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Training Camp Cuts: 9/25/18

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Another day of camp, another day of cuts. Things are starting to get more difficult though as rosters have become much thinner over the past few days and each release and reassignment is not taken lightly. The pace of roster announcements today is noticeably slower than this past week. Yet, the cuts must be made. Follow along here for all of the camp casualties across the league today:

Note that players placed on waivers today are not included on this list.  They can be found here.

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

D Kyle Capobianco (to Tuscon, AHL)
G Adin Hill (to Tuscon, AHL)
F Kevin Klima (to Tuscon, AHL)
F Jens Looke (to Tuscon, AHL)
G Hunter Miska (to Tuscon, AHL)
F Lane Pederson (to Tuscon, AHL)

Boston Bruins (per team release)

D Connor Clifton (to Providence, AHL)
F Karson Kuhlman (to Providence, AHL)
D Jeremy Lauzon (to Providence, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

G Callum Booth (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Morgan Geekie (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Andrew Poturalski (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Dan Renouf (to Charlotte, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team Twitter update)

D Carl Dahlstrom (to Rockford, AHL)
D Joni Tuulola (to Rockford, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

F Dylan Sadowy (to Toledo, ECHL)
D Brenden Kotyk (released from PTO)
F Bryan Moore (released from PTO)
G Pat Nagle (released from PTO)
D Matt Register  (released from PTO)
F Jordan Topping (released from PTO)
F Luke Kirwan  (released from ATO)

Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter update)

D Kevin Gravel (to Bakersfield, AHL)
D Keegan Lowe (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Brad Malone (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

D Michal Moravcik (to Laval, AHL)
D David Sklenicka (to Laval, AHL)
F Nick Suzuki (to Owen Sound, OHL)
F Joel Ward (released from PTO)

New Jersey Devils (per team Twitter)

F Joey Anderson (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Michael McLeod (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Marian Studenic (to Binghamton, AHL)

New York Islanders (per team Twitter update)

F Steve Bernier (to Bridgeport, AHL)
G Christopher Gibson (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Seth Helgeson (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Mike Sislo (to Bridgeport, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)

F Nicholas Aube-Kubel (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Philippe Myers (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (per Sportsnet’s Rick Dhaliwal)

F Reid Boucher (to Utica, AHL)
D Ashton Sautner (to Utica, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)

G Maxime Lagace (to Chicago, AHL)
F Stefan Matteau (to Chicago, AHL)
D Griffin Reinhart (to Chicago, AHL)
F T.J. Tynan (to Chicago, AHL)
F Cody Glass (to Portland, WHL)

Islanders Sign Luca Sbisa

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Luca Sbisa’s tryout with the Islanders was a successful one as the team announced that they have signed the defenseman to a one-year contract.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the deal is worth $1.5MM.

The 28-year-old spent last season with Vegas but injury trouble limited him to just 30 regular season games.  He did fare relatively well in those contests, however, collecting 14 points (the second-best point total of his career) while logging over 19 minutes of ice time per game.  His role was more limited in the postseason though as he averaged just 16:07 of playing time in a dozen playoff games.  Even though Vegas is without RFA Shea Theodore and Nate Schmidt (suspension), a reunion with the Golden Knights wasn’t in the cards.

Over his career, Sbisa has played in 495 regular season games between the Flyers, Ducks, Canucks, and Golden Knights, recording 18 goals and 84 assists along with 344 PIMS.

