San Jose Sharks Reassign Martin Kaut
The San Jose Sharks announced today that forward Martin Kaut has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. The move comes just after Kaut registered an assist in the Sharks’ 4-3 overtime victory against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Kaut’s reassignment is somewhat surprising given the strong form he has displayed in recent games. Since his March 18th recall, Kaut has scored four points in six games, seeing his ice time rise to over 18 minutes on two occasions.
Acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Ryan Merkley in a swap of underachieving 2018 first-round picks, (the deal also involved two other players) Kaut has fit in quite well wherever he’s been assigned in the Sharks organization.
In the AHL, Kaut has scored 13 points in 15 games for the Barracuda, and his overall total for the Sharks is five points in nine games. While he has just 11 career points in 56 games, the Sharks were intrigued enough by what Kaut could bring to the table to surrender Merkley, a player who was once the team’s top defensive prospect.
While it’s still too early to tell if the swap will ultimately pay off for GM Mike Grier, it’s impossible to be anything but encouraged by how Kaut has been playing. Now back with the Barracuda, he’ll be expected to take an important, top-of-the-lineup role as the team looks to close out what has been an uneven AHL campaign.
This reassignment obviously hurts the 23-year-old’s ability to get a few more productive NHL games on his resume before his contract expires over the summer and he hits restricted free agency. But if he can continue to play well in the AHL, he will likely head into offseason negotiations on stronger footing than he entered the year on.
AHL Shuffle: 3/31/23
The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled forward Radim Zohorna on an emergency recall, according to CapFriendly. Zohorna was acquired from the Calgary Flames for forward Dryden Hunt, having suited up for eight games with the Flames. He posted strong numbers in the AHL, with 31 points in 46 games between the Calgary Wranglers and Toronto Marlies.
Zohorna’s recall gives the leaves a hulking presence at center, as he stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 220 pounds. He has 10 points in 33 career games at the NHL level.
- The Dallas Stars have loaned goaltender Scott Wedgewood to the Texas Stars on a conditioning assignment, the team announced on Twitter. Wedgewood has not played for Dallas since Feb. 18, and will likely play a few games in the AHL before joining the NHL squad as it gears up for a playoff run. In 18 games with Dallas this season, Wedgewood sports a .913 save percentage and 2.92 GAA.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent down defenseman Marcus Bjork to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, according to CapFriendly.Bjork, 25, has seen his first taste of NHL action with Columbus this season, recording 11 points (3G, 8A) in 28 games. He has actually been more productive in the NHL, as he has 13 points in 40 games at the AHL level. As Columbus has had a tough season from the get-go, the slight emergence of Bjork is a bright spot for a team that has not had much go its way this season.
Calgary Wranglers Sign Mark Duarte To ATO
The Calgary Wranglers of the AHL announced the signing of Mark Duarte to an amateur tryout contract.
Duarte, 20, recently completed his final season in the OHL, as the undrafted forward notched 48 points (20G, 28A) in 65 games for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He also played two seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs, but did not see action in the canceled 2020-21 season.
After a productive overage season, Duarte will get the opportunity to join a Wranglers team that currently sits at the top of the AHL standings. If he is able to show that his offensive improvement in the OHL can translate, Duarte could be on a path to carving out a role for himself in the professional ranks.
Mason Lohrei Signs ATO With Providence Bruins
Defenseman Mason Lohrei has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Providence Bruins of the AHL. The Boston Bruins announced the signing via Twitter.
The 6-4, 209 pound blueliner was a second round pick, No. 58 overall, in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He will join the AHL Bruins for the remainder of the season playing for one of the league’s best teams.
Lohrei, 22, recently completed his sophomore season at Ohio State University, scoring 32 points (4G, 28A) in 40 games. He recorded 29 points in 31 games as a freshman in 2021-22, and now looks to take that offensive production into the pro ranks.
Lohrei has the size that NHL teams still covet for their blueline, and a player of such size with a bit of an offensive flair makes him an intriguing prospect to watch moving forward. As he irons out his contract with the Boston Bruins, he can get his feet wet in pro hockey for a Providence Bruins team looking to make a run at the Calder Cup.
The Boston Bruins are in an ideal situation for prospect development, as their AHL affiliate has been a top-five team in the league this season while the NHL’s Bruins have already clinched the Presidents Trophy for this season. Allowing Lohrei to jump into a playoff race at the start of his pro career will only serve as an added benefit for the young defenseman.
Marco Kasper Coming To North America
March 31: Late last night, the Red Wings officially recalled Kasper from Rogle, meaning he’ll immediately join the NHL team instead of reporting to the minors.
March 29: The Detroit Red Wings organization is getting a little stronger in the coming days, as Marco Kasper is set to come over from Europe now that his SHL season has ended. His club, Rogle, reports that Kasper will join the Red Wings “as early as this week,” though he didn’t specify whether he’ll go to Detroit or report to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL.
Kasper, 18, was the eighth overall pick in the 2022 draft and scored 23 points in 52 regular season games for Rogle this season. In nine playoff games, he added three points, and will now get a chance to make his professional debut on this side of the pond.
Since he already signed his entry-level contract, Kasper is eligible to play at either level – and since the Red Wings only have nine games remaining, there’s no threat of burning the first year of his deal. The young forward can get his feet wet and then play full-time in North America next season, if the Red Wings deem him ready.
Otherwise, his contract with Rogle extends through 2024-25, and he could return to Sweden for another year of development. Either way, he has done nothing but impress since being drafted so high, and looks like another future star for the Red Wings to bring along.
