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Training Camp Cuts: 10/9/21

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With the submission of season-opening rosters due on Monday, many teams should be making more cuts today.  We’ll keep track of those moves here.

Columbus Blue Jackets (via team release)

F Tyler Angle (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Josh Dunne (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brendan Gaunce (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Carson Meyer (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Tristan Mullin (released from PTO, to Cleveland, AHL)
F Justin Scott (released from PTO, to Cleveland, AHL)
F Tyler Sikura (to Cleveland, AHL)

Florida Panthers (via WPLG’s David Dwork)

F Zac Dalpe (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Noah Juulsen (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Matt Kiersted (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Serron Noel (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Chase Priskie (to Charlotte, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (via team release)

D Calen Addison (to Iowa, AHL)
F Adam Beckman (to Iowa, AHL)
F Marco Rossi (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (via TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie)

F Jesse Ylonen (to Laval, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (via team Twitter)

F Joseph Gambardella (to Utica, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (via team Twitter)

F Parker Kelly (to Belleville, AHL)
G Mads Sogaard (to Belleville, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (via team Twitter)

G Felix Sandstrom (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (via team release)

F Michael Chaput (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Juuso Riikola (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

St. Louis Blues (via team release)

G Colten Ellis (to Springfield, AHL)
F Dakota Joshua (to Springfield, AHL)
D Scott Perunovich (to Springfield, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (via team release)

F Carson Focht (to Abbotsford, AHL)
F William Lockwood (to Abbotsford, AHL)

New Jersey Devils Sign Frederik Gauthier

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After releasing Mark Jankowski from his PTO earlier today, the New Jersey Devils have ended another tryout this afternoon. Frederik Gauthier has signed a one-year, two-way contract, ending his PTO and officially joining the organization. The deal will carry an NHL salary of $800K, an AHL salary of $175K and comes with a solid minor league guarantee of $200K.

Gauthier, 26, spent last season with the Arizona Coyotes on a one-year, two-way deal as well, but failed to receive a qualifying offer this offseason. That was a familiar decision as he had been cut loose by the Toronto Maple Leafs the summer previous, even after playing in 61 regular season games with the team. In 170 career contests, the big center has recorded just 13 goals and 31 points, a disappointing total even for a player that was always lauded more for his defensive ability than scoring touch.

That defensive ability, or at least the ability the Maple Leafs hoped would develop, is exactly why they made him the 21st overall pick in 2013. He has size too, but Gauthier has never been a physical player, even when he towers over the competition. Instead, he can get by in a fourth-line role just by his defensive awareness, though even that has been a difficult role for him to secure lately. In New Jersey, he should only fill an extra forward/injury call-up spot and could very well find himself on waivers before camp is finished.

Blackwood Misses Game Due To Inconclusive COVID Results

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The New Jersey Devils didn’t actually end up playing last night due to an electrical issue in the rink, but there was an issue with the roster even before the scoreboard went dark. Mackenzie Blackwood, who was originally scheduled to play the first two periods for the Devils, didn’t hit the ice with the team for warmup. Corey Masisak of The Athletic reported this morning that it was because Blackwood, one of the handful of players who have decided not to be vaccinated, had inconclusive COVID-19 test results. According to Masisak, the team is expecting to know for sure one way or the other on Blackwood’s status by Sunday.

When both Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier were missing from today’s practice, speculation ramped up that it was because he would be a close contact as the other goaltender. That is not the case, as Bernier was taking a maintenance day, not because of anything to do with Blackwood’s status. While testing positive is certainly a possibility for every player in the league, vaccinated or not, the fact that Blackwood has declined means that should he miss regular season action because of a positive case, the Devils could suspend him without pay.

Islanders-Devils Preseason Game Canceled Due To Power Outage

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Tonight’s preseason game between the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils won’t take place, per Newsday’s Andrew Gross. A partial power outage at Prudential Center in Newark prevented the game from taking place.

Per Gross, the contest has been cancelled and won’t be made up, ending New Jersey’s preseason prematurely. Their focus now turns to their season opener at home on October 15th against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Islanders, on the other hand, have one exhibition match remaining. They have a tilt scheduled for Saturday against the New York Rangers to be played in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

It’s a tough break for New Jersey, who was expecting to give multiple players just one more audition tonight. The team still has 33 players on their training camp roster, needing to cut ten more before opening night.