The Islanders lost some defensive depth on the left side with the departure of Calvin de Haan to Carolina as well as their decision to not retain midseason acquisition Brandon Davidson.  As a result, Sbisa could push to be their number six defender when the season gets underway less than two weeks from now.  If he fails to do so, he’ll at least be a capable injury replacement while being one of their more experienced rearguards (only two of their defensemen have more NHL games played than Sbisa does).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Twenty Players Placed On Waivers

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It’s after noon Eastern and that means another round of players has officially been placed on waivers. This is day four that the NHL waiver wire has been open and so far 67 players have been exposed and just one – now Tampa Bay Lightning forward Danick Martel, formerly of the Philadelphia Flyers – has been claimed. Another 20 names have hit the wire today, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie:

F Steve Bernier (NY Islanders)
F Reid Boucher (Vancouver)
F Paul Carey (Ottawa)
D Tommy Cross (Columbus)
F Zac Dalpe (Columbus)
F Tanner Fritz (NY Islanders)
F Nathan Gerbe (Columbus)
G Christopher Gibson (NY Islanders)
D Kevin Gravel (Edmonton)
D Seth Helgeson (NY Islanders)
D Keegan Lowe (Edmonton)
F Brad Malone (Edmonton)
D Jaycob Megna (Anaheim)
D Dakota Mermis (Arizona)
F Julius Nattinen (Anaheim) – unconditional
F Jim O’Brien (Ottawa)
D Ethan Prow (Pittsburgh)
D Ashton Sautner (Vancouver)
D Dillon Simpson (Columbus)
F Mike Sislo (NY Islanders)

The list today is largely devoid of any flashy names likely to draw a claim. The majority of these players are veterans of the waivers process, having cleared several times in the past. It is curious how many are recent free agent additions, including Carey in Ottawa and Gravel in Edmonton, each of whom were one of their team’s biggest off-season signings. Cross and Simpson are also new arrivals in Columbus who were expected to compete for depth roles on the blue line.

Young defensemen Sautner and Mermis are perhaps the two most intriguing names up for grabs. Both made their NHL debuts last season amid strong AHL campaigns. Carey, while a known commodity, may have the best chance of being claimed. The 30-year-old played in 60 games for the New York Rangers last year and has been a reliable checking forward during his career. However, 30 other teams had a chance to sign Carey this off-season and passed up the opportunity, so they won’t all be clamoring for his services now. Boucher has been through the waivers ringer before, but don’t expect another go-round for a forward who has the ability, but can’t seem to put it all together.

Edmonton’s dismissal of Gravel and Lowe could indicate that first-round pick Evan Bouchard and/or young puck-mover Ethan Bear are in line for a job with the Oilers. Gravel in particular was penciled in as the extra defenseman for the team, so his relatively early cut from camp is not without some significance. Gravel is just one year removed from starting 49 games for the Los Angeles Kings.

Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that Ducks prospect center Nattinen has been placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. No other details are currently available. Nattinen, 21, was a second-round pick not long ago in 2015 and was entering his second pro season. He recorded 12 points in 55 games last season for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

Training Camp Cuts: 9/24/18

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Another day, another two or three dozen cuts on the way. As training camp and the NHL preseason continues on, teams work to pare down their rosters in anticipation of Opening Night. Keep track of all the releases and reassignments right here:

Note that players placed on waivers today are not included on this list.  They can be found here.

Anaheim Ducks (per team release)

F Giovanni Fiore (to San Diego, AHL)
F Mitch Hults (to San Diego, AHL)
F Jack Kopacka (to San Diego, AHL)
G Angus Redmond (to San Diego, AHL)
F Deven Sideroff (to San Diego, AHL)
D Keaton Thompson (to San Diego, AHL)
G Roman Durny (to Des Moines, USHL)

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

F Michael Bunting (to Tuscon, AHL)
D Cam Dineen (to Tuscon, AHL)
D Dysin Mayo (to Tuscon, AHL)

Boston Bruins (per team release)

D Axel Andersson (to Djurgarden, SEL)
F Cameron Hughes (to Providence, AHL)
D Emil Johansson (to Providence, AHL)
F Joona Koppanen (to Providence, AHL)
F Tanner Pond (to Providence, AHL)
F Zach Senyshyn (to Providence, AHL)

Colorado Avalanche (per team release)

