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Minor Transactions: 11/28/18

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It’s Wednesday and the NHL has just five games planned for this evening, including a meeting of two high powered offenses in Colorado. That’s where the Pittsburgh Penguins will be heading tonight to see if they can continue their short win streak. The Avalanche meanwhile are looking for consecutive win number six, and a chance to climb within one point of the Nashville Predators. As teams prepare for these matchups, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

Minor Transactions: 11/24/18

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As the final weekend of November gets underway today, the league presents a slate of eleven games, highlighted by some rivalry match-ups and intriguing story lines. The Capitals and Rangers get the action started with a matinee game, while later on the Jets and Blues, Bruins and Canadiens, and Blue Jackets and Penguins square off. Meanwhile, last season’s Calder Cup-winning tandem of Garret Sparks and Calvin Pickard will face one another when the Maple Leafs host the Flyers. With 22 teams going after a busy day yesterday as well, there will surely be some movement across the league today. Keep up with all the recalls and reassignments right here:

  • Last night, the Edmonton Oilers returned rookie forward Cooper Marody to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Edmonton had called up Marody early last week and gave him four starts, but Marody still failed to record his first NHL point. Marody has been held off the score sheet through six NHL games thus far in his first pro season, but has ten points in just seven AHL contests. The University of Michigan product has the ability and the Oilers believe in him enough to continue giving him looks, but he’ll need to show some production on his next try at the top level.
  • Trevor Carrick has earned his first call-up of the season, as the Carolina Hurricanes have placed Brett Pesce on the injured reserve and tabbed Carrick as the man to replace his roster spot. Pesce’s IR assignment, retroactive to November 10th, is the result of a lower-body injury. In his stead, Carrick and Haydn Fleury will be the likely candidates to replace him, either directly on the right side or on their natural left side with Trevor van Riemsdyk returning to his natural side. Carrick, 24, played in just one NHL game last year and has played in three total in his five-year pro career. However, the Charlotte Checkers veteran leads all defenseman on the team in scoring this season with 17 points in 19 games and is due for another look in Raleigh.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they have recalled winger Garrett Wilson from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.  It’s the second stint with the big club this month for the 27-year-old who got into four games with Pittsburgh in his first go-round.  Wilson has been quite productive in the minors, picking up 11 points in a dozen games but will likely play a fourth line role while on recall.
  • After seeing limited action upon being brought up, forward Michael Dal Colle is on his way back to the minors after the New York Islanders returned him to AHL Bridgeport and recalled winger Tanner Fritz.  Dal Colle played in just two games with New York, logging less than nine minutes per night.  He has been productive in his third full season with the Sound Tigers though, averaging a point per game in 14 contests.  Meanwhile, Fritz has spent most of this season with Bridgeport, amassing ten points in 17 games.
  • With Roberto Luongo injured, the Florida Panthers have brought back goaltender Michael Hutchinson from Springfield of the AHL.  The 28-year-old struggled considerably in his first stint with the team, posting a 4.18 GAA with a .839 SV% in four games with Florida.  He hasn’t fared much better with the Thunderbirds, notching a 3.48 GAA with a .903 SV% in four minor league appearances.  He’ll serve as the backup to James Reimer while Luongo is on the shelf.
  • After being called up Friday by the New York Rangers, the team announced they sent Tim Gettinger back to the Hartford Wolf Pack today. The good news for Gettinger is that he got a chance to make his NHL debut for the Rangers as he played 7:00 of ice time against the Washington Capitals, recording five hits and a blocked shot. The Rangers’ fifth-round pick in 2016, Gettinger has put up solid numbers so far in his first professional season with seven goals and 11 points in 20 games for the Wolf Pack.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled goaltender Adin Hill from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL as backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper is day-to-day with a minor lower-body injury. The 22-year-old Hill has struggled in four appearances with the team this year, but has a 3.49 GAA and a .891 save percentage. Hill hasn’t fared much better in Tucson as he has a 3.22 GAA and a .871 save percentage in six games.

