Salary Cap Deep Dive: Ottawa Senators
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Ottawa Senators
Current Cap Hit: $71,234,999 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Drake Batherson (two years, $737K)
F Logan Brown (two years, $863K)
D Thomas Chabot (one year, $863K)
D Christian Jaros (one year, $755K)
F Brady Tkachuk (two years, $925K)
Potential Bonuses
Batherson: $20K
Brown: $710K
Chabot: $360K
Tkachuk: $2.5MM
Tkachuk had a strong rookie campaign with 45 points while providing some size and physicality at the top of their lineup. With their trade deadline moves from last season, it paved the way for Tkachuk to take on a bigger role. He’s likely to see some time on the top line this year and at this stage, his next contract could be similar to the one his brother signed, if not higher. Brown had a good first pro campaign in the minors and will be looking to lock down an NHL role this season. He’s someone that will need to get some NHL time before assessing what his next contract could look like. Batherson averaged over a point per game in the minors last year and didn’t look out of place in his time with Ottawa and a full-time spot is on the horizon for him. If his AHL production translates to the NHL, he could be in line for a nice second contract.
Chabot has quickly blossomed into a top pairing defender and has signed a new contract that will be covered later. Jaros held down a depth role last season and figures to be in the mix for that same spot in 2019-20. That should get him a bit of a raise next summer but stay-at-home defenders don’t have a high earning upside.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
G Craig Anderson ($4.75MM, UFA)
F Mikkel Boedker ($4MM, UFA)
F Mark Borowiecki ($1.2MM, UFA)
F Connor Brown ($2.1MM, RFA)
F Ryan Callahan ($5.8MM, UFA)
D Dylan DeMelo ($900K, UFA)
F Anthony Duclair ($1.65MM, RFA)
F Tyler Ennis ($800K, UFA)
D Ron Hainsey ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Clarke MacArthur ($4.65MM, UFA)
F Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($3.1MM, UFA)
F Chris Tierney ($2.938MM, RFA)
Boedker was brought last offseason as a salary offset as part of the Mike Hoffman trade but the change of scenery didn’t help as he scored just seven goals last season. He is looking at a sizable pay cut one year from now. Pageau is coming off a tough year on the injury front but he has emerged as a quality third line center that can win draws, kill penalties, and score some timely goals. That will make him highly coveted at the trade deadline and on the open market next summer where he should be in line for a bit of a raise. Tierney made the most of his larger role in Ottawa to put up a career year in points. A repeat performance would go a long way towards bolstering his arbitration case where a deal north of $4MM could be on the horizon. Brown saw his production drop the last couple of years in Toronto but he’ll have a chance to play a bigger role this season. He’ll need to become a bigger offensive threat if he wants to get top-six money. Duclair fit in surprisingly well after being a late-season acquisition which earned him a nice raise a summer ago. Even a repeat of his 2018-19 output (33 points in 74 games) would really help position himself for a multi-year deal and some job security. Ennis should get a chance to have a bit bigger of a role than he did with Toronto but he’s probably someone who will be signing this type of deal one year from now. Callahan and MacArthur have already been ruled out for the year and will be retiring officially when their contract expires. Insurance will cover the majority of their deals.
Hainsey was brought in to mentor some of their younger blueliners and figures to be a potential trade candidate by February. At 38, it’s hard to imagine he’ll get a bigger contract than this one but if he can hold up around 20 minutes a night again, he should be able to land another decent deal next summer. Borowiecki has been with the Sens for his entire career and if he’s willing to accept a similar contract to this one to stay on their third pairing, he’ll probably stick around. DeMelo did pretty well with a bigger role than he had in San Jose and that should help position himself for a considerably higher payday next summer.
This may be the final year for Anderson who will be 39 by the time his contract expires. If nothing else, he could be someone a team looks to acquire if one of their goalies gets injured for a lengthy period of time between now and the trade deadline.
Two Years Remaining
F Artem Anisimov ($4.55MM, UFA)
F Marian Gaborik ($4.875MM, UFA)
G Anders Nilsson ($2.6MM, UFA)
D Christian Wolanin ($900K, RFA)
Anisimov was brought in this summer to give Ottawa a bit more of an offensive threat down the middle while saving some money in salary paid at the same time. However, he’s not the player he was just a few years ago with Chicago so it’s unlikely he’ll be able to get a contract close to this on the open market. Like Callahan and MacArthur, Gaborik isn’t expected to play again and will be on IR for the next two years.
