West Notes: Canucks, Yurov, Labanc
Following last week’s signing of Pius Suter, the Canucks find themselves even further above the $83.5MM cap ceiling with more than $88MM in commitments per CapFriendly and with a surplus of forwards. Thomas Drance of The Athletic examines (subscription link) how Vancouver can get cap-compliant even with Tanner Pearson’s potential return from LTIR. It would require carrying a 22-man roster instead of the maximum of 23 and would require at least three players to go on waivers, one of which needs to make at least $1.15MM. That would give them less than $150K in wiggle room, however, so it wouldn’t be surprising if GM Patrik Allvin looks to make a move or two to try to give themselves at least a bit of flexibility.
More from the Western Conference:
- Minnesota is open to trying to turn prospect Danila Yurov into a center down the road, relays NHL.com’s Jessi Pierce. The 19-year-old was a first-round pick (22nd overall) by the Wild last year and is set to remain with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL next season before coming to North America. Generally speaking, teams often allow center prospects to develop on the wing to start so it might take some time before Minnesota determines whether this is an experiment worth pursuing. However, finding and developing an impact young middleman has proven to be a challenge in recent years so if Yurov could be up to the task down the road, he’d help fill a big organizational void.
- With the Sharks adding four forwards to their roster this summer, there aren’t many openings up front for prospects. One idea to open up a spot would be to waive and demote frequent speculative trade candidate Kevin Labanc but Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News believes that option would be a far-fetched one. The 27-year-old is entering the final year of his contract which carries a $4.725MM AAV. Labanc has shown he can still produce after notching 15 goals in 72 games last season although that’s not a great return on their investment. San Jose has one salary retention slot remaining for 2023-24 and burying Labanc in the minors for any period of time would likely hurt their chances of moving him with 50% retention later in the year.
Predators Prospect Alexander Campbell Transfers To Northeastern
Predators prospect Alexander Campbell is on the move. After spending his first three seasons at Clarkson, Northeastern University announced (Twitter link) that the forward will suit up for the Huskies in 2023-24.
The 22-year-old was a third-round pick by Nashville back in 2019 (65th overall) after a strong season with Victoria of the BCHL. Campbell spent the following year with USHL Omaha before making the jump to the collegiate level in 2020-21.
Over his three seasons with Clarkson, Campbell was quite productive. He notched 17 points in just 22 games in his freshman year before following that up with 16 goals and 17 assists in 37 contests in 2021-22. Last year, he wasn’t quite able to reach those numbers but still finished third in team scoring with 14 goals and a dozen helpers in 34 contests.
His success with Clarkson makes it a bit surprising that Campbell has opted to transfer for his senior year. He is one of just two NHL-drafted forwards with Northeastern for the upcoming season so he’ll undoubtedly have a significant role which could be worth his while as he looks to earn an entry-level deal from the Preds by June 1st, 2024.
Flyers Prospect Alex Bump Commits To Western Michigan
While he had originally committed to play at Vermont, Flyers prospect Alex Bump has already transferred before playing a single game. Sam Carchidi of Philly Hockey Now relays that the winger will now play for Western Michigan next season. The reason for the transfer pertained to Vermont dismissing head coach Todd Woodcroft earlier this summer.
The 19-year-old was selected in the fifth round last year (133rd overall) after splitting the season between the Minnesota high school level and Omaha of the USHL. His performance with Prior Lake High earned him USA Today’s Hockey Player of the Year honors that season.
Bump then spent last year with the Lancers for part of the campaign before being dealt to Tri-City back in February. Between the two teams, he picked up 14 goals and 19 assists in 48 games.
It has been a successful summer on the transfer front for the Broncos. Bump is the fourth NHL-drafted player to transfer there in recent months, joining forwards Sam Colangelo (Anaheim), Ethan Phillips (Detroit), and Matteo Costantini (Buffalo).
August Free Agency Update: Atlantic Division
As even most mid-tier free agents are now off the market, it’s a good time to look at how each team has fared on the free agent market this offseason. We’re publishing a list of one-way signings (i.e., likelier to start the season on the NHL roster) by team, per division, to keep you updated on NHL player movement since the new league year began on July 1.
