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Minor Transactions: 11/12/22

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It’s been an eventful day throughout the NHL so far with plenty more to come. Several games took place this afternoon, including Claude Giroux’s return to Philadelphia with much more continuing into tonight. The Toronto Maple Leafs honored legendary defenseman Borje Salming in a touching tribute before taking on the struggling Vancouver Canucks, both teams looking to make a statement. Meanwhile, down in New Jersey, the Devils look to make it nine in a row against the Arizona Coyotes, but will have to do so without their top three goaltenders.

Even with the exciting day in the NHL, there are a few other moves worthy of reporting and we’ll keep track of them here:

  • Anaheim Ducks forward Sam Carrick, who had been loaned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, on a conditioning loan back on November 1st, appears to have been recalled by Anaheim. Although unconfirmed, the AHL’s transactions page lists Carrick as recalled on today’s date, seeming to be a good bet the veteran forward will be rejoining the Ducks soon. The forward has been recovering from left hip surgery he had back in May, and wasn’t expected to rejoin the team until sometime in November. Carrick signed a two-year, $850,000 AAV extension with the Ducks after playing a career-high 64 games in 2021-22.
  • The Grand Rapids Griffins have returned forward Trenton Bliss on loan to the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. Bliss, 24, is playing in only his second professional season, finishing up a four-year stay at Michigan Tech last season, where he had 40 points in 36 games. Bliss didn’t record a point over his four games with Grand Rapids, but does have a goal and an assist in three games for Toledo.
  • The Belleville Senators have recalled goaltender Logan Flodell from his loan to the Allen Americans of the ECHL. A longtime veteran of the WHL, Flodell moved on to Acadia University for the 2018-19 season, where he played parts of three seasons before turning pro at the end of 2021-22. The 25-year-old played in three games with Belleville last year in addition to 19 ECHL games split between the Reading Royals and South Carolina Stingrays. This season, Flodell has played just three games in net for Allen, posting a .909 save-percentage and 2.70 goals-against.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Washington Capitals Activate Alexeyev; Re-Assign Johansen

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After completing a conditioning stint in the minor leagues, Alexander Alexeyev is ready to return to the NHL. The Washington Capitals have activated the young defenseman off of injured reserve, while loaning Lucas Johansen to the Hershey Bears to make room.

It’s a swap of first-rounders for the Capitals, as 2018 comes in to replace 2016 on the roster. Neither one has been able to become a regular at the NHL level, with Johansen playing just two games for the Capitals since being selected 28th overall and Alexeyev making his lone appearance last season. Still, there is a little bit of optimism surrounding the 22-year-old Alexeyev, who should get a chance to secure a spot with the club starting tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In 68 games for Hershey last season, the 6’4″ defenseman recorded one goal and 19 points. He had one assist during his conditioning stint, which lasted four games. Notably, Johansen had already cleared waivers at the start of the season (and in previous years), while Alexeyev would have been at risk of a claim had they tried to give him more time in the minor leagues.

Nashville Predators Send Luke Prokop To WHL

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After eight games in the ECHL, it has been determined that Luke Prokop might not be quite ready for professional hockey. The Nashville Predators have sent the defensive prospect back to the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL after his rights were traded a few weeks ago. The Edmonton Oil Kings, who had traded for Prokop last season, sent his rights to Seattle in exchange for a first and two third-round picks in the WHL draft.

All three picks were conditional on him being loaned back, which suggested that this was the plan for a while. The 2020 third-round pick still has this year left in his junior eligibility and can try to help Seattle win a league championship.

Selected 73rd overall in 2020, the 6’6″ Prokop was a force for Edmonton last season, scoring 33 points in 55 games during the regular season and only increasing that production in the playoffs. That helped take the Oil Kings to a title, though they would eventually fall in the Memorial Cup. It was the Thunderbirds that the Oil Kings defeated in the WHL final, and Seattle is poised to get back to the dance this year.

It will be interesting to see if the massive Prokop pairs with someone like Kevin Korchinski, Seattle’s star defenseman and a Chicago Blackhawks top prospect, or if he’s played on a different pairing to balance out the defense.

Despite going back to junior, his entry-level contract will kick in this season as he is now 20. That means Prokop will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2025.

Alex Alexeyev Recalled From AHL Conditioning Loan

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Nov 8: Alexeyev has been recalled from his loan but has not been activated from long-term injured reserve. It is still not clear when he will return to NHL action.

Oct 28: The Hershey Bears are getting a little boost for the next few games, as Alexander Alexeyev has been assigned there on a long-term injury conditioning loan by the Washington Capitals. That means Alexeyev can play a handful of games without having to clear waivers, as he continues to work his way back from offseason shoulder surgery.

