Overseas Notes: Coronavirus, World Championships, Sticks, Jokipakka
As the coronavirus crisis continues to creep into every corner of day-to-day life, it was only a matter of time before it started to have a major impact on hockey. IIHF President Rene Fasel has revealed to the Swiss media that the threat of coronavirus is being taken seriously as it pertains to upcoming international tournaments. Fasel states that the IIHF’s medical commission is currently meeting to discuss the potential cancellations of any international events in March and April. This would include the U-18 World Junior Championships, scheduled to be held in Michigan in April. Should the sickness persist, the IIHF will also have to consider cancelling the 2020 World Championships, slated to take place in Switzerland in May. Fasel gives March 15th as the date when these difficult decisions will begin to have to be made. This appears to be a decision based wholly on health risks, as the tournaments are insured against cancellation and neither the IIHF nor the hosts would be facing financial loss. With that said, Fasel also ruled out the possibility that tournaments could still be held but just closed to the public. With no end to the coronavirus outbreak in sight, it appears more likely than not that the U-18’s and World Championships this year could be the next victims of the disease.
- Of course, this is not the first link between coronavirus and hockey, as the mass shutdown of the Chinese economy has greatly limited the supply of sticks to the NHL and other levels of the game. Both Bauer and CCM have their primary factories in the country most greatly affected by this outbreak and neither have been in operation for weeks, while shipping to North America has also been halted. Players across the league have begun to stock up on sticks as they face the possibility of a coming shortage. NHL players, who often order custom sticks in small batches, may have to work with what they have through the rest of the season and possibly into the postseason.
- In non-pandemic news, former NHLer Jyrki Jokipakka has benefited greatly from a move to Europe. Now with his second team in his third season since leaving North America, Jokipakka was the undisputed top defender for the KHL’s Sibir Novosibirk this season, leading the team in time on ice and finishing near the top in assists, points, and blocked shots. He also finished among the top-ten producers on defense league-wide. While Sibir has not yet begun their Gagarin Cup playoff campaign, Jokipakka is already the bright spot of the season for the team. The club opted to reward him for his success with a new two-year extension. Jokipakka flashed ability in the NHL, but never able to put it all together in stops with the Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames, and Ottawa Senators. So, while the 28-year-old could have waited to see if there was NHL interest this off-season, it seems like he has made the right choice to stick with where he has finally found consistent success and is valued as a top contributor.
Minor Transactions: 03/01/20
March 1st means one thing. The start of the Gagarin Cup in the KHL, the start of playoffs and playoff runs, which also will include the college playoffs. In the NHL, the Atlantic Division had a dominant day Saturday as the Tampa Bay Lightning broke a four-game losing streak, while the Toronto Maple Leafs picked up a key win over the Vancouver Canucks. However, those wins didn’t aid either team in the division as the Boston Bruins continued their dominance with a 4-0 shutout of the New York Islanders. Should be an interesting month coming up in that Atlantic Division. Teams will continue to make roster moves as we get closer to the playoffs, so keep an eye on these roster moves throughout the day.
- The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned prospect Joshua Norris to the Belleville Senators. The 20-year-old got his feet wet with significant minutes in three games for Ottawa, but failed to register a point in that span. However, with a full schedule this week in Belleville and the fact that they are the top seed in the North Division, it’s likely the Senators will want to develop their young forward as a leader of an AHL playoff team.
- CapFriendly reports that the New Jersey Devils have assigned two players to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. The team has sent forward Jesper Boqvist and also assigned defenseman Joshua Jacobs. Boqvist was recalled Saturday, but was not used and has been sent back already, while Jacobs was recalled Thursday, but still hasn’t made his season debut.
- The Winnipeg Jets announced they also have sent two players to the AHL. The team has assigned defenseman Nelson Nogier and forward C.J. Suess to the Manitoba Moose. Nogier was recalled on Thursday, but still hasn’t made his season debut, while Suess was recalled Friday, but did not play either. Suess has appeared in one game for the Jets this season.
- The Vancouver Canucks announced they he recalled forward Justin Bailey on an emergency basis from the Utica Comets of the AHL. The 24-year-old has been dominant in the AHL with 27 goals and 45 points in 49 games, but has appeared in just two games with the Canucks this season with no points. Bailey was recalled with the status of Jay Beagle considered questionable after blocking a shot Saturday.
