International Notes: Menell, MacInnis, Gilmour, Jokipakka
It appears that defenseman Brennan Menell has signed a three-year extension to continue his stay in the KHL. Menell has apparently re-signed with Dynamo Moskva to extend his career overseas. The smooth skating defenseman was able to re-capture some of his scoring touch is his return to the KHL after suffering through an offensive drought in the 2021-22 season. Menell had returned to North America for 2021 with the Toronto Marlies and couldn’t find any consistency before being dealt to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the remainder of the season. He finished out the year and signed a deal with Dynamo last summer.
This past season in the KHL the 25-year-old put up two goals and 22 assists in 44 games to finish seventh on the team in scoring. It was a return to form for the Minnesota native as he had shown an offensive flair in his only previous KHL season in which he scored 38 points in 47 games for Dinamo Minsk.
In other international notes:
- Center Ryan MacInnis has re-signed with Adler Mannheim of the DEL on a one-year deal. The St. Louis native was a second-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2014 and played 26 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets over two seasons, tallying just a single assist. The big, strong forward is the son of NHL legend Al MacInnis and had a terrific OHL career with the Kitchener Rangers, but at this point given his lack of offensive production it’s hard to see him returning the NHL.
- Sticking with Adler Mannheim, they have signed defenseman John Gilmour to a contract. Gilmour was a seventh-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2013 and played this past season with Minsk Dynamo where he put up nine points in 52 KHL games. The Montreal native has previously dressed in games for the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres, notching five points in 37 NHL games.
- Finally, Adler Mannheim also signed defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka to a contract. The 31-year-old Finland native last played in the NHL during the 2016-17 season with the Ottawa Senators and Calgary Flames. That final NHL season saw the rearguard notch six points in 41 NHL games. Jokipakka spent last season in Liiga where he had 19 points in 50 games playing for Ilves.
Boston Bruins Will Have Multi-Million Dollar Cap Penalty Next Season
The Boston Bruins’ plan of bringing back Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí for one last ride panned out unquestionably. Unfortunately for the Bruins, they’ll need to pay a steep price for their decisions next season.
PuckPedia’s Hart Levine confirms in an article for Northstar Bets that Boston will face a $4.5MM cap penalty next season, created by performance bonus overages stemming from Bergeron and Krejčí’s unique contracts.
With Bergeron and Krejčí eligible to sign particular types of contracts reserved for players 35 or older, they’re also eligible to receive performance bonuses in their contract that are not incorporated into the cap hit of the deal. It operates in the same way as an entry-level contract, where rookies can earn millions of dollars per season based on their performance despite a six-figure cap hit.
That’s exactly what they did, with Bergeron’s contract entitling him to up to $2.5MM in bonuses, while Krejčí was eligible for up to $2MM. Thanks to Boston’s record-breaking season and subsequent playoff appearance, both players hit every benchmark required to receive all of their bonuses.
Unfortunately, since Boston used long-term injured reserve to stay cap compliant, they weren’t able to accommodate Bergeron and Krejčí’s performance bonuses under the cap at the end of the regular season. It means Boston, along with 14 other NHL teams (albeit with much smaller amounts), will have a cap charge next season equivalent to the amount of performance bonuses earned that the team couldn’t fit under the cap at the end of the season.
To put it plainly: if Bergeron and Krejčí don’t return to the team next season, Boston will have a greater cap charge next season than their combined cap hits this year ($3.5MM).
The cap is, again, expected to only creep up by a $1MM increment to an $83.5MM ceiling next year. Per CapFriendly, a $4.5MM bonus overage charge leaves Boston with just $5.288MM in space heading into the offseason, with most of their forward core needing new contracts.
East Notes: Andersen, Zamula, Lightning
While the Hurricanes didn’t have goaltender Frederik Andersen available to them in last night’s overtime victory, he might not miss much more time. Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News and Observer notes that the veteran skated today, suggesting he could be available to dress as early as Friday’s contest. Andersen actually led Carolina in starts this season with 33 while posting a 2.48 GAA and a .903 SV% but it seems likely that he’ll need to wait a little longer to make his playoff debut with the Hurricanes as with Antti Raanta winning both starts so far in their series against the Islanders, it’s safe to say the net will still be his even if Andersen is ready to return.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:
- The Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Lehigh Valley announced that defenseman Yegor Zamula underwent successful shoulder surgery back on April 10th, ending his season. While the 23-year-old won’t be able to play in Lehigh Valley’s playoff run, he will be ready to participate in training camp in September. Zamula played in 14 games with Philadelphia this season, picking up four assists in 14 games while chipping in with a goal and 18 helpers in 44 contests with the Phantoms.
- While they weren’t in uniform tonight, the Lightning have recalled defenseman Philippe Myers and winger Alex Barre-Boulet from AHL Syracuse, relays Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). The pair were listed on the roster report as healthy scratches. With Syracuse not playing in the first round of the playoffs in the minors, it’s possible that the two players will stay up with Tampa Bay for a few days. Myers played in 11 games this season with the Lightning while Barre-Boulet suited up just once.