Asterisked players denote a restricted free agent. Double-asterisked players denote the contract starts in the 2024-25 season. First up is the Atlantic Division:
Boston Bruins
*G Jeremy Swayman (one year, $3.475MM cap hit)
*F Trent Frederic (two years, $2.3MM cap hit)
F Morgan Geekie (two years, $2MM cap hit)
D Kevin Shattenkirk (one year, $1.05MM cap hit)
F James van Riemsdyk (one year, $1MM cap hit)
F Milan Lucic (one year, 35+ contract, $1MM cap hit)
F Patrick Brown (two years, $800K cap hit)
*D Ian Mitchell (one year, $775K cap hit)
F Jesper Boqvist (one year, $775K cap hit)
Buffalo Sabres
D Connor Clifton (three years, $3.333MM cap hit)
D Erik Johnson (one year, 35+ contract, $3.25MM cap hit)
F Tyson Jost (one year, $2MM cap hit)
Detroit Red Wings
*F Alex DeBrincat (four years, $7.875MM cap hit)
F J.T. Compher (five years, $5.1MM cap hit)
D Shayne Gostisbehere (one year, $4.125MM cap hit)
D Justin Holl (three years, $3.4MM cap hit)
F Klim Kostin (two years, $2MM cap hit)
F Daniel Sprong (one year, $2MM cap hit)
G James Reimer (one year, 35+ contract, $1.5MM cap hit)
F Christian Fischer (one year, $1.125MM cap hit)
D Gustav Lindström (one year, $950K cap hit)
G Alex Lyon (two years, $900K cap hit)
Florida Panthers
F Evan Rodrigues (four years, $3MM cap hit)
**F Eetu Luostarinen (three years, $3MM cap hit)
D Niko Mikkola (three years, $2.5MM cap hit)
D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (one year, $2.25MM cap hit)
G Anthony Stolarz (one year, $1.1MM cap hit)
D Mike Reilly (one year, $1MM cap hit)
D Dmitry Kulikov (one year, $1MM cap hit)
F Kevin Stenlund (one year, $1MM cap hit)
*F Grigori Denisenko (two years, $775K cap hit)
Montreal Canadiens
*F Alex Newhook (four years, $2.9MM cap hit)
*F Rafaël Harvey-Pinard (two years, $1.1MM cap hit)
Ottawa Senators
F Vladimir Tarasenko (one year, $5MM cap hit)
G Joonas Korpisalo (five years, $4MM cap hit)
*D Erik Brännström (one year, $2MM cap hit)
D Travis Hamonic (two years, $1.1MM cap hit)
*D Jacob Bernard-Docker (two years, $805K cap hit)
F Zack MacEwen (three years, $775K cap hit)
Tampa Bay Lightning
*F Tanner Jeannot (two years, $2.665MM cap hit)
F Conor Sheary (three years, $2MM cap hit)
F Josh Archibald (two years, $800K cap hit)
F Luke Glendening (two years, $800K cap hit)
G Jonas Johansson (two years, $775K cap hit)
D Calvin de Haan (one year, $775K cap hit)
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Tyler Bertuzzi (one year, $5.5MM cap hit)
D John Klingberg (one year, $4.15MM cap hit)
*G Ilya Samsonov (one year, $3.55MM cap hit)
F Max Domi (one year, $3MM cap hit)
F Ryan Reaves (three years, 35+ contract, $1.35MM cap hit)
G Martin Jones (one year, $875K cap hit)
F Dylan Gambrell (one year, $775K cap hit)
Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly
Minor Transactions: 08/14/23
NHL signings are slowing to a grinding halt as we enter the middle of August, but there’s still a handful of notable AHL and European transactions to sift through as rookie camps draw closer. Here’s a listing of noteworthy minor transactions for August 14, 2023:
- 2013 Columbus Blue Jackets fourth-round pick Nick Moutrey is on the move in Europe for a third straight season, signing a one-year deal with French club Angers in the Ligue Magnus, according to an Instagram post from the team. Moutrey never did make his NHL debut but played six seasons and over 250 games in the AHL, last suiting up in North America for the Texas Stars in 2020-21. Since then, he’s played in Finland and Denmark, where he recorded seven goals, nine assists and 16 points in 18 games for Rungsted Seier Capital in 2022-23. In France, he joins a name Montreal Canadiens fans will recognize – 2014 first-round pick Nikita Scherbak is suiting up for Angers next season after splitting the last two campaigns between Czechia and Slovakia.
