Luke Green Loaned To Vaasan Sport
Winnipeg Jets prospect Luke Green hadn’t gotten into any of the first six games with the Manitoba Moose this season, so the team is sending him elsewhere to get on the ice. The 23-year-old defenseman has been loaned to Vaasan Sport in Finland where he can start getting some game action.
It’s been a long few years for Green, who was the 79th overall pick in 2016. His 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons were both cut short due to injuries (shoulder surgery and concussions), and after finally working his way back to full health in the fall of 2019, he was injured in December and never returned to action. That’s three lost seasons in a row at perhaps the most crucial period of a prospect’s development. In all, he has played just 28 AHL games to this point.
That doesn’t necessarily mean his professional career is over, but it seems extremely unlikely that Green will get another NHL contract when his entry-level deal expires this summer. He’ll be a restricted free agent, but unless the Jets believe they can still turn him into a useful asset, he’ll go non-tendered. Of course, he has a little time to change their minds and show that the high-flying offensive defenseman he was in junior is still in there, somewhere.
Minor Transactions: 02/14/21
Today is supposed to be about significant others, and the NHL did their part with just two games on the docket, but there are some significant moves worth paying attention to as well, both at home and abroad. Keep up with all of the day’s minor transactions right here:
- In some surprising news that will certainly require a follow-up, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers have released Nick Pastujov from his AHL contract, according to league’s transaction log. Pastujov, a New York Islanders 2016 draft pick, signed with Bridgeport this fall following a successful four-year stint at the University of Michigan. Although the Isles seemingly felt he was not ready for an entry-level contract, they wanted to keep the prospect winger within the organization. Yet, without having even played a game for the Sound Tigers, Pastujov has been released from the team. It is unclear whether this was his decision or if the move was prompted by the club. The oldest of three brothers, with Michael also at Michigan and Sasha bound for Notre Dame and looking like a potential first-round NHL draft pick, Nick looked primed to begin the Pastujov era in pro hockey. It will be interesting to see what comes next for the young forward.
- Another problem prospect for the Islanders, Joshua Ho-Sang is on the move again. Still technically under contract with New York, Ho-Sang was loaned to the SHL’s Orebro HK last month. After just five games – and one point – that relationship has already been terminated. Ho-Sang has now signed on with another Swedish club, Linkoping HC, hopefully for the rest of the season, the team announced. Ho-Sang will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season, but it seems unlikely that the Islanders will extend a qualifying offer.
- After bouncing around the AHL over the past few seasons, former Winnipeg Jets defenseman Julian Melchiori has found a home in Germany. Melchiori, who had played on an NHL contract in each of his first eight pro seasons, became an unrestricted free agent this off-season when his contract with the New Jersey Devils expired. Unable to find another NHL deal, Melchiori first signed in the KHL but terminated his deal in favor of a contract with the DEL’s Grizzlys Wolfsburg. Germany’s top league also had a delayed start to their season, but in just 15 games so far Melchiori has apparently impressed his new club and has enjoyed the fit himself. Wolfsburg has announced that the two sides have already agreed to a one-year extension. The team’s release called Melchiori a “leader” and “top performer” who “integrated very quickly”.
- Another former NHL defenseman, Marc-Andre Gragnani, has signed a new contract in Europe as well. Gragnani has inked a deal for the remainder of the SHL season with Djurgardens IF, the team announced. Since he last played in the NHL as a member of the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16, Gragnani has been stellar for the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk and Kunlun Red Star as one of the better offensive defensemen in the league. Even at 33, it would not be a surprise if Gragnani’s late signing this season was due to his desire to find a contract in the NHL. A journeyman in his North American days who was always far more effective in the AHL than the NHL, Gragnani no doubt has more confidence after several high-scoring seasons in Europe. He will have to re-focus now on helping his new Swedish club, as Djurgardens is still fighting for a playoff spot despite severely lacking talent on the blue line.
