Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Senators Rumors

Eastern Notes: Gostisbehere, Johnsson, Moore, Wolanin

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Philadelphia Flyers have a lot to like as they sit in a playoff spot at the midway point of the season. While injuries have ruled the team’s first half, the team also has a lot of impressive play from members of the team. One member of the team who didn’t get much of a rating from The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) — Shayne Gostisbehere.

While teammate Ivan Provorov has had quite the impact season, getting A’s across the board, Gostisbehere’s final grade was a C-. For a second straight season, the 26-year-old’s offense has disappeared as he is on pace for a 23-point season. What the big problem is, however, Gostisbehere’s defense has also disappeared and his usage is starting to drop. He has averaged just 18:24, more than three minutes below his career high of two years ago. The scribe writes that there is no positive spin on the blueliner and he must find his game quickly for the Flyers’ sake.

  • TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that the Toronto Maple Leafs may be close to getting back a pair of forwards. Andreas Johnsson and Trevor Moore were both seen at Toronto’s morning optional skate. Johnsson, who has been out with a leg injury since Dec. 4, wore a non-contact jersey, while Moore, who has been out with a concussion since Dec. 23 was in a regular jersey, but hasn’t been cleared yet. “Very encouraging,” said Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe. “They were skating a little bit while we were away, so today was a positive step. Both are still in non-contact situations but just to see them around the building and around the group is a good sign.”
  • The Athletic’s Graeme Nichols (subscription required) writes that the Ottawa Senators finally got an update on injured defenseman as general manager Pierre Dorion stated that Christian Wolanin, who has been out all season with a torn labrum, is targeting a return in mid to late February. Wolanin, who had surgery back on Sept. 21 and given a four-month timetable, is expected to immediately report to the Belleville Senators with the AHL once he’s been cleared to play. The 24-year-old could be with Ottawa in March if everything pans out.

Senators Recall Drake Batherson From Belleville

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As is usually the case, Saturday is a busy day in the NHL with a dozen games on the calendar which means there should be plenty of roster movement throughout the day.  We’ll keep track of those moves here.

  • The Maple Leafs announced (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned defenseman Teemu Kivihalme to AHL Toronto. The 24-year-old had spent the last few days as injury insurance but will return to the minors to get some playing time.  He has seven points in 28 AHL games so far this season.
  • The Wild have recalled defenseman Louis Belpedio per a team release. Belpedio has played in 35 games with AHL Iowa this season, recording 13 points.  With Nick Seeler going on a conditioning stint yesterday, Belpedio will likely serve as the seventh defenseman with Minnesota until he returns.
  • The Devils announced (via Twitter) that they’ve recalled center Ben Street from AHL Binghamton. His presence is needed with winger Jesper Bratt and center Jack Hughes both out for today’s game against Colorado.  Street has been productive in the minors this season with 33 points in as many games.
  • The Penguins announced that they’ve recalled goalie Emil Larmi from Wheeling of the ECHL. Casey DeSmith was originally supposed to serve as the backup in Montreal tonight but was unable to locate his passport so they had to change their plans.  Thomas DiPauli has also been recalled for the third time in two weeks and he’ll once again serve as injury insurance.
  • Joel Kiviranta is back on his way to the minors as the Stars announced (Twitter link) that he has been loaned back to AHL Texas.  Dallas is off until Wednesday so this will be an opportunity for him to get in some game action.
  • The Blackhawks announced (via Twitter) that they’ve recalled goaltender Kevin Lankinen on an emergency basis from AHL Rockford.  He’s taking the place of Robin Lehner who is dealing with a right knee injury.  Corey Crawford will take over as the starter in Lehner’s absence.
  • With Anthony Duclair’s availability for tonight in question, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes (Twitter link) that winger Drake Batherson has been recalled from AHL Belleville.  Batherson leads the AHL in scoring so far this season with 41 points in 33 games.
  • The Ducks appear to have made a pair of recalls as Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that wingers Daniel Sprong and Kiefer Sherwood are at practice.  Ondrej Kase and Korbinian Holzer are not participating in the skate.

Dylan DeMelo Targeting Tuesday Return

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • Senators defenseman Dylan DeMelo is aiming to return to the lineup on Tuesday from his broken finger, notes Postmedia’s Ken Warren (Twitter link). He sustained the injury back on December 13th against Montreal.  The 26-year-old is in the final year of his contract and could be a potential trade candidate in the coming weeks for a team looking for defensive depth assuming that he’s able to return and stay healthy between now and then.

