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Minor Transactions: 02/23/20

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Yesterday was one of those days that can only be explained by a glitch in the matrix. The Bruins, Lightning, and Penguins – the NHL’s top three teams – were all blown out, while the Capitals lost to the lowly Devils and, if that wasn’t bad enough, Alex Ovechkin’s 700th career goal was overshadowed by another story line, which was a 42-year-old zamboni driver named David Ayres manning the net for the Hurricanes as an emergency backup and getting the win over his employer, the Maple Leafs. Will some of these teams overreact to these shocking results, especially on the eve of the trade deadline? It’s quite possible. One thing is for certain, roster tweaks could be in store for all involved. Many teams around the NHL could be making minor moves ahead of Monday’s big day, so keep up with all of the action here:

  • The Ottawa Senators have reassigned forwards Drake Batherson and Josh Norris to AHL Belleville, the team announced. While Batherson has been part of this up-and-down shuffle all year, playing in 23 games with Ottawa and 37 games with Belleville, Norris made his NHL debut on this recall. The Unvisersity of Michigan standout leads the AHL Senators with 58 points in 51 games this season.
  • The Minnesota Wild have recalled a pair of players as they deal with potential long-term injury absences. The team announced the promotion of forward Gerald Mayhew and defenseman Louis Belpedio, both of whom have seen NHL action before but could be in for a larger role this time around. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that defenseman Carson Soucy is out for at least one month, while forward Luke Kunin could miss 10-14 days minimum.
  • After recalling Sheldon Dries and Logan O’Connor on consecutive days, the Colorado Avalanche were faced with a decision on which to keep at the top level and which to return. The team has apparently opted to keep the youth and motor of O’Connor over the greater experience and scoring ability of Dries, as he has been reassigned to the AHL Eagles. Dries is one of the top point-getters for the Eagles this season, but has skated in just three games for the Avs compared to 40 last year. O’Connor has eight NHL games this year and 13 total, but has just one point to show for it. The University of Denver product does bring a lot of energy and speed to the lineup though.
  • Taylor Fedun is back with the Dallas Stars, as the team has promoted the veteran from his conditioning assignment with AHL Texas. Fedun has played in 27 games for the Stars this season, contributing nine points, but was a healthy scratch for ten games before being sent to Texas for conditioning earlier this month. Fedun will be a dependable depth option for Dallas down the stretch and in the playoffs.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights added some depth to their forward lines as they announced they have recalled Patrick Brown from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. The 27-year-old was signed during the offseason away from the Calder Cup Charlotte Checkers, who defeated Chicago in the finals last season. He was brought in to provide a veteran presence for the team’s young prospects. He has six goals and 19 points in 54 games this season. Now, he gets his first opportunity in Vegas. Brown has 36 games of NHL experience, all with Carolina, where he has tallied just a goal and an assist.
  • The New York Islanders announced they have swapped forwards. The team has assigned veteran Andrew Ladd to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. The team also have recalled forward Kieffer Bellows to the team, although Bellows, who was assigned Friday to Bridgeport, never left. He watched the last Islanders’ game in the press box, suggesting that he was expecting to be recalled immediately.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers announced they have recalled defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere from his conditioning stint with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. The blueliner has missed 18 of the team’s last 19 games with a knee injury, but looks ready to return after a two-game stint in the AHL where he had one assist. The Flyers hope he can contribute immediately after a poor season so far where he’s seen his ATOI drop to a career low 18:21.
  • Kiefer Sherwood is back up with the Anaheim Ducks who announced that they have recalled him from AHL San Diego.  While he hasn’t seen any NHL time this season, he got into 50 games with Anaheim back in 2018-19, recording six goals and six assists.  In 37 games with the Gulls this season in the minors, he has 16 goals and seven helpers.

Trade Deadline Primer: Minnesota Wild

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With the trade deadline now just a few days away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the Minnesota Wild.

While there was a time that many thought that the Minnesota Wild might be at the bottom of the NHL this year, the veteran team have made a competitive season out of 2019-20. It may be unlikely that the team makes the playoffs, it is still possible the team could go on a run and reach that point. Regardless, new general manager Bill Guerin has little by little been making changes to the team and roster with the hopes that he can make it a younger team in the future. The team already did that recently, when they traded forward Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh for Alex Galchenyuk, prospect Calen Addison and a conditional 2020 first-round pick.