Minor Transactions: 02/05/21
It’s opening day in the AHL for a number of teams with more set to get underway this weekend, while others are getting started with training camp. As a result, official rosters continue to be released and a few of these lists have included some surprising names. Follow along with these reveals as well as other minor moves around the hockey world:
- Operating without an AHL affiliate this year, as the Milwaukee Admirals opted out of the season, the Nashville Predators were expected to share the Chicago Wolves with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, seeing as Carolina is the actual parent club and there are only so many AHL roster spots to go around, it seems Nashville has made other arrangements for some of their other prospects. The newly released training camp roster for the Tucson Roadrunners, affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, shows that Nashville forwards Michael Carcone and Josh Wilkins have been loaned to the club. Wilkins is in his second season with the Predators organization as an undrafted free agent out of Providence College, while Carcone joined the organization as a UFA this summer and has four seasons of AHL experience under his belt. It’s an unexpected but welcome influx of talent and experienced up front for the Roadrunners.
- Another former Milwaukee Admiral was a surprise inclusion on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers opening day roster. Per the AHL transactions log, goaltender Ken Appleby has signed with Bridgeport for this season. The former New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets keeper spent last season on an AHL contract and will do so again this year. However, he hopes that he can eventually earn another NHL deal, perhaps even over the course of the season as he did with the Jets in 2018-19. The 25-year-old was stellar in three emergency appearances for the Devils in 2017-18 and has good numbers in the AHL and ECHL over his five-year pro career.
- A familiar face is joining the Belleville Senators on a PTO in training camp. Veteran defenseman Cody Goloubef has joined the club on a tryout basis, Belleville announced. Goloubef previously played with the AHL Senators in 2018-19 after coming over in a trade with the Boston Bruins, but played exclusively in the NHL with Ottawa and the Detroit Red Wings last year. Seemingly unable to find a new NHL contract, the Ontario native has returned to his most recent AHL home and should have a strong chance at earning a contract. The 31-year-old Goloubef brings 160 NHL game and over 300 AHL games worth of experience to Belleville.
- Philadelphia Flyers prospect Adam Ginning is preparing to spend at least one more year developing at home in Sweden. Farjestad BK of the SHL has announced an extension with Ginning through the 2021-22 season. The big defenseman, who stands 6’4″ and weighs in at over 200 pounds, has taken a step forward in the SHL this season, already setting a career high in points through just 32 games and asserting himself with the second-most penalty minutes on the team. The club feels that Ginning has pushed himself beyond many of the competing defensemen on the team and has claimed a top role on the blue line. Having claimed that role, he could be in for a special season next year before the Flyers inevitably try to bring him over.
Jeremy Bracco Clears Unconditional Waivers
Jan 27: Bracco has cleared waivers and had his contract terminated, according to CapFriendly.
Jan 26: After clearing waivers earlier this month, Jeremy Bracco finds himself there again. The Carolina Hurricanes’ forward has been loaned to KalPa in Finland for the rest of the season, while also being placed on unconditional waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Should a contract termination follow, the young forward would be an unrestricted free agent once again.
Bracco, 23, has dominated the AHL at times, including a 79-point season in 2018-19 that seemed destined to earn him a call-up with the Toronto Maple Leafs. When an NHL debut never came and the Maple Leafs decided not to issue him a qualifying offer, Bracco was a free agent looking for work. He ended up signing quickly with the Hurricanes, inking a one-year, two-way deal in mid-October.
Now, with the prospect of another AHL season on the horizon, he’ll face a new challenge overseas instead. The talented playmaker still has tremendous offensive upside, but desperately needs to fill out the other parts of his game if he’s to ever live up to his second-round billing.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 1/24/21
It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.