- The Dallas Stars announced they have recalled forward Justin Dowling from his conditioning loan with the Texas Stars of the AHL. Dowling has missed 15 straight games with an undisclosed injury, but fared well with the Texas squad, picking up three assists in three games. The 29-year-old has three goals and six points in 27 games with Dallas.
- With Ryan Miller battling illness, the Anaheim Ducks announced the recall of goaltender Anthony Stolarz from AHL San Diego as well as blueliner Jani Hakanpaa. Stolarz ranks sixth in the AHL in save percentage this season with a .922 mark and will backup John Gibson in Miller’s absence. Meanwhile, Hakanpaa has yet to see any NHL action with Anaheim and has a goal and 12 assists in 47 minor league contests this season.
Ottawa Wants Mark Borowiecki To Be A “Senator For Life”
The Ottawa Senators have had trouble over the years retaining the talent they develop, with earlier this week being the latest example. Though they reportedly discussed an extension with Jean-Gabriel Pageau, the two-way center was eventually traded at the deadline only to immediately sign with the New York Islanders for six more seasons. One could be skeptical then when Pierre Dorion tells TSN radio that he wants Mark Borowiecki to be a “Senator for life.”
Perhaps Borowiecki is different though. The 30-year old defenseman was a fifth-round pick by the Senators back in 2008 and slowly made his way up the hockey ladder. Originally thought of as just a physical presence in Ottawa’s lineup, he has become much more than that this year, establishing himself as a leader on and off the ice while also experiencing his best offensive season to date.
Though he has seven goals on the year—nearly doubling his previous career total—it’s still hard to envision that Borowiecki would price himself out of the Senators’ market by the end of the year. Currently in the final season of a two-year, $2.4MM deal he can expect a small raise but not even to the level of some other Senators’ players.
Not only is Borowiecki a leader for the Senators, but his influence on the Ottawa community has been felt as well. The hometown boy gained national notoriety when he was involved in stopping a crime in Vancouver, but citizens of Canada’s capital will tell you stories of him helping regular folk on a regular basis.
An unrestricted free agent in July, it’s hard to imagine Borowiecki in any other jersey at this point in his career.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 02/27/20
How about ten NHL games with plenty of playoff implications for your Thursday night? That’s what is on offer this evening around the league as several postseason hopefuls do battle. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers kick things off with their seasons on the line, while the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators battle to stay in the Western Conference race. As the league prepares, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Joshua Norris, the young forward who has dominated the minor leagues in his first taste of professional hockey. One of the key parts in the Erik Karlsson deal, Norris now has 30 goals and 58 points in 52 AHL games.
- With Sami Niku dealing with an injury, the Winnipeg Jets have recalled Nelson Nogier from the Manitoba Moose. The 23-year old Nogier has 11 NHL games under his belt, and just one since the 2016-17 season.
- Jonathan Drouin will not play tonight for the Montreal Canadiens, so the team has recalled Charles Hudon under emergency conditions. Teams have limited recalls after the trade deadline, but emergency ones do not count towards that total.
- The Predators have sent Connor Ingram back to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, signaling that Pekka Rinne has recovered from his recent illness. Ingram had been up under emergency conditions.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Lawrence Pilut from the minor leagues, as they continue their current road trip. After facing the Colorado Avalanche last night, Buffalo will journey to Vegas, Arizona and Winnipeg before heading home.
- Joshua Jacobs has earned his first call-up of the season from the New Jersey Devils, after clearing waivers in late September. The 24-year old has just a single NHL game under his belt to this point, despite being the 41st overall pick in 2014.
- Once again the San Jose Sharks have involved Lean Bergmann in a transaction, this time bringing him back up from the minor leagues. The 21-year old forward has played eight games with the Sharks this season, registering one points.
- After needing Calvin Thurkauf to fill in for a long list of injured forwards, the Columbus Blue Jackets have sent him back to the AHL. The 22-year old played in three games, but didn’t tally his first NHL point.
Minor Transactions: 02/26/20
The deadline is over but the season is still far from it. Teams are playing the most important games of the year and tweaking their rosters to find just the right balance. With that, there are always minor moves to be kept track of and right here is where you’ll find them.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled Sam Lafferty from the minor leagues under emergency conditions for their road trip to the west coast, where they’ll face the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks over the next few days.
- Nicolas Roy and Zach Whitecloud are back up as expected for the Vegas Golden Knights, after being involved in a paper transaction this week. Both players stayed with the team and were involved in the regular lineup at morning skate.