Dmytro Timashov Looking To Return To North America
A year and a half ago, Dmytro Timashov terminated his contract with the Islanders and decided to return home to play with Brynas in Sweden. However, with that deal now over, the winger told Hockey Sverige’s Mans Karlsson that he’s looking to return to North America next season and that there has been some interest.
The 26-year-old had a decent season with Brynas of the SHL this year, picking up 10 goals and 23 assists in 52 games, allowing him to lead the team in scoring. However, they weren’t able to stay in the top division and instead were relegated to the second-tier Allsvenskan for the first time in 63 years, resulting in several players, like Timashov, looking for new places to play next season.
Timashov does have 45 career NHL appearances under his belt, all but one of those coming in 2019-20 when he split time between Toronto and Detroit. Since that time, he has played in just 23 contests at the AHL level but spent three full years in the minors prior to his NHL debut.
Timashov declined to mention if the interest he has received is a one-way or a two-way offer. However, given that he cleared waivers just a couple of years ago and hasn’t lit it up since then, it’s likely that the expressions of interest so far have been of the latter variety. Perhaps the time is now right for Timashov to return with the hopes that he could at least earn himself a recall or two next season. With his last NHL deal being terminated, he’s free to sign at any time if he receives an offer he likes.
Hurricanes Recall Six Players
With Carolina’s AHL affiliate in Chicago missing the playoffs, the Hurricanes have decided who will be part of their ‘Black Aces’ squad, announcing the recall of six players. Coming up to the big club are forwards Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Jamieson Rees, and Ryan Suzuki, defenseman Maxime Lajoie, and goaltender Zach Sawchenko.
Koivunen spent the bulk of this season with Karpat in Finland’s SM-liiga, picking up 28 points in 52 games before reporting to the Wolves last month. The 19-year-old got into a dozen games at the AHL level, picking up a goal. This is his first recall to the NHL.
Ponomarev played his first full campaign in North America this season and acquitted himself well, picking up a team-leading 24 goals along with 22 assists to put him second on the Wolves in scoring behind Malte Stromwall (who was not among the recalls). The 21-year-old has also yet to play at the NHL level.
As for Rees, his third AHL campaign saw him put up more points than his first two combined, collecting 14 goals and 28 points in 65 games to put him fourth on the team in scoring. The 22-year-old is in the second season of his entry-level deal and hasn’t yet suited up for the Hurricanes.
Suzuki was a first-round pick by Carolina back in 2018 (29th overall) but also hasn’t seen NHL action yet. The 21-year-old did show some improvement this season with the Wolves, picking up 13 goals and 19 assists in 50 games, career-highs on all three fronts.
Lajoie, however, does have some NHL experience under his belt including three games with Carolina this season. The 25-year-old has suited in 70 career contests at the top level, the bulk of which came back in 2018-19 with Ottawa. Lajoie led all Wolves blueliners in points this season with 11 goals and 34 assists in 63 games.
Sawchenko played in seven games with San Jose last season but didn’t see any NHL time with the Hurricanes this season. The 25-year-old signed with Carolina as a free agent last summer and led all Chicago netminders with 41 appearances this season where he posted a 3.10 GAA with a SV% of .895.
Barring multiple injuries, it’s unlikely that any of these players will get into a game during Carolina’s playoff run but they will get a chance to continue skating and working with team coaches in case they need to be pressed into action.
Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag
We’re at the time of year when the field of focus for NHL fans splits evenly into two, with some eagerly watching postseason hockey while others look ahead to next season. Keeping that in mind, it’s time for another edition of the #PHRMailbag as teams’ trajectories have become clearer with the regular season behind us.
Our last mailbag focused on the future in Philadelphia, potential roster decisions in Pittsburgh, and what might happen with Toronto management.
You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. The mailbag will run on the weekend.
Victor Hedman Out For Game Two
Mark Masters of TSN reports that all-star defenseman Victor Hedman will not dress in game two, as the Tampa Bay Lightning look to take a commanding lead against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In now the 10th playoff stretch throughout his career, this will only be the third game that Hedman has ever missed in the quest for Lord Stanley.
During the Lightning’s dominating win against the Maple Leafs Tuesday night, Hedman would only see the ice for about six and a half minutes, before leaving the rest of the game with an undisclosed injury. It appears the injury is substantial, as he will not be skating for the team in game two, and defenseman Haydn Fleury will take his place in the lineup.
Although Hedman would only play a handful of minutes, it did not appear to affect the Lightning all that much. However, with the potent offense of the Maple Leafs staring them down, Hedman is a major piece to be missing for Tampa Bay. A winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy during the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, Hedman is one of the better playoff performers of the past decade.
On the other side of the puck, the Maple Leafs now have an even better opportunity to knock off the three-time defending Eastern Conference Champions. As game two gets underway shortly, and putting aside the surefire game one victory, the Lightning will have an uphill battle without one of their top players in the lineup.
Boston Bruins Recall Oskar Steen
Before their important game three against the Florida Panthers Friday evening, the Boston Bruins have announced they have recalled forward Oskar Steen on an emergency basis. So far through two games, the Bruins have been without forward Patrice Bergeron (upper-body), but have still managed to produce a deep rotation of 12 forwards.