Minor Transactions: 01/03/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Just two games are on the schedule for today before a busy weekend in the NHL, meaning teams have time to assess their roster and make any changes needed. Even though there isn’t a ton of action, there are still some storylines to keep an eye on. Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals will be heading to Carolina to take on Andrei Svechnikov and the Hurricanes in a battle of two Metropolitan playoff hopefuls. We’ll keep track of all the minor moves as those teams and others get ready:

  • The Ottawa Senators have returned Erik Brannstrom to the minor leagues after acquiring Mike Reilly yesterday. Brannstrom obviously still needs some time to polish out his two-way game, even if he has flashed glimpses of the top-pairing potential he possesses.
  • With Victor Olofsson injured last night, the Buffalo Sabres have recalled Scott Wilson from the minor leagues. There’s no word on the extent of the injury just yet, but the team is making moves to secure some NHL depth.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have returned Justin Scott to the AHL, perhaps a sign that someone will be coming back for them before long. The Blue Jackets’ injury list is longer than their roster at the moment, but they’ve still won two in a row.
  • Nick Seeler is heading to the minor leagues on a conditioning loan, to get in some game action and stay fresh for the Minnesota Wild. The 26-year old has played in just six games this season and would be a difficult name to call as a replacement right now.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Casey DeSmith to serve as backup for a game, as they let Tristan Jarry rest and get ready for his next appearance. Jarry has performed incredibly this season for the Penguins, but is already approaching the most NHL starts he’s ever had in a single year. He’ll prepare to play the earlier start on Sunday. The team has also recalled Thomas Di Pauli.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have reassigned a trio of players to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Chris Wideman, Daniel Sprong, and Sam Carrick will all head back to the minors. Wideman was only recalled yesterday – his first call-up of the season – and Sprong on Monday, making it a quick stint for both.
  • Steven Kampfer cleared waivers back in early December but has still spent much of the past month in Boston. Yet, as the Bruins get healthy, Kampfer now heads back to AHL Providence, per insider Mark Divver. Kampfer will serve the second game of a two-game AHL suspension tonight, Divver adds.

Ottawa Senators Acquire Mike Reilly

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens have traded Mike Reilly to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2021 fifth-round pick and minor league forward Andrew Sturtz. The Canadiens then turned around and acquired a defenseman of their own in another deal.

Reilly, 26, hasn’t been able to establish himself as a full-time option for the Canadiens this season, despite some strong play last year for them when the team was dealing with injuries. Re-signed last June to a two-year, $3MM deal, the Senators will get some cost certainty in their new defender as they try to rebuild a defense corps.

In Ottawa, Reilly comes to a group that has dealt with injury after injury this season with the likes of Nikita Zaitsev, Ron Hainsey and Dylan DeMelo all going down for long stretches. With the latter two also scheduled for unrestricted free agency—along with Mark Borowiecki—there will be opportunity for Reilly to really set himself up as an everyday player.

Getting a fifth-round selection back for Reilly essentially replaces the pick they traded to the Minnesota Wild in 2018 to get him in the first place, and adds to the huge total that Montreal has amassed for the next few drafts. The Canadiens also clear a contract off the books for next season as Sturtz will be a restricted free agent and could very well go unqualified.

Nikita Zaitsev Likely To Play Thursday, Lassi Thomson Expected To Play In North America Next Season

at CDT | by 2 Comments

  • The Senators appear to be getting one of their injured defensemen back for Thursday’s game against Florida. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch notes (Twitter link) that defenseman Nikita Zaitsev is likely to return after missing the last seven games due to a lower-body injury.  However, Ron Hainsey is likely to miss at least another week.  Meanwhile, netminder Anders Nilsson has resumed skating after being diagnosed with a concussion following his last start back on December 16th.
  • Still with Ottawa, GM Pierre Dorion told Garrioch that they expect defense prospect Lassi Thomson to return to North America next season. Thomson was selected 19th overall by the Senators back in June out of Kelowna of the WHL but opted not to return there and instead returned to Ilves of the SM-liiga this season on loan.  Thomson is currently at the World Juniors where he captains Team Finland and collected three assists through the opening round of the tournament.

