Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Rangers Rumors

Ville Meskanen Placed On Unconditional Waivers

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Thursday: Meskanen has cleared waivers and will see his contract terminated.

Wednesday: The New York Rangers have placed Ville Meskanen on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination, according to CapFriendly. Meskanen is in the second year of the entry-level contract he signed with New York in 2018 after going undrafted. He would become an unrestricted free agent should the termination go through.

Meskanen, 24, earned himself the NHL deal with an impressive 44-point season in Finland during the 2017-18 campaign, one that was highlighted by a third-place finish in the goal scoring race. That kind of success in Liiga obviously isn’t a guarantee of it in North America, but Meskanen seemed like he was on a strong development path when he put up 34 points with the Hartford Wolf Pack last season.

Unfortunately, through 20 games this year the young forward has yet to score a goal and has just four assists. Hartford is a deep, talented team that has other top prospects to develop, meaning Meskanen may not have felt like he had the best opportunity. If the termination is completed, it seems likely that he will return to Europe.

Snapshots: Kravtsov, Hartley, Sanford, Pelletier

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

New York Rangers prospect Vitaly Kravtsov has been demoted to the VHL by the KHL’s Chelyabinsk Traktor, their minor league affiliate, the team announced (Twitter link, translation required). Kravtsov has struggled significantly this season as he started the season with the Rangers with many expecting him to win a roster spot out of training camp.

Instead, he was sent to the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL where he had just one assist in five games and struggled to gain playing time. He opted to enact his European Assignment Clause and returned to Chelyabinsk Traktor team in the KHL with which he played 50 games last season as a 18-year-old. However, Kravtsov has struggled there as well, scoring just two goals in 11 games.

Sport-Express’ Igor Eronko reports that Traktor isn’t actively trying to trade Kravtsov’s rights, but they are willing to listen to offers for the 19-year-old.

  • Eronko also reports that former NHL head coach Bob Hartley is closing in on signing a two-year extension with Omsk Avangard in the KHL. Hartley has his team currently in second place in the Eastern division with 18 wins and 50 points in 37 games. Avangard hired Hartley, a head coach with the Colorado Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers and the Calgary Flames, back in May of 2018.
  • The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford reports that the injuries in St. Louis continue to mount as St. Louis Blues forward Zach Sanford didn’t skate Sunday and is doubtful to play on Tuesday. Alex Steen and Oskar Sundqvist are both expected to join the Blues for their trip to Buffalo, but neither is expected to play, which means the team will be forced to recall a player from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL before then.
  • Ryan Pike of FlamesNation reports that Calgary Flames prospect and 2019 first-round pick Jakob Pelletier is expected to miss the World Junior Championships after the 18-year-old suffered a lower-body injury Thursday in his QMJHL game. Pelletier, who is having a dominant season with the Moncton Wildcats, was invited to Canada’s World Junior selection camp, and while the injury isn’t considered to be serious, it will be enough to keep him out of next week’s camp, which means he cannot make the team.

Libor Hajek To Miss Three-To-Four Weeks

at CDT | by 2 Comments

  • Rangers defenseman Libor Hajek will miss the next three to four weeks due to a knee sprain, the team announced (Twitter link). The injury occurred early in Thursday’s game against Columbus.  The second-year pro has held down a regular spot on New York’s back end this season, playing in 27 games while averaging just over 16 minutes a night in playing time.  The injury means that Marc Staal, who came off IR for Friday’s game, should have a regular spot in the lineup for at least the next few weeks.

Minor Transactions: 12/06/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL has just five games on the schedule for this evening, including Phil Kessel’s return to Pittsburgh and a matchup of two last place teams in New Jersey. As teams prepare for a big weekend, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.