Oliver Wahlstrom Could Leave Boston College

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Friday: That was fun while it lasted. Kennedy updates the situation by tweeting that Wahlstrom will play today for Boston College and has “no intention of leaving the team.” Perhaps there was some frustration on the young forward’s part that leaked out, and he will now try to squash any rumors of his disappointment.

Thursday: Islanders prospect Oliver Wahlstrom appears to be looking for a change of scenery as Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News reports that he is looking to leave Boston College.  The eleventh pick back in 2018 is off to a slow start in his freshman college season with just two goals in nine games so far this season while the Eagles have won just three of those contests.

There are a few options for the 18-year-old if he does indeed decide to leave.  The USHL quietly announced (Twitter link) that Tri-City of the USHL has added his rights so if he wants to return to that league, that’s where he would have to play.  However, Mark Divver of the Providence Journal adds (via Twitter) that there hasn’t been any contact between Wahlstrom and the Storm just yet.  He’d basically be dropping down a level to play there which may not be the best for his long-term development.  Transferring to another NCAA school would result in him having to sit so that’s not an ideal option either.

At the major junior level, his rights are held by Cape Breton of the QMJHL.  Kennedy notes that his preference is to not play in that league but he can’t be dealt to an OHL or WHL franchise.  That would seemingly rule out the junior route but there may be teams within the QMJHL that could try to convince him to report to them and then acquire his rights from the Screaming Eagles.

Since Wahlstrom wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, he’s eligible to turn pro and play in the AHL.  Not every team is willing to have 18-year-old players suiting up at that level though so that’s far from a guarantee.

Interestingly enough, he is the second Islander first rounder in as many years in this situation.  2016 top pick Kieffer Bellows opted to leave Boston University last season and finished out the campaign with Portland of the WHL.  He turned pro for this season and is off to a decent start with AHL Bridgeport.

With the World Juniors fast approaching and Wahlstrom being a strong candidate to make that team, this is something he’ll want to resolve quickly.  With that in mind, there’s a good chance there will be more information about this available in the coming days with him deciding to leave or declaring his intentions to stay with Boston College at least for the time being.

Snapshots: Martinsson, Kovar, Niagara

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Eric Martinsson’s days with the Minnesota Wild seem to be numbered, but he’s not likely to be too upset about it. Swedish new source “Hockey News SE” reports that the Martinsson and the Wild have come to a mutual agreement that the recent free agent signing is to be placed on unconditional waivers in the near future for the purpose of terminating his contract. Martinsson, 26, signed with Minnesota back in May, looking to make the jump overseas after a successful stretch in the Swedish Hockey League with the Vaxjo Lakers. Instead of earning a spot on the NHL roster, Martinsson was in fact a relatively early cut from training camp. While the puck-moving blue liner has nine points through 13 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild, he seems no closer to pushing for a chance in Minnesota than he did before the season began. As such, Martinsson would like to return home to Sweden and the Wild are expected to oblige him. Eric Martinsson is just the latest in a stream of players departing the North American minors to return to Europe this season, although Hockey New SE speculates that Martinsson’s return will be of considerable interest to many teams in the SHL.