Record

29-24-7, sixth in the Central Division

Deadline Status

Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$14.208MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 46/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: MIN 1st, PIT 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th
2021: MIN 1st, MIN 2nd, MIN 3rd, MIN 4th, MIN 5th, MIN 6th, MIN 7th

Trade Chips

Perhaps one of the team’s most obvious trade chips has already been eliminated as long-time center Mikko Koivu already took himself out of the running today, when he exercised his right to refuse any trades. The veteran told Guerin today that he is not interested in leaving Minnesota and with a no-movement clause in his expiring contract, the team has no choice but to comply. That eliminates one trade chip.

Perhaps Guerin’s biggest trade chip is on defense. The team has two players that are receiving significant interest from other teams, including Mathew Dumba and Jonas Brodin. Dumba has three more years on his contract after this one at $6MM, but would be heavily coveted and if Guerin gets the right offer, could quickly bring in some much needed youth and talent to the system. Brodin also has another year on his contract at $4.17MM and could also bring in quite a bit of talent, as both players are top-four impact defensemen. However, whether Guerin pulls the trigger is another question. If he doesn’t like the offers, he doesn’t have to make a deal since the team has both players for a minimum of one more season.

While the team just acquired Galchenyuk, the team brought him over merely to even out the contracts for Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old isn’t part of the team’s rebuilding plans and since he’s going to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Wild flipped Galchenyuk to a contender for another piece to their rebuilding puzzle. While Galchenyuk is already on his fourth team, he has looked good in the five games he has played in Minnesota, scoring a goal and two assists. Minnesota might be able to find a suitor who is willing to take him and use him in a bottom-six role.

Five Players To Watch For: D Jonas Brodin, D Mathew Dumba, F Marcus Foligno, F Alex Galchenyuk, Eric Staal

Team Needs

1) Young Top-Six Forwards: The Wild have few talented forwards on their roster. They have a few, but what the team needs is difference-makers. Anyone who can step in and inject some youth to their lineup would be a step in the right direction for a team that is hoping to rebuild their team in a short order.

2) Draft Picks: The team picked up an extra first-rounder in the Zucker deal to give the team two first-round picks for this coming draft, but if the team begins any sort of rebuilding effort, then draft picks is exactly what they need for their future to remain bright.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

One Eastern Conference Team Has Shown Interest In Zach Parise

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Back in 2012, the Wild made two huge splashes on the free agent market, signing defenseman Ryan Suter and winger Zach Parise to 13-year, $98MM contracts.  While Suter has largely panned out, the same can’t be said for Parise who has often been injured and hasn’t been consistently productive when he has been in the lineup.  Despite that, Michael Russo of The Athletic mentioned in an appearance on KFAN 100.3 (audio link) that one Eastern Conference team showed interest in Parise last summer and have recently inquired with regards to his availability.  Given the nature of his contract though (a $7.538MM AAV for five more years after this one with a full no-move clause and the potential for salary cap recapture), dealing Parise may be easier to do in the summer but Russo adds that GM Bill Guerin is looking to shake things up and finding a new home for the 35-year-old would certainly be one way to do that.

Trade Rumors: Thornton, Gustafsson, Ennis, Koivu

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San Jose Sharks veteran center Joe Thornton has been quite tight-lipped about whether he has any interest in being traded to a contender. However, with just two days left, Thornton admitted to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz (subscription required) that he is tempted to join a contending team, although the 40-year-old forward also made it clear in the interview that his career is not over yet.

“You know, it is,” Thornton said, when asked whether he is tempted to go to a contender. “But it’s not like I feel like this is my last year. I feel like I’m healthy, I feel like I still have a lot in the tank left. It’s not like a last-hurrah-type thing. I feel good, and my mind feels great. It’s not like, ‘Oh, this is going to be my last shot at it.’ So, that’s where my mind is at right now.”