Wolanin will miss most of this season after undergoing shoulder surgery. His deal converts to a one-way pact for 2020-21 and he should be able to land a full-time roster spot for that season. However, if he’s just in a depth role, he’ll have a hard time commanding much more than his qualifying offer.
Nilsson struggled with Vancouver last year but did a bit better with the Senators after being acquired in a midseason swap. He’s expected to be in a platoon role with Anderson this year and if he does well enough to remain in a timeshare next season, a raise two years from now might not be out of the question.
Three Years Remaining
F Bobby Ryan ($7.25MM, UFA)
There was once a time that Ottawa believed that Ryan could be a centerpiece for their franchise for years to come after they signed him to this deal following one season with the team. He had a couple of okay but underwhelming seasons thereafter before things went completely off the rails. Ryan has battled injuries in two of the last three years while failing to score more than 15 goals in any of those, hardly the type of return they were looking for from someone making top line money. Their cap space makes it unlikely that they’ll need to buy him out but he’s a player that they will try to give a fresh scenery to at some point over the next three years if they can find a taker for his cap hit.
Four Or More Years Remaining
D Thomas Chabot ($8MM through 2027-28, contract begins in 2020-21)
F Colin White ($4.75MM through 2024-25)
D Nikita Zaitsev ($4.5MM through 2023-24)
White’s first full NHL season was a good one as he established himself as a legitimate top-six option for the foreseeable future. That was enough to get GM Pierre Dorion to commit the largest contract that he had handed out…at least for a few weeks.
Chabot will soon be playing under the largest post-entry-level contract given to a defenseman in league history, surpassing Aaron Ekblad’s $7.5MM AAV in Florida. He thrived despite being thrown to the wolves on the top pairing and while the price tag may be a bit high at the beginning, it locks him up through the prime of his career and as their prospects develop to improve their depth, that should help him become that much better. Zaitsev has not fared well in the first two years of this contract and he’ll be counted on to play an even bigger role with Ottawa. If he can improve, they’ll get a decent return on this deal but if not, it could be a tough one to move out.
Buyouts
F Alexandre Burrows ($0 cap hit but they are paying out $833K in salary; the full cap hit was absorbed last season)
D Dion Phaneuf ($729K in 2019-20, $1.354MM in 2020-21, $354K in 2021-22 and 2022-23)
Retained Salary Transactions
None
Still To Sign
None
Best Value: Tierney
Worst Value: Ryan
Looking Ahead
The Senators have managed to get above the cap floor for the upcoming season which was the talking point heading into the summer but they’re in no danger of surpassing the Upper Limit anytime soon. They will have to spend a fair bit more before long though with Chabot’s new deal plus Tkachuk’s on the horizon. Ottawa is very well-positioned in terms of flexibility with only a few long-term contracts on the books which bodes well for them if they decide to try to spend to add a core piece or two down the road. That should give them some hope for the future even though the upcoming season may not be the most successful in the standings.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rudolfs Balcers Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
- Senators winger Rudolfs Balcers is out indefinitely due to a lower-body injury, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). The 22-year-old split last season between Ottawa and AHL Belleville and acquitted himself reasonably well with 14 points in 36 games. He’s undergoing tests to determine the full extent of the injury but it certainly sounds as if he won’t be available when the regular season gets underway next week.
Ottawa Senators Sign Scott Sabourin
The Ottawa Senators have decided that Scott Sabourin has done enough to deserve a contracting, signing the veteran AHL forward to a one-year two-way contract. Sabourin had been in training camp on a professional tryout. The deal is worth $700K at the NHL level.
Now 27, Sabourin has carved out quite the career for himself after going undrafted. Taking on a physical role, he has played 308 AHL contests and recorded 646 penalty minutes. His pesky forechecking style and willingness to drop the gloves endeared himself to Senators fans in training camp, and he’ll get a chance to continue showing what he can do this season.
His two-way deal by no means guarantees any time in the NHL, but for a team like Ottawa that is using this season as a development track, having a player like Sabourin wouldn’t be the worst idea. With so many young players expected in the lineup, the veteran could help them along with anything he’s learned over his years in professional hockey while being a sort of protection on the ice.
