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NHL Announces New Player Transfer Agreements

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The NHL has announced new player transfer agreements today, including one-year extensions with the existing ones. Those include the IIHF Member Federations/Leagues in Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

They have also extended the existing CHL Agreement with the Canadian Hockey League (OHL, WHL, QMJHL). This means that nothing will change in regards to players drafted out of the CHL being eligible for AHL play before the age of 20. Corey Pronman of The Athletic (subscription required) recently polled scouts on whether the believed the agreement should be amended; 60% felt it should be, however, any changes will have to wait at least another year.

The biggest news however is the new one-year agreement with the Swiss Ice Hockey Association and Swiss League, something that previously did not exist. This will provide extra opportunities for players in Switzerland to come over to North America, and will slightly tweak the rules for draft picks out of the league.

With these agreements announced, we will likely see a flood of contracts for European players officially filed over the next few days.

SC Bern Hires Florence Schelling As GM

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In what is a groundbreaking hire, SC Bern of the Swiss National League has announced that former national team goaltender Florence Schelling will now serve as sports director and GM. Schelling becomes the first woman to be named GM of a top-tier men’s professional team.

Bern is one of the most popular teams in the world outside of North America and has previously been the home for many NHL talents. Players like Daniel Briere, Dany Heatley, Marc Savard, John Tavares and others from North America have suited up for the club during NHL lockouts, while Swiss-born stars like Roman Josi and Nico Hischier were developed by the organization.

Schelling meanwhile was no slouch on the ice, netminding for the Swiss national team for more than a decade. She appeared in ten World Championships, four Olympics and is one of the best goaltenders in Northeastern University’s history. In 2012 she was named a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the NCAA’s top collegiate player and has twice taken home the Swiss Ice Hockey Woman of the Year award.

In the 2014 Olympics she carried an underdog Swiss team to the bronze medal, stopping 28 of 31 shots in the third-place game against Sweden to win tournament MVP (and best goaltender). It’s hard to find a more decorated women’s hockey player in Switzerland, but this next chapter will be even more notable for Schelling as she takes the reins of a powerhouse National League team. Bern’s arena holds more than 17,000 fans and draws capacity crowds on a regular basis, putting it right on par (or ahead of) many NHL franchises.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Tim Berni

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have added another prospect to the cupboard, signing Swiss defenseman Tim Berni to a three-year entry-level contract. Berni recently finished his second full season with Zurich in the NLA and has attended Blue Jackets’ development camp in the past.

Those fans who watched the World Juniors closely the last few years will remember seeing Berni, as he competed in three-straight tournaments for Switzerland between 2018 and 2020. The undersized by agile defenseman captained the squad at the most recent event and was named a top-3 player on the team.

Selected 159th overall in 2018, there was nowhere to go but up for Berni in terms of prospect status, and he has done just that. Earning an entry-level deal is just the first step on what should be an interesting professional journey in North America. The 20-year old left-handed defenseman recorded just 11 points in 45 games for Zurich this season but has shown solid progress on the defensive side of the puck.

Cory Conacher Expected To Sign In Swiss League

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Five years ago, Cory Conacher decided to head to Switzerland over primarily playing in the AHL but came back after that one season.  It appears that the pending unrestricted free agent is leaning towards going down that path again as Gregory Beaud and Jerome Reynard of Le Matin report that Conacher is expected to sign with Lausanne of the Swiss NLA for next season.

The 30-year-old has seen at least one NHL game with the Lightning in each of the four seasons he has played since the 2016-17 campaign.  However, aside from a 36-game stretch in 2017-18, his role has primarily been as a short-term injury recall with the majority of his playing time coming in the minors.

This season, Conacher has played in four games with Tampa Bay, collecting a single assist.  However, he continues to be quite productive in the minors, tallying 14 goals and 24 assists in 43 games with AHL Syracuse.  It’s that ability to produce in the AHL that has helped lead the Lightning to give him one-way deals in three of the last four seasons but with his NHL time diminishing, it would certainly be understandable if they didn’t want to do so again.

If this is indeed the end of his NHL playing days, he’ll wrap up with 75 points in 193 NHL contests between the Lightning (two separate stints), Senators, Sabres, and Islanders.

NLA’s EHC Biel-Bienne Pursuing NHL Free Agent Targets

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The Swiss season is over, as the NLA has decided to cancel the remainder of its season. However, that will give perennial contender EHC Biel-Bienne even more time to plan ahead for what they hope is an impact off-season. According to Swedish news source Hockey Sverige, the club plans to go after some impending NHL free agent defensemen. The trio specifically named are all Swedes and include the Anaheim Ducks’ Christian Djoos and Joel Persson and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Gustav Forsling.