- Chris Driedger has been sent to the AHL on a conditioning loan, meaning the Florida Panthers goaltender is getting closer to a return. The 25-year old Driedger has actually been the team’s best goaltender this season, though that sample is limited to just nine appearances.
- Gabriel Vilardi has been recalled once again by the Los Angeles Kings, who welcome in the Penguins later this evening. Vilardi has two points in three games for the Kings this season, finally healthy after such a struggle to get back on the ice.
- With enough healthy forwards along with their equipment ready for tomorrow’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Ottawa Senators have sent Filip Chlapik back to the AHL. While there may not be much to play for in Ottawa, the Belleville Senators are in first place in their division and rank third in the entire AHL.
- Lean Bergmann and Maxim Letunov have been returned to the minor leagues as the San Jose Sharks return home for the next several games. Defenseman Dalton Prout has been recalled from his conditioning loan with the Barracuda in a corresponding move.
- Mitchell Stephens has been recalled again after being sent down just a couple of days ago by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Stephens will be eligible for the AHL playoffs if necessary, but the focus now is on Steven Stamkos who was forced from last night’s game.
- The Detroit Red Wings have announced the recall of Dennis Cholowski. The young defender has split the season between Detroit and the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, contributing routinely at both levels.
Edmonton Oilers Trade For Ottawa’s Tyler Ennis
After shelling out quite a bit of draft capital to pick up Andreas Athanasiou, the Edmonton Oilers have spent a bit more to add another forward, picking up Tyler Ennis from the Ottawa Senators for a 2021 fifth-round pick, according to TSN’s Gord Miller.
Ennis, who will now play for his fifth team in four years, signed a one-year, $800K pact with Ottawa, following head coach D.J. Smith, who had been hired away from Toronto who Ennis played with the previous year. The 30-year-old should add even more middle-six depth for the Oilers at a modest price. Ennis is having one of his best seasons in several years as he currently has 14 goals and 33 goals, numbers he hasn’t come close to since his 2014-15 season in Buffalo.
As for Ottawa, it only further enhances the team’s accumulation of draft picks, who already has picked up a 2020 first, a 2020 second, a 2021 fourth and fifth-rounder and a conditional 2020 third-round pick — and that’s just today. Ottawa now has 13 picks in the 2020 draft, including nine in the first three rounds. This trade gives the team nine picks in 2021.
Islanders Acquire Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Sign Him To Six-Year Extension
12:53 p.m. — It looks like the cost to bring Pageau aboard isn’t just for a rental, however, as the Islanders announced they have signed him to a six-year extension to remain with New York. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston adds that the deal has a $5MM AAV.
9:46 a.m. — The New York Islanders announced they have completed a deal with the Ottawa Senators, as the team picked up center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. In exchange for Pageau, the Islanders sent over a significant haul of draft picks as Ottawa receives a 2020 first-rounder, a 2020 second-rounder, and a third-rounder in 2022. The first-round pick is top-three protected while the third-rounder will only be conveyed if the Islanders win the Stanley Cup this season.
The 27-year-old had been engaged in discussions regarding a contract extension in recent days but clearly, the two sides weren’t able to come to an agreement. This means he’s likely to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent unless New York can work out an agreement with him.
Pageau is having a career year offensively. He already has 24 goals and 16 assists in 60 games; it’s the first time that he has reached the 20-goal mark in his career though that is aided by a 17.8 shooting percentage. He has also seen his ice time jump to over 19 minutes per game, also a career-best.
He immediately becomes the top goal scorer on the Islanders (Brock Nelson checks in at 22 goals) and should play a key role for them as a second-line pivot. The fact that he can be an effective penalty killer will certainly help a unit that is killing just over 80% of their penalties and his 53.2% success rate at the faceoff dot will be critical as well. Nevertheless, it’s a steep price to pay for someone who has been more of a third liner for most of his career.
Meanwhile, the Senators add a third first-round pick to their arsenal for the upcoming draft (unless New York wins in the draft lottery) and currently have 14 picks at their disposal. GM Pierre Dorion already has a deep prospect pool and with this many selections (including nine in the first three rounds), it’s about to get a lot stronger.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie was the first to report the trade.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Montreal Canadiens Send Matthew Peca To Ottawa Senators
The Montreal Canadiens announced they have sent forward Matthew Peca to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2020 seventh-round pick and forward Aaron Luchuk.
