Rasmus Ristolainen Moved To Injured Reserve
The Philadelphia Flyers are 2-0 and they have only allowed four goals on the year. They’ve been able to do that without highly-paid defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who is dealing with an undisclosed injury suffered late in camp. Today, they have moved Ristolainen to injured reserve and recalled Zack MacEwen and Louis Belpedio, meaning they’ll have to keep playing without the big Finn for the next little while.
Given that the IR placement is retroactive, Ristolainen can come back basically at any point. But moving him off the roster at least suggests that he’s going to miss some more time.
Many fans of the team will be excited about the move, given it brings back tough guy MacEwen, who became a favorite last season when he was racking up 110 penalty minutes in 75 games. The 26-year-old forward gives the team another player who can skate and throw huge hits, while dropping the gloves whenever necessary.
Belpedio, meanwhile, gives the team another defensive option, though the group has looked pretty good so far. The 26-year-old has played in just four games at the NHL level in the past but is a strong two-way presence in the minor leagues and is coming off an impressive Calder Cup playoff run with the Laval Rocket.
Tyler Bertuzzi Out 4-6 Weeks With Upper-Body Injury
The Detroit Red Wings are off to a fast start this season but will be without one of their key forwards for the next month. Tyler Bertuzzi has been ruled out for four to six weeks with an upper-body injury suffered over the weekend. Bertuzzi was removed from the game on Saturday after just eight minutes and did not return. The team will also be without Jakub Vrana tonight who is away for personal reasons.
Somewhat quietly, Bertuzzi had the best season of his career in 2021-22, scoring 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games. While the Red Wings finished well out of the playoffs, he was one of the players who showed real promise, after missing almost the entire previous year due to injury. Now, approaching unrestricted free agency next summer, it was a big year for Bertuzzi, who could set himself up for a massive extension with the Red Wings or an even bigger deal on the open market.
A six-week absence certainly isn’t going to help his case, though there aren’t many players on the Red Wings roster who can replace his mix of skill and grit. In the meantime, Dominik Kubalik is getting the first crack at the first line, with Filip Zadina jumping into the second group beside Andrew Copp and David Perron. It is quite an opportunity for Kubalik, who was cut loose by the Chicago Blackhawks and signed a two-year, $5MM contract with the Red Wings. He has averaged just 12 minutes of ice time through the first two games but did score on Saturday and has shown an ability to skate with good players in the past.
As a rookie, Kubalik scored 30 goals playing mostly with Jonathan Toews. If he can find that same kind of chemistry with Dylan Larkin, perhaps he can rediscover that scoring touch on a more regular basis.
Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Nick Perbix
After signing him to an entry-level contract just a few months ago, the Tampa Bay Lightning are now giving Nick Perbix his first chance in the NHL. The sixth-round pick has been recalled today after the Lightning sent Trevor Carrick back to the minor leagues yesterday.
Perbix, 24, was drafted way back in 2017 but played a year in the USHL and then four seasons at St. Cloud State following his selection. Last year he joined the Syracuse Crunch down the stretch and played well, racking up eight points in 12 regular season games. The 6’2″ right-handed defenseman is a nice all-around depth piece for the team to be able to call on, and gives them four right-handed defensemen on the roster.
With Hayden Fleury and Philippe Myers both playing fewer than 13 minutes against the Pittsburgh Penguins over the weekend, there could be a couple of changes for the Lightning this week. Ian Cole has been reinstated following the league investigation into sexual assault allegations found no evidence, and now Perbix has been recalled after two games in the minor leagues.
Tampa Bay is 1-2 on the year and has given up 11 goals in those three games, including six against the Penguins.
No Rush To Patrick Kane Trade Talks
The Chicago Blackhawks beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 over the weekend, bringing their record to 1-2 on the young season. Already the team has actually looked better than advertised, but that still likely won’t be enough to keep them out of the bottom of the standings. The simple fact is that they are trying to lose, and even with some encouraging early performances (especially from captain Jonathan Toews), the team’s skill and depth have been stripped as they enter a full rebuild.
That continues to lead to questions about the future of Patrick Kane, who has just one point in those three games and is playing just 19 minutes a night. In discussion with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Kane’s agent Pat Brisson of CAA Sports compares the situation to the one that played out in Philadelphia last season with Flyers captain Claude Giroux. The superstar forward had played his whole career with one team, but it was obvious that there would not be a future between the two sides, and the Flyers weren’t going to be competitive.