Minor Transactions: 01/01/20

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

It’s the first day of a new decade and the NHL will celebrate by holding the 2020 Winter Classic in Dallas, Texas. The Cotton Bowl will be the site for the outdoor game between the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators, a football stadium already surrounded by tailgating fans of both teams. While the festivities continue, we’ll keep track of all the day’s minor moves.

  • The Arizona Coyotes have sent Michael Chaput back to the minor leagues after just a day with the NHL club. The 27-year old has been a force for the Tucson Roadrunners this year with ten goals in just 22 games but is still waiting for a chance to get back into some NHL action. The Coyotes also recalled Kyle Capobianco from the AHL, while sending the recently waived Aaron Ness to the AHL.
  • After the Toronto Maple Leafs carried just 12 forwards to their game in Minnesota last night, they’ll bring up an extra body for some insurance. Mason Marchment has earned his first NHL call-up. The son of former NHL defenseman Bryan Marchment, the Maple Leafs’ prospect was given a minor league deal back in 2016 and developed slowly by the team over the last several years.
  • J.C. Beaudin has been returned to the AHL by the Ottawa Senators, who will host the Florida Panthers tomorrow night. Beaudin has played in 22 games this season for the Senators but has just a single point.  Rudolfs Balcers was recalled to take his place on the roster and should soon see his first NHL action of the season after playing in 36 games in 2018-19.
  • Louis Domingue is back with the New Jersey Devils, recalled by the team today after getting some playing time in the minor leagues. Gilles Senn has been sent down after appearing in two games.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have recalled Dale Weise from the AHL after Brendan Gallagher suffered an injury last night. Weise hasn’t played a game for the Canadiens this season but does have more than 500 games of NHL experience.
  • Nicolas Roy was recalled by the Vegas Golden Knights, something that has happened plenty of times this season. Roy has played in just seven games but was bouncing between the AHL and NHL almost every day earlier in the year.

NHL All-Star Selections Announced

at CDT | by 18 Comments

Although it took some time, with each individual team rolling out their own selections, the final rosters for All-Star Weekend have come into focus. Below are each of the four divisional team, set to face off in the Skills Competition on Friday, January 24th and the All-Star Game on Saturday, January 25th:

Atlantic Division

G Frederik Andersen, Toronto Maple Leafs
G Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
D Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
D Shea Weber, Montreal Canadiens
F Tyler Bertuzzi, Detroit Red Wings
F Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres
F Anthony Duclair, Ottawa Senators
F Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers
F Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
F David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins (C)

Metropolitan Division

G Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
G Joonas Korpisalo, Columbus Blue Jackets
D John Carlson, Washington Capitals
D Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes
D Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets
F Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
F Jake Guentzel, Pittsburgh Penguins
F Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
F Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils
F Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers

Central Division

G Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
G Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
D Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
D Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis Blues
F Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
F Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (C)
F Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues
F Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
F Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars
F Eric Staal, Minnesota Wild

Pacific Division

G Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights
G Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes
D Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
F Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks
F Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
F Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings
F Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (C)
F Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
F Jakob Silfverberg, Anaheim Ducks
F Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames

Additionally, each divisional squad will have one more addition as decided by the Last Men In fan vote. Voting opens on January 1st and closes on the 10th. Here are the candidates:

Atlantic Division – Patrice Bergeron, Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Larkin Aleksander Barkov, Max Domi, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Steven Stamkos, Mitch Marner

Metropolitan Division – Teuvo Teravainen, Nick Foligno, Nico Hischier, Brock Nelson, Mika Zibanejad, Claude Giroux, Kris Letang, T.J. Oshie

Central Division – Jonathan Toews, Cale Makar, Jamie Benn, Ryan Suter, Matt Duchene, David Perron Patrik Laine

Pacific Division – Ryan Getzlaf, Clayton Keller, Johnny Gaudreau, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Drew Doughty, Tomas Hertl, Quinn Hughes, Max Pacioretty