- The AHL’s San Diego Gulls signed a pair of players to minor-league deals today, per a team release. The first is defenseman Andy Carroll, who spent the last five games of 2022-23 on a tryout with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, recording one assist. He just wrapped up a five-year tenure with Minnesota State University Mankato, where he recorded 25 points in 39 games last season. The 26-year-old is a likely candidate for an ECHL assignment with the Tulsa Oilers, given the multitude of Ducks prospects slated for ice time in San Diego next season.
- San Diego also signed forward Kyle Crnkovic, who was a member of last season’s Seattle Thunderbirds team that won the WHL championship. The 21-year-old undrafted free agent actually saw his stock dip significantly last season on a deep Thunderbirds team, posting 68 points in 67 games after exploding for 94 points in 68 games with the Saskatoon Blades the year before. He’ll need to try and build out his 5-foot-7, 165-pound frame if he wants to make a mark in the pros.
- The Buffalo Sabres’ minor-league affiliate added some forward depth today as the Rochester Americans signed center Christopher Brown to a minor-league deal. The son of long-time NHL forward Doug Brown and the brother of Boston Bruins center Patrick Brown, the 27-year-old has secured his first AHL contract since 2019-20 after spending the last three seasons primarily in the ECHL with the Jacksonville Icemen. He led the team in scoring last season with 24 goals, 40 assists and 64 points in 72 games. If he fails to crack the Rochester roster, he’ll be assigned back to Jacksonville, as they’ve entered a new affiliation agreement with Buffalo and Rochester this season.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Rodion Amirov Passes Away At 21
Tragically, Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Rodion Amirov has passed away at the age of 21 after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor two years ago. His agent, Dan Milstein, announced the news Monday afternoon.
“From the moment he received the news, he refused to speak in the negative, determined to enjoy every day, facing it with the same positive attitude he showed during his hockey career,” Milstein said. “We will always remember his courage, his desire, his will, his smile, all of the great things about him. We’d like to thank his doctors, who took great care of him. We’d like to thank the Toronto Maple Leafs and his KHL – Salavat Yulayev Ufa team. Both did everything possible to help in any way, do whatever was necessary for Rodion and the Amirov family. And we’d like to thank hockey fans all over the world who sent notes of encouragement and best wishes over the past two years. They meant so much to the Amirov family.”
Born in Salavat, Russia, Amirov developed through the Yulayev Ufa system, culminating in a strong draft year in 2019-20. There, he registered two assists through 21 KHL games during his first pro experience and excelled in the Russian junior circuit, scoring 22 points in 17 games for Salavat’s MHL affiliate, Tolpar Ufa. It culminated in a first-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, and Toronto took him off the draft board with the 15th overall pick. He gained a more extensive KHL role the following season, scoring nine goals, four assists and 13 points in 39 games for Ufa in 2020-21. He also was named to Russia’s roster for the 2021 World Juniors, where he served as an alternate captain and led the team in scoring with six points in seven games. After the strong post-draft showing, Toronto signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract the following summer.
After playing ten games with Salavat to open the 2021-22 campaign, however, Amirov sustained an unrelated injury, and he developed further symptoms during the recovery period. The Maple Leafs then announced in February 2022 that Amirov had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, ending his season as he underwent treatment in Germany.
Amirov then recovered enough to travel to Toronto for last season’s Hockey Fights Cancer night in November, appearing during the pre-game ceremonies. Unfortunately, after the event, Amirov had to pause training and undergo additional treatments. He had been working out that summer with both Salavat and Toronto, aiming to return to play sometime during 2022-23 – a true testament to the positive outlook Milstein referenced in his statement.