Giroux eventually accepted a deal at the deadline, and that’s exactly the way it appears to be going with Kane. Brisson says they will “probably explore things at the appropriate time” later in the year, and once again confirmed that the Blackhawks have not and will not pressure his client into waiving his no-trade clause.
While LeBrun suggests that there could be some benefit in getting Kane earlier, it is important to remember the cap effects. Every day that passes means an acquiring team has more room to pay for the star winger, meaning more contenders could potentially enter the fray. With a full no-movement clause Kane will be in charge of the destination (as Giroux was), but perhaps teams that weren’t expected to be in the mix will emerge over the next few months.
Either way, it sounds as though there is a real chance that the market has a Hall of Fame prize this year, as Kane is still one of the very best offensive pieces in the league. Last season, he scored 26 goals and 92 points in 78 games, the third-best total of his career.
There is also the question of what happens after this season is over. In Giroux’s case, he took his family back home after a short trip in the sun and signed with the Ottawa Senators. Buffalo Sabres fans will certainly like the sounds of that, given Kane is from the city. He did also live in Detroit as a teenager, and the Red Wings are another emerging club. LeBrun points to the New York Rangers and New York Islanders as two teams who will likely have interest if he hits the market as a trade piece.
Regardless, this will be an interesting few months for hockey fans to keep an eye on the Blackhawks, even if they aren’t winning very many games.
Five Key Stories: 10/10/22 – 10/16/22
The regular season is underway and while it will be fairly quiet on the trade front in the early going, there was still plenty of news around the NHL which is highlighted in our key stories.
Successful Tryouts: Several players were able to land contracts off their professional tryout agreements. Ottawa inked veteran center Derick Brassard to a one-year deal at the league minimum, giving them some extra depth down the middle. Carolina did the same with veteran Derek Stepan, giving him the same contract for what will be his second season with the Hurricanes. Michael Stone is staying with Calgary as the Flames signed him to a two-way deal worth the minimum in the NHL. Lastly, Anton Stralman’s tryout was successful as he agreed to a one-year, $1MM contract although that deal has yet to be registered with the league. Couple that with the handful of veterans that signed earlier and this was one of the more successful PTO groups in recent history when it comes to landing guaranteed contracts.
Down To One: The list of remaining restricted free agents was cut in half when the Golden Knights agreed to terms with defenseman Nicolas Hague on a three-year deal worth just under $2.3MM per season. The 23-year-old was one of the first group of Vegas draft picks and he worked his way into a regular role fairly quickly while averaging 18:40 per night. The AAV of the contract lined up well in terms of allowing Vegas to maximize their LTIR pool as the Golden Knights will be deep into that once again this season. Hague will have one year of RFA eligibility remaining after this deal and will be owed a $2.7MM qualifying offer. Senators winger Alex Formenton is the last restricted free agent in the NHL.
Staying In Philadelphia: Travis Sanheim won’t be leaving the Flyers anytime soon as the two sides worked out a maximum-term eight-year contract extension that carries a $6.25MM AAV. The deal also contains a full no-trade clause for the first four years and a 12-team no-trade clause for the final four seasons. The 26-year-old is one of Philadelphia’s top defensemen and is coming off one of his best offensive years that saw him put up 31 points in 80 games while averaging just under 23 minutes a night. If Sanheim is able to produce at a similar level during this contract and continue to log the second-most minutes on the team, the Flyers should get a good return on this deal.
Sabres Signings: While the Sabres already had Don Granato signed through the end of next season, they decided to give him an early extension, signing him to a two-year deal that keeps him signed through 2025-26. The Sabres have played to a .438 points percentage since he took over late in the 2020-21 campaign and while that might not seem great at first glance, Buffalo has been rebuilding during that stretch and the team has been considerably more competitive with him behind the bench so this move was a vote of approval of how he has the team playing.
Meanwhile, later that day, the team announced another extension as they signed defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to a seven-year, $30MM deal that begins next season. The 22-year-old was an early second-round pick in 2018 and got into 42 games in 2021-22 where he averaged 20 minutes a game. Buffalo clearly believes this is only the beginning for Samuelsson who has yet to score in his young career. However, a $4.29MM AAV for a top-four defender is certainly reasonable and it’s likely that those will be his prime years as well. The contract might seem odd on the surface but it’s a logical move for them to make since they’re convinced that he’s a part of the long-term plans in Buffalo.
