Minor Transactions: 07/29/22
It’s been a long, slow grind since the craziness of free agency opening on July 13, with a good number of high-end free agents remaining unsigned. With many other leagues than just the NHL looking to get their rosters set for next season, though, that hasn’t been the case everywhere. Minor-league teams and overseas leagues are making moves and transactions to their squads every day, giving hockey fans something else to look at. We’ll keep track of today’s transactions right here.
- Goaltender Gage Alexander, a 2021 fifth-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks, was traded by his WHL team today. His Winnipeg Ice shipped him to the Swift Current Broncos, in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. Alexander, 20, is a promising six-foot-six netminder who hasn’t had the chance to get the a starter’s workload in Winnipeg. This is actually relevant news for the Ducks, as the conventional wisdom surrounding goalie development is that they need to get as many games played as possible. Alexander wasn’t in a position to play as a starter with the Ice, but he’s now in prime position to be his team’s number-one in Swift Current. With the Broncos’ starting goalie from last season, Isaac Poulter, departed for the pro ranks, Alexander will compete with Boston Bruins 2022 draft pick Reid Dyck for the starting role in Swift Current.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, announced the signings of four players today, each receiving one-year AHL contracts. The players are Jack Badini, Brett Budgell, Zach O’Brien, and Zach Solow. Solow and O’Brien are each accomplished ECHL forwards, both scoring at high levels in the third-tier league with limited success at the AHL level. Badini is a 2014 third-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks who got into 46 games with their AHL affiliate last season but played in an extremely limited role. The most interesting player in the quartet is Budgell, a 21-year-old forward who has served as the captain of the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders for the past two seasons. A decent scorer in each of his junior campaigns, Budgell really hit his stride in his final two years, as many CHL players do. He had 40 goals and 79 points in his final junior season, leading the Islanders on a run to the QMJHL finals. He will hope to make the Marlies this fall and translate his junior scoring to the professional game.
- Veteran SHL forward Joel Mustonen is heading down a division. Today Swedish club IF Bjorkloven, a side that plays in the second-tier Allsvenskan, announced that they’d signed Mustonen to a two-year deal. Mustonen has been a regular face in the SHL for the past five seasons, seeing regular minutes for Frolunda and Orebro. He had a difficult 2021-22, with just nine points in 42 games, which likely led to his signing in the Allsvenskan. Mustonen will head to Bjorkloven to help the team get over the hump and secure promotion to the SHL after a finals loss to HV71.
- After a point-per-game campaign in the ECHL that saw him earn a call-up to the AHL, undrafted forward Mitch Hults chose to head overseas, signing a contract with the Bratislava Capitals of the IceHL. A near point-per-game year in the IceHL earned Hults a chance to play in one of Europe’s top leagues, the Finnish Liiga, landing him a contract with TPS Turku. Hults’ Liiga debut was uneven, though, and despite solid power-play time he was unable to find success within the more conservative structures of Liiga, scoring just 21 points in 51 games. Now, he’s headed back to his old stomping grounds, the IceHL. Today Italian club HC Bolzano announced that they’d signed Hults to a one-year contract. Bolzano just missed out on the playoffs in 2021-22 and their addition of Hults will likely give their offensive attack a serious jolt.
- Former Vancouver Canuck Philip Holm is headed back to the SHL. Fresh off a two-year stint in the KHL for Jokerit and Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Holm has signed a three-year deal with Orebro HK of the SHL. Holm is an accomplished defenseman, with an NHL game on his resume and a selection to Sweden’s squad for the Beijing Winter Olympics. He should help Orebro return to the playoffs for next season and reinforce a defense that ranked third-best in the SHL in goals-against last season.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Anaheim Ducks Sign John Klingberg
The market for John Klingberg this offseason never did materialize as he had hoped, so he will try again next summer after signing a one-year, $7MM contract with the Anaheim Ducks. GM Pat Verbeek released the following statement about the signing:
We are extremely excited to add John to our group. John is a gifted player who can quarterback a power play and give us needed scoring from the blueline. He also adds veteran leadership and character to our team.
It didn’t take long for Klingberg’s new agency to get a deal worked out, after he switched to Newport Sports Management earlier this week. The 29-year-old defenseman had been looking for a seven-year deal on the open market but after two weeks of waiting, he’ll have to settle for a one-year, high-money contract to set himself up for next season.