Minor Transactions: 12/30/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With just one game on the schedule for this evening, teams are licking their wounds waiting for the New Year and the second half of the NHL season. The Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins will be in action, but even those on a rest day will be making minor tweaks. As those come in, we’ll list them here.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled Timothy Liljegren and Teemu Kivihalme, two defensemen yet to make their NHL debuts. The Maple Leafs already lost Jake Muzzin to a broken foot and need to replace him on the roster. It seems Kivihalme will get the first shot, as Liljegren has already been returned to the AHL Marlies.
  • With Charlie McAvoy going onto injured reserve, the Boston Bruins have recalled Jeremy Lauzon under emergency conditions. McAvoy hasn’t played since before Christmas, though the injury isn’t expected to keep him out long-term. The Bruins got some good news on the injury front as well, activating forward Karson Kuhlman from the injured reserve and assigning him to AHL Providence.
  • Calvin Pickard has been recalled by the Detroit Red Wings once again, giving them another healthy goaltender. Pickard has ended up playing two games for Detroit this season, but has a 5.32 GAA and .818 save percentage.
  • Mathieu Joseph is heading back to the minor leagues once again, something the Tampa Bay Lightning have done several times this month. The young forward has still spent most of his season with the NHL club, but is bouncing back and forth lately.
  • The San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Joachim Blichfield from the AHL Barracuda, giving the youngster another opportunity after he made his NHL debut early last month. Blichfield has been one San Jose’s best minor league forwards this season and the struggling Sharks could use an offensive boost if he can translate his game to the next level.
  • Daniel Sprong is back in the NHL after a brief layover with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. The Anaheim Ducks called up the young forward, who has spent considerable time with the team this year, but has only actually played in one game. Sprong recorded 19 points in 47 games with the Ducks last year and already has 19 points in 25 games with the Gulls, so he has the potential to make an impact in Anaheim if given the chance.
  • With the Minnesota Wild activating captain Mikko Koivu, the team has reassigned rookie forward Nico Sturm to AHL Iowa. Sturm, a highly sought-after college free agent last spring, has 12 points in 25 games wIowa this year and a pair of points in six games with Minnesota as well.

2019 Year In Review: May

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

2019 has been a very busy year throughout the hockey world.  There have been several big trades and free agent signings (including a record-setting contract), plenty of changes behind the bench, and much more.  Over the coming days, PHR will take a look back at the top stories from around the game on a month-by-month basis.  We’ll now look at May, which not only saw the start of the Stanley Cup Finals, but plenty of movement around the league.

Holland, Tippett Take Over In Edmonton: After years of frustration and pain, the Edmonton Oilers introduced a new leadership group in the form of GM Ken Holland and then head coach Dave Tippett to usher in a new era of success. While they got off to a hot start and looked like a completely different team, the Oilers have recently reverted to their losing ways and now sit fifth in the Pacific Division and 2-7-1 in their last ten games. While Holland explained it would take some time to rebuild the team, they’re in danger of wasting another year of Connor McDavid on an uninspiring roster.

Kesler Has Surgery, Likely Ending Career: Battling through immense pain for the entire 2018-19 season, Ryan Kesler got on the ice for 60 games and made it to the 1,000-game threshold for his career. In early May that pain was relieved after undergoing hip surgery, though it likely ended his time as a professional hockey player. Kesler will be remembered as a two-way wizard that won the Selke Trophy in 2011 while a member of the Vancouver Canucks and scored 573 points in 1,001 career regular season games—even if opposing fans still hate him.

Davidson Returns To Broadway: While the departures of Sergei Bobrovsky, Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene stole all the headlines in Columbus this season, another important member of the Blue Jackets organization left a few months earlier. John Davidson left his position as President of Hockey Operations with Columbus to take his dream job with the New York Rangers, who would also ultimately land Panarin in free agency. Davidson, one of the most respected executives in the entire hockey world, was only returning to the place he called home for so many years as a player and broadcaster.

Rangers Rebuild Takes Another Step: Davidson likely would have taken a job in New York regardless of where their team sat in a rebuild, but just a few weeks before he was officially announced, an injection of talent had occurred. The team agreed to terms with two top Russian prospects in Vitali Kravtsov and Igor Shesterkin, while also convincing the newly acquired Adam Fox to leave Harvard and turn pro. While Kravtsov has had a tumultuous first season in North Ameria, Shesterkin is busy dominating the AHL level with a .932 save percentage in 21 appearances. His 1.98 goals against average leads the league, creating even more questions about the New York goaltending situation moving forward.

Come Mr. D.J.: After rumors swirled about a potential return to the NHL for Patrick Roy, the Ottawa Senators instead hired rookie head coach D.J. Smith to lead their team. Smith left the rival Toronto Maple Leafs’ bench after another first-round exit to take the reins of the Senators, where he has instilled a workman-like attitude and started to move the team in the right direction. Ottawa currently sits at 16-18-4 on the season and are no longer the laughing stock of the Eastern Conference, thanks in big part to the structure Smith has created.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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