Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

David Poile

Minor Transactions: Canucks, Predators, Leafs, Bruins

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning announced today that a trio of players has been sent down to the Utica Comets of the AHL. Center Joseph Labate and defenseman Andrey Pedan, both recent promotions, will head back to upstate New York. For Labate, it was the first NHL call-up of his career. In three games, Labate failed to register a point, but was an effective physical presence on the ice. A 2011 fourth-round pick, Labate had a successful four-year career at the University of Wisconsin before joining Utica last year for his first full pro season. Pedan, a native of Lithuania, played in 13 games with the Canucks in 2015-16, but was held scoreless and fell victim to some noticeable defensive mistakes. He did not get into a game on this most recent call-up. The hulking blue liner had his best pro season with Utica last year, but still has yet to hit his stride at the pro level. His physical dominance with the OHL’s Guelph Storm led to him being selected by the New York Islanders in the third round in 2011, but has not been as noticeable at the next level.

Meanwhile, the third demotion is Anton Rodin, who heads to Utica for a conditioning stint. The reigning MVP of the Swedish Elite League, Rodin is still making his way back from the injury that shortened his season in Sweden last year. In a strange change of direction, Rodin, who looked healthy (and promising) in the preseason, was suddenly unable to play and placed on IR to start the regular season. The shifty, skilled winger now hopes to make his NHL debut soon, as the conditioning stint is the last stop on his road to recovery. It has been a long time coming for a player that Vancouver drafted in 2009. In need of a boost, the Canucks can only hope that Rodin immediately fits in at the NHL level, much like when Carl Soderberg finally made the trip across the Atlantic to join the Boston Bruins in 2013.

In other minor moves:

  • In an identical series of moves, the Nashville Predators assigned two players to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals today and sent a third along as well on a conditioning stint. Forward Frederick Gaudreau, recently-signed defenseman Adam Pardy, and recently-claimed forward Reid Boucher are headed north to join the Admirals. The 23-year-old rookie Gaudreau (no relation) was recalled two weeks ago, but in eight games since he has just one point. In need of further seasoning, the Predators have sent down the former minor league free agent. Not quite a rookie, the 32-year-old Pardy was signed last month to provide some veteran depth on the blue line for a Nashville squad that prides themselves off of solid defensive play. Pardy has skated in just one NHL game thus far in 2016-17, but will continue to be the next man up for the Predators. In a much-maligned move, the New Jersey Devils placed Boucher on waiver on December 3rd, and Nashville GM David Poile was happy to scoop him up. In and out of the Devils lineup for years, the team decided to move on from the 23-year-old despite the fact that 2015-16 was his first real NHL chance and he scored 19 points in 39 games. Boucher has played in just one game for Nashville so far as he deals with lingering injury concerns, but expect him back with the squad shortly.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Vladimir Bobylyov has left the KHL and returned to the WHL, his junior team revealed. The 19-year-old winger, a fifth-round pick by the Leafs this past June, had originally decided to leave the Victoria Royals and return home to Russia to play pro. However, after little production with the KHL’s Spartak Moskva and even a demotion to their minor league affiliate, Bobylyov decided that he preferred Canadian juniors. He now heads back to Victoria, where he scored 67 points in 72 games and was an astounding +45 last season. Showing a commitment to North American hockey is never a bad idea for a young Russian player like Bobylyov, and the move is likely preferable for Toronto. The Royals are surely happy to have him back too.
  • The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver reports that the time limit on the tryout agreements for Matt Bartkowski and Peter Mueller has run out, but that the Providence Bruins have extended contract offers to both and they are expected to accept. Mueller has been a top six forward for the AHL team, with 14 points in 19 games while playing key roles on both the power play and penalty kill. His presence has also helped with the development of youngsters Jake DeBrusk, Peter Cehlarik, and Danton Heinen. Bartkowski has been less impressive, with seven points, a -2 rating, and 23 penalty minutes. He has been outplayed by another veteran looking to stay relevant in Alex Grant, as well as rookie Matt Grzelcyk. The Providence Bruins are currently on a league-best 12-game point streak.

LeBrun’s Latest: GMs To Discuss Rule 48, Expansion

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun writes that in a brief one-day meeting in Toronto, general managers will be discussing several issues affecting the league. Thought the meeting will only be tomorrow, LeBrun reports that one major topic for discussion will be blindside hits, such as the one delivered by Nazem Kadri on Daniel Sedin. The argument? It should be included in Rule 48 which focuses on illegal checks to the head. Rule 48 stipulates:

  • 48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent’s head where the head was the main point of contact and such contact to the head was avoidable is not permitted. In determining whether contact with an opponent’s head was avoidable, the circumstances of the hit including the following shall be considered:
  • (i) Whether the player attempted to hit squarely through the opponent’s body and the head was not “picked” as a result of poor timing, poor angle of approach, or unnecessary extension of the body upward or outward.
  • (ii) Whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable.
  • (iii) Whether the opponent materially changed the position of his body or head immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit in a way that significantly contributed to the head contact.