That could indicated another scenario if Thornton prefers to remain in San Jose to end his career. The team could still trade the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent to a contender before the deadline, allowing him to chase a Stanley Cup with the possibility the Sharks might be able to re-sign him in the offseason once again.

“There’s lots of possibilities,” he said. “That could be an option. There’s lots to play with. It is what it is, and we’ll see what happens. I’m a Shark now, and I love being a Shark.”

  • Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reports that while there is no deal in place, the Vegas Golden Knights are the clear front-runners to adding Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Erik Gustafsson before the trade deadline. However, the scribe also notes that Chicago fans shouldn’t get too excited as it is not expected to be a big package. The 27-year-old Gustafsson, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, had a career year in 2018-19, scoring 17 goals and 60 points, but has struggled with the Blackhawks this year as he has just six goals and 26 points.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Ottawa Senators are expected to hold out forward Tyler Ennis from Saturday’s game as the team is expected to move him before the trade deadline and want to protect the veteran from possible injury. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that Ennis is a candidate to be traded to the Edmonton Oilers, although there are several teams still rumored to be interested in acquiring him. Ennis could be an interesting trade chip. The 30-year-old has 14 goals and 33 points, his best season since the 2014-15 season. TSN’s Darren Dreger also notes that the Senators are holding out forward Vladislav Namestnikov as well.
  • Minnesota Wild center Mikko Koivu has been on a few lists as a potential trade candidate recently. However, The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that the center has informed general manager Bill Guerin that he will be staying with the Wild for the remainder of the season. Koivu has a no-movement clause as he wraps up his two-year, $11MM contract this season and has made it clear to management that he has no interest in leaving the team. The 36-year-old has struggled this season, posting just two goals and 15 points through 46 games. He has played his entire career in Minnesota, a total of 1,019 games.

Five Key Stories: 02/10/20 – 02/16/20

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Can you really pick just five? In a news cycle in which superstar Erik Karlsson being ruled out for the season doesn’t even crack the top ten headlines, here are the five most important stories (admittedly with some other notes sprinkled in) of the week that was:

Bouwmeester Suffers Cardiac Incident: The hockey world stood still on Tuesday night, after the game between the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks was suspended under very scary circumstances. Veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester suffered a “cardiac event” while on the bench during the first period of the contest, collapsing onto the ground. Bouwmeester required resuscitation by the teams’ training staffs to re-start his heart before he was rushed to the hospital. While awaiting word on his condition, there was an outpouring of support from teams and players in all corners of the hockey world for the well-respected veteran. Fortunately, the team issued a statement that Bouwmeester was in stable condition, followed by a report on Friday that he had undergone successful heart surgery. While questions remain about Bouwmeester’s availability to the reigning Stanley Cup champs this season, as well as the future of the impending free agent’s career, the focus will be on rest and rehabilitation for a while still to come.

Minnesota Fires Boudreau: In 13 seasons as an NHL head coach, Bruce Boudreau has only missed the playoffs twice and those seasons occurred seven years apart. However, one of those seasons was 2018-19 and things were not looking good for a return to the postseason in Minnesota this year. New GM Bill Guerin opted to cut ties with his veteran coach on Friday before he could miss consecutive postseasons for the first time in his career. Assistant Dean Evason was named the interim replacement, while Boudreau will begin looking for a new home – a process that historically has not taken him very long.

Elsewhere in the division, Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice received the opposite treatment, despite similar struggles this season. Already one of the longest-tenured coaches in the NHL, Maurice received a three-year contract extension from the Jets.

Penguins Acquire Zucker: Firing Boudreau was not the only major shake-up in Minnesota this week. Long-time Wild star Jason Zucker was finally traded on Monday after more than a year of speculation, even through front office changes. In the end, he winds up with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the same team that nearly acquired him this summer for Phil Kessel. Former Pittsburgh executive Bill Guerin made good on his major trade as Minnesota GM, landing a 2020 first-round pick, top prospect defenseman Calen Addison, and a capable forward and potential extension candidate in Alex Galchenyuk. Meanwhile, the Penguins add the forward they have been seeking – especially in light of Jake Guentzel’s season-ending injury – in Zucker, a veteran with the speed and skill to keep up with Sidney Crosby and three more years remaining on his contract at a reasonable rate. Zucker scored two goals in just his second game with the Penguins on Friday.