Jimmy Vesey, Mark Jankowski, Frederik Gauthier, and Tyler Wotherspoon remain with the Devils on professional tryout contracts. The team will now need to make a snap evaluation on whether to offer contracts to any one of them, if at all.

The team will also need to decide what to do with young forwards Alexander Holtz and Dawson Mercer, who’ve both impressed at camp. They both stand chances of making the team, fighting with other forwards like Marian Studenic and Tyce Thompson for the final spots on the roster.

The Athletic’s Arthur Staple was first to report a possible cancellation.

New Jersey Devils Claim Mason Geertsen

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Oct 4: The Devils have answered the question of where Geertsen fits into the roster, noting that he will play left wing tonight against the Washington Capitals in a preseason game. Geertsen has played forward in the minors for the past year and is now, according to Devils reporter Amanda Stein, comfortable at the position.

Oct 3: Waiver season is in full swing, with dozens of players exposed over the last few days. Today, the New Jersey Devils decided to select one of those players and add him to their organization. Mason Geertsen, who was waived by the New York Rangers has been claimed by New Jersey.

Geertsen, 26, has exactly zero NHL games played in his professional career but adds a level of physicality to the fringe of the Devils roster. Even the team’s press release suggests that his size and the fact that he “likes to play a tough, physical, and gritty game” is the reason the team went after him.

Interestingly enough, the Devils have had several chances to acquire Geertsen in the past but have passed them up. The minor league defenseman–who notably has been playing some forward in the AHL as well–has cleared waivers twice before, including in March of this year, and was an unrestricted free agent in 2019 after failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Colorado Avalanche, the team that drafted him back in 2013.

He ended up signing an AHL contract with the Rangers and spent a year and a half before earning his current two-year, two-way deal. When he did so, New York put him on waivers in order to keep him in the minor leagues and the Devils–and every other team in the league–passed.

They won’t this time, a curious decision given the added depth the Devils have acquired at the position this offseason. Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Graves, and Christian Jaros were brought in this summer, while Jonas Siegenthaler was retained after a deadline trade last season. It’s hard to see where exactly Geertsen fits in, though with Ty Smith’s recent injury there may just be a short-term need for some added depth.

If the Devils put Geertsen back on waivers, the Rangers will have a chance to reclaim him and send him directly to the minor leagues, should they be the only team to put in a claim.

Ty Smith Out Day-To-Day With Undisclosed Injury

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Per New Jersey Devils reporter Amanda Stein, sophomore defenseman Ty Smith will be out for ’a number of days’ with an undisclosed injury.

While Smith’s absence is of a precautionary nature according to a team spokesman, the timing of the injury and announcement is somewhat concerning. Less than two weeks remain until the Devils’ October 15 season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks at home.

The 21-year-old Smith, drafted 17th overall by the Devils in 2018, was one of the brightest spots on a team that finished seventh in the East Division with a 19-30-7 record last season. Finishing seventh in Calder Trophy voting, the rookie defenseman put up 23 points in 48 games while playing over 20 minutes a night. His offensive production combined with impressive two-way play for a rookie remains encouraging signs for Smith’s development into a bona fide top-pair ’D’ for the team.

A product of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs, Smith’s production and role could increase considerably next season. Part of a retooled top-four that includes trade acquisition Ryan Graves and free-agent signing Dougie Hamilton, he’ll be surrounded with fortified talent on the blueline.

Those additions, along with Smith’s development and the signing of free-agent netminder Jonathan Bernier, look to propel the Devils much closer to a playoff spot. They’re all solid fixes for a team that allowed 194 goals last season, the fourth-highest in the NHL. While an injured Smith won’t help matters if he isn’t ready to go for the start of the season, an increasingly dependable defense group should be enough to serve as a competent stopgap until Smith returns to full health.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/2/21

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It should be another busy day on the training camp cut front as teams continue to whittle down their rosters in advance of opening night.  We’ll keep track of the cuts here.