- The Dallas Stars announced they have recalled forward Tanner Kero from their taxi squad after placing forward Joel Kiviranta on injured reserve. The 28-year-old Kero hasn’t made an NHL appearance since the 2017-18 season, but could get onto the ice depending on the injury status of Jamie Benn, who is a game-time decision. Kiviranta, who was listed as day-to-day Saturday after getting injured in practice, will have to sit out at least three games.
- The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled forwards Givani Smith and Taro Hirose from the taxi squad. Smith has been up and down between the NHL and taxi squad, while Hirose was recalled three days ago to the taxi squad from the AHL. Both are expected to make their season debuts on Sunday. Detroit also have re-assigned forward Riley Barber to the taxi squad. UPDATE: The Red Wings have reversed course, announcing they have sent Hirose and Smith back to the taxi squad after their game with Chicago ended.
- The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have loaned defenseman Derrick Pouliot from the taxi squad to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL. The team also announced some salary cap moves, sending forward Connor Bunnaman and Samuel Morin to their taxi squad.
- The Buffalo Sabres announced they have swapped young players as the team has sent forward Dylan Cozens to the taxi squad and recalled Casey Mittelstadt, who is expected to make his season debut Sunday. Cozens scored his first career NHL goal Friday, but head coach Ralph Krueger made it clear before the season that he intends to ease his young players into the lineup. The team has also activated forward Kyle Okposo from injured reserve. He has missed the team’s first five games with a lower-body injury.
- Las Vegas Review Journal’s David Schoen reports that the Vegas Golden Knights have activated defenseman Nicolas Hague off the taxi squad and moved center Cody Glass to the taxi squad, a similar move from two games ago as the team continues to balance their salary cap with rotating between five and six defensemen.
- The Washington Post’s Samantha Pell reports that with two forwards (Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov), a defenseman (Dmitry Orlov) and a goaltender (Ilya Samsonov) out due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team was able to recall two players, including forwards Brian Pinho and Connor McMichael (as well as goaltender Craig Anderson), via the emergency recall exception rule and not count against their cap. McMichael is the most interesting of the two as the 2019 first-round pick will make his NHL debut Sunday.
- The New Jersey Devils announced they have assigned forward Jesper Boqvist to the taxi squad and they have recalled forward Nicholas Merkley, who is expected to make his season debut Sunday. Boqvist has appeared in four games for New Jersey, failing to register a point. Merkley, acquired from Arizona in the Taylor Hall trade last season, had a goal and an assist in four games last year with the Devils.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets already placed Brandon Dubinsky on LTIR earlier today, but the team also made a few other moves to get under the salary cap, according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline. The scribe writes that both Alexandre Texier and Liam Foudy have been assigned to the taxi squad, but as paper moves to maximize their LTIR pool. The team has also recalled Emil Bemstrom and Stefan Matteau from the taxi squad.
- The New York Rangers announced they have recalled forward Colin Blackwell from their taxi squad and is likely to make his Rangers’ debut. The 27-year-old signed with the Rangers as a free agent after posting three goals and 10 points in 27 games for the Nashville Predators last season.
- The Calgary Flames made their standard game-day transaction, recalling Derek Ryan and Oliver Kylington from the taxi squad. Ryan has appeared in three games with no points, while Kylington has yet to make an appearance for Calgary this year.
- The Minnesota Wild announced they have recalled goaltender Andrew Hammond from their taxi squad with the status of Cam Talbot being day-to-day. In order to keep three goaltenders on the roster, the team has assigned netminder Hunter Jones from Iowa of the AHL to the taxi squad. Hammond has not made an appearance yet for the Wild.
- With the Bruins off, CapFriendly reports that Boston has shuffled forwards Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic plus defenseman Urho Vaakanainen to their taxi squad, continuing their near-daily movement. Steven Kampfer was reassigned to AHL Providence from the taxi squad to create room for Vaakanainen’s placement.
- Avalanche defenseman Conor Timmins was in the lineup for their game today against Anaheim, meaning that he has been recalled from the taxi squad. The 22-year-old has played in four games so far with Colorado this season, logging a little under 13 minutes per game.