  • Veteran forward Jan Kovar is also pondering a return to Europe. Kovar signed with the New York Islanders this summer after years of success in the KHL and in his native Czech Republic. Kovar was expected to not only compete for a job with the Isles, but potentially even center a scoring line. Instead, Kovar proved to be a poor fit with the team in camp and did not crack the starting lineup. His contract was quickly terminated, but in holding out hope for another NHL opportunity, he signed with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. Kovar has nine points in ten games with Providence, while their parent club, the Boston Bruins, have struggled with injuries and consistency, but no contract offer seems to be coming. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver now reports that Kovar has not practiced with the team in two days and is supposedly weighing overseas contract offers. Divver believes that Kovar has offers in the KHL and NLA, as well as back home in the Czech Republic, but no such opportunities in North America. Divver additionally questions whether Kovar plays with the requisite pace to succeed in the NHL, a criticism that has come up frequently during his brief efforts this season.
  • Less than 25 games into the season doesn’t seem to be too early for a blockbuster trade in the Ontario Hockey League. The Kingston Frontenacs, with just seven win thus far the second-worst record in the league, have cashed in on two of their best assets. The Niagara Ice Dogs announced today that they have acquired Jason Robertson and Jacob Paquette from Kingston. Robertson, a second-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2017, has back-to-back 80+ point seasons and is currently fourth among OHL scoring leaders with 38 points and second in goals with 23. Paquette, a seventh-round pick of the Nashville Predators in 2017, is a big, physical defender and a locker room leader as well. Niagara is currently tied for second in the Central Division and tied for sixth overall in the league, but will almost certainly see a considerable boost from this trade. Yet, Kingston also received a king’s ransom in the deal. The Ice Dogs surrendered a total of eleven future draft picks, including three second-rounders and three third-rounders, as well as promising draft-eligible defenseman Billy Constantinou and forward Ian Martin. The Frontenacs may have disappointed their fans by virtually giving up on the season less than halfway in, but will reward them with a solid flow of talent for years to come.

Minor Transactions: 11/18/18

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After an outstanding Saturday filled with exciting finishes and huge comebacks the NHL is relatively quiet today with just five matches scheduled. Things get kicked off this afternoon between the Dallas Stars and New York Islanders, but first there will be roster moves around the league. We’ll be here to keep track of those moves:

  • The New York Rangers have reassigned Vinni Lettieri to the minor leagues, after he seemingly got benched yesterday for much of their game. Lettieri took a two-minute penalty in the first period, but ended up seeing the ice for just 4:29  in total. The 23-year old has been held scoreless in all 14 of his opportunities this season, and now will have to rediscover his game in the AHL.  They  announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled center Steven Fogarty from AHL Hartford to take Lettieri’s place.  He’s off to a strong start to his third full professional campaign, collecting 14 points through the first 18 games of the season.  (For reference, his career high is 20.)
  • CapFriendly reports that the Florida Panthers have recalled veteran forward Micheal Haley from a conditioning loan with the Springfield Thunderbirds after spending the first part of the season in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. Now ready to return, the veteran played two games with Springfield, putting up a goal and an assist and now is ready to return to Florida. The 32-year-old had three goals and nine points in 75 games last year. CapFriendly also reported they have recalled Dryden Hunt from Springfield, who was tearing up the AHL with eight goals in 15 games. The team countered those moves by assigning two players to Springfield, including Maxim Mamin and Denis Malgin. Mamin has played seven games with no points, while Malgin has been more successful with a goal and five points in 14 games.
  • The Los Angeles Kings announced they have recalled forward Austin Wagner from the Ontario Reign of the AHL to help fill in for injured veteran Trevor Lewis who is out week-to-week. The 21-year-old has already played eight games with Los Angeles and has no points, but has a pair of goals in five games with the Reign. The team also assigned goaltender Cole Kehler to Ontario.
  • With the Boston Bruins currently missing six defensemen due to injury and icing a starting six that includes four players expected to spend the majority of the season in the AHL, the Providence Bruins are also suffering from a dearth of defenders. The team currently rosters just three defensemen signed to NHL contracts, one of whom – Cody Goloubef – is also out with an injury. As a result, the team today brought in some reinforcements in the form of ECHL loans. Veteran pro Kyle Cumiskey of the Newfoundland Growlers and young Chris Carlisle of the nearby Manchester Monarchs have been added by Providence, per the ECHL. They join Boston-area native Desmond Bergin of the Adirondack Thunder as three on-loan players competing for ice time among a total of just seven healthy defensemen.
  • With John Gibson feeling sick, the Anaheim Ducks announced that they’ve recalled goaltender Kevin Boyle from San Diego of the AHL.  The 26-year-old has posted a .920 save percentage so far this season, ranking sixth among AHL netminders.