Key Injuries: Montreal has a pretty thin back end when the team is fully healthy. They were already missing Joel Edmundson due to a back issue sustained in a pre-camp scrimmage and now they’ll be without another key veteran as Mike Matheson will miss eight weeks with an abdominal injury. The end result is that the Canadiens are dressing four rookie defensemen at the moment. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs will be without their presumptive starter Matt Murray for at least a month after he suffered an adductor injury in practice on Saturday. The fact he’ll be out that long (10 games and 24 days minimum) enabled them to place him on LTIR which opened up some short-term cap space to recall some extra skaters. Those moves were made Sunday with the recalls of wingers Nicholas Robertson and Wayne Simmonds plus defenseman Victor Mete.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Arizona Coyotes
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid 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 for the 2022-23 season and beyond. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Arizona Coyotes
Current Cap Hit: $65,578,566 (under the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Dylan Guenther (three years, $894K)
F Matias Maccelli (one year, $853K)
F Jack McBain (one year, $884K)
D J.J. Moser (two years, $887K)
Potential Bonuses
Guenther: $850K
McBain: $850K
Moser: $32.5K
Total: $1.7325MM
Guenther is coming off a dominant season in the WHL but is in the situation that many NHL teams don’t like for their top prospects – they might not yet be good enough to be in the NHL on a full-time basis but are too good to play in junior. Unfortunately, there aren’t other options. Expect Arizona to drag out the time to get him to nine games so they can best assess whether he’s going to stay for the season. McBain signed quickly after being acquired last season and has held his own. So far, he has had somewhat of a limited role which will likely have him heading for a bridge deal. Unless both he and Guenther get big roles, they’re unlikely to hit their bonuses. Maccelli was quite productive in the minors last season although that wasn’t the case in his NHL action. Unless that changes this year, a bridge deal – perhaps even a one-year contract – will be on its way.
Moser came up midseason last year and didn’t look back, quickly playing his way into a regular role. His usage has been quite high early on (injuries are playing a role in that) but he looks like a long-term piece of the puzzle on the second pairing. He could be a player that Arizona views as somewhat comparable to Mattias Samuelsson in Buffalo (seven years, $30MM) where they might overpay at the beginning in the hopes of having a bargain at the end when they’re emerging from their rebuild.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
F Nick Bjugstad ($900K, UFA)
F Christian Fischer ($1.126MM, RFA)
D Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5MM, UFA)
G Connor Ingram ($733K, RFA)
F Andrew Ladd ($5.5MM, UFA)
F Nick Ritchie ($2.5MM, UFA)
D Troy Stecher ($1.2MM, UFA)
D Conor Timmins ($850K, RFA)
D Juuso Valimaki ($1.55MM, RFA)
Let’s get Ladd out of the way first. He’s expected to miss all of the season and is LTIR-eligible although Arizona has no need to put him there since they have so much cap space. Ritchie was productive after Toronto unloaded his contract, scoring 10 goals in 24 games. That’s a small sample size but if he produces at a similar level, he could actually get a raise next summer. Halfway through last season, that would have sounded crazy. Fischer is getting to the point where he’s going to become a non-tender candidate unless he can start to produce more than a handful of goals per year. He plays a physical game but players that are known mostly for hitting are strict fourth liners and it’d be difficult to see them wanting to pay much more for someone in that role. Bjugstad has been on cheap deals the last couple of years and barring a big change, he’ll stay around that price tag moving forward.
Gostisbehere struggled at the end of his time with Philadelphia to the point where they sent multiple draft picks to the Coyotes to take on his contract. He responded with one of the best seasons of his career. A similar performance will give him a chance to get more on his next deal which would be a striking turnaround for someone who cleared waivers not long ago. Valimaki was a recent waiver claim from Calgary and will get a chance to turn things around in the desert. If he doesn’t, he’s a strong non-tender candidate as he’s owed a $1.86MM qualifying offer. Stecher came over in free agency this summer as a third-pairing option and while he might have a bigger role than that at times in Arizona, his price tag next summer should check in close to this one. Timmins, if healthy, has a chance to establish himself as a key part of their back end but he will probably land a one-year deal to give both sides more time to see what he can do.
Ingram recently joined the Coyotes after being claimed off waivers from Nashville. He’ll have a chance to be a full-time backup and a decent showing could give him a chance to double his qualifying offer which could push him into the $1.6MM range next season. On the other hand, if he struggles, his next deal might be a two-way one.