Waivers: 09/26/19
With the NHL regular season approaching quickly, many players will be put on waivers over the next several days. We’ll keep track of all of them right here:
Anaheim Ducks
F Andreas Martinsen
F Andrew Poturalski
F Chase De Leo
D Jani Hakanpaa
G Kevin Boyle
Boston Bruins
F Paul Carey
F Brendan Gaunce
D Alexander Petrovic*
Calgary Flames
Chicago Blackhawks
Colorado Avalanche
D Jacob MacDonald
D Dan Renouf
Montreal Canadiens
F Matthew Peca
F Phil Varone
F Dale Weise
D Karl Alzner
D Xavier Ouellet
New York Islanders
F Travis St. Denis
F Matthew Lorito
F Cole Bardreau
D Kyle Burroughs
D Seth Helgeson
G Christopher Gibson
G Jared Coreau
New York Rangers
Ottawa Senators
Vegas Golden Knights
F Patrick Brown
F Curtis McKenzie
*Petrovic was in Bruins’ training camp under a professional tryout. Waivers would indicate that the team has signed him to a standard player contract.
Training Camp Cuts: 09/26/19
Like always, we’ll keep you aware of all the training camp cuts right here. Keep checking back to see the updated list:
Anaheim Ducks (per team release)
F Alex Broadhurst (to San Diego, AHL)
D Hunter Drew (to San Diego, AHL)
D Zack Hayes (to San Diego, AHL)
F Justin Kloos (to San Diego, AHL)
F Jack Kopacka (to San Diego, AHL)
D Patrick Sieloff (to San Diego, AHL)
D Chris Wideman (to San Diego, AHL)
G Anthony Stolarz (to San Diego, AHL)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
F Ryan Fitzgerald (to Providence, AHL)
F Joona Koppanen (to Providence, AHL)
F Zach Senyshyn (to Providence, AHL)
F Pavel Shen (to Providence, AHL)
F Oskar Steen (to Providence, AHL)
D Jeremy Lauzon (to Providence, AHL)
D Urho Vaakanainen (to Providence, AHL)
G Kyle Keyser (to Providence, AHL)
F Paul Carey (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Brendan Gaunce (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Alexander Petrovic (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
Buffalo Sabres (per team release)
F Dylan Cozens (to Lethbridge, WHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)
F Morgan Geekie (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Janne Kuokkanen (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Steven Lorentz (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Eetu Luostarinen (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Stelio Mattheos (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Jake Bean (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Kyle Wood (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Alex Nedeljkovic (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Jesper Sellgren (to Lulea HF, SHL)
F Ryan Suzuki (to Barrie, OHL)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
D Bowen Byram (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Martin Kaut (to Colorado, AHL)
F Sheldon Dries (to Colorado, AHL)
F Logan O’Connor (to Colorado, AHL)
F Michael Joly (to Colorado, AHL)
G Hunter Miska (to Colorado, AHL)
D Jacob MacDonald (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Dan Renouf (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
Edmonton Oilers (per team release)
F Kailer Yamamoto (to Bakersfield, AHL)
Florida Panthers (per team release)
F Anthony Greco (to Springfield, AHL)
D Ian McCoshen (to Springfield, AHL)
G Chris Driedger (to Springfield, AHL)
Montreal Canadiens (per team release)
F Matthew Peca (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Phil Varone (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Dale Weise (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Karl Alzner (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Xavier Ouellet (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
New York Rangers (per team release)
F Daniel O’Regan (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (per team release)
F Parker Kelly (to Belleville, AHL)
G Marcus Hogberg (to Belleville, AHL)
F Nick Paul (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Jordan Szwarz (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
Vegas Golden Knights (per Jesse Granger, The Athletic)
F Reid Duke (to Chicago, AHL)
D Dylan Coughlan (to Chicago, AHL)
Jimmy Hayes, Griffin Reinhart Among Notable AHL Camp Invites
It’s a position that no NHL veteran wants to find himself in, but sometimes it’s the only way to stay employed in North America. With NHL training camps starting to cut mass amounts of participants, AHL camps are opening for another round of evaluation and to prepare young pros for the start of the minor league season. However, these AHL camps can also be a last-ditch source of hope for older players looking to stay relevant with an NHL affiliate. Every year a few recognizable names opt for this route, and this year is no different.