On the surface, it’s a very minor deal as the Canadiens only receive seventh-rounder and a prospect who has spent most of his time in the ECHL. However, with the Senators having traded away two players in Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Vladislav Namestnikov earier this morning, the team has lost two roster players. The team is likely to call on some of their young talent currently sitting in the AHL. However, Peca can provide help in two areas — either providing a veteran presence for the Senators or, most likely, he will join the Belleville Senators for their upcoming playoff run. Belleville is currently in first place in the North Division as the team hopes to compete for a Calder Cup this season. Peca had four goals and 13 points in 34 games with the Laval Rocket, but has appeared in five games with Montreal.
Luchuk has now been traded twice in a five-day period. Luchuk was originally with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was traded on Feb. 19 with a 2021 sixth-round pick for forward Max Veronneau. Now the 22-year-old goes on to Montreal. He was dominant with the New Foundland Growlers in the ECHL so far this year with 19 goals and 50 points in 45 games. He played three games with the Toronto Marlies, registering no points. His inclusion is likely just to even out the contacts between the two squads.
Five Players Placed On Pre-Deadline Waivers
Monday: The Anaheim Ducks have claimed Andrew Agozzino off waivers, while the Detroit Red Wings have claimed Dmytro Timashov. The other three have cleared.
Sunday: It will be a loaded waiver wire today, as the list features five different names. Two of those players were on AHL contracts until today, as the New Jersey Devils announced that they have signed defenseman Julian Melchiori to an NHL deal for the rest of the season, while the Ottawa Senators have done the same for defenseman Hubert Labrie. Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrew Agozzino, Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Dmytro Timashov, and recently-acquired L.A. Kings forward Tim Schaller round out the list. Goaltender Kevin Poulin has cleared waivers after signing with the Kings yesterday.
Melchiori, 28, has 30 NHL games to his credit over three years with the Winnipeg Jets, but has not played at the top level since 2016-17. Nevertheless, he has been a productive member of the AHL’s Binghamton Devils this season and provides New Jersey with another NHL option, given that Sami Vatanen and potentially others could be traded away by tomorrow’s deadline.
Similarly, the 28-year-old Labrie has proven to be a dependable defender and a locker room leader for the AHL’s Belleville Senators this season and has earned the chance to appear with Ottawa down the stretch if needed. Labrie is a career minor-leaguer, but the Senators are without many options given injuries at both levels, the recent departures of Dylan DeMelo and Cody Goloubef, and the potential that names like Ron Hainsey and Mark Borowiecki could still be moved.
The Penguins and Leafs are both in the market for additional help at the deadline and need roster flexibility where they can get it. Although Agozzino is actively in the Pittsburgh starting lineup, the 29-year-old veteran is expendable if it means opening up roster space for the Penguins, who are always active at the trade deadline. Timashov, 23, has played a very limited role in 39 games this season for Toronto and this move signals that the team feels he is worth losing if it avoids other more difficult roster decisions.
Schaller, a salary cap offset in the recent Tyler Toffoli trade, was never expected to play a regular role in Los Angeles. The Kings are well out of the playoff race and focused on working their younger players into the lineup, and the 29-year-old impending free agent is not part of that movement. Schaller has previously shown to be a good bottom-six depth option, and while a claim is unlikely, he could be flipped tomorrow after gaining the extra flexibility of clearing waivers.
Avalanche Acquire Vladislav Namestnikov
Colorado has added some offensive depth as they have acquired winger Vladislav Namestnikov from Ottawa, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link). Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch adds (via Twitter) that the Senators receive a 2021 fourth-round pick in return.
The 27-year-old acquired Namestnikov back in early October from the Rangers in exchange for a 2021 fourth-round pick and AHL defenseman Nick Ebert so the Sens basically recovered back what they gave up for him in the first place.
The change of scenery certainly worked for the winger. After being bumped down the depth chart in New York, Namestnikov played a bigger role in Ottawa and had some success, recording 13 goals and 12 assists in 54 games while logging over 15 minutes per game. He’ll likely get a chance to play a similar role with the Avalanche for the time being with Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri, Colin Wilson, and Matt Calvert all currently injured.
Namestnikov is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and carries a $4MM cap hit. However, New York retained $750K of that in October so the Avs will only be on the hook for a pro-rated $3.25MM.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.