Arizona Coyotes Acquire Jack McBain, Sign Him To Entry Level Contract
Monday, 7:53 pm: As expected, after acquiring him, the Arizona Coyotes have signed forward Jack McBain to an entry-level contract. The contract is for two years and carries a cap hit of $884K. What is most notable about this contract is that it begins this year, perhaps giving the Coyotes a chance to give McBain an NHL look this year. The 22-year-old just finished his fourth season at Boston College and was set to be granted free agency this summer if he did not sign. One wrinkle to this story, however, is that McBain is currently injured and is in a walking boot, reports Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports. Once healed, McBain can begin to work his way back and into an NHL lineup for the first time in his career.
Monday, 10:45 am: The deal has now been made official. Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong had the following statement about his new center:
We are very pleased to acquire Jack McBain. He is a big, strong, highly-skilled center who had a tremendous season with Boston College. We are thrilled to have him join our organization.
Sunday: The Arizona Coyotes have acquired the rights to prospect center Jack McBain from the Minnesota Wild. They are acquiring the Vancouver Canucks’ 2022 second-round pick from the Coyotes in return, and McBain is expected to sign an entry-level contract with Arizona shortly. The trade was first reported by Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. McBain’s name was first entered into the trade deadline conversation by Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek and has been floating in deadline rumors ever since. McBain had made it clear that he would not be signing in Minnesota, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Wild and GM Bill Guerin were asking for a second-round pick from any interested party in return for McBain’s rights. They have gotten their asking price with this trade, as Arizona cashes in one pick from its impressive stockpile to acquire a player who many believe is ready to step into the NHL as soon as he signs his contract.
For the Wild, this trade represents Guerin being able to take advantage of McBain’s development as a college prospect to recoup some value from his rights. As mentioned above, McBain had communicated to the Wild that he would be signing his entry-level contract elsewhere, and from that point, it became imperative for Guerin to gain something from holding McBain’s rights. In previous trades, such as Zach Hyman to Toronto in 2015, a low-value pick is all the rights-holding team can get in return, given that their leverage is low due to their player’s pending free agency. But more recently, as we saw with Adam Fox‘s trade to the New York Rangers in 2019, teams have become more willing to part with valuable assets to acquire the rights to sign an NCAA prospect. So while Guerin and Wild fans may be disappointed that McBain chose not to sign in Minnesota, being able to get a second-round pick in exchange for a prospect’s soon-to-be expired rights is a good bit of business.
This trade is also good business for Arizona and GM Bill Armstrong. The Coyotes have built their team around a bold, scorched-earth plan to stockpile as much long-term value as possible. They have traded significant, in-their-prime, team-controlled players such as Conor Garland and Christian Dvorak, and have also weaponized their enviable amount of cap space to take on other teams’ unwanted contracts for draft pick compensation. The result of their efforts has been a stable of upcoming draft picks larger than any other franchise in the NHL. For the 2022 draft, before this trade, the Coyotes were set to have three first-round picks and five second-round picks. Now, they still have three first-rounders and four second-rounders. Second-round picks are assets that the team currently has an abundance of, but what they are lacking is quality talent at the center position. By trading for him, it is clear that Arizona believes McBain is exactly that, and through this trade, the Coyotes are subtracting from a position of strength to add to a position of pretty severe weakness. The Coyotes’ top four players down the middle are currently Travis Boyd, Riley Nash, Christian Fischer, and Barrett Hayton. Only Boyd is under contract for next season. By acquiring McBain, who had 33 points in 24 games this past season for Boston College, the Coyotes add a high-upside prospect who is ready to step in and bolster their lineup immediately. He might not have the tools to become a do-it-all star first-line center, but regardless of what role he ends up settling into his acquisition by the Coyotes is a shrewd move from Armstrong to help diversify the team’s immediate and long-term outlook down the middle.
It’s not often that a trade can truly please the fanbases of both teams involved, and given McBain’s reluctance to sign in Minnesota there still could be bitterness from that side. But that being said, this looks like a trade where both sides, given their respective situations, seem to come away on top.
Winnipeg Jets Extend Kristian Reichel
The Winnipeg Jets capped off a surprisingly busy trade deadline day by signing forward Kristian Reichel to an extension this evening. The contract is a two-year, two-way deal that carries a $775K AAV. In the first year of the deal, 2022-23, Reichel will earn $750K at the NHL level, along with a $25K signing bonus, and the deal being worth $150K at the minor league level. In the second year, Reichel will earn $775K in the NHL and $175K in the minors. Reichel is currently in his final year of a two-year entry-level contract that he signed with the Jets in June of 2020.
Reichel’s extension comes in the midst of a difficult season for the 23-year-old, who has been called up and sent down several times, and been transferred on and off of Winnipeg’s taxi squad for a majority of the season. After all this, Reichel was placed on injured reserve on February 23rd and activated today. Reichel has played in both the NHL and AHL this season, putting up two points in 12 games for the Jets and 12 points in 26 games with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.
The forward first played in North America with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL in 2017-18, where he excelled with 34 goals and 23 assists in 63 games. Reichel would turn professional the following season and spend parts of the next four seasons with the Moose before making his NHL debut this season with the Jets.