Metropolitan Notes: Dal Colle, Brassard, Hischier, Rask, Murphy

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When the New York Islanders recalled 2014 fifth-overall pick Michael Dal Colle from Bridgeport, many felt the team was just rewarding him for improved recent play with the AHL squad, but the recall would likely result in a few trips to the press box and an eventual return to the Sound Tigers.

However, Andrew Gross of Newsday writes that head coach Barry Trotz made this opportunity sound different as he hinted that Dal Colle may get an opportunity to see some game action on Sunday.

“Good chance,” Trotz said when asked whether Dal Colle would be in Sunday’s lineup. “I’m going to let him play a little bit and try to find his game. Maybe he has his game and he’s great tomorrow and I don’t have to tell him anything other than, ‘Just keep going, kid.’ I want to see how he plays.”

Dal Colle has been much more impressive this year after tallying just seven goals in 60 games with Bridgeport last season. He’s equalled those goal totals already with seven goals and 14 points in 14 games. Of course, Dal Colle’s opportunities may not last long as Gross reports that Matt Martin is close to being activated off the injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins will get back a big name and just in time as the struggling Penguins will get Derick Brassard back from a lower-body injury after missing the past nine games, according to TribLive’s Jonathan Bombulie. Pittsburgh has won just two games in that span. The 31-year-old had a goal and five points in eight games before the injury. The center will be immediately placed on the team’s second line in between Phil Kessel and Jake Guentzel. “I’m just going to try to skate and keep everything simple and give the puck to Phil as much as I can,” Brassard said after morning skate.
  • The New Jersey Devils have high hopes that they may get back their top center Nico Hischier from injury after he has sat out for three straight games with an undisclosed injury. NHL.com’s Amanda Stein reports that Hischier intends to travel with the team on their one-game road trip to Carolina, suggesting he could be ready to play for that game. The team misses his offense after posting three goals and 12 points in 15 games.
  • Chip Alexander of the News & Observer writes that Carolina Hurricanes winger Victor Rask, who underwent surgery on Sept. 13 after slicing his hand while cutting up sweet potatoes in his kitchen, practiced with the team on Friday, but has not been cleared for contact yet. Regardless, that’s good news for a struggling Hurricanes’ team that could use some offensive help. Rask scored 14 goals last season.
  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers writes that the Chicago Blackhawks will continue to be without defenseman Connor Murphy for quite some time as head coach Jeremy Colliton said the 25-year-old is still “weeks” away. The team could use every advantage it has if it wants to break out of its struggles this season.

Oilers, Rangers Swap Ryan Strome And Ryan Spooner

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The New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers have decided to shake things up by exchanging centers. The Rangers were the first to announce the deal, which sees them send Ryan Spooner to the Oilers for Ryan Strome. This is is a one-for-one swap, although TSN’s Bob McKenzie reports that the Rangers have retained $900K of Spooner’s contract to make it an even salary exchange.

This trade is simple case of two players who didn’t work out in new locations and needed a change of scenery. If Spooner’s and Strome’s names look familiar in a trade context, it is because both were just shipped off last season. In the 2017 off-season, the Oilers sent Jordan Eberle to the New York Islanders straight up for Strome. The move was panned initially, then Strome gained some support over the course of the season, but after recording just two points through 18 games to begin the new campaign, he was again drawing the ire of executives and fans alike. Spooner was included in the package that the Boston Bruins sent to the New York Rangers in exchange for Rick Nash at last season’s trade deadline, but hardly seemed like the centerpiece in a deal that also featured a first-round pick and defensive prospect Ryan Lindgren. Although Spooner played very well for the Rangers down the stretch, he too has just two points to show for his efforts this season, a disappointment to those who felt he could play a top-six role for the team moving forward.

