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AHL Shuffle: 10/24/21

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After 26 teams suited up for NHL action on Saturday, just eight will do so on Sunday. Starting off the action today are the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks, two teams with seemingly little in common but are in fact the two most successful regular season teams in the salary cap era. Even with a relatively quiet slate, just as many teams could be making moves in response to yesterday’s games as are preparing for their games today, so be on the lookout for a number of roster tweaks throughout the day:

Atlantic Division

  • The Ottawa Senators have made a roster swap, reassigning forward Parker Kelly to AHL Belleville and recalling goaltender Filip Gustavsson in his place. Ottawa starter Matt Murray left Saturday’s game with an injury and Gustavsson is the next man up for the Sens. Gustavsson was actually the goaltender protected by Ottawa in this summer’s NHL Expansion Draft and the team’s future in net, so this could be the opportunity he needs for a to secure a permanent role at the top level. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch expects Murray to land on injured reserve.
  • With Nick Foligno landing on IR and Craig Smith and Anton Blidh also sidelined with injuries, the Bruins are in need of reinforcements up front. They have recalled Jack Studnicka and Oskar Steen from AHL Providence while sending down defenseman John Moore in order to bring in that extra help. Studnicka, considered one of Boston’s top prospects, was a standout in the preseason and will try to make the most of this chance to stick in the NHL.

Metropolitan Division

  • The Philadelphia Flyers have returned defenseman Nick Seeler to the minors, per CapFriendly.  The 28-year-old was recalled on an emergency basis on Saturday and logged just under 15 minutes of ice time in their loss to Florida.  Seeler has been held off the scoresheet in three games so far this season.

Central Division

Pacific Division

This post will be updated throughout the day

Senators Hoping Shane Pinto's Injury Is Minor

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  • The Senators will know more about the extent of Shane Pinto’s injury this weekend, relays Postmedia’s Ken Warren. The team is hopeful that the rookie center won’t be out for long after sustaining what appeared to be a shoulder injury on Thursday versus San Jose.  Pinto made an immediate impact after turning pro late last season with seven points in twelve games and has an assist in four contests this season.

Ottawa Senators Looking For Top-Nine Forward

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The Ottawa Senators got their best player back in the lineup last night, as Brady Tkachuk made his season debut after a long contract negotiation came to an end. He ended up playing 19:39 in his first game back, racking up six hits, three shots, a block, and an assist on the team’s only goal. The Senators dropped the game to the San Jose Sharks but still look like a team that will be much more competitive this season.

That’s despite a few injuries, including one last night to youngster Shane Pinto. The rookie won’t play Saturday, so the team is down another center option as they try to navigate the early part of the season without Colin White or Clark Bishop. Even before the game though, the Senators were looking to add a forward. Chris Johnston explained exactly what they’re after on TSN’s Insider Trading:

They would like help down the middle, I think they would even take some help on the wing if that’s what it takes to get this done. They’re looking to add a player to their top-nine who can produce a little offensively, help out their group in that regard. 

As for what they might give up, they have 11 draft picks in the upcoming draft plus some prospects, so I think Pierre Dorion is open and shopping, trying to add to his team. 

Available players like Dylan Strome and Vitali Kravtsov may fit that bill, though Johnston did not link either one to the Senators. As he touched on, Dorion and the rest of the Ottawa front office could likely get anyone they want given the amount of draft capital they’ve built up over the last few years. Not only does the team already have several top picks in place, but those 11 selections this season would be an easy start for any trade negotiations. Six of them are in the first three rounds, meaning they wouldn’t be taking themselves out of the picture at next year’s draft by moving one or two.

There is also the situation regarding Erik Brannstrom, who has been the center of trade speculation for some time now. The 22-year-old defenseman finds himself in the minor leagues still two and a half years after being the centerpiece of the Mark Stone deal. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but not enough consistency for the Senators coaching staff to trust him to this point. If the team moves on some forward help, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see Brannstrom involved in the deal.

Brady Tkachuk To Make Season Debut On Thursday

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Winger Brady Tkachuk will make his season debut for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, Senators head coach D.J. Smith confirms.

The Senators have a three-day break ahead of them after playing three games in four nights to open the season. Without their best forward in the lineup, the team impressed, starting the season off 2-1-0.

Tkachuk’s season debut will come at home after appearing in street clothes during the team’s season opener last Thursday at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs to a standing ovation. The Senators signed Tkachuk to a seven-year, $57.5MM contract earlier on that Thursday.

He’ll undoubtedly get slotted on the team’s first line in his return, reuniting as a trio with Josh Norris and Drake Batherson. That line impressed all last season in its first year of existence, seeing its members score 17 goals apiece and at least 30 points apiece in a shortened 56-game season.