We at PHR are incredibly saddened by this news and extend our deepest condolences to the Amirov family and anyone inside or outside the hockey community affected by cancer.
Snapshots: Senators, Southeast Rookie Showcase, Makar
The sale of the Ottawa Senators to Toronto billionaire Michael Andlauer is in its final stages, with the $950MM deal set to be completed by next month, according to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The NHL aims to have the agreement signed by the end of this month or early September. Andlauer, 57, is expected to meet with the NHL’s executive committee, led by Gary Bettman and Bill Daly, for approval, followed by a conference call with the NHL’s board of governors which requires a two-thirds majority vote but is expected to be unanimous, says Garrioch. His partners in the deal include Anna and Olivia Melnyk, local businessman Jeff York, the Ottawa real estate-based Malhotra family, Toronto-based investment group Yorkville Asset Management, and others.
Once approved, Andlauer’s ownership of the Senators is expected to be a smooth transition – per Garrioch, he’s kept in continuous contact with Senators governor Sheldon Plener and has kept in touch with Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion throughout the sale process. Garrioch also expects former Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson to have a role in the team’s player development post-sale. There’s additional speculation about former Senators president Cyril Leeder returning to the role, as Anthony LeBlanc recently resigned as the club’s president of business operations.
Elsewhere from around the NHL this morning:
- Another rookie showcase-type tournament before training camps start has been confirmed. The Florida Panthers are hosting a four-team tournament including themselves, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Nashville Predators from September 15 to 18 at the Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida, home of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. While not set in stone nor publicized, players with less than three seasons of pro experience and less than 50 NHL games under their belts are generally eligible to participate in rookie tournaments, although eligibility rules are set individually league-wide by tournament organizers.
- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is landing on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 24, set for release in October. It’s the first such nod for the 2022 Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe winner. The 24-year-old is the first defenseman on the game’s cover in five years – Nashville Predators defender P.K. Subban was the last one, appearing on the NHL 19 cover. He becomes the third Avalanche to get the nod, succeeding Peter Forsberg on NHL 98 and Joe Sakic on NHL 2004.
Jets Notes: Hellebuyck, Scheifele, Stanley, Chisholm
Things have been quiet on the Connor Hellebuyck trade rumors front over the past few weeks. No teams have made serious offers for the pending UFA’s services since he reportedly informed interested teams he desired a $9.5MM AAV on a long-term extension. Without a trade in place, the Jets haven’t shut the door completely on trying to extend their franchise netminder. In a mailbag today, Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe says he believes Winnipeg has made a short-term, two-to-three-year extension offer to Hellebuyck, although it’s not something he suspects Hellebuyck’s camp would ever agree to.
Hellebuyck reportedly told Winnipeg he was unwilling to sign an extension in June, giving the Jets plenty of time to work out a deal. The team has had some interesting roster turnover this summer, though, getting a nice return package for Pierre-Luc Dubois that arguably upgraded their team in the short term. With a Western Conference that’s routinely anyone’s game aside from the few top dogs, it’s not out of the question the Jets return to the postseason in 2024 – maybe even with a better-equipped squad. As each day passes, it seems increasingly likely Hellebuyck will at least start next season in a Jets uniform. His primary goal remains winning a championship, so if Winnipeg can get off to a strong start with new faces in the fold, expect them to make a bigger push to keep Hellebuyck around after all.
Some other notes on the Jets from Wiebe:
- Speculatively, Wiebe threw some cold water on the idea of trading first-line center Mark Scheifele to the Boston Bruins, citing Boston’s tight salary cap picture and the uncertainty surrounding Hellebuyck as reasons why. With Scheifele’s less exorbitant demands on an extension, he’s likely the easier of the two to trade if they do reach that point. Also a pending UFA, Scheifele currently carries a cap hit of $6.125MM and is coming off a career-high 42 goals in 2022-23. Considering all the moving parts involved in a potential trade with the Bruins, it makes sense the Jets would rather wait and see what a potential Hellebuyck return brings them before discussing a Scheifele deal.