It will be difficult to determine a winner in this trade for some time. Both players carry a cap hit of $3.1MM through the 2019-20 season. Spooner, 26, and Strome, 25, are almost dead even in career points, although Spooner has 160 points in 289 games whereas Strome has 162 points in 358 games, close to a season more. Both are power play assets who can be too passive offensively at even strength and are known for streaky play. The only main difference between the pair is in style; Spooner is an elite passer and a quicker player with very little patience for the defensive aspects of the game, while Strome is two-way forward with penalty-killing prowess, superior possession numbers and more goal-driven production.

Back with the man who drafted him in Boston, GM Peter Chiarelli, Spooner likely stands the best chance of a rebound. The Oilers have been looking to improve their team speed and Spooner certainly brings that element to his game. Edmonton’s usage of Spooner will bear watching, as the team could use a high-end play-maker on the wing more than they really need a third-line center, but historically Spooner has fit better down the middle and the loss of Strome does vacate a spot. Meanwhile, Strome joins a center-heavy lineup in New York and will likely have to earn a spot down the middle. The Rangers could use his scoring touch, if he can find it, but also need more two-way accountability, which Strome can bring.The Rangers’ brass watched Strome play with the Islanders for years and know what they’re getting in this deal. Both players have struggled to fit in in previous NHL situations; the Oilers and Rangers hope this time they can get it right.

New York Islanders Recall Michael Dal Colle

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This season may be the last chance for Michael Dal Colle to prove that he can still be considered one of the New York Islanders top prospects, and now he’ll get an opportunity to show his skills at the NHL level. With the team dealing with injuries to Matt Martin, Andrew Ladd and Casey Cizikas—all three have been moved to injured reserve—they’ve decided to recall Dal Colle and Stephen Gionta from the AHL.

Dal Colle, 22, was selected fifth overall in the 2014 draft ahead of such established stars as William Nylander (8th), Nikolaj Ehlers (9th), Dylan Larkin (15th) and David Pastrnak (25th), and many other players making their mark in the NHL. Unfortunately, he has yet to work out for the Islanders and is still waiting to register his first NHL point. In fact, last season Dal Colle registered just 24 points in 60 AHL contests and finished behind three defensemen in scoring on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The 6’3″ forward hasn’t been able to find the offensive touch that led him to be so desirable in junior, though this season is off to a nice start. In 14 games with the Sound Tigers Dal Colle has 14 points, and may be finally rounding into form.

Still, he likely won’t get into the Islanders lineup tonight and will have to battle hard to change the early moniker of “draft bust” that has been applied to him somewhat prematurely. Big powerful forwards can often take a little longer to develop, and perhaps all Dal Colle needed was a little seasoning before becoming a difference maker in the NHL. The team could use one right now as they deal with injury to three physical players, especially given Dal Colle’s puck skills and still present offensive upside. The team is off to a better than expected start, and could use another secondary scoring option to push them over the top this season.

Atlantic Notes: Weber, Athanasiou, Pysyk, Kovar

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The Montreal Canadiens have had a nice start to the season with an 8-5-3 record to start the season. However, more good news could be on the way as there was a Shea Weber sighting today as the veteran defenseman took the ice this morning along with David Schlemko, Brendan Gallagher, Noah Juulsen and Carey Price, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie.

The team captain was originally scheduled to return sometime in December, so it still may be a while before he fully returns, but this is a step in the right direction for the veteran. Weber could add another key element to a young team that seems to have found some offense from a number of young names and gotten some solid goaltending from Price. Adding Weber to their blueline could only make the team stronger as they start hitting the middle of their season schedule.