G Joe Cannata (to Colorado, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Vitaly Abramov (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Brady Austin (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Paul Bittner (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Garret Cockerill (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Ryan Collins (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Dan DeSalvo (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Maxime Fortier (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Brett Gallant (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Nikita Korostelev (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Miles Koules (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Ryan MacInnis (to Cleveland, AHL)
G Joseph Raaymakers (released from ATO; to London, OHL)
F Justin Scott (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Kole Sherwood (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Blake Siebenaler (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Doyle Somerby (to Cleveland, AHL)
G Brad Thiessen (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Calvin Thurkauf (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Trent Vogelhuber (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Justin Wade (to Cleveland, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

F Joe Veleno (to Drummondville, QMJHL)

Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter update)

F Cooper Marody (to Bakersfield, AHL)
F Scottie Upshall (released from PTO)

Florida Panthers (per team release)

G Sam Montembeault (to Springfield, AHL)
D Riley Stillman (to Springfield, AHL)
F Owen Tippett (to Mississauga, OHL)
F Mark Letestu (released from PTO)

Los Angeles Kings (per team release)

G Peter Budaj (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Moverare (loaned to Frolunda, SHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

F Connor Brickley (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Tyler Gaudet (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Troy Grosenick (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jarred Tinordi (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (per team Twitter)

F Kurtis Gabriel (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Blake Pietila (to Binghamton, AHL)
D John Ramage (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Brian Strait (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Eric Tangradi (to Binghamton, AHL)

New York Islanders (per team release)

D Sebastian Aho (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Kieffer Bellows (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Michael Dal Colle (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Ben Holmstrom (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Josh Ho-Sang (to Bridgeport, AHL)
G Jeremy Smith (to Bridgeport, AHL)
F Travis St. Denis (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Parker Wotherspoon (to Bridgeport, AHL)
D Noah Dobson (to Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL)

St. Louis Blues (per team release)

D Chris Butler (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Klim Kostin (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Mackenzie MacEachern (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Adam Musil (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Jordan Nolan (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Mitch Reinke (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Nolan Stevens (to San Antonio, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (per team release)

D Jalen Chatfield (to Utica, AHL)
F Jonathan Dahlen (to Utica, AHL)
F Petrus Palmu (to Utica, AHL)

Training Camp Cuts: 9/23/18

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As training camps roll on, teams continue to thin the herd. Yesterday saw twelve different teams make substantial cuts and the same can be expected today. The Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning got things started early this morning, but we’ll keep track of cuts right here throughout the day:

Arizona Coyotes (via team release)

F Brayden Burke (to Tucson, AHL)
F Trevor Cheek (to Tucson, AHL)
F Matteo Gennaro (to Tucson, AHL)
F Adam Helewka (to Tucson, AHL)
D Pierre-Olivier Joseph (to Charlottetown, QMJHL)
G Merrick Madsen (to Tucson, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)

F Tyler Randell (to Rochester, AHL)

Dallas Stars (per team release)

F Nick Caamano (to Texas, AHL)
F Tony Calderone (to Texas, AHL)
G Philippe Desrosiers (to Texas, AHL)
D Ben Gleason (to Texas, AHL)
D Shane Hanna (released from PTO)
D Niklas Hansson (to Texas, AHL)
F Samuel Laberge (released from PTO)
F Joel L’Esperance (to Texas, AHL)
F Colin Markison (released from PTO)
D Chris Martenet (to Texas, AHL)
F Adam Mascherin (to Texas, AHL)
F Robbie Payne (released from ATO)
F James Phelan (released from ATO)
G Colton Point (to Texas, AHL)
D Ondrej Vala (to Texas, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (per team release)

D Alex Lintuniemi (to Ontario, AHL)
F Zack Mitchell (to Ontario, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