- Pierre Engvall and Jason Spezza were both in the lineup for the Maple Leafs against Calgary today, meaning they were promoted from the taxi squad. To get back into cap compliance, Travis Boyd was sent to the taxi squad.
- After scoring in his Canadiens debut on Saturday, Montreal has returned Corey Perry to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The veteran will likely be recalled in time for their next game against Calgary on Thursday.
- The Ottawa Senators have returned winger Micheal Haley to their taxi squad, per CapFriendly. He was recalled for Saturday’s game against Winnipeg and played 7:39 while getting into a fight.
Taxi Squad Shuffle: 01/22/21
It appears as though there will be daily movement this season between the active roster and taxi squad. Although some major names may be highlighted in separate articles, this is where you’ll find the majority of shuffle news each day.
- With no other real options, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Pierre-Olivier Joseph from their taxi squad under emergency conditions. The young defenseman is expected to make his NHL debut tonight against the New York Rangers. Joseph, 21, was the 23rd overall pick in 2017 and recorded 17 points in 52 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have elevated Nathan Gerbe from the taxi squad, moving Emil Bemstrom down in his place. The 33-year-old Gerbe hasn’t played yet this season but recorded ten points in 30 games last year for the club.
- After clearing waivers, Brandon Pirri was re-assigned to the Chicago Blackhawks taxi squad. Carl Soderberg and Brandon Hagel have both been moved to the active roster. Soderberg, 35, has yet to play this season and is expected to make his debut tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.
- The Washington Capitals have recalled Brian Pinho from the taxi squad as they try to fill out a roster card without their four Russian stars. Pinho, 25, scored 20 goals and 37 points in 62 games for the Hershey Bears last season and made his NHL debut in the postseason bubble.
- Givani Smith has been recalled from the Red Wings taxi squad, giving them another forward option as more players find themselves on the COVID list. The Red Wings start a two-game series with the Blackhawks tonight with a chance to climb even further up the Central Division table. Taro Hirose was also brought up to the taxi squad.
- The Edmonton Oilers have activated James Neal off injured reserve, meaning someone needed to go to the taxi squad. That someone is Joakim Nygard, who has been moved off the active roster. Olivier Rodrigue, who had been serving as the taxi squad goaltender, has also swapped places with Dylan Wells. Rodrigue will report to the AHL while Wells is now the third-string option for Edmonton.
- Samuel Morin has been moved back to the taxi squad as the Philadelphia Flyers wait for their next game. Morin, who is making the switch from defense to forward this season, has yet to get into a game.
- Brogan Rafferty has been moved to the taxi squad by the Vancouver Canucks, as they continue to try and work out their defensive issues. Rafferty had been up on emergency loan while the Canucks dealt with several injuries, but is now back down on the team’s day off.
- Victor Soderstrom is expected to make his NHL debut tonight after being recalled from the taxi squad by the Arizona Coyotes. The team has moved Jordan Gross down for the time being, allowing their young phenom to get into a game. Soderstrom, 19, was the 11th overall pick in 2019 and quickly became one of the top defensive prospects in the entire league. Aaron Ness was sent to the minors while Ivan Prosvetov was added to the taxi squad.
- The Los Angeles Kings have assigned both Lias Andersson and Jaret Anderson-Dolan to the taxi squad while the team prepares for a four-game road trip that takes them to St. Louis tomorrow. The Kings are coming off their first win of the season and looking to continue to hold their own in a tough West Division.
- The Nashville Predators have recalled Mathieu Olivier from the taxi squad while also activating Mikael Granlund to the active roster after he completed his quarantine protocols. Olivier leads the Preds in hits in the early going this season with eight while Granlund will make his season debut.