Although managing to play about a quarter of the season in Boston last season, Steen was back to primarily back to playing for their AHL affiliate Providence Bruins for the majority of this year. In 64 games for Providence, Steen scored 14 goals and 17 assists, helping propel the baby Bruins to the Atlantic Division semifinals in the Calder Cup playoffs.
Without Bergeron in the lineup, the Bruins have found themselves in a tied series as they head into game three. They did manage to get out to an early lead in the series thanks to a 3-1 win against the Panthers on April 17th, but Florida bounced back in game two, beating the Bruins by a score of 6-3. In game one, Boston heavily relied on their Vezina candidate goaltender Linus Ullmark, who made 31 saves in 32 attempts.
As the Bruins look to take back the series, there is a chance that Steen will find himself in the lineup. Steen is another physical presence that Boston can throw into their active roster, and with strong possession numbers in his limited professional performance, Steen could help the Bruins control the puck more against a surging Panthers team.
Snapshots: Kartye, King, Bellamy
Earlier today, the American Hockey League announced a major award winner from the 2022-23 season, naming Tye Kartye of the Coachella Valley Firebirds as the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial Award winner, which goes to the league’s most outstanding rookie each season. Kartye is under contract with the Seattle Kraken of the NHL, signing towards the end of last season after a three-year stint for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL.
As an undrafted free agent after the 2022 season in the OHL, Kartye may have had an extra chip on his shoulder when he joined the Firebirds this year. Scoring over a point-per-game basis in his last season for the Greyhounds, Kartye followed that up with a 28-goal and 29-assist performance over 72 games this year.
For the most part, over the last quarter century, only a handful of the Dudley Garrett Memorial Award winners have become household names in the NHL. Players such as Daniel Briere, Matt Murray, and Mikko Rantanen have all taken home the award within the last 25 years, and have gone on to be notable names for Stanley Cup contenders. Still only 21 years old, Kartye still has plenty of time to grow his game and make the jump to the NHL.
Other snapshots:
- According to a press release from the Vancouver Canucks, General Manager Patrik Allvin announces that Assistant Coach Jason King will not return to the Canucks for the 2023-24 season. King was originally drafted by the Canucks in the seventh round of the 2001 NHL Draft. Playing in 59 games (55 of which for Vancouver) split between the Canucks and the Anaheim Ducks throughout his career, King scored 11 goals and 12 assists. King has been behind the bench for the Canucks since the 2020-21 season and spent the five years prior working in the same capacity for Vancouver’s AHL affiliate.
- Outside of the NHL, Hailey Salvian of The Athletic reports that Kacey Bellamy has signed a 1-year, $122K contract to play for the Connecticut Whale next season. In her last taste of professional play back in the 2016-17 season, Bellamy played for the Boston Pride, Bellamy scored nine points in 17 games. Unfortunately for Bellamy and the Pride that season, they would lose 3-2 in the Isobel Cup Championship against the Buffalo Beauts.
Alexandre Texier Will Return For 2023-24
Citing personal issues and needing to be closer to family, Alexandre Texier spent the 2022-23 season in Switzerland, playing for Zurich SC. The French-born forward stepped away from his NHL life with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and it was unclear what his future would hold.
After all, this season was supposed to be the second and final year of the contract he signed in 2021, meaning he would be a restricted free agent this summer. That’s not the case, though, as yesterday, the Blue Jackets announced that Texier’s deal would toll to cover the 2023-24 season instead of this one. That means he didn’t earn any of the $1.75MM salary but will return to the NHL in the fall to resume that contract.
In a statement, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen explained:
Alexandre Texier is an outstanding, young player who is an important part of our team and we are excited that he will be rejoining the club as expected next season. His well-being has been our sole priority and we couldn’t be happier that he is ready to resume what is a very promising NHL career at this time.
Today, Texier was back in Columbus with the organization and met with the media. He explained that he was excited to resume his career, and happy to see some familiar faces around the building. The young forward last appeared in an NHL game over a year ago. He suffered a finger injury in January 2022 that kept him out of the lineup before eventually departing following the “loss of people very close to him.”
Now, he has nothing but good things to say about how the organization handled his situation:
I’m just glad that the Blue Jackets and Zurich helped me to go through that, and now my goal is to get ready for September. (The Blue Jackets) were great. I have nothing bad to say. They just helped me, and they came all the way during the season to watch me. It means a lot that they were following me. Now everything is done and I have to play some hockey.
A second-round pick in 2017, Texier burst onto the scene as a high-flying rookie in 2019, playing a handful of minor league games before jumping into a playoff run with Columbus. He had a career-high 11 goals and 20 points in 36 games before his season ended in 2021-22, and appeared to be well on his way to becoming an impact talent in the league.
Normally, a year away from the team might be considered a step back in development. But Texier wasn’t away from hockey entirely. He scored 35 points in 46 games for Zurich, and will soon participate in the World Championships. He confirmed today that he will play for France at the tournament set to start three weeks from now.