Of the many invites announced thus far, Jimmy Hayes stands out as the top AHL camp participant. The Iowa Wild specifically acknowledged the veteran winger’s presence in camp when announcing their roster. Hayes, 29, has 334 NHL games and over 100 points to his credit over eight seasons with five different NHL teams. However, Hayes’ two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season saw him play exclusively in the AHL. While he was productive, recording 30 points in 72 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, it wasn’t enough to earn another two-way deal. To this point, Hayes hasn’t even earned an AHL deal. He’ll work to earn a contract, and hopefully the attention of the Minnesota brass, when he takes part in Iowa camp.
Griffin Reinhart is another name that sticks out among the crowd of AHL camp invites. Like Hayes, Reinhart is a player whose trade value far outweighed what he ever produced on the ice in the NHL. The 25-year-old was drafted fourth overall in 2012 by the New York Islanders, who dealt him to the Edmonton Oilers a few years later for a first- and second-round pick. Yet, Reinhart has just two points in 37 games to show for his NHL impact. Even in three straight seasons of exclusive AHL action, Rienhart has failed to impress. However, on name value alone he will be able to find a shot somewhere. This time around, the Belleville Senators have invited the young defenseman to camp. Former Vancouver Canucks prospect Cole Cassels, the son of long-time NHLer Andrew Cassels, will also join the junior Senators in camp after playing in Germany last season.
Among the other recognizable faces in minor league camp is veteran forward Lance Bouma. After missing almost all of last season due to injury, Bouma signed a PTO with the Los Angeles Kings and seemed like a dark horse candidate to earn a contract. The 29-year-old has a proven track record as a checking forward in the NHL and has flashed offense from time to time as well. However, the Kings opted to go with their younger options, but not before asking Bouma to take part in AHL camp with the Ontario Reign, the team announced. Bouma could still earn a spot with the organization yet. Talented young goaltender Hayden Hawkey surprisingly remains a free agent searching for a landing spot. The property of both the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers during his four years at Providence College, Hawkey nevertheless ended up without an NHL team after graduation and became a UFA in August. He recently took part in training camp with the Washington Capitals, but was cut. He will now join the Stockton Heat in camp, the team revealed, and could prove to be a sneaky addition to the organization for the Calgary Flames. Hawkey posted a 2.19 GAA or lower in each of his four dominant collegiate seasons. Finally, Connor Brickley seems determined to stay with the New York Rangers organization at all costs. Brickley, 27, is a big, capable bottom-six forward who performed well down the stretch for the Rangers last season following a deadline trade. However, New York would not commit to a contract extension for the former second-round pick. Instead, he accepted a PTO to join the team in camp. When that ended today with his release from Rangers camp, the team announced that he will still participate in minor league camp with the Hartford Wolfpack and could stay in the organization after all.
None of these players are likely happy with their current predicament, but if they work hard in camp and in the AHL regular season, the fastest way back to NHL relevance is through production and consistency at the minor league level. Even for veterans and especially for those still considered prospects, AHL training camp can still be a valuable stepping stone toward a return to the top level.
Training Camp Cuts: 09/22/19
Like always, we’ll keep track of all the training camp cuts right here. Keep checking back to see the updated list:
Arizona Coyotes (per team release)
F Brayden Burke (to Tucson, AHL)
F Jan Jenik (to Hamilton, OHL)
F Nicholas Merkley (to Tucson, AHL)
G Ivan Prosevtov (to Tucson, AHL)
F Tyler Steenbergen (to Tucson, AHL)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
D Axel Andersson (to Providence, AHL)
F Samuel Asselin (to Providence, AHL)
D Christopher Breen (to Providence, AHL)
D Wiley Sherman (to Providence, AHL)
D Alexey Solovyev (to Providence, AHL)
F Brendan Woods (to Providence, AHL)
D Cooper Zech (to Providence, AHL)
Buffalo Sabres (per team release)
F Eric Cornel (to Rochester, AHL)
F Sean Malone (to Rochester, AHL)
F Andrew Oglevie (to Rochester, AHL)
F Kyle Olson (to Rochester, AHL)
F Kevin Porter (to Rochester, AHL)
F C.J. Smith (to Rochester, AHL)
D Jacob Bryson (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Fitzgerald (to Rochester, AHL)
D Brandon Hickey (to Rochester, AHL)
D Zach Redmond (to Rochester, AHL)
D Devante Stephens (to Rochester, AHL)
G Andrew Hammond (to Rochester, AHL)
G Michael Houser (to Rochester, AHL)
G Jonas Johansson (to Rochester, AHL)
F Arttu Ruotsalainen (to Ilves, Finland)
Chicago Blackhawks (per team tweet, late Saturday)
G Kevin Lankinen (to Rockford, AHL)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
D Mark Alt (requires waivers, to Colorado, AHL)
F Erik Condra (to Colorado, AHL)