Devils Deal Two Key Players: The trades kept rolling on Sunday with the New Jersey Devils as the center of attention. Another new GM, Tom Fitzgerald, is making good on his promise to maximize the return on tradable assets from the rebuilding club. In two separate deals, the Devils added a first-round pick and second-round pick in 2020, promising forward prospect Nolan Foote, and minor leaguer David Quenneville. Of course, it came at a cost, as long-time captain Andy Greene was dealt to the rival New York Islanders and fan-favorite forward Blake Coleman was moved to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Still, with such strong returns and pieces like Sami Vatanen, Wayne Simmonds, and more expected to go as well, this is the beginning of potentially franchise-altering deadline for New Jersey.

Oilers Extend Nurse: The Edmonton Oilers needed some good news this week, with superstar Connor McDavid out two-to-three weeks with an injury and fellow forward Zack Kassian suspended for seven games. They got it with news of a contract extension for young defenseman Darnell Nurse. Nurse, 25, signed a two-year, $11.2MM deal prior to restricted free agency and a potential arbitration battle this summer. The new AAV for Nurse represents a sizeable salary bump, but for good reason, as he has established himself as a dependable top-pair defender and a point-producer. While the relationship between Nurse and the Oilers was once a concern, it now seems to be in good order, with expectations already that the two sides will negotiate a more long-term extension after next season.

Wild Fire Bruce Boudreau

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It has been a disappointing season in Minnesota with one big change already being made when Jason Zucker was traded to Pittsburgh.  Another big change has come with the team announcing that head coach Bruce Boudreau has been relieved of his duties.  They also announced that assistant coach Dean Evason is taking over on an interim basis.

The Wild currently sit in a tie for fifth place in the Central Division with Nashville and are three points out of the final Wild Card spot in the ultra-tight Western Conference.  If they fail to make the playoffs, it’ll be the second straight year that they miss after six straight appearances from 2012-13 through 2017-18.

Boudreau was in his fourth season with the team with Minnesota playing to a 158-110-35 record under his guidance.  That’s the twelfth-best points percentage in the league since 2016 when he took over.  The Wild made the playoffs in the first two seasons but lost in the first round both times.  The timing of the change comes after Minnesota blew a 3-1 lead against the Rangers on Thursday night but the Wild are still 6-3-1 in their last ten games.

Boudreau’s contractual situation is also worth noting.  As Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic notes (Twitter link), Boudreau was in the final year of his deal as head coach with two more years left on his contract after that in a consulting role.  From Guerin’s point of view, once he fully decided that Boudreau wouldn’t be kept on as coach following the season, making the move now makes sense even if it comes just ten days before the trade deadline.

Boudreau has twice been fired but hasn’t stayed on the market for long.  It took just two days from him to go from Washington to Anaheim in 2011-12 and only a week to do from the Ducks to the Wild in 2016 although that move came after the season.  Considering the frequency of coaching changes this season – this is number eight – it’s certainly possible that his time on the market could be short-lived once again.

As for Evason, this will be his first head coaching job at the NHL level.  He’s in his second year behind the bench as an assistant with Minnesota but before that, he spent six seasons as the bench boss with AHL Milwaukee.  TSN’s Darren Dreger notes (Twitter link) that the job is expected to be his for the remainder of the season with a permanent hire to come in the offseason.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report Boudreau’s firing.  Michael Russo of The Athletic first reported Evason’s promotion.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Colorado’s Nazem Kadri Out “Weeks”

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The surging Colorado Avalanche have suffered a setback in their pursuit to overtake the St. Louis Blues for the lead in the Central Division and Western Conference. Head coach Jared Bednar revealed to the media on Tuesday that center Nazem Kadri has suffered a lower-body injury and is set to miss “weeks, not days.” Kadri was injured in the second period on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild and return for just one shift in the third period before exiting the game.