  • The Florida Panthers have recalled Aleksi Saarela for the first time since acquiring him from the Chicago Blackhawks in late-October. Saarela has now amazingly been traded three times in his short career but is still waiting for his first NHL opportunity. The 22-year old was picked in the third round by the New York Rangers and was originally part of the deal for Eric Staal in 2016.
  • Jonathan Davidsson, another one of the Ottawa Senators’ top prospects, has been recalled to the NHL once again. The 22-year old forward was part of the return for Matt Duchene last season and made his debut for the club earlier this year.
  • Because the Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t playing today, they’ve sent Cory Conacher back to the minor leagues. Conacher has served as injury insurance the last while for the Lightning, but Alex Killorn was healthy enough to suit up last night.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Filip Zadina as expected, after giving him the week with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Red Wings had several days off between games, during which Zadina played another AHL game to stay fresh.
  • Boo Nieves is on his way back to the AHL, assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack by the New York Rangers today. Nieves has played four games in the NHL this season but is still more of a minor league depth option at this point.
  • Cameron Schilling has been returned to the Manitoba Moose without playing in a single game for the Winnipeg Jets. The 31-year old defenseman has just ten NHL games over his career, four of which came last season with the Jets.
  • Otto Koivula has been returned to the AHL after playing fewer than five minutes in his last game for the New York Islanders. The young forward is an interesting prospect, but was seeing so little ice time in his first NHL season that the minor leagues may still be best for his development.
  • Nikolay Goldobin has been returned to the AHL after playing just a single game for the Vancouver Canucks since his recall two weeks ago. The 24-year old has been great at the minor league level once again, but can’t seem to get himself a chance at the NHL.

Toronto Marlies Hire Greg Moore As Head Coach

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Since the promotion of former head coach Sheldon Keefe to the same position with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies have been searching for his replacement. The team has decided to go outside of the organization to tab their next bench boss, a rare move in-season, and have announced that Greg Moore has been named head coach. Moore was hired away from the USHL’s Chicago Steel midway through his second season with the team.

Moore, 35, is very familiar with developmental hockey. A young head coach, Moore was himself an NHL prospect not long ago. The Maine native played for the U.S. National Team Development Program in the early 2000’s and then played his college hockey at home at the University of Maine. He was drafted by the Calgary Flames after his freshman year, but his rights were traded to the New York Rangers before he turned pro. Moore made his NHL debut with the Rangers in 2007-08 overall made ten NHL appearances with the Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets over five pro season in North America. He also played a leadership role with nearly every AHL club he played for. Moore moved to Germany in 2011 and extended his playing career another four years before calling it quits in 2015. He immediately jumped into the coaching ranks, becoming an intern assistant coach with the USNTDP. After two seasons as an intern, he became full-time in 2017-18 only to be named head coach for USHL rival Chicago a year later.

Moore is well-regarded among young NHL coaching prospects. His Steel team went all the way to the Clark Cup in his first season and recorded a 52-25-5 record overall in 82 games with Moore behind the bench. His name had already been in the mix for possible NCAA openings this off-season, but he gets an even better deal with an AHL promotion mid-season. The Leafs organization has seemingly had an eye on Moore for some time, as they invited him to be a guest coach at development camp this summer and worked quickly to hire him just ten days after the firing of Mike Babcock and promotion of Keefe. Moore will be in the spotlight with the Marlies, but has a bright future ahead of him following this major career move.

Why An Alexandar Georgiev Trade Is Unlikely

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With Henrik Lundqvist still signed for another year and Igor Shesterkin waiting in the wings while dominating the AHL this season, that has led some to speculate that the Rangers could wind up moving fellow netminder Alexandar Georgiev.  However, as Rick Carpinello of The Athletic points out (subscription required), Georgiev’s trade value may be lower than it seems on the surface.