D Kevin Davis (to Colorado, AHL)
F Ty Lewis (to Colorado, AHL)
D Anton Lindholm (requires waivers, to Colorado, AHL)
D Nicolas Meloche (to Colorado, AHL)
D Peter Tischke (to Colorado, AHL)
G Adam Werner (to Colorado, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
G Matiss Kivlenieks (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Dillon Simpson (to Cleveland, AHL, pending waivers)
G Brad Thiessen (released from PTO, assigned to Cleveland, AHL)
Dallas Stars (per team release)
D Gavin Bayreuther (to Texas, AHL)
D Emil Djuse (to Texas, AHL)
F Tye Felhaber (to Texas, AHL)
D Ben Gleason (to Texas, AHL)
D Dillon Heatherington (to Texas, AHL, pending waivers)
F Tanner Kero (to Texas, AHL, pending waivers)
F Adam Mascherin (to Texas, AHL)
F Riley Tufte (to Texas, AHL)
F Stefan Noesen (released from PTO)
F Scottie Upshall (released from PTO)
Los Angeles Kings (per team release)
F Mason Bergh (released from PTO, assigned to Ontario, AHL)
F Lance Bouma (released from PTO, assigned to Ontario, AHL)
D Daniel Brickley (to Ontario, AHL)
D Kale Clague (to Ontario, AHL)
D Sean Durzi (to Ontario, AHL)
F Mikey Eyssimont (to Ontario, AHL)
D Max Gottlieb (released from PTO, assigned to Ontario, AHL)
F Boko Imama (to Ontario, AHL)
G Cole Kehler (to Ontario, AHL)
F Matt Luff (to Ontario, AHL)
F Brad Morrison (to Ontario, AHL)
D Markus Phillips (to Ontario, AHL)
D Chaz Reddekopp (to Ontario, AHL)
F Sheldon Rempal (to Ontario, AHL)
F Drake Rymsha (to Ontario, AHL)
F Johan Sodergran (to Ontario, AHL)
D Ryan Stanton (released from PTO, assigned to Ontario, AHL)
D Austin Strand (to Ontario, AHL)
F Brett Sutter (released from PTO, assigned to Ontario, AHL)
G Matthew Villalta (to Ontario, AHL)
Montreal Canadiens (per team release)
D Otto Leskinen (to Laval, AHL)
G Cayden Primeau (to Laval, AHL)
Nashville Predators (per team release)
D Frederic Allard (to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Ken Appleby (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Arvin Atwal (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Lukas Craggs (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Jeremy Davies (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Brandon Fortunato (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Josh Healy (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
G Connor Ingram (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Tanner Jeannot (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Zach Magwood (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Thomas Novak (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Mathieu Olivier (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Joe Pendenza (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Rem Pitlick (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Hugo Roy (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Scott Savage (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Cole Schneider (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Adam Smith (released from PTO, assigned to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Eeli Tolvanen (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Yakov Trenin (to Milwaukee, AHL)
F Josh Wilkins (to Milwaukee, AHL)
New Jersey Devils (per team release)
F Joey Anderson (to Binghamton, AHL)
G Evan Cormier (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Brandon Gignac (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Ludvig Larsson (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Mikhail Maltsev (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Michael Paliotta (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Nikita Popugaev (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Ryan Schmelzer (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Brett Seney (to Binghamton, AHL)
G Gilles Senn (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Yegor Sharangovich (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Colby Sissons (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Blake Speers (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Marion Studenic (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Colton White (to Binghamton, AHL)
F Fabian Zetterlund (to Binghamton, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (per team release, late Saturday)
G Joey Daccord (to Belleville, AHL)
F Jonathan Davidsson (to Belleville, AHL)
D Andreas Englund (to Belleville, AHL)
F Alex Formenton (to Belleville, AHL)
G Filip Gustavsson (to Belleville, AHL)
F Morgan Klimchuk (to Belleville, AHL)
F Joseph Labate (to Belleville, AHL)
D Maxime Lajoie (to Belleville, AHL)
D Jordan Murray (to Belleville, AHL)
F Josh Norris (to Belleville, AHL)
F Max Veronneau (to Belleville, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (via NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman)
D T.J. Brennan (cleared waivers, assigned to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Kyle Criscuolo (cleared waivers, assigned to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Alex Lyon (cleared waivers, assigned to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Nate Prosser (cleared waivers, assigned to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Reece Willcox (cleared waivers, assigned to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Tyler Wotherspoon (cleared waivers, assigned to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