D Frederic Allard (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Alexandre Carrier (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Matt Donovan (released from PTO)
D Jack Dougherty (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Jeremy Gregoire (released from PTO)
F Tanner Jeannot (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Justin Kirkland (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Matt Lane (released from PTO)
D Joonas Lyytinen (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Thomas McCollum (released from PTO)
F Zachary Magwood (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Tyler Moy (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Mathieu Olivier (released from PTO)
F Alex Overhardt (released from PTO)
F Carl Persson (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Emil Pettersson (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Filip Pyrochta (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Anthony Richard (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Miroslav Svoboda (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Yakov Trenin (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (per team release & team Twitter)

F Brandon Baddock (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Nathan Bastian (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Jocktan Chainey (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Brandon Gignac (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Josh Jacobs (to Binghamton, AHL)
G Cam Johnson (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Michael Kapla (to Binghamton, AHL)
G Akira Schmid (to Lethbridge, WHL)
F Yegor Sharangovich (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Colby Sissons (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Blake Speers (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Colton White (to Binghamton, AHL)

New York Islanders (via team Twitter)

D Kyle Burroughs (to Bridgeport, AHL)

Ottawa Senators (per team release)

F Rudolfs Balcers (to Belleville, AHL)
F Drake Batherson (to Belleville, AHL)
F Logan Brown (to Belleville, AHL)
D Andreas Englund (to Belleville, AHL)
D Macoy Erkamps (to Belleville, AHL)
F Gabriel Gagne (to Belleville, AHL)
G Filip Gustavsson (to Belleville, AHL)
G Marcus Hogberg (to Belleville, AHL)
F Joseph Labate (to Belleville, AHL)
F Boston Leier (to Belleville, AHL)
F Aaron Luchuk (to Belleville, AHL)
D Stuart Percy (to Belleville, AHL)
F Jack Rodewald (to Belleville, AHL)
F Ryan Scarfo (to Belleville, AHL)
F Andrew Sturtz (to Belleville, AHL)
F Chase Balisy (waivers, for purpose of Belleville, AHL)
D Julius Bergman (waivers, for purpose of Belleville, AHL)
D Erik Burgdoerfer (waivers, for purpose of Belleville, AHL)
F Nick Paul (waivers, for purpose of Belleville, AHL)
F Ben Sexton (waivers, for purpose of Belleville, AHL)
D Patrick Sieloff (waivers, for purpose of Belleville, AHL)
F Adam Tambellini (waivers, for purpose of Belleville, AHL)
F Jack Skille (released from PTO)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

F Anthony Angello (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Teddy Blueger (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Joseph Cramarossa (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Thomas Di Pauli (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Stefan Elliott (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL pending waivers)
F Ryan Haggerty (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Jimmy Hayes (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL pending waivers)
F Adam Johnson (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Sam Lafferty (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Tobias Lindberg (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL pending waivers)
F Sam Miletic (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G John Muse (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL pending waivers)
D Will O’Neill (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Linus Olund (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Ethan Prow (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL pending waivers)
D Chris Summers (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL pending waivers)
D Jeff Taylor (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Garrett Wilson (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL pending waivers)

San Jose Sharks (per team release)

F Tim Clifton (placed on waivers for purpose of sending to San Jose)
D Nick DeSimone (to San Jose, AHL)
D Cavan Fitzgerald (to San Jose, AHL)
F Noah Gregor (to San Jose, AHL)
F Jayden Halbgewachs (to San Jose, AHL)
F Maxim Letunov (to San Jose, AHL)
F Jake McGrew (to Spokane, WHL)
D Jacob Middleton (to San Jose, AHL)
D Keaton Middleton (to San Jose, AHL)
F Francis Perron (to San Jose, AHL)
F Vincent Praplan (to San Jose, AHL)
F Lukas Radil (to San Jose, AHL)
D Jeremy Roy (to San Jose, AHL)
F Alex True (to San Jose, AHL)
F Manuel Wiederer (to San Jose, AHL)
D Kyle Wood (to San Jose, AHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)

