen, 25, only came over to North America a year ago and split his time between the AHL and NHL in the Carolina organization. In 34 regular season games with the Hurricanes he recorded eight points, but did well enough to be included in nine postseason contests. The 6’4″ winger had shown real offensive promise during his days in Finland, but couldn’t quite seem to bring that same level of success to the NHL.

Even though the Hurricanes will own his rights for now, it does seem as though perhaps that is the end of the NHL experiment for the big Finn. He’ll turn 26 at the end of the 2019-20 season and will likely find more success in the KHL than he ever could in North America.

Craig MacTavish Fired In KHL

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After just eight games as the head coach of Yaroslavl Lokomotiv in the KHL, Craig MacTavish has been fired. The former Edmonton Oilers executive left the NHL to pursue a new opportunity overseas this year, but will be looking for a new job after just a few games. MacTavish ends his KHL career with a 3-5 record.

When Ken Holland was brought in to steer the ship in Edmonton earlier this offseason, MacTavish was one of the first of the old front office to go. After two decades with the organization serving at various times as assistant coach, head coach, general manager and senior vice president of hockey operations, much of the good will he built as a player had gone among Edmonton fans. MacTavish of course was a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the team in the late-80s.

With such an extensive resume it seems likely that MacTavish will land on his feet somewhere, though he may not be given the kind of power he had for years in Edmonton. It is unfortunate that his stint in Russia didn’t work out, but there have been many other coaches chewed up by the KHL system before and he won’t be the last.

Anton Burdasov To Attend Edmonton Oilers Training Camp

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As expected, Anton Burdasov will try to land a job in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers this fall. The Russian winger has signed a professional tryout with the Edmonton Oilers. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reported last month that there was interest from several teams. Burdasov has spent the last decade playing in the KHL, most recently with Ufa Salavat Yulayev.

Burdasov, 28, was never drafted by an NHL team, but slowly became one of the more consistent offensive pieces in the KHL. The 6’2″ 227-lbs winger not only scored 19 goals last season in 50 games, but he also led the KHL in penalty minutes with 114. With the Oilers desperately searching for answers on the wing, that kind of size and scoring ability could be very useful.

With Edmonton sitting close to the cap, they couldn’t commit to Burdasov without seeing him in action on an NHL rink. Bringing him in on a tryout basis will give them a much closer look at what he can offer, and whether or not he could fit into their group. He’s already reported to camp and is in uniform, giving him plenty of time to make an impact on the coaching staff and players.

New Jersey Devils Sign Pavel Zacha

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After flirting with the KHL recently, Pavel Zacha has decided to stick around in the NHL. The New Jersey Devils have signed the young restricted free agent to a three-year deal that carries an average annual value of $2.25MM. GM Ray Shero released this statement on the signing:

We are happy to have finalized this three-year agreement as Pavel is an important part of our team. He has established himself as someone who can play in any situation and we are looking forward to his continued growth as a player.

Zacha will still be a restricted free agent when the deal expires, but will be arbitration-eligible. The full breakdown of the deal is as follows:

  • 2019-20: $1.75MM
  • 2020-21: $2.0MM
  • 2021-22: $3.0MM

Once again it is important to note the back-loaded nature of an RFA contract, meaning the Devils will be forced to issue a $3MM qualifying offer in order to keep Zacha’s rights at the end of the deal. At that point he would be just one year from unrestricted free agency, meaning he could essentially turn this into a four-year, $9.75MM deal and walk himself right onto the open market if he chooses. Still, getting it done now will allow Zacha to have a full training camp to try and finally become a bigger part of the New Jersey offense.

Though the cap hit is still relatively low compared to some of the other free agent numbers being thrown around, it seems in this case as if Zacha’s KHL threat may have actually resulted in a stronger offer from the Devils. In 201 NHL games the 22-year old has just 29 goals and 76 points, unable to register more than 13 goals in any of his three full seasons. In contrast, Anthony Beauvillier, a player selected 22 spots after Zacha in the 2015 draft, has scored at a much higher pace (48 goals in 218 games) and recently agreed to a two-year deal worth just $2.1MM per season. Obviously buying out the third year is what bumped up the AAV in Zacha’s case, but the fact that he was able to secure it with such little production may have something to do with his (apparent) willingness to play overseas.

There’s no getting around it, Zacha has been a disappointment to this point in his career. Selected ahead of some of the most productive young players in the league, he’ll continually be compared to names like Timo Meier (selected 9th), Mikko Rantanen (10th), Mathew Barzal (16th) and Kyle Connor (17th). While his draft pedigree shouldn’t matter at this point and the comparisons aren’t exactly fair, the Devils have to hope they can coax more offense out of him while still developing Zacha into the strong defensive center he showed at times last season. Now that Jack Hughes is in town to pair with Nico Hischier in the top two pivot spots, Zacha has a chance to be a difference-maker on the third line if he can just take a few steps forward in his development.