  • The Detroit Red Wings like what they see from winger Andreas Athanasiou so far this year. What the 24-year-old has always lacked was competive consistency, which they are finally starting to see everyday, according to MLive’s Ansar Khan. Athanasiou has always had the speed that many people felt he could put up big numbers if he figured things out. However, the best the Red Wings have gotten out of him has been 18 goals, two years ago. Through 13 games so far this season, he already has six goals and nine points and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. “I know those chances are going to come, so it’s just playing hard when I get out there and capitalizing on those chances,” Athanasiou said.
  • George Richards of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Florida Panthers defenseman Mark Pysyk remains a healthy scratch for the seventh straight time despite being medically cleared to play again on Thursday, but can’t seem to work his way back into Florida’s lineup. He was knocked out of the lineup after taking a hit from Washington’s Alex Ovechkin on Oct. 19. The hope is he will be in the lineup on Sunday.
  • Jan Kovar was brought overseas with the intention of plugging him in the New York Islanders’ lineup. Two months later has the 28-year-old Kovar playing on a PTO with the Providence Bruins of the AHL, but faring quite well with five goals and nine points in eight games. Could a promotion be in order? “Smart player,” said Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney (via Providence Journal’s Mark Divver). “I really like the skills, top of the circles down in the offensive zone. What probably surprises me a little bit, coming from (the KHL), is how gritty he is, as far as playing in high traffic, possession.”
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning announced that defenseman Anton Stralman and forward Adam Erne were out tonight and are listed as day-to-day, both with upper-body injuries. With the return of defenseman Victor Hedman, it looked as if the team’s defense was almost healthy. Instead, the team will be without Stralman for the time being, who was the one to fill many of Hedman’s minutes. Slater Koekkoek remains in the lineup.

 

Trade Rumors: Pearson, Zykov, Leddy

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When a name keeps popping up in trade rumors, it’s usually not for nothing. In the latest “31 Thoughts”, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman becomes another hockey insider to tab Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Pearson as a likely trade victim this season. Despite the sweeping changes already made by GM Rob Blake in regards to his coaching staff, he is certainly going to tweak his roster as well. Friedman notes that after a 24-goal campaign in 2016-17, Pearson notched just 15 last year and has yet to find the back of the net this year. In fact, Pearson has just one lone assist on the year, not to mention a slowed pace on shots and hits, a drop-off in ice time, and the worst plus/minus of his career. Pearson is sorely in need of a change of scenery and even though the Kings would be selling the 26-year-old winger at his lowest value, it would not be a shock to see a move come sooner rather than later. The team will land a nice return regardless; Pearson is still capable of being an effective two-way middle-six forward for many teams.

  • The only player whose name has been more talked about on the rumor mill than Pearson’s is disgruntled – and unsigned – Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander. The one team constantly connected to Nylander has been the Carolina Hurricanes, who would likely be dealing away one of their many talented defenseman as part of a hypothetical package. However, Friedman notes that another player the ’Canes are likely willing to move, to Toronto or otherwise, is young forward Valentin Zykov. Zykov, 23, has been struggling to find a full-time role with Carolina for years. His twelve NHL games this season is already a career-high, but he played just 4:41 last game and has only three points on the year. Zykov simply doesn’t look like a long-term fit for the Hurricanes and Friedman indicates that he could be on the move as a result.
  • One potential trade target who has flown under the radar is New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy. Last month, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta noted that Leddy’s name began popping up in conversations as early as last year and again over the summer. Pagnotta said a deal wasn’t imminent, but that it remained a possibility. The remarks were prompted by Leddy’s poor start to the season; the offensive defenseman began the campaign with nine scoreless games. After a brief outburst of three points in two nights, Leddy is again on a scoreless streak of three games after the Islanders’ loss last night. Leddy was one of the worst plus/minus players in the NHL last season at -42 and that was with 42 points to his credit. If his offense has dried up in New York and the Isles are having to win in spite of him, he could be traded away for a nice haul in no time. Leddy would be a prime candidate to bounce back on a team where he is not relied upon as much for minutes and defense.

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