Djoos, 25, was just recently traded to the Ducks by the Washington Capitals and is set to be a restricted free agent this summer. A former AHL standout, Djoos grew into a regular contributor for the Caps in the previous two seasons, but roster and salary cap pressure forced him back to the minors this year. However, since the trade to Anaheim he has played exclusively in the NHL, recording three points in nine games which is technically a career-high clip albeit in a small sample size. Given Djoos’ history and RFA status, he seems the least likely of the listed names to jump to Switzerland this summer.

Persson, 26, is an entirely different case, other than the fact that he too will be an RFA. Persson has no NHL history other than his 13 games this season with the Edmonton Oilers. An undrafted prospect who turned heads in the SHL, Persson signed with the Oilers back in 2018 but was loaned back to Sweden last season. He was extended and came over to suit up for the Oilers this year, but failed to impress and has spent the bulk of the season in the AHL. Persson was dealt to Anaheim for next to nothing – ECHL goaltender Angus Redmond and a 2022 conditional seventh-round pick – at the deadline and has not played for the Ducks yet. He could very well depart North America after a disappointing year, but may choose to head elsewhere rather than go back to Sweden. Biel could be an attractive option in this case.

Forsling, 23, is the youngest of the players named and is also the hardest to speculate on. After beginning his pro career with considerable NHL action in each of his first three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, the young defender has played exclusively in the AHL this season following an off-season trade to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are exceptionally deep on the blue line and that isn’t about to change. Heading into next season, Forsling will be eighth or ninth at best on the organization’s depth chart. As such, if the team opts to make him a qualifying offer, he could choose instead to depart North America and play a top role somewhere else. However, it’s fair to argue that remaining in the AHL may still be the better decision for his career. Of the players named, Forsling would be the least likely to stay with Biel long-term, but could produce the greatest immediate impact.

At this point, it is difficult to project that any of these three names will end up jumping to the NLA to play for Biel, especially given that all three are restricted free agents and that Djoos and Forsling have considerable NHL experience for their ages. However, if the top Swiss club pushes hard, potentially using this extended off-season to their advantage, they may be able to convince one of these three or another NHL free agent that a move to Biel to play a top pair role is the right call.

Jonas Hiller Announces Retirement

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One of the best Swiss goaltenders of all-time has decided to hang up his pads, as ECH Biel-Bienne announced today that Jonas Hiller has retired. The former NHL goaltender has been back in Switzerland for the last four seasons still competing at a high level, but just turned 38 and will now move on to the next chapter in his life.

Undrafted, Hiller was an outstanding performer both in the Swiss NLA and on the world stage for his country, before finally coming over to the NHL in 2007. He quickly took control of the Anaheim Ducks net and posted excellent numbers, recording a .916 save percentage over parts of seven seasons. After three trips to the playoffs with the Ducks he ended up playing two seasons with the Calgary Flames, before returning to Europe to establish himself once again as a star in Switzerland. Perhaps most impressive of all his accomplishments was the performance he put on at the 2018 Olympics, posting a .956 save percentage and 1.14 goals against average, both numbers that led the tournament.

A three-time NLA champion, two-time NLA Goaltender of the Year and three-time participant at the Olympic Games, Hiller has had quite the career. He was even selected to the NHL All-Star game in 2011, though he never did capture the Stanley Cup. The 38-year old goaltender finished his career in the NHL with a .914 save percentage across 404 regular season appearances, posting a 197-140-37 record.

Washington Capitals Sign Damien Riat

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The Washington Capitals have finally inked one of their draft picks from several years ago, signing Damien Riat to a two-year entry-level contract. Riat was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft but has stayed in Switzerland ever since. Given that the Swiss NLA does not have a transfer agreement with the NHL (similar to the KHL), Riat’s draft rights never expired.

The contract is expected to start next season for Riat and carries an average annual value of $817,500. The 23-year old will likely come over to North America and test his mettle in the minor leagues, though his history in Switzerland will have him competing for an NHL roster spot right away.

A member of the Swiss World Championship team that won a silver medal in 2018, Riat has consistently represented his country on the international circuit including two impressive performances at the World Juniors. This year he has 22 points in 36 games for ECH Biel-Bienne, also leading the team in penalty minutes with 57.

When he does come over, it won’t be for the first time. Riat actually spent two years in Saskatchewan playing midget hockey between 2012-14.