Boston Bruins (via team release)

G Callum Booth (to Providence, AHL)
G Jeremy Brodeur (to Providence, AHL)
D Jack Dougherty (to Providence, AHL)
F Ian McKinnon (to Providence, AHL)
D Andrew Peski (to Providence, AHL)
F Eduards Tralmaks (to Providence, AHL)
F Alex-Olivier Voyer (to Providence, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)

D Nick Boka (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Matthew Cairns (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Mitch Eliot (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Dominic Franco (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
G Michael Houser (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Mason Jobst (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Michael Mersch (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
G Mat Robson (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Ryan Scarfo (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Josh Teves (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
D Peter Tischke (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)
F Brendan Warren (released from PTO, to Rochester, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (via team release)

F Dominik Bokk (to Chicago, AHL)
F David Cotton (to Chicago, AHL)
F Stelio Mattheos (to Chicago, AHL)
F Blake Murray (to Chicago, AHL)
D Jesper Sellgren (to Chicago, AHL)
G Eetu Makiniemi (to Chicago, AHL)
G Beck Warm (to Chicago, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (via Mark Lazerus of The Athletic)

G Tom Aubrun (to Rockford, AHL)
F D.J. Busdeker (to Rockford, AHL)
F Liam Folkes (to Rockford, AHL)
F Carson Gicewicz (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kale Howarth (to Rockford, AHL)
F Riley McKay (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan McLaughlin (to Rockford, AHL)
F Garrett Mitchell (to Rockford, AHL)
G Cale Morris (to Rockford, AHL)
D Ryan Stanton (released from PTO, to Rockford, AHL)
F Chris Wilkie (to Rockford, AHL)
F Chad Yetman (to Rockford, AHL)

Dallas Stars (via team release)

F Jeremy Gregoire (released from PTO, to Texas, AHL)
F Anthony Louis (released from PTO, to Texas, AHL)
D Max Martin (released from PTO, to Texas, AHL)
F Curtis McKenzie (released from PTO, to Texas, AHL)
F Josh Melnick (released from PTO, to Texas, AHL)
G Colton Point (to Texas, AHL)
G Adam Scheel (to Texas, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via team release)

F Adam Cracknell (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Vincent Desharnais (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Luke Esposito (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F James Hamblin (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Philip Kemp (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Michael Kesselring (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Brad Malone (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Markus Niemelainen (to Bakersfield, AHL)
G Olivier Rodrigue (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Florida Panthers (via team release)

F Karen Bachman (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Henry Bowlby (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Grigori Denisenko (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Evan Fitzpatrick (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Max Gildon (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Aleksi Heponiemi (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Logan Hutsko (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Justin Nachbaur (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Serron Noel (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Cole Schwindt (to Charlotte, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (via team release)

F Jaret Anderson-Dolan (to Ontario, AHL)
*F Brayden Burke (to Ontario, AHL)
*D Kale Clague (to Ontario, AHL)
F Jacob Doty (released from PTO, to Ontario, AHL)
F Aidan Dudas (to Ontario, AHL)
D Sean Durzi (to Ontario, AHL)
F Samuel Fagemo (to Ontario, AHL)
*F Martin Frk (to Ontario, AHL)
D Cameron Gaunce (released from PTO to Ontario, AHL)
D Helge Grans (to Ontario, AHL)
G Jacob Ingham (to Ontario, AHL)
F Adam Johnson (released from PTO, to Ontario, AHL)
F Arthur Kaliyev (to Ontario, AHL)
F Brett Kemp (released from ATO, to Ontario, AHL)
F Rasmus Kupari (to Ontario, AHL)
G John Lethemon (released from PTO, to Ontario, AHL)
F Tyler Madden (to Ontario, AHL)
*D Jacob Moverare (to Ontario, AHL)
G Lukas Parik (to Ontario, AHL)
F Nikita Pavlychev (released from PTO, to Ontario, AHL)
D Markus Phillips (to Ontario, AHL)
F Johan Sodergran (to Ontario, AHL)
*G Garret Sparks (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jordan Spence (to Ontario, AHL)
*F Brett Sutter (released from PTO, to Ontario, AHL)
F Alex Turcotte (to Ontario, AHL)
*F T.J. Tynan (to Ontario, AHL)
G Matt Villalta (to Ontario, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (via team Twitter)