Kadri, 29, has played an integral role for the Avalanche this season after coming over from the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer. In a campaign that has featured lengthy absences from the likes of Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog, Kadri has been a steady secondary scorer for Colorado, recording 19 goals – second only to Nathan MacKinnon – and 36 points. Had Kadri stayed healthy, he would have been on pace for the second-best season of his career. He has also been far and away the team’s best face-off man and among the leading forwards in power play time and hits.

Kadri’s absence, especially as the Avs are in the midst of a 7-1-2 run a rolling on all cylinders, is a stroke of bad luck for player and team. The good news is that the injury occurred prior to the trade deadline, with enough time to react and refocus their trade pursuits. Colorado was already considered a top buyer at the deadline, given their position in the standings and considerable cap space, but now they have even more incentive to add depth up front. It’s fair to consider the Avalanche players for nearly every top name on the market. In the meantime, the team will have to lean more heavily on their other secondary scorers, particularly centers J.T. Compher and Tyson Jost, and hope that slumping star Landeskog can rediscover his game. Colorado will need help in some way, shape, or form as they await a return from Kadri, likely not until next month.

Trade Rumors: Hall, Wild, Rangers, Hurricanes

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After spending the first few months of the season obsessing over him, few want to see Taylor Hall’s name back in the rumor mill. Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be likely. Even though the Arizona Coyotes have failed to improve since acquiring the star forward from the New Jersey Devils in December and are far from a lock for the playoffs this season, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun confirmed on tonight’s segment of “Insider Trading” that the Coyotes have no intention of flipping Hall before the deadline. Although holding on to the high-profile impending free agent is a risk, the team remains intent on re-signing Hall, with the full backing of new owner Alex Meruello. In fact, LeBrun reports that Meruello, GM John Chayka, and Hall’s agent, Darren Ferris, all recently met and are on the same page that Hall will not be dealt this season and that extension talks will begin once the Coyotes’ season has come to an end, whenever that is. LeBrun believes that Arizona’s ability and willingness to offer Hall and eight-year term on his next contract could tip the scales toward the former Hart Trophy winner staying in the desert.

  • TSN colleague Darren Dreger reports that even after trading away long-time forward Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins yesterday, new Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin may not be done dealing. Dreger states that the team is still listening to offers for young defenseman Matt Dumba, who has popped up in rumors over the last few weeks, as well as fellow rearguard Jonas Brodin. With that said, a trade of either skilled defender seems more likely to occur in the off-season, as Dreger believes the asking price for both would be a top-line center or a second-line center plus a pick or prospect. No contender will be in position to make a deal of that magnitude ahead of the trade deadline, but suitors could circle back this summer, perhaps even before free agency opens and the Wild have to make a decision on captain Mikko Koivu.
  • Another deal that could take place this summer is a resolution in the crowded net of the New York Rangers. Alexandar Georgiev was the name suggested by many as being available for trade, but TSN’s Bob McKenzie does not see a deal happening this season. He reports that the Rangers continue to listen on Georgiev but are not actively shopping him and head coach David Quinn is content to carry three goalies and ride the hot hand. However, the best keeper of late has been Igor Shesterkin, not future Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist. McKenzie wonders if Lundqvist will be content in New York moving forward if he is playing more of a backup role to Shesterkin or if he could ask for a trade this summer or perhaps even at the deadline.
  • The insiders wrapped up with LeBrun relaying word from sources around the league that the Carolina Hurricanes are openly offering a first-round pick in exchange for a top-four defenseman with term. The Hurricanes are owners of two top picks, their own and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ from the Patrick Marleau trade, and GM Don Waddell clearly feels that he could part with one of the two if it means landing long-term help. Even after trading Justin Faulk before the season, the Hurricanes are still considered one of the deeper blue line units in the NHL. Yet, they have been on the hunt for a Faulk replacement much of the year and that search was amplified by the injury to Dougie Hamilton. In that vein, LeBrun adds that the team has had talks on rentals Sami Vatanen of the Devils and Brenden Dillon of the Sharks as a short-term fix with Hamilton out, but owner Tom Dundon has encouraged Waddell to avoid rentals and target term if he is going to trade a first-rounder.

Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Jason Zucker

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have finally landed their man. The Penguins have acquired Jason Zucker from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk, Calen Addison and a conditional 2020 first-round pick. Should the Penguins miss the playoffs this season, they will have the option to instead give the Wild their 2021 first-round selection.