Marc Staal Hoping To Return Next Week

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It looks like Marc Staal is nearing a return to the Rangers lineup.  The defenseman told reporters, including Mollie Walker of the New York Post, that he’s hoping to return next week.  Staal last played on November 7th before undergoing ankle surgery due to an infection in his ankle.  Head coach David Quinn has suggested that he’d like to give the veteran a full week of on-ice workouts before re-inserting him into the lineup though so Staal may have to wait a little longer than he’d like before he suits up again.  Through 11 games so far this season, he has a goal and an assist while logging a career-low 18:25 per game.

Poll: Which Teams Will Buck The Thanksgiving Playoff Trend In 2019-20?

at CDT | by 4 Comments

Just how important is playoff position in just the second month of the regular season? Very, if you look at recent results. Over the past six years, more than 70% of teams in a playoff position at American Thanksgiving have held on to their spot. While last year was slightly below the mark – 11 of 16 teams (69%) in a playoff position on November 22 qualified – the standings at the time were even more predictive than usual. The Lightning, Predators, Flames, Maple Leafs, Jets, and Sharks all finished in the same divisional seed that they occupied at Thanksgiving.

So who were the outliers in 2018-19? Obviously, the St. Louis Blues’ return from the basement of the league standings to win the Stanley Cup is a story that will stand the test of time. However, four other clubs also turned their seasons around: the Islanders, Penguins, Hurricanes, and Golden Knights. And the teams whose seasons took a turn for the worse: the Sabres, Wild, Rangers, Canadiens, and Ducks. Ironically, the Canadiens were narrowly inside the playoff window on Thanksgiving and ended up just barely outside in the spring. Meanwhile, the Ducks, Oilers, and Coyotes were all tied for the lowest playoff-qualifying record on Thanksgiving, with the Ducks getting the tiebreaker at the time, and all three failed to qualify for the postseason.

This season has gotten off to an unpredictable start, which could potentially threaten to derail the Thanksgiving trend. Several teams considered Cup contenders are currently outside the playoff picture, while multiple surprises currently occupy a spot. With Thanksgiving arriving tomorrow, this is the current status of the NHL standings (reminder – points percentage is the ideal way of viewing NHL standings):

Eastern Conference

M1 New York Islanders (.773)
A1 Boston Bruins (.771)

M2 Washington Capitals (.740)
M3 Carolina Hurricanes (.646)

A2 Tampa Bay Lightning (.619)
A3 Florida Panthers (.604)

W1 Pittsburgh Penguins (.625)
W2 Philadelphia Flyers (.604)

Outside the Playoff Picture: Montreal Canadiens (.563), New York Rangers (.545), Columbus Blue Jackets (.522), Buffalo Sabres (.521), Toronto Maple Leafs (.520), Ottawa Senators (.479), New Jersey Devils (.435), Detroit Red Wings (.327)

Western Conference

C1 St. Louis Blues (.680)
P1 Edmonton Oilers (.673)

C2 Dallas Stars (.615)
C3 Colorado Avalanche (.609)

P2 Arizona Coyotes (.620)
P3 Vancouver Canucks (.560)

W1 Winnipeg Jets (.604)
W2 Nashville Predators (.543)

Outside the Playoff Picture: San Jose Sharks (.540), Chicago Blackhawks (.521), Anaheim Ducks (.500), Vegas Golden Knights (.500), Calgary Flames (.481), Minnesota Wild (.480), Los Angeles Kings (.417)

2018-19 playoff teams jump off the page as potential candidates to disrupt the status quo. Particularly in the Pacific Division, it is hard to image none of the Golden Knights – who beat the Thanksgiving odds last year – the Sharks or the Flames will make the playoffs, especially as they look up at the Oilers, Coyotes, and Canucks.  There could also be hope in West for the Ducks and Blackhawks, who sit at .500 currently. Over in the East, the Maple Leafs stick out like a sore thumb among non-playoff teams and could be line for improvement following their coaching change. But will it be enough given their difficult start? The Canadiens will also hope for a reverse of fortunes from last year, going from first team out in the conference at Thanksgiving to in the postseason come April. The Sabres have started hot and collapsed two years in a row, but there is still time for them to turn things back around. All three Atlantic clubs see a Panthers team with plenty of problems ahead of them in the standings right now. Meanwhile, the Rangers and Blue Jackets will look to make an unlikely run to the postseason as they chase down the Flyers.