KHL To Implement Salary Cap Floor

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The KHL’s Board of Governors was busy this weekend, discussing and ultimately deciding on a number of major issues. The league approved the use of “smart puck” tracking technology, distributed television revenue to each team, and formally open up investigations into both a new playoff format as well as rules pertaining to player loans. However, the biggest decision came in regard to a touchy subject in the KHL: competitive balance. The league has officially announced that they will introduce a salary cap floor, beginning in the 2020-21 season.

A group consisting of representatives from all 21 NHL teams received a majority vote to implement a salary cap floor, which should act to combat the KHL’s problem with powerhouse clubs. The league already has a salary cap structure with an upper limit of 900MM rubles, or about $14MM, but few teams have the funds to build their rosters right up against the cap. Without any floor to speak of, the cap only marginally assisted with competitive balance, as many teams who felt overwhelmed by the talent of teams like CSKA Moscow, SKA St. Petersburg, and Ak Bars Kazan would instead field low-money rosters in an attempt to maximize their profits in what they felt would be an inevitable losing season.

From now on, that will no longer be an option. The top teams will continue to spend to the cap, but the rest of the league will now have to build more competitive rosters. In it’s first season, the salary cap floor will be set at 30% of the cap ceiling, or 270MM rubles. This is only about $4MM, but is just the first step toward a more balanced KHL. Over the following three years, the floor will move to 35%, 45%, and finally 50% in 2023-24 and beyond. Team that fail to reach the salary cap floor will be punished with financial penalties the first two times they fall below the minimum team salary and upon the third instance will receive a postseason ban.

As it relates to the NHL, a salary cap floor in the KHL will mean there is more money to go around in the competitor league. The financial status of the KHL still pales in comparison to the NHL, but a required minimum payroll for 21 KHL teams (and counting) is sure to produce more scenarios where a jump to Europe is more appealing than a two-way contract. It could also encourage homegrown Russian players to stay in the KHL longer, as the pay discrepancy may not be as large. At the end of the day, the KHL salary floor won’t have a substantial immediate impact on the NHL’s flow of talent beyond a few specific situations, but if it succeeds in improving the competitive balance in the KHL, the league’s popularity could increase which would be felt across the hockey world.

Pavel Zacha Linked To KHL

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1:20pm: Devils GM Ray Shero certainly isn’t concerned with the reports about Zacha and the KHL. The executive spoke to reporters including John Wawrow of the Associated Press and explained that if Zacha wants to go to the KHL “it’s a long way back to the NHL.” Shero still hopes to sign Zacha for this season, but is quick to point out that the Devils own his rights regardless.

8:30am: Though their offseason has focused on other things, the New Jersey Devils are another one of the teams around the NHL with an unsigned restricted free agent just a few days before training camp opens. Pavel Zacha is still without a contract, and he may not be getting one from the Devils anytime soon. Igor Eronko of Sport-Express passes on a report that Zacha has agreed to terms with Avangard of the KHL. There has been no official announcement from either side at this point, but losing Zacha to the KHL would be a big disappointment for a Devils team that has plans to contend for the playoffs this season. As a restricted free agent that received a qualifying offer, his rights would be retained by New Jersey.

Of course, it is very important to note that until a deal is actually signed—not just agreed to—Zacha could very well still end up in New Jersey. The 22-year old doesn’t have a ton of leverage in his negotiation after struggling to put up big offensive numbers and even seeing some time in the minor leagues last season. Originally selected sixth overall in 2015, the Czech forward has recorded just 76 points in 201 NHL games, though did post his career-high in goals last year with 13. Dealing with injuries and inconsistencies over his first three seasons, it seems likely that the Devils wouldn’t be offering a very lucrative deal for Zacha.

The fact that he is not arbitration eligible yet means there are only a couple of ways for this to end, and no real deadline other than December 1st. That’s when Zacha would become ineligible to play in 2019-20 should he not have an NHL contract filed with the league. Dropping a hint by agreeing to terms in the KHL may push a negotiation along, or it may be simply that Zacha intends on playing overseas this year to get his game back on track.

The Devils have added Wayne Simmonds, Nikita Gusev and Jack Hughes to their forward group (among others) this season, making it even tougher for players like Zacha to crack the top-six and powerplay units moving forward.