- Wiebe also believes the Jets may indeed sign RFA defenseman Logan Stanley before potentially honoring his trade request. As he notes, it’ll be a tough fit for Stanley to get consistent NHL time with Winnipeg next season after Dylan Samberg surpassed him on the depth chart last year. The 2016 first-round pick isn’t in line for a large raise, either, meaning it’s likely inconsequential if he signs a contract for 2023-24 with the Jets or if he signs with a new team after they trade for his signing rights. Stanley was eligible for salary arbitration this summer but opted not to file. He played in just 19 games for Winnipeg last season, recording three points and a 45.9% Corsi for at even strength while averaging just 13:43 per game.
- Similarly, Wiebe thinks the Jets haven’t agreed to minor-league defender Declan Chisholm on a new deal yet, thanks to the latter’s desire for a one-way contract. Chisholm has just a pair of NHL games to his name but excelled in the minors with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose last season, posting 43 points in 59 games and earning an AHL All-Star nod in the process. The 23-year-old defenseman may very well get claimed on waivers if the Jets sign him and attempt to send him back to Manitoba after a strong camp, though, so Chisholm is likely to earn an NHL salary next season regardless, although a two-way deal would remove that guarantee.
IIHF Upholds Ivan Fedotov’s Contract With Flyers
The IIHF has ruled netminder Ivan Fedotov has a valid NHL contract with the Philadelphia Flyers for 2023-24, upholding the tolled deal originally signed for the 2022-23 campaign. Fedotov had signed an entry-level deal with the Flyers last summer but was prohibited from coming to North America to complete required military service in Russia. He then signed a two-year contract with KHL club CSKA Moskva in July, causing the Flyers to file a dispute with the IIHF.
In doing so, the IIHF determined both Fedotov and CSKA violated the organization’s International Transfer Regulations, resulting in sanctions and suspensions for both. The IIHF suspended Fedotov from appearing in any “official national and international games during playing periods” from September 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, keeping him out of a Russian uniform for that time. It’s unclear whether that suspension affects his eligibility to play for the Flyers, which his agent, JP Barry, said Fedotov would do if the IIHF ruled in their favor. The suspension was doled out as a result of Fedotov not obtaining a release from the Flyers within two weeks of signing with CSKA (or returning to Philadelphia and leaving CSKA) within two weeks of the KHL registering his contract.
CSKA also received a significant sanction from the international governing body, prohibiting them from making any international transfers for one year until August 10, 2024. It’s a powerful blow to one of the best professional teams outside the NHL, whose pool of potential talent has shrunk in a big way for the short term.
What’s for certain is Fedotov’s entry-level deal carrying a $925K cap hit is now officially on the Flyers’ books for next season. After three incredibly strong seasons in the KHL, culminating in a goalie of the year award in 2022 after he posted a 2.00 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 26 games for CSKA, he’ll now compete for playing time in a crowded Flyers crease that includes Carter Hart, Calvin Petersen, Felix Sandström, and Samuel Ersson. Fedotov does not require waivers to be assigned to the AHL, something Philadelphia has full power to do.
Based on pure ability, Fedotov is likely the second-best netminder under contract with Philadelphia right now and deserves a look at the backup role behind Hart if eligible. However, it’s important to note he hasn’t played pro hockey in a year, thanks to his military service. The Flyers will need to scout him closely at camp before determining what their goalie depth chart looks like to begin 2023-24.
David Krejci Officially Announces Retirement
Following up on reports from earlier in the month, Boston Bruins center David Krejci officially announced his retirement this morning via a statement issued on the team’s Twitter/X account. With Krejci confirming the news, 2023-24 marks the first time neither Krejci nor Patrice Bergeron will be in the Bruins’ lineup since 2005-06.
He didn’t specifically say he was retiring from hockey in general, just the NHL. It means a return to play in the Czech Extraliga as he did in 2021-22 is still possible but not a given. What’s clear is that as the 37-year-old steps away from the Bruins for a second time, a return is no longer in the cards. He’ll retire with the fourth-most points from the 2004 NHL Draft class after being selected 63rd overall by the Bruins, trailing only Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Blake Wheeler, who were all selected in the top five.