What do you think? Which of these teams will find their way into the playoff picture and which will fall victim to the Thanksgiving postseason trend? Select as many teams below as you like, but remember that for every addition, there has to be a subtraction of a current playoff team.

Which Teams Will Buck The Thanksgiving Playoff Trend?
Maple Leafs 21.12% (279 votes)
Golden Knights 19.08% (252 votes)
Sharks 10.14% (134 votes)
Blackhawks 8.55% (113 votes)
Rangers 8.02% (106 votes)
Canadiens 6.13% (81 votes)
Sabres 5.75% (76 votes)
Flames 5.75% (76 votes)
Kings 3.71% (49 votes)
Blue Jackets 3.26% (43 votes)
Wild 2.57% (34 votes)
Devils 1.89% (25 votes)
Ducks 1.67% (22 votes)
Red Wings 1.67% (22 votes)
Senators 0.68% (9 votes)
Total Votes: 1,321

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Metropolitan Notes: Merzlikins, Letang, Kreider, Koivula

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After a rocky debut, rookie goaltender Elvis Merzlikins looked to have settled in as a solid option in net for the Columbus Blue Jackets and head coach John Tortorella. However, the 25-year-old netminder made a costly mistake late in Saturday night’s game that cost the team a much-needed victory.

With less than two minutes remaining in the game, Merzlikins played a puck and cleared it out through the middle of the ice to no player in particular. The puck was immediately picked off by Winnipeg’s Andrew Copp, who fired it right back at the goal and gave the Jets a 4-3 victory.

After the game, Tortorella immediately told the press that if anyone asked a question about his goalie, he would immediately walk out. However, The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required) suggests that a demotion to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL is unlikely. The team has another back-to-back next week, which means Merzlikins isn’t likely to go anywhere as this was a judgement mistake, not a lack of experience mistake.

  • TribLive’s Seth Rorabaugh reports that the Pittsburgh Penguins may be close to getting Kris Letang back in their lineup. The veteran blueliner, who has been out with an undisclosed injury since Nov. 4, returned to practice on Sunday and participated in the full practice in a full-contact jersey, which might suggest he’s closer to ready than most thought. Head coach Mike Sullivan said he’s hopeful that Letang will be available on Monday at home against Calgary, who had Letang practicing with the first power-play unit today. “His practice today was very encouraging,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’ll see how he responds overnight but my sense is he’ll be a game-time decision (Monday).”
  • Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reports that there will be no supplementary discipline against the New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider and his hit on Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Tatar (video here). While initial looks at the hit made it seem like it was a headshot, second looks suggest the hit wasn’t meant for Tatar’s head, rather a shoulder hit.
  • Historically a critic of young players including recent criticism for top prospect Oliver Wahlstrom several weeks ago, New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz praised another rookie, forward Otto Koivula. Despite seeing a season-low 6:32 of ice time in his fourth NHL game, Trotz still felt that Koivula can be trusted on the ice, especially on the defensive end.  “I trust him in the defensive zone more than anything,” Trotz said. “He’s really sound in the defensive zone. He feels like he’s got more time and space with the puck than probably he really does. If there’s anything that’s gotten him in trouble in the few games, it’s that. But I have a lot of trust in putting him on the ice.”