F Olivier Archambault (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Alex Barre-Boulet (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Corbin Boes (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Troy Bourke (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Michael Bournival (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Brady Brassart (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ross Colton (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Cal Foote (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Cameron Gaunce (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Connor Ingram (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Boris Katchouk (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Hubert Labrie (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Alexey Lipanov (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Kevin Lynch (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Dominik Masin (to Syracuse, AHL)
G Eddie Pasquale (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Taylor Raddysh (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Otto Somppi (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Oleg Sosunov (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Matt Spencer (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Jonne Tammela (to Syracuse, AHL)
D Ben Thomas (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Carter Verhaeghe (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Daniel Walcott (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Dennis Yan (to Syracuse, AHL)

Vancouver Canucks (via Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma)

D Guillaume Brisebois (to Utica, AHL)
D Jalen Chatfield (to Utica, AHL)
F Jonathan Dahlen (to Utica, AHL)
F Petrus Palmu (to Utica, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (via team release)

D Nic Hague (to Chicago, AHL)
D Keegan Kolesar (to Chicago, AHL)

Training Camp Cuts: 9/22/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Plenty of players were cut from training camps around the league yesterday and today will probably be no different, especially with the waiver wire now open.  We’ll keep track of all the cuts here and will update this post throughout the day.

Note that this list does not cover players placed on waivers today.  Those players can be found here.

Anaheim Ducks (per team release)

D Terrance Amorosa (to San Diego, AHL)
G Lukas Dostal (to SK Horacka Slavia Trebic, Czech league)
F Alex Dostie (to San Diego, AHL)
D Hunter Drew (to Charlottetown, QMJHL)
F Justin Ducharme (released from ATO)
G Olle Eriksson-Ek (to BIK Karlskoga, SHL)
D Chris Forney (to San Diego, AHL)
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx (to Halifax, QMJHL)
D Scott Moldenhauer (to San Diego, AHL)
F Antoine Morand (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Julius Nattinen (to San Diego, AHL)
F Kyle Olson (to Tri-City, WHL)
F Tyler Soy (to San Diego, AHL)
F Ben Thomson (to San Diego, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Eric Cornel (to Rochester, AHL)
F Vasily Glotov (to Rochester, AHL)
G Michael Houser (to Rochester, AHL)
F Kevin Porter (to Rochester, AHL)
D Zach Redmond (to Rochester, AHL)
D Devante Stephens (to Rochester, AHL)
G Adam Wilcox (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

G Nick Schneider (to Stockton, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team Twitter)

F Radovan Bondra (released from PTO; to Rockford, AHL)
F Alex Broadhurst (released from PTO; to Rockford, AHL)
D Andrew Campbell (to Rockford, AHL)
D Dennis Gilbert (to Rockford, AHL)
F Matheson Iacopelli (to Rockford, AHL)
F Graham Knott (to Rockford, AHL)
F Anthony Louis (to Rockford, AHL)
F Jordan Schroeder (to Rockford, AHL)
F Tyler Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)
D Luc Snuggerud (to Rockford, AHL)
G Matt Tomkins (released from PTO; to Rockford, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (via team Twitter)

G Shane Starrett (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Florida Panthers (per team release)

F Jonathan Ang (to Springfield, AHL)
D Ludwig Bystrom (to Springfield, AHL)
G Chris Driedger (released from PTO, to Springfield, AHL)
F Sebastian Repo (to Springfield, AHL)
F Paul Thompson (to Springfield, AHL)

Los Angeles Kings (per team release; PTO cuts via Sirius XM’s Jonathan Davis)