LeBrun quotes Nashville general manager David Poile as one who believes the language in the rule needs to be tightened further. Additionally, Poile points out that along with many other league executives, there needs to be a determination between what is a “good legal hit versus what is a punishable, suspendible hit.” Poile adds that it’s not anyone’s fault, but it is something that needs a closer look.

Other issues on the docket:

  • LeBrun wonders what will be decided when it comes to free agency and the expansion draft. After talking to a Western Conference executive, LeBrun wrote this:

In particular, he had this question for me: what if Vegas agrees to terms with a pending UFA in that 48-hour window but doesn’t actually sign him until July 1 (wink, wink) in order to snag another player off that team’s roster in the expansion draft?  The rules state that if Vegas signs a free agent from a team in that 48-hour June window, that team no longer can lose a player in the expansion draft.

  • LeBrun also thinks that the five-day bye weeks will be discussed as it’s been a point of contention with some general managers. In addition to this, LeBrun said that Las Vegas general manager George McPhee could not attend meetings since the team does not have “franchise rights” until the spring.

Identifying Potential Versteeg Suitors

at CDT | by 2 Comments

On July 25th, veteran winger Kris Versteeg elected to take his talents overseas, specifically to Switzerland, agreeing to a one-year deal with SC Bern in the NLA. Six weeks later it appears as if that agreement has fallen through, possibly due to concerns over a past hip surgery – though the team and the player disagree on the exact reasons. Now Versteeg is back on the open market looking for his next gig and according to Darren Dreger (via Twitter), several NHL clubs have already expressed interest in offering the two-time Stanley Cup winner a PTO. While nearly every team in the league could use a versatile talent like Versteeg, a few might offer a clearer path to a guaranteed contract for 2016-17.

New Jersey – The Devils are counting on several young, relatively unproven players in their top-nine to produce offense in 2016-17. Devante Smith-Pelley (0.14 goals/game in his career) and Beau Bennett (0.12 goals/game) are currently listed as the team’s second and third line RW’s respectively according to Roster Resource. Meanwhile, 19-year-old forward Pavel Zacha and his one game of NHL experience is expected to break camp with the club. New Jersey finished last in the league in goals scored this past season and could use more depth as insurance in case their younger players struggle to put the puck in the net. Versteeg, who has averaged 0.57 points/game in his career, would give the Devils decent production in a top-nine role and much like Lee Stempniak was in 2015-16, could prove to be a valuable trade deadline chip to cash in for futures.

Ottawa – The Senators finished ninth in the NHL in scoring in 2015-16, thanks in large part to a balanced lineup that saw five different skaters tally at least 20 goals and another finish the season with 19. But for a team with postseason aspirations, using either aging tough guy Chris Neil – 13 points in 80 games – or a young Curtis Lazar – six goals in 76 – as a third-line RW might not be the best idea. Versteeg would represent an inexpensive upgrade and give the club even more scoring depth up front.

Arizona – The Coyotes, with new GM John Chayka at the helm, have been among the league’s most active teams in both the free agent and trade markets. But they still have room in the budget and a potential need for a steady producer like Versteeg. Tobias Rieder, who is currently a RFA and locked in contentious negotiations with the team, is slated to hold down a spot in the team’s top-six. While it would be surprising if a deal isn’t done in time for the start of the regular season, signing Versteeg would give Arizona some protection just in case the two sides can’t come to an agreement. Additionally, even though it would seem the Coyotes have enough depth up front, it would fit the profile of an analytically-inclined front office to add an asset today at a below-market rate and then sell high on that asset down the road.

Nashville – Preds GM David Poile was counting on Jimmy Vesey signing with the team upon the conclusion of the 2015-16 NCAA season and contributing to the club’s playoff push. It’s why the team refrained from making any significant additions at the trade deadline. But of course Vesey spurned the Predators and explored his free agent options this summer before ultimately agreeing to a deal with the New York Rangers. The Predators still have yet to address the void in the lineup that Poile was originally hoping Vesey would fill. Versteeg would represent a cost-effective option for a Nashville club that is considered a budget team and not one that typically spends to the cap ceiling.