Pius Suter Drawing NHL Interest

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If you were a fan of the OHL’s Guelph Storm in 2014, you will remember what a powerhouse club they were. Led by future NHL talents like Brock McGinn, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jason Dickinson and Robby Fabbri, the team went 52-12-4 and walked through the playoffs en route to an OHL championship. One of the depth players on that team was a Swiss-born forward named Pius Suter, who would be one of the club’s best players the next season before returning to Europe.

Undrafted, Suter has spent the last five seasons playing for Zurich SC of the Swiss professional league, continuing his development as a top two-way center. In 2018 he suited up for Switzerland in the Olympics and this season has seen him take the jump to league superstar, leading the NLA in both goals and points. It comes as no surprise then that a report today has NHL teams showing interest in Suter, though there will be complications.

Suter’s contract with the Lions extends through the 2022-23 season, but the report indicates that it includes an out-clause this summer. Should he decide to exercise that and try his hand in the NHL, it will be interesting to see which teams pursue the 23-year old.

Much was made recently when the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Denis Malgin, a former teammate of Auston Matthews during his time in Switzerland. Well Suter was also on that team with Matthews and Malgin, one which took home the league championship. Malgin and Suter were on the Swiss World Junior team that year as well, alongside San Jose Sharks star Timo Meier and New Jersey Devils top center Nico Hischier, among others.

Craig MacTavish Hired In Switzerland

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After trying and failing as a head coach in the KHL, Craig MacTavish is trying out a new league. The long-time Edmonton Oiler has been hired by Lausanne HC of the Swiss NLA to serve as head coach for the rest of the year.

MacTavish started the year as the head coach of Yaroslavl in the KHL, but was fired after just eight games. He then took over coaching duties for the Canadian Spengler Cup team, which won the annual tournament, and will now head to Switzerland to continue what has been an interesting calendar year.

Ousted from the Oilers after the team went in a different direction with Ken Holland taking over, it ended a long relationship that saw MacTavish serve as head coach, general manager and senior vice president of hockey operations at various times. We’ll now have to wait and see if he can catch on in Switzerland.

If the club name rings a bell for Philadelphia Flyers fans, it should. Before the 2019-20 season the Flyers took on Lausanne in an exhibition game, which the Swiss club won 4-3.

Columbus Blue Jackets Extend Nathan Gerbe

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Veteran forward Nathan Gerbe has been more than just a minor league depth piece this season and the Columbus Blue Jackets have decided to reward his effort. The team has announced a new two-year extension with Gerbe, who was set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. It is a two-way deal, but just barely, reports Sportsnet’s  Elliotte Friedman. The deal carries a $750K AAV at the NHL level and a $500K salary at the AHL level, which Friedman notes will make Gerbe one of the highest paid players in the minors.

Gerbe, 32, is well-respected player in the NHL ranks for his many years of hard-work as an undersized, but effective two-way forward. At just 5’4″, Gerbe is one of the smallest players in the league, but that hasn’t stopped him from contributing in over 400 NHL games. That includes four seasons of 25+ points, two each with the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes earlier in his career. Gerbe left North America in 2016 to play in the Swiss NLA, but ended up returning midway through the 2017-18 season to sign with Columbus. However, until this season he had played in only two games with the Blue Jackets, instead holding a leadership role with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. After another hot start with the Monsters this season, Gerbe was recalled in December and has been a key contributor to the turnaround in Columbus’ season. He has eight points in 16 games, the best per-game pace of his NHL career, and has carved out a distinct role for himself on the team. The Blue Jackets clearly see a continuing need for that role and hope that this extension ensures that the serviceable veteran can continue to help them out.

There’s also the more cynical view of this extension, which is that the signing – at least the term – is largely fueled by the requirements of the impending 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Each team must expose two forwards who have played in either 40 games in 2020-21 or 70 games in 2019-20 and 2020-21 combined and who also are signed into the 2021-22 season. Gerbe looks as if he could fit the bill as an ideal sacrificial lamb. If the veteran plays out the rest of the season in Columbus, he could have upwards of 46 games under his belt and would only need to be used sparingly to hit 70 games total after next season, while his extension keeps him under contract through 2021-22. While it’s impossible to accurately project expansion protection schemes at this point in time, at first glance the Blue Jackets’ lack of numerous long-term contracts up front leaves a relatively ascertainable group of seven forwards they could protect, leaving very little in the way of regular NHLers to be exposed. Gerbe could help to solve that problem. It may not be the only reason he was signed, and to a multi-year deal at that, but it very likely played a role.

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