After coming to North America and playing two seasons of junior hockey with the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques post-draft, Krejci got his first taste of NHL action with a six-game stint in 2006-07 after lighting up the AHL for 74 points in 69 games during his first pro season. He made the team out of camp the following season but was demoted back to AHL Providence in early November after recording three assists through his first 12 games. Krejci again dominated in the minors, posting 28 points in his next 25 games, leading to another call-up to the Bruins at the end of December 2007. He never looked back.
While it wasn’t technically his rookie season, as he played 56 games in 2007-08, 2008-09 was Krejci’s first campaign without an AHL assignment. He immediately burst onto the scene along with the rest of the team. At 22 years old, Krejci finished second on the team behind Marc Savard in assists (51) and points (73) while leading the team with a +37 rating, a campaign good enough to place him sixth in Selke Trophy voting. It was a statement season for the Bruins, who posted 116 points en route to their best regular season since the mid-1970s and entered a long, fruitful era of relatively consistent Stanley Cup contention with Krejci and Bergeron locked in down the middle. The breakout lined up with the end of his entry-level contract, and then-GM Peter Chiarelli rewarded him with a three-year, $3.75MM AAV bridge deal (equivalent to a $5.52MM AAV with today’s salary cap).
Krejci never won any individual accolades over the following 13 seasons, but he did become one of the most consistent players in the league. Save for lockouts and injury-shortened campaigns, Krejci produced at a clip of at least 50 points per year over an 82-game season for the remainder of his career. His crowning achievement, however, is undoubtedly his performance in the Bruins’ runs to the 2011 and 2013 Stanley Cup Finals. Winning in 2011, he led the league in playoff scoring with 12 goals and 23 points in 25 games but fell short of winning the Conn Smythe Trophy thanks to goalie Tim Thomas‘ heroics (.940 SV%, 1.98 GAA, 4 SO). He followed that up again by leading the league with 17 assists and 26 points in 22 playoff games in 2013, but the Bruins fell short to the Chicago Blackhawks in dramatic fashion in Game 6, conceding two goals in the final 1:16 of the game at home.
After another bridge deal from Chiarelli in 2011 to keep him in Boston through 2014-15, Chiarelli signed Krejci to a contract extension for the third time in 2014. This time, he gave him a six-year, $7.25MM AAV deal that gave the Czech center his biggest payday and kept him from hitting unrestricted free agency the following summer. It was after that deal expired in 2021 that Krejci somewhat unexpectedly took time away from the league, returning home at age 35 on a one-year deal with HC Olomouc and recording 20 goals, 26 assists and 46 points in 51 games. He didn’t achieve his goal of winning a league championship with Olomouc, but he did record 12 points in ten games for Czechia at the World Championship en route to a bronze medal.
He returned to Boston last season on a one-year, bonus-laden deal worth $3MM with a cap hit of just $1MM. In doing so, he spent the final season of his career playing a pivotal role on the best regular-season team in NHL history. Holding down the second-line center spot behind Bergeron as he had for so many years, his line with Pavel Zacha and David Pastrnak was key to Boston’s success. They played the most minutes together of any three-man unit for the Bruins (444 minutes, per MoneyPuck), and Krejci notched 16 goals and 40 assists for 56 points in 70 games in his final season wearing a black and gold sweater. Reunited with a pair of Czechs, the Bruins finally gave Krejci the support on the wings he’d deserved – a move that paid off as Pastrnak exploded for his first 60-goal campaign.
Krejci completes his NHL career with 231 goals, 555 assists and 786 points in 1,032 games. He added a career +166 rating, 43 game-winning goals, 53.1% Corsi for at even strength, and averaged 17:50 per game. He sits fifth in Bruins history in games played, trailing only Bergeron, Don Sweeney, Johnny Bucyk, and Ray Bourque. He also ends his career as fifth in assists as a Bruin and ninth in points.
PHR congratulates Krejci on a legendary and successful stint as a core player for an Original Six franchise – something that may very well earn him Hall of Fame consideration in the coming years.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.