F Danick Martel (released from PTO, to Laval, AHL)
G Kevin Poulin (released from PTO, to Laval, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (via team release)

D Jeremy Groleau (to Utica, AHL)
G Mareks Mitens (to Utica, AHL)
F Ryan Schmelzer (to Utica, AHL)
D Michael Vukojevic (to Utica, AHL)

New York Rangers (via The Athletic’s Rick Carpiniello)

*D Mason Geertsen (to Hartford, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (via team Twitter)

D Xavier Bernard (to Belleville, AHL)
F Philippe Daoust (to Belleville, AHL)
F Tyrell Goulbourne (to Belleville, AHL)
F Roby Jarventie (to Belleville, AHL)
D Zac Leslie (to Belleville, AHL)
D Vincent Sevigny (to Belleville, AHL)
G Mads Sogaard (to Belleville, AHL)
F Matthew Wedman (to Belleville, AHL)
D Colby Williams (to Belleville, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (via Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia)

D Quinn Schmiemann (released from ATO, to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Kirill Ustimenko (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Jackson van de Leest (released from ATO, to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (via team release)

D Niclas Almari (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Raivis Ansons (to Baie-Comeau, QMJHL)
D Matt Bartkowski (released from PTO)
F Jordy Bellerive (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Taylor Fedun (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Jonathan Gruden (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Cam Lee (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Filip Lindberg (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Kyle Olson (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Valtteri Puustinen (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Will Reilly (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Mitch Reinke (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Felix Robert (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

San Jose Sharks (via team release)

F Joel Kellman (to San Jose, AHL)
D Artemi Kniazev (to San Jose, AHL)
F John Leonard (to San Jose, AHL)
F Jayden Halbgewachs (to San Jose, AHL)
D Jaycob Megna (to San Jose, AHL)
G Alexei Melnichuk (to San Jose, AHL)
F Nicholas Merkley (to San Jose, AHL)
D Montana Onyebuchi (to San Jose, AHL)
D Brinson Pasichnuk (to San Jose, AHL)

Seattle Kraken (via team release)

*G Antoine Bibeau (SEA)
*D Connor Carrick (SEA)
*D Cale Fleury (SEA)
F Luke Henman (to Charlotte, AHL)
*D Gustav Olofsson (SEA)
F Scott Wilson (released from PTO)

St. Louis Blues (via team release)

F Zach Bolduc (to Quebec, QMJHL)
G Will Cranley (to Ottawa, OHL)
D Tyson Galloway (to Calgary, WHL)
*F Tanner Kaspick (to Springfield, AHL)
F Mathias Laferriere (to Springfield, AHL)
D Griffin Luce (to Springfield, AHL)
F Hugh McGing (to Springfield, AHL)
*F Matthew Peca (to Springfield, AHL)
*F Nolan Stevens (to Springfield, AHL)
F Nathan Todd (to Springfield, AHL)
F Alexei Toropchenko (to Springfield, AHL)
F Keean Washkurak (to Springfield, AHL)
D Josh Wesley (to Springfield, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)

F Paul Cotter (to Henderson, AHL)
F Daniel D’Amato (to Henderson, AHL)
D Peter DiLiberatore (to Henderson, AHL)
F Pavel Dorofeyev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jack Dugan (to Henderson, AHL)
F Lucas Elvenes (to Henderson, AHL)
G Dylan Ferguson (to Henderson, AHL)
D Zack Hayes (to Henderson, AHL)
F Ben Jones (to Henderson, AHL)
D Kaedan Korczak (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jake Leschyshyn (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jermaine Loewen (to Henderson, AHL)
F Maxim Marushev (to Henderson, AHL)
F Lynden McCallum (to Henderson, AHL)
D Ian McCoshen (released from PTO, to Henderson, AHL)
D Daniil Miromanov (to Henderson, AHL)
D Brayden Pachal (to Henderson, AHL)
G Jiri Patera (to Henderson, AHL)
D Derrick Pouliot (to Henderson, AHL)
F Mason Primeau (to Henderson, AHL)
F Jonas Rondbjerg (to Henderson, AHL)
F Ben Thomson (to Henderson, AHL)

Washington Capitals (via team Twitter)