- Anaheim has made a long list of moves, per CapFriendly. The Ducks have recalled David Backes, Max Jones, and Josh Mahura to the NHL roster while Anthony Stolarz and Isac Lundestrom are now on the taxi squad. Sonny Milano has been placed on IR while Lukas Dostal has been sent to AHL San Diego.
- The Boston Bruins have shuffled Trent Frederic and Jack Studnicka back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The two have been shuffled multiple times already this season to bank cap room and will likely be recalled for tomorrow’s game against Philadelphia.
- Colorado has recalled Martin Kaut on an emergency basis, per CapFriendly. Conor Timmins was sent back to the taxi squad in a corresponding move. Erik Johnson isn’t expected to play tonight and Kaut’s addition will allow the Avalanche to dress 12 forwards and six defensemen.
- The Islanders have shuffled Kieffer Bellows back to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. The winger has played in all four games this season but with them off until Sunday, New York can save nearly $15K in salary by sending him back for two days.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have flipped defensemen again as Andreas Borgman has been recalled with Luke Schenn going to the taxi squad, per CapFriendly. While they’re so deep into LTIR where the small cap savings will be irrelevant, doing so extends Schenn’s waiver exemption a little longer.
- Vegas has recalled Cody Glass from the taxi squad, notes David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Nicolas Hague has been sent back down to the taxi squad, meaning the Golden Knights will go back to dressing 13 forwards and just five defensemen.
This page will be updated throughout the day as more moves are officially announced.
Minor Transactions: 1/21/21
With AHL training camps underway for some teams and soon beginning for others, there has been some activity on that front today as well as some overseas news. Here’s a rundown of some of those moves.
- The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, affiliate of the Blue Jackets, announced the signing of winger Nick Lappin to a minor-league deal. He spent last season under contract with the Blues but didn’t get into a game with them but has 60 career NHL contests under his belt, all with New Jersey. The Monsters also announced the additions of defenseman Brandon Fortunado and winger Evan Polei on loans from the Predators and Blues, respectively.
- Veteran winger Ty Rattie has opted to sign in Finland, joining Assat Pori per a team release. The 27-year-old last saw NHL action in 2018-19 where he played in 50 games with Edmonton but spent last season in the KHL after failing to catch on with another NHL team.
- After spending the last two seasons in Anaheim’s system on AHL contracts and parts of three more on NHL deals before that, veteran winger Corey Tropp has headed overseas as Straubing of the DEL announced that they’ve signed the 31-year-old to a one-year contract. He last saw NHL action back in 2017 and has 149 career NHL games under his belt over parts of four seasons.
- The Ducks have signed defenseman Madison Bowey to a minor league PTO agreement, their AHL affiliate in San Diego announced (Twitter link). He spent the bulk of last season with Detroit, notching 17 points in 54 games while logging nearly 18 minutes a game. Considering he’s still just 25, it’s a bit surprising that he had to settle for an AHL tryout but at least he has a team for now to try to work his way back to the NHL.
Canucks Announce Loan Agreement With AHL’s Manitoba Moose
Given the ongoing border restrictions related to the Coronavirus pandemic, there was always a sense that Canadian NHL clubs maintaining their American AHL affiliates could pose problems this season. The Vancouver Canucks however have found a work-around. The team has announced that they have reached a loan agreement with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose that will allow them to assign players to the Winnipeg Jets’ affiliate this season. The Canucks will also continue to maintain their relationship with their own AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, who are also receiving players from the St. Louis Blues this year.
By striking a deal with the Moose, the Canucks have essentially added yet another level of recall ease this season. Beyond their active roster, the Canucks already have their six-man taxi squad who can be recalled immediately. They now have a second layer of players who will be assigned to Manitoba and will require just a seven-day quarantine before joining the NHL club. This initial group will include Tyler Graovac, Ashton Sautner, and Arturs Silovs, per the team release. Finally, they will have a younger, developmental group remaining in Utica who, if absolutely necessary, can be recalled but will require a fourteen-day quarantine period in accordance with federal regulations.