The team has risen to its 2-1-0 start largely due to the impressive play of Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson in the net. Despite that record, the Senators have scored only seven goals in their first three games, averaging 2.33 per contest. Tkachuk’s infusion into the lineup and the depth advantage that it provides will undoubtedly go a long way towards boosting those numbers.

Senators Notes: Norris, Captaincy, Center Depth

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Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion delivered an interview with TSN on Sunday, giving a sort of state of the union address surrounding a variety of pressing issues around the organization. One of these is the contract status of pending restricted free agent Josh Norris, who’s in the final year of his entry-level deal that he signed in May of 2019. Norris emerged as the team’s number one center last season, scoring 35 points in 56 games in his first full NHL season. Dorion relayed that he spoke to Norris’ agent, Craig Oster, on Friday, expecting to begin talks with Norris “at some point in time.” While the quote carries a high degree of vagueness, dialogue this early, especially when initiated by the general manager, is always a promising sign on the path towards completing a contract. Norris has already scored a goal this season through his first two games.

More from the Senators organization:

  • Dorion notes that an announcement about the team’s captaincy is not imminent, saying the club will continue to discuss and “take their time” on the decision. Many speculated that star winger Brady Tkachuk could be the next to sport the ’C’ for the Senators, especially after signing a seven-year contract to stay with the club earlier this week. It appears as though the team isn’t quite ready to make that call, as young defender Thomas Chabot also makes a compelling case to be named the club’s captain. Ottawa’s captaincy has remained vacant ever since the departure of Erik Karlsson in 2018.
  • Speaking with TSN’s James Duthie, Dorion mentions that he’s open to holding trade talks about acquiring a center to help the team’s depth down the middle. While Ottawa’s emergence out of their rebuild hasn’t guided them to a playoff spot as of yet, the team’s messaging adamantly reveals that internally, they feel ready to take the next step. It’s unlikely that Ottawa is at the point where they’re willing to mortgage futures to swing a huge deal, but as Dorion mentions, if it’s the right fit, a smaller but still notable acquisition isn’t off the table this season if they find themselves in the race.

Sens Transfer Matt Murray To IR; Brady Tkachuk Will Debut Sunday Or Thursday

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  • Senators winger Brady Tkachuk has been ruled out of Saturday’s contest against Toronto, relays Postmedia’s Ken Warren. However, he’s expected to make his season debut either Sunday against Dallas or Thursday against San Jose.  Tkachuk signed his seven-year deal yesterday and will need some time to get up to speed before suiting up.
  • Still with Ottawa, the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve moved goaltender Matt Murray to injured reserve retroactive to October 12th. He has been dealing with a non-COVID-related illness that caused him to miss the opener and now it will keep him out through the weekend at the very least.  The retroactive placement makes him eligible to be activated for Thursday’s contest.

Ottawa Senators Sign Brady Tkachuk

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The Ottawa Senators held strong in their ask of a long-term contract for Brady Tkachuk, and it appears as though it has paid off. Ottawa has signed their prized RFA to a seven-year, $57.5MM contract. That makes Tkachuk the highest-paid player on the Senators, just eclipsing the $8MM cap hit that Thomas Chabot carries. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that the deal includes a full no-movement clause in the final three years. The full breakdown is as follows:

  • 2021-22: $4.0MM salary
  • 2022-23: $6.5MM salary
  • 2023-24: $10.5MM salary
  • 2024-25: $10.5MM salary
  • 2025-26: $10.5MM salary
  • 2026-27: $8.5MM salary
  • 2027-28: $7.0MM salary

Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement:

This is an exciting day for the Ottawa Senators. Brady possesses a very dynamic skill set and is a prototypical power forward in today’s NHL. He scores goals, he plays physical and exemplifies what it means to be a pro for all players in our organization.

As expected, the deal does not include any signing bonus money, a staple of Dorion’s negotiations. Tkachuk is expected to be in the building tonight for the team when they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs, but will not play, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.

Compared to the short-term deals that could have taken Tkachuk to unrestricted free agency much quicker, this is a huge win for the Senators. They will pay their star forward a bit more than some of his contemporaries–Andrei Svechnikov signed an eight-year, $62MM deal ($7.75MM AAV)–but will not have to worry about another negotiation for quite some time.

Technically, because the season has already started, Tkachuk’s cap hit for the 2021-22 season will actually be slightly higher, coming in at $8,330,674 according to CapFriendly. That really doesn’t mean much for the Senators, who are nowhere near the cap ceiling. The hit will come down to $8,205,714 for the final six years of the deal, still making Tkachuk the most expensive player on the team.