Minor Transactions: 11/24/19

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Saturday was a full day of exciting, close games, as 14 match-ups yielded a combined margin of victory of just 24 goals.  This included eight one-goal games, five of which needed extra time to decide, and another four two-goal games. Sunday will be much quieter, with just six teams in action, but could feature more close finishes, with evenly-matched divisional contests in Sabres-Panthers and Oilers-Coyotes. For the other 25 teams not competing, watch for today to be used for evaluation of the week that was and preparation for a new slate of upcoming games. Follow along with all of the roster transactions right here:

  • The New Jersey Devils recalled forward Brett Seney late yesterday afternoon from AHL Binghamton and added him to the lineup right away for their Saturday night tilt with the Detroit Red Wings. The Merrimack college product has been tearing up the minors with 11 goals and 18 points in 19 games, but received just 8:45 in ice time last night. Seney played in 51 games with New Jersey last season, but appears to still have work to do to re-claim a regular role again this year.
  • The Washington Capitals announced that Michael Sgarbossa has been returned to the AHL’s Hershey Bears, which could indicate that another forward is ready to return to the NHL lineup. Injuries to Nicklas Backstrom, Carl Hagelin, and Nic Dowd and the suspension of Garnet Hathaway forced the Caps to recall multiple forwards just to ice a full group up front, so Sgarbossa’s demotion could mean one of those three injured forwards is set to return. However, the team is also off until Wednesday, which could make the move a cap decision or simply a chance to give Sgarbossa real ice time with the Bears in their game today. Sgarbossa’s play in Hershey this year has been strong, but his role has been severely limited while with Washington.
  • Filip Zadina is back up with the Detroit Red Wings. The team announced that veteran defenseman Mike Green has been moved to the injured reserve and that the 2018 sixth overall pick has taken his place on the roster. Zadina, who only played in nine games with Detroit last year and has yet to see NHL action this season, will hope to make an impact on this recall, assuming he gets into the lineup. The Czech winger has strong AHL numbers, but Detroit has been hesitant to give him an extended look at the top level. Green’s IR placement is retroactive to November 19, so the clock is already ticking for Zadina to prove he is worthy of a longer stay in the NHL.
  • The Florida Panthers have recalled defenseman Riley Stillman ahead of their game later tonight with the Buffalo Sabres. Stillman, 21, has played in three games with the Panthers already this season and has not looked out of place. Florida is far from deep on the blue line, especially after last month’s trade of Ian McCoshen, and they hope that Stillman can work his way into a regular NHL role soon.
  • It looks like the Montreal Canadiens will continue to move forward Charles Hudon back and forth a while longer. According to the AHL transactions page, the Canadiens have assigned Hudon to the Laval Rocket of the AHL, but only as a paper transaction to save cap space. The team is expected to recall him before Tuesday’s game.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have assigned forwards A.J. Greer and Jayson Megna to the Colorado Eagles, the AHL team announced. Megna has seen eight games of action with the Avalanche but has failed to register a point. However, the 29-year-old has fared much better with the Eagles, scoring three goals and five points in nine AHL games. Greer still hasn’t made his season debut with the Avalanche. He returns to the Eagles where he has two goals and 44 penalty minutes in nine games. The team also announced they have recalled defenseman Calle Rosen from the Eagles as well. Rosen, who came over in the Tyson Barrie–Nazem Kadri trade this summer, has fared well in 15 games with the Eagles, posting a goal and eight points. The recall might suggest that defenseman Erik Johnson could be out of the lineup after getting injured Saturday.
  • The New York Rangers announced they have recalled forward Boo Nieves from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, while returning forward Timothy Gettinger to the minors. Nieves, who appeared in 43 games with the Rangers last season, will be up for the first time this season with the Rangers. He has one goal and eight points in 20 games with Hartford this year. He appeared in two games recently for the Rangers, even picking up an assist on Friday, his first NHL point of his career.
  • The St. Louis Blues have announced a trio of roster moves.  They have recalled defenseman Derrick Pouliot and winger Nathan Walker from AHL San Antonio.  To make room on the roster, they have designed Troy Brouwer as a non-roster player until he receives his work visa.  Pouliot has been quite productive in the minors so far, leading all blueliners with 18 points in 20 games while Walker is averaging over a point per game with 22 in 20 contests.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top