There’s little doubt that Klingberg can be a difference-making offensive weapon but with a history of inconsistent defensive play and a tough season results-wise (he finished a -28, the worst of his career), there may have been hesitation from teams willing to hand out long-term deals. Players like Ben Chiarot and Erik Gudbranson, two heavy, physical defensemen, were able to secure multi-year contracts at a hefty price but the offensive-minded Klingberg will have to settle for the one-year deal and try to prove he can still be a top-pairing option.
Heading to Anaheim is an interesting choice, given what the team already has in place. Kevin Shattenkirk and Jamie Drysdale are already good puck-moving options on the right side, and Cam Fowler was the team’s leader on the powerplay in 2021-22. While Shattenkirk has just one year remaining on his deal and Drysdale is still just 20 years old, one has to wonder how the team will fit Klingberg into the mix, at least in terms of deployment.
In terms of potential upside? The Ducks are certainly that, with plenty of young talent buzzing all over the ice and a need for some veteran playmakers to add to the mix. The team already brought in Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano in free agency, showing that they’re ready to start competing again after adding some top prospects to the mix.
Most notably for Anaheim, perhaps, is that Klingberg could potentially be a top trade chip at the deadline, should the team not be quite ready to make the playoffs this season. Adding that kind of chip–a trade with retained salary would likely net at least a first-round pick–for nothing but a little offseason cap space is a savvy move from Verbeek. It’s worth noting that the deal only contains a no-trade clause until January 1st, PuckPedia reports. After that, it turns into a 10-team no-trade clause. The team wasn’t in any danger of putting themselves in a tricky cap situation, as before signing Klingberg they had nearly $26MM in space. It makes perfect sense for the team to spend some of it to add an asset to the organization, even if it will be for only a few months.
There is also the chance that Klingberg could sign an extension in Anaheim, though that would have to wait until January 2023 now.
Overall, this seems like a player who is trying to make the best out of a disappointing free agent result, and a team capitalizing on having cap space in a market that is so tight.
ESPN’s Kevin Weekes was the first to report the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Latest On Patrick Kane
It’s clear that the veteran leadership in the Chicago Blackhawks dressing room is disappointed in the direction of the franchise the last few months, selling off young, core pieces for future assets. General manager Kyle Davidson has suggested it will be a five-plus year rebuild, something that doesn’t sound appealing to captain Jonathan Toews.
Unlike Toews, who has struggled in recent years to stay healthy and productive, Patrick Kane is still one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league and would likely draw a crowd if made available. While David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tweets that the Blackhawks have engaged in trade discussions regarding Kane and lists the Dallas Stars as one of the teams with recent interest, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic has thrown cold water on any speculation. Lazerus has been informed by a source that there have been no trade talks so far, though admits that teams are likely “sniffing around” on the superstar forward.
Kane, of course, holds most of the power here, with a full no-movement clause that allows him to dictate who he can be traded to, and when. If he wanted to stay in Chicago for the final year of his current contract, there’s nothing that the Blackhawks could do about it. If he’s willing to move though, it represents another high-priced asset that could allow Davidson to add even more talent to the team down the road.
For many fans in Chicago though, trading Kane (or Toews) is more than just moving out an asset. The first-overall pick in 2007 has spent his entire career with the Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cup championships, a Calder Trophy, the Hart, Pearson, and Art Ross all in the same year, and a Conn Smythe. He has 1,180 points in 1,107 games and would be a lock for the Hall of Fame even if he retired today.
At 33, he is still very much a dominant presence in the NHL and scored 92 points just this past season. That actually might be part of the reason why the Blackhawks would want to move him in the first place. In a season in which they appear to be tanking for the best odds in the 2023 draft, Kane’s presence could potentially elevate teammates to competitive status and help them win too many games.
So while Toews has been vocal with some of his frustration, Kane remains the player most fans are focused on this offseason. If he gives the okay, there will likely be an arms race to try and acquire him, especially if the Blackhawks are willing to retain half of his remaining contract (and why wouldn’t they, really). Kane carries a cap hit of $10.5MM but is due just $6.9MM this season, with $4MM of that to be paid in signing bonuses.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Dallas Stars Sign Ben Gleason
The Dallas Stars have signed Ben Gleason to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2022-23 season. The young defenseman was a restricted free agent after his previous one-year deal had expired this summer.