D Kyle Bauman (released from PTO)
F Jamie Devane (released from PTO)
F Mike Eyssimont (to Ontario, AHL)
D Stepan Falkovsky (to Ontario, AHL)
F Sam Herr (released from PTO)
F Boko Imama (to Ontario, AHL)
G Cole Kehler (to Ontario, AHL)
F Matt Luff (to Ontario, AHL)
F Philippe Maillet (released from PTO)
F Brad Morrison (to Ontario, AHL)
D Jacob Moverare (to Ontario, AHL)
D Chaz Reddekopp (to Ontario, AHL)
F Sheldon Rempal (to Ontario, AHL)
D Matt Roy (to Ontario, AHL)
F Drake Rymsha (to Ontario, AHL)
D Austin Strand (to Ontario, AHL)
F Brett Sutter (released from PTO)
D Sean Walker (to Ontario, AHL)
F Spencer Watson (to Ontario, AHL)Read more

Trade Rumors: Faulk, Bobrovsky, Ritchie, Wood

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When TSN released their off-season Trade Bait List in early July, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk was ranked #4, among the most likely players to be dealt. A little more than two months later, all three players ranked ahead of him – Erik Karlsson, Max Pacioretty, and former teammate Jeff Skinner – have changed teams, while Faulk remains in Raleigh. But for how much longer? Appearing on TSN Radio 1050 recently, insider Pierre LeBrun revealed that Faulk was a target of the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer and speculated that the team could still move to acquire him this season. LeBrun opines that Faulk, a right-handed shot signed to an extremely reasonable $4.83MM cap hit over two more years, would be a perfect fit for the Leafs. Toronto has long been searching for a top pair defenseman to complement lefty Morgan Rielly and Faulk fits the bill. LeBrun speculates that the Hurricanes are likely asking for a major package in exchange for Faulk, but meeting those demands may not be an impossible task for Toronto. Several Maple Leafs players and prospects could fill gaps in Carolina, such as veteran center Nazem Kadri, promising wingers Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, and young goalies Garret Sparks and Joseph Woll, as well as a full cabinet of draft picks. There have also been some inclinations that the Hurricanes are preparing to move on from Faulk as well, such as acquiring a new top pair righty in Dougie Hamilton and passing over Faulk, a career ’Cane, for their captaincy. The team is under no pressure to deal their long-time stud defenseman, but if GM Don Waddell receives a strong enough offer, he seems likely to pull the trigger.

  • Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen has been clear that he does not want to trade either Artemi Panarin or Sergei Bobrovsky, but as both remain unsigned and approaching free agency and trade calls continue to come in for Panarin, there has been rampant speculation as to where the star winger may land. After recent comments from Bobrovsky that could be read as implying that his time in Columbus could soon be over, many have begun to predict where he may land as well. In a recent segment for TSN Radio 1200 in Ottawa, Darren Dreger stated his belief that the New York Islanders would be the front runners in a Bobrovsky trade scenario. Dreger adds that there will be more than a few suitors should the two-time Vezina winner hit the trade market or, better yet, the open market. However, Dreger feels that the Islanders and new GM Lou Lamoriello feel more pressure to add a true No. 1 goaltender in their hopes of soon returning to contender status. The Isles currently roster unpredictable Robin Lehner, on a one-year deal, and failed starter Thomas Greiss, as well as two prospects overseas in Ilya Sorokin and Jakub Skarek. Lehner and Greiss do not instill much hope and Sorokin may never make the jump to North America. The Islanders are without a solution in net in the immediate future and could target Bobrovsky at any cost to solve that problem.
  • How long will the Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils wait on contract resolutions with Nick Ritchie and Miles Wood respectively? The restricted free agents continue to hold out for better contracts and miss valuable time in training camp, despite underwhelming numbers through their first three seasons to support their absence. At this time last year, Columbus Blue Jackets RFA forward Josh Anderson – a similar power forward-style player – remained unsigned and was the subject of numerous trade rumors. Yet, Anderson had just 34 points through 96 games in his first three seasons, whereas Ritchie and Wood have more experience and production through the same amount of time. Ritchie, a first round pick in 2014, has 59 points in 186 games. Wood, one of the Devils’ top scorers last season, has 49 points through 137 games. One would think that either team could drum up interest if they began actively shopping their respective RFA, but it hasn’t happened to this point. Wood is not without flaws to his game, but has exceeded expectations and played a major role for New Jersey last season and with more play time has the potential to be even better. In contract, Ritchie has his strengths, but has not lived up to his first-round billing. Between the two, it would be less of a surprise to see Anaheim part with Ritchie.