Kerby Rychel Signs In KHL

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It hasn’t been a very successful offseason for Kerby Rychel. First the Calgary Flames decided not to issue him a qualifying offer which made him an unrestricted free agent, and then he had to settle for a one-year deal in Sweden in late July. Just a month later Rychel parted ways with Orebro HK due to “personal reasons,” leaving him a free agent without a team once again. Now, Igor Eronko of Sport-Express reports that Rychel has signed a one-year deal with Neftekhimik in the KHL.

Rychel, 24, was a first-round selection by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013 but failed to ever make a real impact at the NHL level for the club. After several years developing him in the minor leagues—including a Calder Cup championship with the Lake Erie Monsters—he was flipped to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016 for Scott Harrington. The Maple Leafs never even gave him a single game in the NHL before trading him again to the Montreal Canadiens, where he suited up just four times. Last season Rychel spent the year almost entirely with the Stockton Heat, scoring 43 points in 57 games.

There has always been the potential of a top-level power forward in Rychel, but things to this point just haven’t worked out. In 43 NHL games has just 14 points, though his AHL numbers are much more respectable. In the KHL he may get a bigger offensive opportunity, but Rychel will need to commit himself to improving his fitness and dedication at both ends of the rink if he is to ever get another sniff at the NHL.

Prospect Notes: Merkley, Karlberg, Chudinov

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When the OHL’s Peterborough Petes released their training camp roster last week, star defenseman Ryan Merkley was suspiciously absent. The San Jose Sharks 2018 first-round pick was only acquired by the Petes midway through last season and was expected to play a major role for the team this year. However, that won’t be the case. Merkley’s agent, J.P. Barry, relayed to Mike Davies of The Peterborough Examiner that he has been informed that Peterborough is working to trade Merkley and do not plan to begin the season with him on the roster. Petes GM Mike Oke confirmed as much, telling Davies that “We’ve decided we’re going to go in a different direction. Finding another opportunity for Ryan would probably be best for everybody… [W]e just felt it wasn’t the right fit.” Oke stated that no specific incident led to the team’s decision on Merkley, but this is hardly the first time that the young blue liner has worn out his welcome. A player that has continuously been followed by rumors of immature behavior and poor sportsmanship, Merkley was thought to have been initially traded to Peterborough from the Guelph Storm under similar circumstances. These personality concerns also likely played a factor in Merkely’s drop to No. 21 overall last year, as his offensive ability might have otherwise warranted a higher draft slot. Nevertheless, the Sharks remain committed to their prospect defender and Oke and Barry are certain that Merkley is still a valuable commodity in the OHL. In fact, the Petes expect to get a similar package back in a trade as what they gave up for him: a top young player and a package of high picks. Merkley is a talented player – he has recorded 193 points in 188 career OHL games – and will get a fair shake at Sharks training camp, but his defensive ability still needs work and he will almost certainly end up back in the OHL this season. The question is with who and whether his continued behavioral issues will follow him to his next stop as well.

  • Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Marcus Karlberg will also be playing somewhere different this season. The 19-year-old forward, a 2018 third-round pick, has been loaned to a new club for the 2019-20 season. AIK of Sweden’s second-tier pro league, the Allsvenskan, announced that they have acquired Karlberg’s services from Leksands IF for the coming season. Karlberg was a near point-per-game player for Leksands’ U-20 SuperElit team early last season before being promoted and recording 11 points in 44 games in the Allsvenskan. Karlberg had clearly outgrown the junior level, but with Leksands earning a promotion to the SHL, the team was likely wary of moving the young forward to Sweden’s top pro level. Karlberg’s growing ability is obvious – he is a fast, hard-working forward who doesn’t let his small frame limit him – but remaining in the Allsvenskan for another year is likely a better developmental move. AIK hope that he can break out and perhaps contribute to another promotion-worthy campaign.
  • While he can barely be considered a prospect anymore, Russian defenseman Maxim Chudinov is already back to impressing in the KHL. Likely one of the best players in the world never to try his hand at the NHL, Chudinov still remains Boston Bruins property as a 2010 seventh-round pick. The 29-year-old rearguard has been playing in the KHL since even before the Bruins took a flier on him and has become well-known for his top two-way play and even more so for his howitzer of a shot. Chudinov put his slapper on display in the KHL’s season opener yesterday, scoring from behind his own blue line. Amazingly, this is the third time in this calendar year alone that Chudinov has accomplished that unthinkable task. A multiple-time Gagarin Cup champion and KHL All-Star, it’s possible that Chudinov could finally decide he wants a new challenge in his career and the Bruins would surely welcome him with open arms, despite their depth on defense. However, with his 30th birthday arriving this season, it’s more likely that Chudinov will simply remain a “what could have been” for NHL fans.

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