Gleason, 24, experienced an outstanding season this year with the Texas Stars, racking up 44 points in 70 games to finish fifth among all AHL defensemen in scoring. Undrafted, he was signed out of the OHL in 2018 and has been an excellent performer for Texas ever since, even getting into four games with Dallas during his first professional season.
While he won’t likely play a big role at the NHL level this year, he certainly warranted bringing back on a two-way contract as he’s an integral part of the minor league depth chart. Perhaps he’ll receive a chance to play a few games but mostly, Texas fans should be ready to watch Gleason rack up points once again in 2022-23.
Stefan Matteau Signs In Sweden
After spending most of last season in the minor leagues, Stefan Matteau is headed overseas. The free agent foward has signed a two-year contract with Linkoping HC of the SHL, ending his run in North America for the time being.
Matteau, 28, was a first-round pick of the New Jersey Devils back in 2012 and has bounced around the league over the last few seasons. Playing NHL games with the Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Columbus Blue Jackets, and most recently the Colorado Avalanche, the versatile forward was unable to really establish himself as a full-time option.
It is somewhat interesting to see him head to Europe, given the fact that Matteau has landed NHL contracts over and over again, despite not really playing much at that level. Last season, he was signed to a one-year, two-way deal with the Avalanche that included a strong minor league guarantee of $250K. He had secured guarantees of $200K on each of his last three contracts as well.
Still, with the SHL being a very competitive league and Matteau describing this chance as an “adventure” for himself and his family, it makes sense for him to pursue the new challenge. If the two-year deal marks the end of his NHL career, he’ll finish with 92 games played and 11 points at the highest level.
Philadelphia Flyers Sign Owen Tippett
The Philadelphia Flyers have locked up restricted free agent Owen Tippett for the next two years, signing him to a two-year, $3MM contract ($1.5MM AAV). PuckPedia reports that it will be worth $1.25MM in 2022-23 and $1.75MM in 2023-24.
Tippett, 23, is at something of a crossroads in his career. If there is ever to be a year where he needed to establish himself as a legitimate full-time NHL player, it is now, after being acquired by the Flyers last season as part of the return for Claude Giroux. Following the trade, he scored four goals and seven points in 21 games with Philadelphia, seeing more ice time than he had ever received with the Florida Panthers.
Despite having a powerful, accurate shot–one that was the biggest talking point when he went 10th overall in 2017–Tippett hasn’t actually scored at the rate many were expecting. His career shooting percentage has sat right around 8% since he entered the league, and he has just 18 goals in 115 NHL games. Even in Philadelphia, where he was thrust into substantial powerplay time as soon as he arrived, he managed just a single goal with the man advantage, a scenario where many expected him to dominate.
So this season, with a full summer with the organization, new coaching staff, and plenty of opportunities to play up in the lineup, Tippett will have big expectations once again. If he can take a step forward and become the big, powerful, offensive presence that many expected him to be, there is an opportunity for huge surplus value in this two-year deal. If he can’t, things might turn sour rapidly, as his career will always be connected to Giroux from this point forward in Philadelphia.
New Jersey Devils Hire Ryan McGill
We’re at the point of the offseason when teams are starting to round out their coaching staffs for next season, and the New Jersey Devils are the latest to make an addition. Ryan McGill will join Lindy Ruff‘s staff for 2022-23.
McGill, 53, had been with the Vegas Golden Knights since their inception, serving as an assistant coach for the last five years in the desert. Credited with helping along the development of several young defensemen including Shea Theodore, Nicolas Hague, and Zach Whitecloud, he’ll now join a New Jersey team that is ready to take the next step.
A former NHL defenseman himself, he will have quite the group of proteges to work with over the coming years. Not only do the Devils have established names like Dougie Hamilton and John Marino locked in long-term but also an emerging talent in Jonas Siegenthaler and some of the best defensive prospects in the league, with Simon Nemec and Luke Hughes. The development of those two, in particular, make this an important hire to get right, and McGill is certainly not coming in with a lack of experience.
Before joining Vegas, he had spent a few years coaching in junior with the Kootenay Ice and Owen Sound Attack, but there was also a seven-year period where McGill served as a head coach in the AHL.
Sami Niku Signs In Finland
There was a point, a few years ago, when Sami Niku seemed destined for NHL success. The Finn had dominated the minor leagues in his first season in North America, earning the AHL’s Eddie Shore Award as the best defenseman in the league, after putting up 54 points in 76 games for the Manitoba Moose. He was a smooth skater with plenty of offensive upside that didn’t suffer from a lack of size.