Now that this relationship is in place between Vancouver and Manitoba, the next question becomes whether the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will also explore a similar arrangement. While four of the seven Canadian teams have AHL affiliates within their own national borders and the Canucks are now linked with one of those clubs, the Flames and Oilers still have American affiliates and face the same inconvenient federal quarantine policy should they need to make a recall beyond their taxi squad. Manitoba, the farthest west of the four Canadian AHL teams, would also be the most reasonable for the Alberta clubs, but should the Jets nix the idea of yet another rival stealing play time from their prospects, there are affiliates in Binghamton, Laval, and Toronto that could serve the same purpose.
Minor Transactions: 01/18/21
The NHL season is underway and at the top level teams are keeping busy merely by swapping players between the active roster and taxi squad. However, with AHL training camps starting up, there has also been a flurry of activity from the lower levels. There also continue to be players making the move overseas, by both signing and loan. Keep up with all of the action right here:
- In addition to confirming the previously reported signings of Ryan Fitzgerald, Tanner MacMaster, and Zane McIntyre, the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms have added another netminder, announcing the signing of Eamon McAdam. McAdam, 26, is a Pennsylvania native and a Penn State product, so he should feel right at home with the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate. McAdam had been playing with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen to begin the season.
- The Rochester Americans announced that they have inked defenseman Dylan Blujus to a one-year AHL contract. The former Tampa Bay Lightning prospect is a solid stay-at-home defender who has a +24 rating in 274 AHL games over six pro seasons.
- The San Jose Barracuda have recalled a number of players from the ECHL’s Allen Americans for the start of training camp, including Sharks prospect Jacob McGrew. McGrew got an early start to his first pro season down in the ECHL after missing all but six games of his final WHL campaign due to injury. The Sharks already trusted McGrew’s ability enough to give him an entry-level contract and after a strong scoring start in Allen, they could let him fight for a top-six role with the Barracuda.
- After five seasons in the AHL, former Edmonton Oilers prospect Joey LaLeggia is headed overseas. The 28-year-old has signed with he SHL’s Rogle BK for the remainder of the season, the team announced. LaLeggia, who was a standout on defense in the NCAA with the University of Denver, had shifted to forward in the pros. It remains to be seen how the versatile veteran will be used in Sweden.
- Another name making the move to Europe is 2021 NHL Draft prospect Brett Harrison. The potential first-round pick this summer has yet to play this season and the OHL’s Oshawa Generals have thus agreed to loan him to KOOVEE of the Finnish minor league Metsis, his new club announced. The two-way center will look to improve his draft stock by playing against pros, possibly for the rest of the year.
Islanders Loan Josh Ho-Sang To The SHL
Saturday: The Islanders officially announced (Twitter link) that Ho-Sang has been loaned to Orebro.
Friday: After not being invited to training camp and clearing waivers, Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang has a place to play this season but it’s not New York’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Instead, the team has loaned him to Orebro of the SHL, reports Arthur Staple of The Athletic (Twitter link). The agreement will be in place for the duration of the season overseas although Ho-Sang will be eligible to return to North America after the SHL playoffs are finished.
It has been a rocky road for the 24-year-old to say the least. While he was a quality offensive player back in junior, it has failed to materialize into success at the professional level. He has just 53 career NHL games under his belt where he has seven goals and 17 assists and after clearing waivers last year, he held out of reporting to the minors in the hopes of forcing a trade. That didn’t occur and he eventually reported to the Sound Tigers before being flipped to San Antonio before the AHL trade deadline in a move that was believed to end his tenure with the Islanders.
Clearly that didn’t happen as the team tendered Ho-Sang a qualifying offer and avoided arbitration in late-October with a one-year, two-way deal worth $700K in the NHL and $225K in the minors. With both sides agreeing already that it’s better for him to not be around the team, it’s hard to imagine there will be another contract for him with the Isles beyond this one.