New Jersey Devils Sign Josh Filmon To Entry-Level Contract
2022 NHL Draft pick Josh Filmon has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils, the team announced early Friday morning. The contract begins in 2023-24, and he will report to the AHL’s Utica Comets on an amateur tryout for the remainder of 2022-23.
The Devils selected Filmon, now 19 years old, with the 166th overall pick in 2022. The left winger’s most appealing aspect is his shot, as evidenced by his team-leading 47 goals in 64 games with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos this season.
While he’ll report to Utica for the end of the season, he won’t stay there through next year. He’s still ineligible for assignment to the AHL, given his age, and would need to be returned to Swift Current next season if he doesn’t make the Devils out of camp — an overwhelmingly likely scenario. This would slide the beginning of his entry-level contract to 2024-25.
Filmon’s potential grew far past that of a sixth-round pick this season, demonstrated by his season goal-scoring breakout only one season after being drafted. While it will be a few years before Filmon is looking at consistent NHL ice time, he projects as a legitimate middle-six scoring winger if he can hit his NHL ceiling.
Injury Notes: Savard, Teravainen, Fiala
The Montreal Canadiens announced David Savard would not play tonight. The veteran defenseman took warmup ahead of the Habs game against the Florida Panthers, but was ruled out after leaving the ice ahead of the rest of his teammates. The team tweeted out that Savard is dealing with a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day.
Savard plays a big role on the Canadiens blue line, as he is second on the team in average ice time. The 32 year old plays a top four role at even strength and is a key contributor to the team’s penalty killing unit as well. The Canadiens have dealt with a plethora of injuries this season, and Savard is just the next victim to the injury bug in Montreal.
- Carolina Hurricanes winger Teuvo Teravainen will not play tonight, the team announced via Twitter. The 28 year old is not having his typical production, as he has scored 12 goals and 36 points in 63 games. The skilled Finnish forward is often closer to a point-per-game pace and with Max Pacioretty and Andrei Svechnikov out long term, the Hurricanes need a healthy and productive Teravainen as the playoffs approach. Luckily, he is out with an illness which means he should not miss a lot of time.
- Los Angeles Kings winger Kevin Fiala is also out of the lineup tonight, per a tweet from the team. Fiala has fit in seamlessly in his first season with the Kings, scoring 22 goals and 70 points in 68 games so far this season. He has been listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Unfortunately, he is missing a key game as the Kings take on the Edmonton Oilers tonight and the teams are separated by just one point in the standings.
Canucks Recall Jack Rathbone
The Vancouver Canucks announced Jack Rathbone has been recalled by the team. The recall was made under emergency conditions so it does not count as one of the Canucks four call ups that are allowed after the trade deadline.
Rathbone is in his third pro season, all in the Canucks organization, following a two-year college career at Harvard. He has split all three seasons between the NHL and AHL. This season, the 23-year-old defenseman has played eight NHL games, scoring one goal and two points for Vancouver. He has also suited up for 32 AHL games with the Abbotsford Canucks, scoring four goals and 12 points in that time.
Rathbone had been called up earlier this week, playing two games for the Cancuks, averaging just under 12 minutes per contest and he scored against the Dallas Stars. He was sent down to Abbotsford yesterday, but the team needed him once again and have called him up before travelling to Calgary to take on the Flames tomorrow night.
Latest From Insider Trading: Walsh’s Plans For NHLPA
In the latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading, insiders Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston focused on the priorities for new NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh. Though he just took on the job as the leader of the player’s union last month, he has plenty of issues to deal with and it sounds like he is already working on a few of them. LeBrun reported Walsh wants to have greater communication between the players and the union and not just when negotiating new collective bargaining agreements. He has already begun reaching out to players to get feedback on what they think of the current playoff format.
Johnston mentioned Walsh is also willing to discuss negotiating with the league to possibly try and have the salary cap move up more than the projected $1MM this offseason. However, the players still owe a debt to the owners so it is possible they are more comfortable dealing with a modest raise in the salary cap ahead of 2023-24 before a bigger leap is made the following season. This would decrease the likelihood that escrow also rises with the cap in 2024-25.
LeBrun reported that Walsh feels the Arizona Coyotes having NHL players play in a college stadium is a situation that needs to be addressed. There is a vote coming up in May when citizens of Tempe will vote on whether or not to go ahead with plans to build a new arena in the near future. If they don’t go ahead with it, it could be bad news for the Coyotes.
Johnston also said Walsh is eager to start talks about the next World Cup and has his eye on February 2025 for that event. The last time hockey players took part in a best-on-best event was the World Cup in 2016. Walsh apparently is willing to start talking about the next one, even with Russia’s participation unlikely at this point.
Adam Boqvist Out, Jacob Christiansen In
Team reporter for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Jeff Svoboda, reports that defenseman Adam Boqvist will be sitting out of tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins with an illness. Replacing him in the lineup will be 23-year-old defenseman, Jake Christiansen.
Although this season is entirely lost for the Blue Jackets, there will still be some pride to be found in each of their remaining games. For example, tonight, they will have the opportunity to postpone the Bruins’ quest for the President’s Trophy. Unfortunately for Columbus, they will be without one of their top-scoring defensemen.
In 40 games this season, Boqvist has scored five goals and 17 assists, leading all Blue Jackets defensemen in scoring. Becoming the primary powerplay quarterback ever since the injury to Zach Werenski, Boqvist has accrued nine assists when the opposing team is down a man. A valuable piece coming to the Blue Jackets from the Seth Jones trade back in 2021, Boqvist has proven he can be a valuable piece to build around on Columbus’ back end.