Now, before he even turns 26, he’s back in Europe. Niku has signed a one-year contract with JYP, the Liiga program that developed him in Finland.
Niku, 25, spent last season with the Montreal Canadiens organization, playing 13 games in the NHL and recording six points. His play in the minor leagues was still strong (especially in the playoffs) but because he didn’t reach a certain number of games with the Canadiens, he qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer.
In 67 career games in the NHL, spread over parts of five seasons, Niku registered 16 points. Whether he ever gets another chance at that level remains to be seen but his name shouldn’t be entirely forgotten, given his relative youth.
Anaheim Ducks Sign Nathan Gaucher
The Ducks signed Pavel Mintyukov, the first of their two 2022 first-round picks, earlier this month. Now, per a team announcement, the Ducks have inked Nathan Gaucher, their second first-round pick, to his own entry-level deal.
Gaucher, 18, was the 22nd pick at the 2022 draft, a pick that belonged to the Ducks thanks to the team’s trade of Hampus Lindholm to the Boston Bruins.
Gaucher has spent the past three seasons playing for the Quebec Ramparts of the QMJHL. The big six-foot-three, 207-pound forward had 57 points in 66 games last season and 31 points in 30 games in the COVID-impacted 2020-21 QMJHL season.
Gaucher’s size, pro-ready playing style, and overall polished game is what makes him an intriguing NHL prospect. While he may not have true top-of-the-lineup offensive upside, his addition to the Ducks’ prospect pool gives them an even more promising future down the middle, where they have two talented centers in Mason McTavish and Trevor Zegras already in the mix.
With this entry-level deal signed, Gaucher will likely head to training camp and have the chance to make the Ducks’ opening-night roster. If the way the team handled McTavish’s development is any indication, if Gaucher has a strong camp he could get a nine-game trial at the NHL level before being sent back to the Ramparts for a fourth season there.
With Zegras, McTavish, Ryan Strome, Isac Lundestrom, and Derek Grant all already on the Ducks, the Ducks’ center corps is a bit crowded at the moment. But Gaucher will get his chance soon enough, and this entry-level deal indicates that the Ducks are hoping Gaucher takes an accelerated path to the NHL similar to their other recent top picks.
Ottawa Senators Extend Mathieu Joseph
6:17 PM: The folks at CapFriendly have reported on the financial structure of the contract, which is as follows:
- 2022-23: $2.5MM
- 2023-24: $2.7MM
- 2024-25: $3.3MM
- 2025-26: $3.3MM
6:16 PM: After a strong start to his tenure as an Ottawa Senator, Mathieu Joseph has earned a four-year extension from the team. The Senators announced today that the restricted free agent forward has been inked to a four-year deal worth a total of $11.8MM, or $2.95MM per season.
Joseph, 25, arrived in Ottawa at the trade deadline as part of the team’s trade of Nick Paul. Coming from a talented Lightning team, Joseph found immediate success in a larger role in Ottawa, scoring four goals and 12 points in 11 games. He looked to be a strong fit next to Brady Tkachuk and Josh Norris, and its likely that this quality 11-game sample put him in a better position when negotiating this deal.
The Senators’ acquisitions of Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux could push Joseph out of the team’s top-six, but even in a third-line role, there is real potential for Joseph to provide surplus value on a $2.95MM cap hit. Joseph played on the Senators’ penalty kill and he could become a fixture on that unit going forward. If he does end up in a third-line role, $2.95MM is not bad value if he can maintain a level of production somewhere in between how he did as a Senator and his lesser production in Tampa Bay.
The Senators have been aggressive this offseason in improving their team. Joseph would likely have been ticketed for top-six duty on the Senators teams of years past, but that likely won’t be the case this year. Nonetheless, this is a solid, reasonable contract for both sides of the equation, and it’s the sort of deal the Lightning would have struggled to afford had they not traded Joseph.
If Joseph can continue the strong play he showed in his Senators tenure so far, this contract could be a fantastic bit of work from GM Pierre Dorion. If he doesn’t quite boom in 2022-23 the way he did in his first 11 games, Joseph could still settle in as a solid middle-six contributor who brings size, physicality, and scoring touch to the Senators’ second and third lines.