Ducks Sign Gage Alexander To Entry-Level Contract
The Ducks have signed one of their 2021 draft picks, announcing the signing of goaltender Gage Alexander to a three-year, entry-level contract. CapFriendly reports that the deal carries an AAV of $810K.
The 20-year-old was a fifth-round pick by Anaheim back in 2021 (148th overall) out of Winnipeg of the WHL. Prior to this season, Alexander was moved to Swift Current where he was splitting time with Boston prospect Reid Dyck. Alexander had the better numbers of the two, posting a 3.47 GAA and a .898 SV% in 15 games.
While most players that sign their entry-level contracts in-season typically return to their junior teams, that’s not the case here. Instead, the Ducks have assigned Alexander to San Diego of the AHL. With Lukas Dostal still up with Anaheim for the time being, Alexander should be paired up with Olle Eriksson Ek with the Gulls and get a chance to start his professional career in the near future.
Although he started the year in junior, Alexander will burn the first year of the contract this season even if he doesn’t get into an NHL action with Anaheim in the second half of the season.
Minor Transactions: 12/30/22
The NHL is getting back into the swing of things as the holiday break wraps up and the calendar turns to 2023. It also means that activity is heating up at minor and junior levels of the sport, especially as some teams keep their eyes locked on the ongoing World Junior Championships. We’ll keep track of today’s minor transactions right here.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins reassigned prospect Jordan Frasca to the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers today. He was up in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he’s yet to record a point in three games. Frasca signed with the Penguins as an undrafted free agent earlier this year after a 42-goal, 87-point season with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs last year.
- Arizona Coyotes prospect Manix Landry was dealt in the QMJHL today, with the Gatineau Olympiques dealing him to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2024 QMJHL draft. Landry, Gatineau’s captain, has been injured since the second game of the season.
- NHL veteran defenseman Matt Bartkowski has found a permanent home for the rest of the 2022-23 season. The AHL’s Rochester Americans converted his PTO into a full AHL contract for the remainder of the season today. He’d played 20 games for Rochester this year, where he has five points.
Devante Smith-Pelly Announces Retirement
NHL veteran and Stanley Cup Champion forward Devante Smith-Pelly announced his retirement from hockey today. The 30-year-old announced his choice via Instagram.
Drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round in 2010, Smith-Pelly broke into the NHL just two seasons after being drafted. He recorded 13 points in 49 games during his rookie season in 2011-12 with the Ducks.
He spent most of the following two seasons with their AHL affiliate at the time, the Norfolk Admirals, but was called up near the end of 2013-14 for the first of his two clutch playoff performances. Smith-Pelly recorded 10 points in 19 games down the stretch in Anaheim and notched five goals in 12 playoff games as the Ducks fell in the second round to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings. He scored a last-minute goal in Game 6 of their first-round series against Dallas, tying the game and sending it to overtime, where Anaheim eventually won the series.
Smith-Pelly was a full-time NHLer the next few seasons but bounced around between the Ducks, Montreal Canadiens, and New Jersey Devils before finding a home with the Washington Capitals for 2017-18. It was there where Smith-Pelly achieved his dream of winning the Stanley Cup, equaling his regular-season goal total by scoring seven goals in 24 playoff games for Washington.
His last NHL games came in 2018-19, when he appeared in 54 games for Washington, scoring eight points. He spent the following three seasons playing in the KHL and AHL. In 2021-22, his last season of professional hockey, Smith-Pelly had eight points in 24 games with the AHL’s Laval Rocket.
PHR wishes the best of luck to Smith-Pelly in his retirement and issues congratulations on a clutch, championship-winning career.
Vegas Golden Knights Recall Sheldon Rempal
The Vegas Golden Knights recalled forward Sheldon Rempal from the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights on Friday, according to a team tweet.
Rempal, 27, is in his first season in the Vegas Golden Knights organization. The undrafted free agent out of Clarkson University began his professional career in 2018-19, signing with the Los Angeles Kings and making his NHL debut.
Since then, he’s spent time in the Carolina Hurricanes and Vancouver Canucks organizations, getting into NHL games with each team. He’s suited up 11 times in the NHL across three seasons but is still looking to record his first NHL point.
He’s been a solid minor-league presence after a sophomore slump in 2019-20. He was among the AHL’s leaders in points per game last season when he tallied 33 goals and 36 assists for 69 points in just 55 games with the Abbotsford Canucks. It led to him signing a two-year contract with Vegas this past offseason, receiving a hefty minors salary of $450,000.
Rempal’s pace in Henderson is still respectable but not quite at last season’s level. He has seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 30 games, which still leads the team.
With four forwards (Jonathan Marchessault, Paul Cotter, Jack Eichel, Brett Howden) out due to injury, Vegas is beginning to reach deeper into their system for scoring depth. Expect Rempal to make his season debut on New Year’s Eve tomorrow while Pavel Dorofeyev sits as the 13th forward.
Lawrence Pilut Clears Waivers
Dec 30, 1:20 pm: Pilut has now cleared waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Buffalo is free to reassign him to the AHL.
Dec 29, 2:49 pm: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut has been placed on waivers, according to CapFriendly. If Pilut clears waivers, he’ll be eligible to be assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.
Pilut, 26, has spent most of the season in Buffalo after being originally called up in late October. The Swedish blueliner hasn’t been there for his offensive production — he’s scored just three points — but he’s chipped in sporadically on the penalty kill (he averages just under a minute played per game shorthanded) and given his team over twelve minutes of ice time per night.
The Sabres announced that defenseman Jacob Bryson would be returning to the lineup tonight, meaning Pilut’s placement on waivers cleared the roster spot necessary to facilitate Bryson’s return from injured reserve.