A loan of this type is normally for three games (or six days) but can be extended for an additional two depending on how he responds. To be loaned, he doesn’t need to clear waivers, though it did require them to move him from season-opening IR to LTIR. That placement is retroactive to October 11, meaning he shouldn’t have an issue being activated once he’s ready.

What it does mean, however, is that Alexeyev is nearing a return. The Capitals will have a decision to make at that point, as he cannot be assigned to the AHL on a full-time basis without first clearing waivers. With no other waiver-exempt defensemen on the NHL roster, it will mean risking someone to the rest of the league.

Still, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the 22-year-old Russian. Alexeyev was a first-round pick in 2018 and made his NHL debut last season, playing just ten minutes. If he can take a step forward and deliver on some of the promise that made him such a highly regarded prospect, the Capitals will have another piece to build around on the back end.

Currently, John Carlson is the only defenseman on the team signed past this season, with Dmitry Orlov, Nick Jensen, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Erik Gustafsson, and Matt Irwin all scheduled for unrestricted free agency. If Alexeyev is ever going to secure an NHL spot, there’s no better time than now.

Los Angeles Kings Loan Quinton Byfield To AHL

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The Los Angeles Kings have loaned young forward Quinton Byfield to the Ontario Reign of the AHL, the team announced this afternoon. No corresponding move has been announced. The moves comes after Byfield missed the previous six games due to illness.

After winning a regular job in the Kings lineup out of training camp, Byfield was off to a modest start to the season with three assists in eight games. The second-overall selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Byfield hasn’t yet hit the ceiling the Kings may have been hoping for, however that doesn’t appear to be the reason for the assignment. According to Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider, the move appears to be one that will allow Byfield to get back into game shape after the illness.

That point was furthered by Kings head coach Todd McLellan, who spoke with Dooley. McLellan said Byfield being on the ice in the first place was a great sign, considering the forward had lost a lot of weight. McLellan added that he doesn’t believe a player should lose his place because of injury or illness and that no decision on Byfield or Rasmus Kupari, a fellow Kings first-round pick who has occupied Byfield’s place on the third line nicely, needs to be made yet because Byfield simply isn’t ready to play. Kupari has a goal and an assist in five games with the Kings so far this season.

Laurent Brossoit Sent To AHL On Conditioning Loan

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The goaltending issues that the Vegas Golden Knights were expected to face when Robin Lehner was ruled out for the season have certainly not materialized. The duo of Adin Hill and Logan Thompson have been almost perfect, posting a combined save percentage of .941 through ten games.

Hill, acquired from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick before the season began, is 4-0 and has allowed just seven goals on 123 shots. Thompson, the de facto starter, leads the league with two shutouts in his first six games.

With those two playing at such a high level, it will make for an interesting decision when Laurent Brossoit is healthy enough to play again. The veteran netminder took a step toward that goal today when he was loaned to the Henderson Silver Knights on a long-term injury conditioning stint. Brossoit is coming off hip surgery and there is no concrete timeline for his return to NHL action.

A LTIR conditioning loan is usually limited to three games or six days, though it can be extended in certain circumstances. When it is over, Brossoit does not necessarily need to be activated.

Remember, the Golden Knights are also right up against the cap, meaning activating Brossoit will be a tricky game for the team to play. They will likely have to reduce their roster to fewer than 23 players, plus figure out what to do with their three goaltenders. Brossoit himself might end up on waivers, or even traded, given the performance of Hill and Thompson so far.

That bridge doesn’t have to be crossed yet, but if he proves himself healthy enough to return, it’s coming soon.

Dallas Stars Loan Matej Blumel To AHL

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Fresh off his first NHL call-up, but without playing his first NHL game, the Dallas Stars announced forward Matej Blumel has been loaned to the Texas Stars, their AHL affiliate. Dallas had recalled the young forward on Wednesday when they assigned forward Jacob Peterson to Texas, however Blumel did not get into any games with Dallas. No corresponding move was announced by Dallas.

Blumel, a fourth-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2019, failed to sign with the team before their rights over him expired and ultimately he signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Dallas this summer. While he hasn’t had an opportunity to make his NHL debut yet, the 22-year-old has had an outstanding return to North America, notching five goals and three assists in a mere five games with Texas to start the season. Heading back to the AHL after the initial call-up might be disappointing for Blumel, but it will give him a chance to continue his development and provide Texas with a big-time offensive presence in their lineup once again.

A native of Czechia, Blumel first came to North America back in 2017, where he spent two seasons with the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks, turning in a dominant second season with 30 goals and 30 assists in 58 games. It was after that season that the Oilers drafted Blumel, but he opted to return to Czechia, where he played three strong seasons with Pardubice before returning to North America for 2022-23. Internationally, Blumel has represented Czechia on a number of occasions, including a fantastic eight points in 10 games at this year’s World Championships. Should Blumel continue to produce with Texas, just as he has every step along the way, he’ll almost certainly force his way into the NHL lineup soon enough.