Zucker, 28, has been a target of Penguins’ GM Jim Rutherford for some time. Last summer there was a deal agreed upon between the two teams that would have sent Phil Kessel to Minnesota, but the enigmatic sniper refused to waive his no-trade clause. Kessel was eventually dealt to the Arizona Coyotes instead with Galchenyuk a big part of the return. Zucker is signed through 2022-23 at a $5.5MM cap hit, giving the team a lot more cost certainty than Galchenyuk, who is a pending unrestricted free agent.

The last several years have been quite the rollercoaster for Galchenyuk. The third overall pick in 2012 scored a career-high 30 goals in 2015-16 with the Montreal Canadiens but will now join his fourth organization in three seasons. Despite coming in to potentially replace Kessel in the Pittsburgh top-six, the 25-year old couldn’t find a fit beside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin and was dropped down in the lineup. With just five goals and 17 points in 45 games it has been a disaster for him, especially given he’ll be negotiating a new deal in a few months.

Though Zucker and Galchenyuk will fill most of the headlines, Addison isn’t to be overlooked. The 19-year old defenseman is the real gem in the deal for the Wild, who are trying to add more prospect talent to the organization. Selected 53rd overall in 2018, the puck-moving blueliner has 43 points in 39 games for the Lethbridge Hurricanes and was one of the best players for the gold medal-winning Team Canada at the World Juniors. McKenzie tweets that the Penguins didn’t want to include Addison in the deal, but given Wild GM Bill Guerin’s familiarity with the Pittsburgh organization it’s not surprising that he was a target.

The fact that the Wild will also add a first-round selection makes this quite the package, especially if they can either re-sign or flip Galchenyuk for even more. Zucker does appear to be a perfect fit for the Penguins however, especially given Jake Guentzel’s long-term injury.

Not only is capable of creating plenty of offense—he currently sits at 14 goals, 29 points through 45 games—he also brings the one attribute that has worked so well in the past alongside Crosby: speed. Zucker is still one of the best straight line skaters in the league and will give the team another weapon at even-strength and on the powerplay.

It comes as no surprise that Rutherford has landed one of his top targets several weeks before the deadline. The veteran executive has never been shy to pull the trigger on a big deal, and with his dynamic duo getting older there is no time to waste when pursuing another Stanley Cup.

One statistic that may cause some anxiety in Pittsburgh fans? Zucker has just eight points in 31 career playoff games, and was held scoreless during his most recent series in 2018.

Bob McKenzie of TSN was first to break the deal on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Three Stars, Fenton, Hamonic

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The NHL has released the Three Stars for last week, and to no one’s surprise Elvis Merzlikins has received the top honor. The Columbus Blue Jackets’ goaltender went nearly 180 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal, posting two shutouts and a minuscule 0.67 goals against average. The 25-year old rookie now has a .930 save percentage on the season.

Second and third place go to more familiar faces, as Kyle Connor and Andrei Vasilevskiy take home the honors. The Winnipeg Jets forward had eight points last week and now is just two goals away from his third consecutive 30-goal season. Tampa Bay meanwhile has been on fire with the reigning Vezina Trophy winner showing exactly why he should never be counted out. Vasilevskiy now leads the league in wins with 29 after a slow start to the season and is all the way back up to a .918 save percentage.

  • After being fired by the Minnesota Wild just 14 months into his tenure as general manager, Paul Fenton has found a new home. The long-time Nashville Predators assistant GM is working his way through the turn of the century expansion clubs, now taking a job with the Columbus Blue Jackets’ scouting department according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. Fenton has always been known as a strong judge of talent, but things quickly went south when he was put in charge of the Wild.
  • Travis Hamonic has left the Flames and returned to Calgary for further testing according to Wes Gilberton of Postmedia. The defenseman left Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, complicating the upcoming trade deadline even further for the Flames’ front office. Hamonic was one of several defensemen that are on expiring contracts and could have been moved, but with captain Mark Giordano already out it will be hard to subtract from the Flames’ blue line at this point. The team has recalled Alexander Yelesin from the minor leagues.

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