 

2018-19 Season Primer: New York Islanders

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With the NHL season now just a few weeks away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Next up is a look at the New York Islanders.

Last Season: 35-37-10 record (77 points), seventh in the Metropolitan Division (missed the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $10.56MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Valtteri Filppula (free agent, Philadelphia), F Leo Komarov (free agent, Toronto), F Jan Kovar (free agent, Magnitogorsk, KHL), F Tom Kuhnhackl (free agent, Pittsburgh), G Robin Lehner (free agent, Buffalo), F Matt Martin (trade with Toronto)

Key Departures: D Brandon Davidson (free agent, PTO with Chicago), D Calvin de Haan (free agent, Carolina), G Jaroslav Halak (free agent, Boston), F Nikolai Kulemin (free agent, Magnitogorsk, KHL), F Shane Prince (free agent, Davos, NLA), F Alan Quine (free agent, Calgary), F John Tavares (free agent, Toronto), F Chris Wagner (free agent, Boston)

[Related: Islanders Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Anders Lee – It’s rare that a 40-goal scorer largely goes under the radar but that’s the case here with Lee.  He potted 40 for the first time in his career and since his name didn’t start with John and end with Tavares, not many people seemed to notice as the focus was squarely on their now-former captain.

Lee also spent a lot of time playing alongside Tavares so with him out of the picture, how might that affect his production?  Sophomore center Mathew Barzal is no slouch and he will likely ascend to the top line now but there’s no guarantee that the duo will be able to find that same level of chemistry.

The 28-year-old also happens to be entering the final year of his contract so teams around the league will be quite intrigued to see if he can repeat that type of output (or at least come close).  A strong season would cement him as one of the top forwards in the 2019 free agent class but if he falters, his value will take a significant dip, especially considering how some other former Tavares linemates have fared since going elsewhere.  These next few months will have a considerable impact on his value which makes him a player to keep an eye on.

Key Storyline: Most teams around the league have tried to gear their rosters towards more speed and skill.  New Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello went a different route this summer, making an already gritty team a lot more physical with the additions of Komarov and Martin while handing tough guy Ross Johnston, a veteran of all of 25 NHL games, a four-year, $4MM contract.

How is that approach going to work?  They’ve lost a lot of skill with Tavares heading to Toronto and have basically brought in depth players to fill their vacancies so it’s clear that they’re hoping that their extra toughness is going to help compensate for that.

It has been a while since a team has had this much physicality in their bottom six group of forwards so how they fare will be worth watching.  If they exceed expectations, other teams will take notice and perhaps there will be a shift towards more physicality.  If not, will their struggles give pause to other teams who may be pondering this strategy?

Overall Outlook: It’s hard to see the Islanders really being in the hunt for the postseason.  They have significant questions in goal and replacing Tavares with more grit probably isn’t going to work out too well for them.  This is a team that’s probably going to be a seller at the trade deadline and as a result, will have some interesting decisions to make with their pending UFAs (a list that includes Lee, Brock Nelson, and Jordan Eberle).  New York already looks fairly different after their offseason activity but there could be many more changes in the next few months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Interest Remains High In Acquiring Artemi Panarin

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Columbus Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin is one of the more talented forwards in the NHL and every other team in the league would like to own his services. For a while this off-season, it seemed highly likely that he would indeed move to another club, after rejecting an initial extension offer from the Blue Jackets. Panarin also set an ultimatum for further contract negotiations – a date that passed last week – before which many expected either a new deal or a trade. Yet, neither has come and GM Jarmo Kekalainen has expressed that he never took Panarin’s deadline into account and planned on working through negotiations all the way until July 1st, when the scoring winger will become an unrestricted free agent. That sentiment would seem to indicate that Kekalainen has no plans to trade Panarin this season.