F Kody Clark (to Hershey, AHL)
*D Cody Franson (to Hershey, AHL)
*F Shane Gersich (to Hershey, AHL)
D Lucas Johansen (to Hershey, AHL)
F Kale Kessy (to Hershey, AHL)
*D Dylan McIlrath (to Hershey, AHL)
F Mason Morelli (to Hershey, AHL)
G Hunter Shepard (to Hershey, AHL)
F Riley Sutter (to Hershey, AHL)
D Eddie Wittchow (to Hershey, AHL)

*-pending the player clearing waivers

Mackenzie Blackwood Confirms Unvaccinated Status

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The New Jersey Devils were one of the teams to announce during the start of training camp that a player in their organization was unvaccinated, and today Mackenzie Blackwood confirmed that it was him. When speaking with media including Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, Blackwood explained that he hasn’t decided whether or not he will be vaccinated in the future, but has “a couple of health concerns and health reasons” why he has not received it yet.

Though Blackwood will be held to stricter protocols because of his status, the Devils won’t be forced to go without him at the start of the season like some other teams with unvaccinated players. New Jersey is not scheduled to travel to Canada until a December 3 game against the Winnipeg Jets, meaning there would still be time for the young goaltender to receive a league-approved vaccine in time to accompany them on the road trip if he chooses to do so. Blackwood was one of the players to test positive for Coronavirus earlier this year, missing several games.

Nikita Popugaev Retires From Professional Hockey

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  • It appears as though former New Jersey Devils prospect Nikita Popugaev has ended his hockey career, listing himself as an “ex hockey player” on Instagram. Popugaev was a fourth-round pick of the Devils in 2017, but never signed with the team and spent last season in the KHL. Though his rights are technically retained indefinitely by the Devils, it appears as though the 22-year-old will no longer be pursuing his career on the ice.

Minor Transactions: 09/25/21

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NHL teams may be busy with training camps now in full swing – and camp cuts already underway – but those players without a contract or even a camp invite have to look elsewhere. The result is a slew of AHL signings, which could continue up until AHL camps also get ready to begin. Follow along with those moves and other transactions right here:

  • The Hartford Wolfpack have announced one-year extensions with forwards James Sanchez and Alex Whalen as well as for defenseman Jeff Taylor. Sanchez and Whalen are both recent college products, with Whalen playing all of last season with Hartford after leaving nearby Quinnipiac University and Sanchez joining the team after his senior season at Arizona State University. Sanchez, who struggled at the University of Michigan in his first two NCAA seasons, put up strong numbers after transferring to ASU and looked good in eight games with the Wolfpack late last season. He could be a player worth watching for Rangers fans interested in a dark horse prospect. Taylor, 27, has bounced between the AHL and ECHL for the past four seasons, including the past two under contract with Hartford.
  • Not returning to the Wolfpack this season is Gabriel Fontaine. Fontaine, a 2016 draft selection, has spent the past four seasons under contract with the New York Rangers. However, he became an unrestricted free agent this summer when the team declined to extend him a qualifying offer. Rather than stick with the franchise and sign an AHL deal with Hartford, Fontaine has instead signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Eagles, the team announced. Fontaine is also attending Colorado Avalanche training camp on a PTO. The 24-year-old center has yet to find his footing in the pros, but could benefit from this change of scenery.
  • Another player not expected back in Hartford is defenseman Brandon Crawley. A fellow non-qualified Rangers prospect, even after spending some time on New York’s taxi squad last year, Crawley has been seeking another NHL deal this summer. Instead, he has settled for an AHL deal. His agency, WD Sports & Entertainment, has announced that Crawley has come to terms on a contract with the Syracuse Crunch. The team has not yet confirmed the deal.
  • Things are not going as planned of late for Jaromir Pytlik. The big Czech forward was considered a consensus second- or third-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, but ended up falling to the New Jersey Devils in the fourth round. Setting out to prove wrong those teams that passed on him, Pytlik made the jump from the second-tier league in the Czech Republic to the Liiga, the top-tier league in Finland. He signed a two-year deal with KalPa with the expectations of owning a regular role. Yet, after just two games, KalPa has reassigned Pytlik to IPK of the second-tier Metsis, the team announced. It’s another hurdle for a well-rounded prospect who needs to establish his pro ability.

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