G Evan Fitzpatrick (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Robby Jackson (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Dakota Joshua (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Mitch Reinke (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Mike Vecchione (to San Antonio, AHL)
Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)
F Alex Barre-Boulet (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Ross Colton (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Cory Conacher (cleared waivers, assigned to Syracuse, AHL)
F Nolan Foote (to Kelowna, WHL)
F Chris Mueller (cleared waivers, assigned to Syracuse, AHL)
F Otto Somppi (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Mitchell Stephens (to Syracuse, AHL)
Washington Capitals (per team release)
F Kristofers Bindulis (to Hershey, AHL)
F Tobias Geisser (to Hershey, AHL)
F Connor Hobbs (to Hershey, AHL)
F Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (to Hershey, AHL)
F Brett Leason (to Hershey, AHL)
F Philippe Maillet (to Hershey, AHL)
F Bobby Nardella (to Hershey, AHL)
F Garrett Pilon (to Hershey, AHL)
F Joe Snively (to Hershey, AHL)
Winnipeg Jets (per team tweet, late Saturday)
D Declan Chisholm (to Peterborough, OHL)
D Giovanni Vallati (to Oshawa, OHL)
Christian Wolanin Suffers Torn Labrum
Sept. 21: Garrioch notes that Wolanin underwent surgery on Friday. The updated injury timeline is four-to-six months.
Sept. 12: The Ottawa Senators can’t seem to escape training camp without injury. Last season Jean-Gabriel Pageau tore his Achilles during the physical testing, and today news came down that Christian Wolanin has suffered a torn labrum during an informal skate. According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, the young defenseman will be out a minimum of four months.
Wolanin, 24, was an exciting player for the Senators coming into camp, ready to make an impact on the blueline after playing in 30 games for the team last season. The former University of North Dakota standout had 12 points in those 30 games but was a force for the Belleville Senators in the AHL. Even with the additions of Nikita Zaitsev and Ron Hainsey, the Senators still could have used Wolanin in a full-time role this season but will now have to find a different option.
This certainly doesn’t end the young defenseman’s career, but it will steal a good chunk of development time in the NHL. Luckily for the Senators he is under contract for another season after 2019-20, or he likely would qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency next summer. Wolanin has just 40 games under his belt so far and will turn 25 in March.
Training Camp Cuts: 09/20/19
Like always, we’ll keep track of all the training camp cuts right here. It is important to note that today is the first day teams can place players on waivers for the 2019-20 season, meaning a flood of moves will likely come in over the next few days. Keep checking back to see the updated list:
Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)
F Nathan Noel (to Rockford, AHL)
F Graham Knott (to Rockford, AHL)
F Tim Soderlund (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan McLaughlin (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kris Versteeg (to Rockford, AHL)
F Tyler Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)
D Chad Krys (to Rockford, AHL)
D Jack Ramsey (to Rockford, AHL)
D Jake Ryczek (to Rockford, AHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Egor Sokolov (released from PTO)
Dallas Stars (per team release)
F Tony Calderone (to Texas, AHL)
F Josh Melnick (to Texas, AHL)
D John Nyberg (to Texas, AHL)
D Ondrej Vala (to Texas, AHL)
G Colton Point (to Texas, AHL)
F Diego Cuglietta (released from ATO)
F Parker MacKay (released from ATO)
D Tanner Jago (released from ATO)
F Corey Elkins (released from PTO)
F Brad McClure (released from PTO)
F Anthony Nellis (released from PTO)
G Tomas Sholl (released from PTO
Edmonton Oilers (per team release)
F Tyler Benson (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Cameron Hebig (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Kirill Maksimov (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Cooper Marody (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Ryan McLeod (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
F Anthony Peluso (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
D Caleb Jones (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
D Dmitri Samorukov (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
G Dylan Wells (to Bakersfiled, AHL)
Minnesota Wild (per team release)
F Will Bitten (to Iowa, AHL)
F Connor Dewar (to Iowa, AHL)
F Brandon Duhaime (to Iowa, AHL)
F Ivan Lodnia (to Iowa, AHL)
F Dmitry Sokolov (to Iowa, AHL)
D Brennan Menell (to Iowa, AHL)
D Stepan Falkovsky (to Iowa, AHL)
G Dereck Baribeau (to Iowa, AHL)
G Kaapo Kakhonen (to Iowa, AHL)
G Mat Robson (to Iowa, AHL)
F Alexander Khovanov (to Moncton, QMJHL)
F Olivier Archambault (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
F Kyle Bauman (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
F Mitch McLain (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