Not so fast. On TSN’s “Insider Trading”, Darren Dreger reported that Kekalainen continues to field many trade calls for the talented forward. Despite teams currently focused on training camp and getting their opening night rosters set and ready to go, interest has not dropped off in acquiring Panarin. The Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks and more have been linked to Panarin this summer and it is easy to imagine that all of those teams and other dark horse candidates continue to keep an eye on his status. Landing a player of Panarin’s caliber, especially with an extension attached, could be a franchise-altering move.

Nevertheless, Dreger adds that Kekalainen is not interested in trading Panarin – though time may eventually force his hand – and right now says “his principle point of interest is trying to convince him to re-sign.” It doesn’t sound as though Panarin’s mind has changed at all and it has been all quiet from his camp for some time. Perhaps he will be convinced to stay in Columbus over another successful campaign or perhaps Kekalainen will get a godfather offer too good to refuse. One way or another, the continued trade interest and extension determination from Columbus make it overwhelmingly likely that one of these two outcomes will occur, rather than Panarin walking away at the end of the year.

Minor Transactions: 9/17/18

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Even with training camps open, preseason games underway, and even cuts beginning, additions continue to be made to camp rosters at the NHL and AHL level and more. Here are some of the latest moves:

  • The New York Islanders, the last team to formally release their training camp roster, had a number of tryout additions on the ice when camp opened, including previously confirmed pro invites like Stephen Gionta, Luca Sbisa, and Dennis Seidenberg, as well as several amateurs. However, one PTO that was unknown until the roster came out is forward Pius Suter. Suter, 22, is an undersized, but very skilled forward hailing from Switzerland. Although Suter played two seasons in the OHL with the Guelph Storm, including a 72-point campaign in his second year of NHL Draft eligibility, Suter was never selected or signed by an NHL team. He returned to Switzerland and has been a force for the ZSC Lions of the NLA for the past three seasons. Yet, he continues to press for a job in the NHL. Suter joined the Ottawa Senators on a PTO last year, but was an early cut from camp. Now he returns with the Islanders, eager to show that he can play at the highest level. The Isles are not the deepest team in the league, so Suter could be a name to keep an eye out for this preseason in case he does earn a contract for the coming season.
  • One player received a major surprise in the form of an unexpected camp invite. Goaltender Derek Dun, a 24-year-old British Columbia native who has never appeared in more than 16 games in a season since his BCHL days, has been temporarily added to the Boston Bruins camp roster, the team announced. Why? The journeyman goalie has been playing as a backup in China for members of the VHL, a Russian-based minor league, for the past two years. The Bruins contingent currently traveling though China wanted another goalie behind Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak for the remainder of their trip and found a willing participant in the former Northern Michigan University keeper. Dunn called it “a surreal moment” when he stepped on the ice for his first practice with the Bruins.
  • First-year pro Kyle Rhodes has finally found a landing spot for his first season, signing with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. The physical defenseman was not much of a point producer in his four years in the OHL, but was applauded for his work ethic and leadership ability. After being traded to the Sudbury Wolves prior to last season, Rhodes embraced his veteran role and was named captain, before going on to set a career-high of ten goals and 24 points, both more than his three prior seasons combined. He then impressed in a short tryout stint in the ECHL at the tail end of the season. The Rampage may have found a player who is just beginning to reach his potential, but will take a solid defensive player and strong character presence at the very least.
  • Garrett Ladd has fought his way through the NAHL, Division III of the NCAA, six different ECHL teams, and even a brief stint in England, but he continues to take small steps toward the NHL. The AHL’s Chicago Wolves have awarded Ladd, who is signed to their ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets, with an AHL camp tryout, Justin A. Cohn of the Journal Gazette explains. The 28-year-old forward likely won’t ever reach the NHL, but seems primed to get his first AHL action at some point this season.

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