There is no doubt that the 22-year-old forward is the heartbeat of the Senators, though it is important to remember that this is still a player that has never eclipsed 22 goals or 45 points in a single season. Ottawa very likely paid a premium in this deal because of their history of losing (trading) stars as they approached free agency, something they obviously wanted to avoid in this situation. The team is expecting big things from the young group they’ve assembled, and needed the leader back on the ice to push things in the right direction.

That essentially ends the RFA period for this season, with all of the major players signed. Quite a bit of money was handed out this offseason as things return to normal, even though there is no significant salary cap movement expected until 2025.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor Transactions: 10/12/21

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Opening Night of the 2021-22 NHL campaign has finally arrived and all eyes are on the season-opening matchups between the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins and the league’s newest team, the Seattle Kraken, and the Vegas Golden Knights. Yet, it has also been a very busy day for “minor” transactions, both the advent of regular NHL recalls and reassignments as well as several notable signings and trades. Keep up with all of these moves right here:

  • AHL trades are not common, but there is already one in the books for this season. The Belleville Senators have announced that they have acquired forward Jake Lucchini from the Laval Rocket for future considerations. Lucchini, 26, spent the past season and a half with Laval, but without much to show for it. The former Michigan Tech standout and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect has yet to make his mark on the pros, but will get another shot with Belleville this season.
  • A KHL trade today also contained some recognizable names. SKA St. Petersburg has acquired former NHL forward Valentin Zykov from Sibir Novosibirsk. The return is another former NHL forward, Vladislav Kamenev, and San Jose Sharks prospect Yegor Spirodonov. Zykov had been playing in Sweden to begin this year, but now that his KHL rights have transferred he has agreed to a one-year deal with SKA. Zykov skated in 15 games with the Vegas Golden Knights just last year, recording four points. Kamenev spent all of last season in St. Petersburg after notching eight points in 38 games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2019-20. Spirodonov, a 2019 selection, has yet to be given much of a chance in the KHL and could be bound for North America next season if he doesn’t earn a greater role with Novosibirsk.
  • Ben Hutton’s late-preseason PTO with the Anaheim Ducks didn’t result in an NHL contract – at least not yet – but the veteran defenseman is remaining with the organization. Hutton has signed an AHL contract with the San Diego Gulls, the team announced. Hutton began last season with the Ducks and that familiarity with the organization combined with the team’s potential seller status could lead to a promotion to an NHL deal at some point this year.
  • After initial rosters were finalized yesterday with a vast number of AHL assignments, at least one team is already switching things up. The Dallas Stars have recalled forwards Joel Kiviranta and Jacob Peterson from AHL Texas and sent fellow forwards Oskar Back and Ty Dellandrea and goaltender Jake Oettinger back in a corresponding move. If Peterson plays in Dallas’ opener on Thursday, it will mark his NHL debut.

Ottawa Senators Extend Parker Kelly

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The Ottawa Senators have signed Parker Kelly to a two-year extension, keeping him under contract through the 2023-24 season. The deal is two-way in 2023-24, paying Kelly $750K at the NHL level and $100K in the AHL, and is one-way in the final season and carries an NHL salary of $775K. Senators GM Pierre Dorion released a statement on the deal:

Parker has long been a consistently tenacious player for us. He’s competitive, hard-nosed, an efficient penalty killer and someone we can rely on to provide us with an energetic and determined effort every game.

It hasn’t really been very long, despite what Dorion says, as Kelly only played his first full season with the organization in 2019-20, but the tenacity has certainly been apparent from day one. An undrafted free agent signing in 2017, he returned to the Prince Albert Raiders for two seasons where his offensive production increased and then stepped into a role with the Belleville Senators without issue. Last season, Kelly made his NHL debut, scoring in his first and only game.

Kelly made the team’s opening night roster, though he seems likely to be the first send down should Brady Tkachuk reach a deal at some point in the near future. The 22-year-old is now locked up though and can provide some valuable bottom-six depth for the next several years at a low price point. If the Senators ever believed that Kelly could break out and land a full-time role, perhaps extending him early will save them some money down the road. Regardless, he’ll be making the league minimum for at least two more seasons.

Signing Bonus Money Not The Issue In Tkachuk's Contract Talks

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While there has been a suggestion in recent days that signing bonuses have been a big part of the holdup in contract talks for Senators RFA winger Brady Tkachuk, that isn’t the case, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.  The scribe suggests that at this point, the biggest holdup is term and total salary in each option.  Ottawa’s known preference is a max-term eight-year deal while Tkachuk’s camp appears to be leaning towards preferring a bridge deal.  With Ottawa’s regular season getting underway on Thursday, time is running out to have the 22-year-old in the lineup on opening night.

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