F Tyler Sheehy (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
D Nicholas Boka (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
D Alex Breton (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
D Jack Sadek (released from PTO, will report to AHL training camp)
New York Rangers (per team release)
F Jake Elmer (to Hartford, AHL)
D Brandon Crawley (to Hartford, AHL)
D Vincent LoVerde (to Hartford, AHL)
D Darren Raddysh (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (per team release)
D Maxence Guenette (to Val-d’Or, QMJHL)
F Tristan Scherwey (to Bern, NLA)
F J.C. Beaudin (to Belleville, AHL)
F Michael Carcone (to Belleville, AHL)
F Mark Kastelic (to Belleville, AHL)
F Jack Rodewald (to Belleville, AHL)
F Andrew Sturtz (to Belleville, AHL)
D Jonathan Aspirot (to Belleville, AHL)
D Nick Ebert (to Belleville, AHL)
D Hubert Labrie (to Belleville, AHL)
Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to waivers on 09/21)
D Tyler Wotherspoon (to waivers on 09/21)
D Nate Prosser (to waivers on 09/21)
D T.J. Brennan (to waivers on 09/21)
D Reece Wilcox (to waivers on 09/21)
F Cal O’Reilly (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Greg Carey (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Maksim Sushko (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Gerry Fitzgerald (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F David Kase (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Pascal Laberge (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Isaac Ratcliffe (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Matthew Strome (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
F Rob Michel (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D David Drake (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Josh Couturier (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Felix Sandstrom (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Kirill Ustimenko (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)
F Chase Berger (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Jordy Bellerive (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Jan Drozg (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
F Ben Sexton (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Matt Abt (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Michael Kim (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Jon Lizotte (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Alex D’Orio (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Dustin Tokarski (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
D Calen Addison (to Lethbridge, WHL)
St. Louis Blues (per team release)
F Cameron Darcy (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Zach Nastasiuk (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Evan Polei (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Nolan Stevens (to San Antonio, AHL)
F Alexei Toropchenko (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Jake Christiansen (to San Antonio, AHL)
D Rob O’Gara (to San Antonio, AHL)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)
F Paul Cotter (to Chicago, AHL)
F Lucas Elvenes (to Chicago, AHL)
F Ben Jones (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jake Leschyshyn (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jermaine Loewen (released from ATO, assigned to Chicago, AHL)
F Tye McGinn (to Chicago, AHL)
F Gage Quinney (to Chicago, AHL)
F Jonas Rondbjerg (to Chicago, AHL)
D Brayden Pachal (to Chicago, AHL)
Snapshots: Rantanen, Slater, Abramov
The Colorado Avalanche have been in the headlines constantly thanks to their ongoing negotiations (or lack thereof) with Mikko Rantanen, and today more information came out about the contract talks. Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic reports (subscription required) that the Avalanche are trying to secure a six- to eight-year deal that would carry an average annual value somewhere between $8.4MM and $8.75MM. A three-year term with a $9.5MM cap hit would be a “non-starter” for the Avalanche according to Clark, and that the goal is still to get the young forward signed long-term.
Rantanen’s agent recently posed a comparison between his client and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who notably signed a six-year deal as well. Unfortunately for the Avalanche, Marner’s cap hit came in at $10.893MM, quite a bit higher than the reported numbers Colorado is looking for. The Avalanche begin their season on Thursday, October 3rd.
- The Washington Capitals have hired former NHL forward Jim Slater, adding him to their player development department. Slater spent the last four seasons in Switzerland and announced his retirement earlier this summer. A first-round pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2002, Slater played 584 games in the NHL and recorded 138 points.
- The Montreal Canadiens aren’t the only Canadian team with a young forward dealing with a concussion. Vitaly Abramov of the Ottawa Senators has suffered a concussion as well according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, obviously putting the rest of his training camp in jeopardy. The 21-year old forward made his NHL debut last year after a trade brought him to Ottawa, and was expected to compete for a spot this season.