Signed Through 2023-24
F Travis Boyd ($1.75MM, UFA)
D Josh Brown ($1.275MM, UFA)
F Barrett Hayton ($1.775MM, RFA)
F Zack Kassian ($3.2MM, UFA)
F Bryan Little ($5.292MM, UFA)
F Liam O’Brien ($775K, UFA)
D Patrik Nemeth ($2.5MM, UFA)
Once again, let’s get the injured forward out of the way first. Arizona absorbed Little’s contract as part of the move to land McBain but he hasn’t played since November 2019 and won’t play again. His deal is also LTIR-eligible but they won’t need the extra cap space.
Kassian came over from Edmonton this summer in a draft-day move that allowed the Oilers to clear salary. When he’s on, he’s a capable power forward but his consistency and discipline have been issues. It’s unlikely he’ll come close to this on his next deal unless those elements improve over the next two years. Hayton eventually settled for a bridge contract that ensures a higher qualifying offer ($2.13MM) while giving him time to show that he can be a top-six player. If so, he could more than double that qualifier but if not, he’ll settle in closer to the $2.5MM range. Boyd was one of the feel-good stories last season. After being more of a depth player for most of his career, he did well in a top-six role, earning him some stability and a nice raise. If he stays around the 30-point mark for the next couple of years, there’s some room for that price tag to go up a bit more. Otherwise, he should settle in closer to the $1.25MM mark.
The Rangers compensated the Coyotes for taking on Nemeth’s deal, one that looked puzzling when it was signed a year ago. He’s a serviceable player on the third pairing but is making roughly twice what someone should in that role. At this point, he could be a PTO candidate in 2024 unless he establishes himself as a regular in their lineup. Brown is a blueliner that’s on the fringes of being a regular and unless he can become one, this is about as high of a contract as he can realistically expect to get.
Signed Through 2024-25
D Jakob Chychrun ($4.6MM, UFA)
D Dysin Mayo ($950K, UFA)
G Karel Vejmelka ($2.75MM, UFA)
Chychrun has only been featured in trade speculation for about a year and a half now. Not because he’s a bad player but because he’s an impact defenseman whom the Coyotes can command a high asking price for. If he can get to a contending team and play a big role there, he should easily pass the $6.5MM mark on his next deal. If his production gets near his 2020-21 level, then the $8MM range is where his next contract should fall. Mayo had a nice rookie season that saw him log more than 20 minutes a game but it came at the age of 25 which limited his leverage. This deal gives him a bit of security but carries very little risk for the Coyotes as even if he slips to being a seventh defender, it’s still not a bad contract for them. And if he stays in that top-four role, it becomes an extremely team-friendly deal.
Vejmelka wasn’t expected to be the starter for Arizona last season. He was in his first season in North America after playing at home in the Czech Extraliga and expectations were low. He quickly played well enough to earn a longer look and not long after that, the number one job was his. This deal was signed just before the trade deadline and it’s one that gives them at least one netminder that they’re comfortable with in the remainder of their building years while he gets a lot more money than he could have expected when he signed with them. However, he’ll be hard-pressed to put up strong numbers during that time which won’t help his marketability for potential suitors in 2025.
Injury Updates: Barabanov, Blueger, Texier
The Sharks could get some help on the wing on Tuesday as Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News reports that winger Alexander Barabanov could be activated from injured reserve for their game against the Islanders. The 28-year-old didn’t play at all in the preseason due to a lower-body injury and while they were hopeful he’d be good to go for their international games, that clearly wasn’t the case. Barabanov had 39 points in 70 games last season and head coach David Quinn acknowledged that the winger could find himself on the top line in short order. San Jose has scored just six goals in four games so far this season so any help up front will certainly be welcomed.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Although Penguins forward Teddy Blueger has made some gradual progress as he works his way back from an undisclosed injury, he did not accompany the team to Montreal in advance of their game on Monday, notes Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The injury was originally suffered nearly three weeks ago and originally had a day-to-day designation but clearly, the recovery has been slower than anticipated. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Blueger was cleared for contact in practice so his season debut should be coming in the near future.
- While Blue Jackets forward Alexandre Texier is playing in Switzerland this season, his year got off to a slow start when he broke his wrist in the first game of the year. However, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (subscription link) that the 23-year-old was able to return to the lineup on Saturday which was slightly ahead of schedule while he scored in the shootout.
Afternoon Notes: Marchand, Rangers Injuries, Pitlick
If the Boston Bruins wish to stay in the playoff hunt throughout this season, they will certainly have to do a lot with a little in the early months. The team is without a number of key players to start the season, including Matt Grzelcyk, Charlie McAvoy, Brad Marchand, and now apparently, Brandon Carlo, who was injured in the team’s second game of the season. So far, so good it seems, as Boston is off to a 2-0 start with commanding wins over the Washington Capitals and Arizona Coyotes.