Alex Iafallo Moved To LTIR, Austin Wagner Shuttled

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October 24: The Kings have now loaned Wagner back to the Reign, according to the team. The Kings did not have a game yesterday, and Wagner’s recall was likely just a paper transaction to optimize LTIR relief.

October 23: The Los Angeles Kings announced a series of roster moves this afternoon, headlined by forward Alex Iafallo, who has been moved from regular IR to LTIR. In addition to Iafallo, the Kings have loaned defenseman Jacob Moverare to the Ontario Reign of the AHL and recalled forward Austin Wagner. The move gives Los Angeles 14 forwards to go along with seven defensemen on its active roster.

Iafallo had already been out and on IR since October 18th with a lower-body injury which he suffered in a game on October 17th against the Detroit Red Wings, but placing him on LTIR will create additional cap space that allows the Kings to call up Wagner, who carries a $1.133MM cap hit while sending down Moverare and his $762.5K cap hit. Prior to the transaction, Los Angeles had $521K in cap space. Of note, due to Iafallo’s $4MM cap hit, his trip to LTIR will give the organization more than enough room to work with on the salary cap front while he’s out. Despite the injury, Iafallo has had a tremendous start to the season, contributing two goals and three assists in four games.

Sending Moverare down simply gives the Kings more flexibility when setting a lineup by subtracting their eighth defenseman for another forward, flexibility they’ll continue to need in Iafallo’s absence. The defenseman had yet to play a game this season in the NHL, but does have a pair of AHL contests under his belt in 2022-23, prior to his call-up on October 18th. Wagner on the other hand, is receiving his first call-up of the season after starting the year with Ontario. There, he has two points in three games to start.

Minnesota Wild Loan Vladislav Firstov To KHL; Recall Mason Shaw

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Jordan Greenway’s return to the Minnesota Wild lineup lasted just six shifts. The bruising forward managed to land four hits during that time, but after leaving with an upper-body injury he was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game. Head coach Dean Evason told reporters including Michael Russo of The Athletic after the game that Greenway would be evaluated today and won’t play tomorrow afternoon in Boston.

With that news, it makes sense that Mason Shaw is back in the AHL transaction portal and on his way back to the NHL level. Shaw had only been sent down a few days ago when it was clear that Greenway would be returning. More importantly, perhaps, is that the portal also includes Vladislav Firstov, who has been reassigned by the team to Torpedo Nizhny Novogrod of the KHL.

Firstov, 21, was a second-round pick of the Wild in 2019 and signed his entry-level contract in March. The young Russian forward hadn’t played in his home country for years, coming over to spend his draft year in the USHL and then the last three seasons at the University of Connecticut. After just one game with the Iowa Wild this season, he’s apparently on his way back overseas to continue his development in the KHL.

Notably, he remains under contract with the Wild, so this isn’t a long-term plan. But the team will lose at least a bit of control over his deployment and development this season as he plays in Russia. In eight games down the stretch with Iowa last season he managed just two assists, meaning he’ll have to wait even longer for his first professional goal in North America.

Morning Notes: Reverse Retro, Kubalik, Wilde

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The NHL has released all 32 Reverse Retro sweaters for the upcoming season, with love (and hate) pouring in from fans all across the league. This is the second iteration of the idea, and the jerseys will be on display starting November 2, with a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres.

While it has been called nothing but a cash grab by some, the jerseys do include some fun nods to teams of the past, including the California Golden Seals (San Jose Sharks), and Colorado Rockies (both Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils). Here are another few notes from around the league on this quiet Thursday morning:

  • When the name Kubalik comes across the transaction wire, one might assume it’s the Detroit Red Wings forward on the move. No, this time it’s his older brother Tomas Kubalik, who has signed in the French second league. It’s been a long professional career for the 32-year-old, who was selected 135th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008 and did actually make it to the NHL. The big winger played 12 games over parts of two seasons, scoring a goal and four assists. Fans of the Victoriaville Tigres will also remember his one season in the QMJHL, when Kubalik scored 33 goals and 75 points in 58 regular season games.
  • The New York Islanders have confirmed the loans of Bode Wilde and Richard Panik to Atlanta of the ECHL and Lausanne in Switzerland, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. Of course, Panik’s assignment was already evident, given he’s played three times for the Swiss club already this year. Wilde meanwhile will continue to be exiled from the Islanders organization as they wait out his entry-level contract. He was sent to Vasterviks IK of the Swedish second league last season, and now finds himself set to play in the low minors this year. The 22-year-old defenseman will not likely receive a qualifying offer at the end of the year when his contract is up.

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