As he costs just $750K and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, it’s possible a team in need of some low-cost reinforcement on their back end will place a claim on the former SHL star.
The Sabres are likely hoping he passes through waivers and can be assigned to Rochester, though. Pilut has been extremely successful in Rochester in the past, such as when he scored 26 points in 30 games there as a rookie in 2018-19.
The Americans have had the second-worst power play in their division so far this season, so perhaps if he clears waivers Pilut can be of assistance there.
The Americans’ top-scoring defenseman is Ethan Prow, who has just 13 points in 26 games. Should Pilut clear waivers and spend an extended period in Rochester, he should quickly become their go-to offensive option from the back end.
Injury Notes: Wild, Penguins, Zub
A mixed bag of news is coming out of Minnesota Wild practice this morning. The Star Tribune’s Sarah McLellan reports Joel Eriksson Ek is absent from practice, although injured forwards Brandon Duhaime and Marcus Foligno are skating.
Eriksson Ek has been invaluable to Minnesota, even more so on both sides of the puck this year. He’s on pace for a career year offensively, recording 27 points through 35 contests (tied for third on the team). Duhaime has been very limited this year, playing in just 14 games due to two separate upper-body injuries. On the other hand, Foligno has been out with an undisclosed injury since December 22.
- Injuries continue to hamper Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang this season, who’s already recovered from the second stroke of his NHL career. Head coach Mike Sullivan said today that Letang will not play tonight against the New Jersey Devils with an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day. Additionally, there are no updates for defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, who remains out with an upper-body injury. Forward Ryan Poehling will also be a game-time decision after missing the last 10 days.
- Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub could return to the lineup tomorrow against Detroit, according to TSN 1200. Zub has been out the last 27 days with a jaw injury, and Dillon Heatherington was returned to AHL Belleville today to make room on the roster for his return.
Vancouver Canucks Recall William Lockwood, Reassign Nils Aman
The Vancouver Canucks made a pair of corresponding transactions today, recalling right wing William Lockwood from the Abbotsford Canucks and sending down center Nils Aman.
Lockwood is having a strong season in the minors, notching 12 goals in 24 games with Abbotsford. It’s already a career-high in the AHL for him.
He’s played once in the NHL this season, registering an assist and a +1 rating in a November 15 win against the Buffalo Sabres. He could easily add to that total over the next few days as he battles with players like Sheldon Dries and Jack Studnicka for a spot in the lineup.
Aman had played in all 35 Canucks games up until this point in the season, so it’s surprising to see him sent down without much indication. A 22-year-old free agent signing out of Sweden, Aman impressed in training camp and has a goal and four assists so far in his young NHL career.
He heads to Abbotsford where he’ll get more ice time and a bit more offensive opportunity.
Senators Recall Jake Lucchini, Reassign Dillon Heatherington
Dec 30, 11:18 am: Ottawa has returned Heatherington to the minors, signaling that fan favorite Artem Zub could be close to a return to the lineup.
Dec 27, 9:51 am: The Senators have brought back some extra depth as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled defenseman Dillon Heatherington and winger Jake Lucchini from Belleville of the AHL.
Heatherington should be used to the frequent shuffling by now as this is his third recall of the month and fourth of the season overall. Despite the recalls, the 27-year-old has only suited up with Ottawa once this year. He has spent the bulk of his time with Belleville where he has five points in 19 games.
As for Lucchini, he made his NHL debut earlier this month against Montreal. The 27-year-old has been quite productive in the minors this season with 23 points in 25 games after putting up 51 points with Belleville last season.
The recalls come on the heels of some injury news as head coach D.J. Smith told TSN 1200 (Twitter link) that winger Tyler Motte has a broken finger, Rourke Chartier has an upper-body injury, and Erik Brannstrom has a lower-body issue. As a result, Heatherington and Lucchini might be a little more than just spare players this time around.
Calgary Flames Re-Assign Dennis Gilbert, Recall Radim Zohorna
Dec 30, 11:13 am: Less than 24 hours later, Calgary has brought Zohorna back up to the roster from the Wranglers. Calgary plays tomorrow against the Vancouver Canucks.
Dec 29, 12:54 pm: The Calgary Flames, fresh off a win against the Seattle Kraken and headed home for a game on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks, have sent two players to the minor leagues. Dennis Gilbert and Radim Zohorna have been assigned to the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL for the time being.
The moves will allow the Flames to bank a little more cap space over the next few days, as they continue to prepare for a trade deadline without much wiggle room.
Gilbert was only activated from injured reserve yesterday and has played just a single game for the Flames over the last month. The 26-year-old has one point in eight NHL appearances this season, averaging just over ten minutes a game.
Zohorna, meanwhile, went scoreless in his five games with the team earlier this month – all five of which the Flames ended up losing. The 26-year-old was nabbed off waivers at the beginning of the season from the Pittsburgh Penguins but hasn’t quite made the impact some expected.
It is very likely that at least one if not both will be back up when the Flames go on the road again next week.
Winnipeg Jets Sign Danny Zhilkin To Entry-Level Contract
The Winnipeg Jets have signed 2022 draft choice Danny Zhilkin to a three-year, entry-level contract. Zhilkin’s agent, Dan Milstein, announced the news Friday morning.
PuckPedia reports Zhilkin’s contract carries an $860,000 cap hit with a $775,000 NHL salary in all three years. The remainder is paid in signing and performance bonuses.
Winnipeg drafted Zhilkin, who just turned 19 earlier this month, with the 77th overall selection in 2022. Viewed by some as a potential late first-round pick at the time, Zhilkin fell to Winnipeg in the third round.
He’s doing well in his third season with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, with 25 points in 23 games. He’s a well-rounded offensive talent, but some two-way concerns kept him further down on the draft board.