On top of that, there seems to be more good news for the Bruins: Marchand practiced with the team today for the first time this season, says the Boston Globe’s Matt Porter. It’s hard to say who is a bigger loss for Boston, the perennial Hart candidate, Marchand, or the perennial Norris candidate, McAvoy, but having Marchand back on the ice with the group, his timetable for a post-Thanksgiving return still intact, is a bit of bright news. Recovering from hip surgery and returning successfully is always a tough task for an NHLer, and doing so after double hip surgery is likely no easier, but a strong, timely comeback from one of their superstars will not only ease the burden on the healthy group of Bruins, but perhaps add a burst of energy when he returns.
- Larry Brooks of the New York Post provided some injury updates from today’s New York Rangers practice. Forward Ryan Carpenter, who was cut by Dylan DeMelo‘s skate during Friday night’s loss at the Winnipeg Jets, did not skate today. Winger Vitali Kravtsov, who was hurt early in the Rangers’ opening night game on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, skated today in a non-contact jersey, a positive step forward for a player trying to finally make it as an NHL-regular. Finally, Sammy Blais, who missed the first three games of this season after a preseason injury, skated on a line in practice with Filip Chytil and Jimmy Vesey, both of whom look to be regulars in the Rangers lineup this season.
- Last week, the St. Louis Blues released veteran forward Tyler Pitlick from his PTO. Already into their LTIR and with 14 forward on the roster, it appears the team simply didn’t have room for the forward, no matter how he played. However, NHL.com’s Lou Korac reports, Pitlick was skating today with St. Louis. It’s not a sure sign that a formal reunion is imminent, but the arrangement isn’t unheard of either. Should the Blues encounter a further injury issue, Pitlick will be fresh and already acclimated to the group, providing for a seamless transition, and for Pitlick, it provides him with a place to skate with NHLers and NHL eyes on him.
Vancouver Canucks Recall Noah Juulsen, Assign Sheldon Dries To AHL
The Vancouver Canucks and GM Patrik Allvin announced a pair of corresponding moves this afternoon. The club has recalled defenseman Noah Juulsen from the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL and in turn has assigned forward Sheldon Dries to Abbotsford. No other related moves have been made.
Although the moves seems to be a simple swap of a forward for a defenseman, it does come on the back of defenseman Tucker Poolman leaving Vancouver’s game yesterday with an undisclosed injury. While Poolman hasn’t been placed on IR, it appears the Canucks feels the need to add another person to their blueline for now. Poolman has been dealing with migraine issues for a while now, but appeared to finally turn a corner, skating in each of Vancouver’s first two games. One would certainly hope whatever was ailing Poolman yesterday is not another long-term issue.
Juulsen, a former first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens, has played parts of four NHL seasons with Montreal, Vancouver, and the Florida Panthers. Like Poolman, Juulsen is a right-handed shot, minimizing the overall impact the change could have. Dries hadn’t played in either of Vancouver’s first two games this season, but will likely get a chance to play top minutes with Abbotsford if he stays long enough. The forward was among the very best in the AHL last season, scoring 35 goals along with 27 assists in just 54 games.
Minor Transactions: 10/16/22
It’s the first true Sunday of the NHL season, however there are no games on tap for us today. The odd scheduling quirk should give players a chance to practice and rest ahead of a busy week two. Still, there’s plenty of action around the hockey scene and with that comes some minor news and notes. We’ll keep track of those here.
- The Calgary Wranglers, the new AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames, announced that they have assigned three players to the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL: defensemen Simon Lavigne and Rhett Rhinehart, and goaltender Daniil Chechelev. Both defenseman, who recently finished up their junior careers, were undrafted in the NHL, but should get a chance to make a name for themselves in the professional ranks. Chechelev, a fourth-round pick of the Flames in 2020, struggled last year in the ECHL, but will have a chance to redeem himself in 2021-22.
- The ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen announced they’ve signed defenseman Jacob Friend to a one-year contract. The defenseman was a seventh-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2016 and has spent parts the past two seasons on Jacksonville’s blueline, along with 17 games as a member of the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers last season. Prior to turning pro, Friend spent parts of four seasons with the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL and two seasons with St. Mary’s University in Halifax, NS. The Icemen are the affiliate of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and the New York Rangers
This post will be updated throughout the day.