Vancouver – The Canucks have been rumored to be looking for a scoring LW for much of the summer and while Versteeg, a right-hand shot, is listed as a RW, his addition would allow Vancouver to shift another RW across the ice to the left side. Patrick Johnston, writing for The Province, believes Versteeg would be an excellent fit, citing the winger’s excellence in the puck possession department as an added benefit to signing him. It’s also conceivable that GM Jim Benning would place additional value on the fact Versteeg has been part of two Stanley Cup championship teams and his overall solid career postseason production. If the Canucks are set on adding another winger before the season, they could do worse than Versteeg.

Behind The Scenes Of The Busiest Day Of The Summer

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Oilers decided Taylor Hall would be the one to go shortly before the NHL draft, according a great new article by Elliotte Friedman about those crazy 23 minutes on June 29.

A couple of members of the Oilers told Friedman that they believed the team wanted to make it easier for Connor McDavid to become the guy in the dressing room, calling Hall a “dominant personality”.

Ultimately, while avoiding putting down Hall, Friedman’s sources seem to suggest the Oilers made the trade for reasons other than hockey, similar to the last time Peter Chiarelli traded a top-two pick from 2010. It makes you wonder what we don’t know, because making a trade to remove Hall’s big locker room presence, only to replace him with Milan Lucic’s even bigger presence, doesn’t make a lot of sense at face value.

Meanwhile, Chiarelli told Friedman that he knew he would be parting with a significant player because “everyone knew we were looking for a defenseman”.

The trade talks between Edmonton and New Jersey picked up steam two days before the trade was finalized. The two teams had been talking since the trade deadline, initially regarding Eric Gelinas who was later traded to Colorado. According to Friedman, “at some point, Adam Larsson became central to the conversation, but no deal was ever close until the very end.”

Chiarelli asked for more than just Larsson, but Devils GM Ray Shero said they couldn’t add anyone else for cap reasons. Which seems odd, because the Devils are still hovering around the cap floor.

As suggested previously, there were other trades looked at by the Oilers leading up to the draft. Friedman suggests Kevin Shattenkirk, Justin Faulk, Tyson Barrie, and Matt Dumba were all explored, but Chiarelli insists they “weren’t close on anything”. Edmonton was also kicking around a three-way trade with Columbus and Calgary, with the Oilers moving down to 6th overall to select Matthew Tkachuk or Mikhail Sergachev. Ultimately, the Oilers realized that Jesse Puljujärvi would fall to them and that would give them some flexibility to trade a winger.

As far as his post-trade phone call with Hall, Chiarelli refused to share details of the “private” conversation, but would say “there was a lot of dead air.”

Moving to the P.K. Subban blockbuster, Friedman said rumours about Subban being moved intensified in February after Canadiens coach Michel Therrien singled out Subban for a give-away that lead to a game-winning goal versus the Avalanche. Despite GM Marc Bergevin’s best effort to put a damper on media speculation around the draft, talk was running wild at the time, even drawing Canucks GM Jim Benning in, resulting in a tampering fine. Vancouver had an advantage of a high pick in play, but once it became clear that Pierre-Luc Dubois would not make it past Columbus, they were out. Colorado was unable to accept Subban’s $9MM salary, and apparently so was Edmonton. Chiarelli was unwilling to add the $9MM price tag to whatever McDavid will be making in two years.

Then Nashville offered Shea Weber. The older Weber was not what the Canadiens had been asking for – previously it had been Subban’s peers or packages of younger players. The enormity of the deal was not lost on the two teams, with one front office member saying “I think both teams had moments where they couldn’t believe what they were considering.”

Predators GM David Poile said the trade was tough, considering the major community presence of Weber. Poile said he wants to have a sit-down with Weber in the near future to tell him “how much he meant to us. It’s important he recognizes that. When a player hears he’s been traded, he doesn’t hear anything else you have to say.”

As far as the Steven Stamkos signing, Friedman revealed that the Lightning were close to moving him last summer before his no-trade clause kicked in, similar to Subban this summer. However, the front runners were the Buffalo Sabres who were unwilling to move the 2nd overall pick that would become Jack Eichel and talks died down.

Stamkos met with the Maple Leafs but decided that he didn’t want to leave, and ultimately agreed to the number proposed by GM Steve Yzerman back in the spring. Like Hall, Subban, and Weber have said post-trade, moving on is hard to take. As Friedman put it, “no doubt those same thoughts entered Stamkos’ mind too”.

Interestingly, Friedman spoke with nearly all involved in the day: Chiarelli, Poile, Hall, Subban, Yzerman, and Stamkos. Only Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin declined to speak, with one of his fellow GMs suggesting if Bergevin could have his way, “he’d never talk discuss this trade again”.

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

scroll to top