Several Players Placed In COVID Protocol
The Vegas Golden Knights announced that they have placed forward Michael Amadio, defenseman Zach Whitecloud, and assistant coach Ryan McGill in COVID protocol ahead of tonight’s game at the Minnesota Wild. In what would appear to be a related move, the team has also called up forwards Paul Cotter and Jonas Rondbjerg and defensemen Zack Hayes and Daniil Miromanov (link). While the team only placed two players in COVID protocol, the earlier trade of Evgenii Dadonov frees up some additional salary cap space to allow them to call two players up.
In losing Amadio and Whitecloud, Vegas loses two NHL regulars who help Vegas to roll out a complete lineup each night. However, it could certainly open up an opportunity for several young players to shine. Regardless, in these situations, the health of the player always comes first.
Unrelated to Vegas’ COVID protocol players is Buffalo Sabres’ forward John Hayden, who was placed in COVID protocol earlier today (link). While the Sabres don’t play tonight, COVID protocol affects all elements of a player’s involvement with the team, so an announcement of Hayden’s unavailability on an off day makes sense.
Seattle Kraken Acquire Victor Rask
The Minnesota Wild have gotten out from under Victor Rask‘s contract, at least partially. The team has traded Rask to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for future considerations while retaining 50 percent of his remaining deal. Rask carries a cap hit of $4MM in the last season of a six-year, $24MM deal signed in 2016. Rask will report to the Charlotte Checkers, a team he once played for during his time in the Carolina Hurricanes organization.
Rask, 29, was once a young, exciting forward for the Hurricanes, scoring 62 goals and 157 points over his first four seasons in the league. Since then, however, he’s fallen completely off the map, even clearing waivers twice this year. Now the Wild are simply giving him away while retaining a portion of his contract, in order to clear a bit of cap space and a contract slot for the stretch run.
Minnesota added a good chunk of salary today with Marc-Andre Fleury, but still had more than enough space to fit everything in. In fact, with Rask in the minor leagues he was already only costing them $2.875MM against the cap, not that much different than what they’ll now carry. The fact that the Kraken immediately announced that he would report to their AHL affiliate makes this even more confusing, as it appears as though Rask won’t get an NHL opportunity in Seattle either–at least not right away.
Set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, it will be interesting to see if Rask even gets an NHL offer in the summer or returns to Sweden to continue his career overseas. At least the Checkers will be getting a nice boost–Rask has ten points in ten AHL games with the Iowa Wild this year.
Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Alexei Melnichuk
The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired goalie Alexei Melnichuk from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Antoine Morand, per The Mercury News’ Curtis Pashelka.
In Melnichuk, Tampa receives a goalie who had strong NHL upside at one point but seems to have bottomed out in North America. The Sharks signed him as an undrafted free agent after a strong 2019-20 season in Russia, where he had a .930 save percentage in 16 KHL games with SKA St. Petersburg. Since coming to the Sharks organization, though, he’s failed to post a save percentage above .900 at any level. He has an .867 in 31 AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda this year.
Morand has now been traded in consecutive seasons. Originally a Ducks prospect, he was dealt to Tampa Bay last season. In 44 games with the Syracuse Crunch this season, though, he had just ten points.
Ryan Ellis Out For Rest Of Season
The Philadelphia Flyers received less than 100 minutes of ice time from Ryan Ellis this season. The veteran defenseman has been ruled out for the rest of the season, Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher told reporters including Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic. Though he still wouldn’t reveal details on the injury, Fletcher noted that they are still making a decision on whether Ellis needs surgery.
While this should come as no surprise, given how the year has gone for Philadelphia, Ellis’ first season with the team is now completely lost. The 31-year-old appeared in just four games, the last coming on November 13. He actually recorded points in each of those appearances, exactly the kind of frustrating teaser that Flyers fans don’t want to think about after a season that has been marred by injury after injury, and is ending with the captain and face of their franchise traded to an Eastern Conference rival.
Acquired for Nolan Patrick and Philippe Myers in the offseason–two players who have also disappointed–Ellis was supposed to be the right-handed answer in Philadelphia, finally replacing the two-way play that they had lacked on that side since Matt Niskanen‘s unexpected retirement. He had, after all, played that role to perfection for many seasons in Nashville, offering 40-point upside while contributing in all situations.
Unfortunately, the Flyers are now looking at a player on the wrong side of 30, signed for five more seasons, that carries a $6.25MM cap hit and has missed essentially an entire year due to injury. It’s not at all clear what level of play Ellis will be able to provide next season, especially should they decide on surgery.
Still, the Flyers aren’t really looking at a rebuild, despite moving on from Claude Giroux and some other expiring pieces. The team re-signed Rasmus Ristolainen to a long-term deal and have talked about how Fletcher will be given a “blank check” to fix the team. Should Ellis return to his previous form, it will be a huge boost to the lineup, though at this point even a recovery timeline is not certain.
Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets Complete Minor Trade
The Los Angeles Kings have acquired Nelson Nogier from the Winnipeg Jets, sending Markus Phillips back the other way. Both players are currently playing in the minor leagues and will likely report to their new respective AHL affiliates. Additionally, the Kings have recalled Quinton Byfield, Rasmus Kupari, Gabriel Vilardi, and Jordan Spence, after they were sent down on paper to become eligible for the AHL playoffs.
The swap brings a slightly older defenseman to the Ontario Reign in Nogier, but also one with considerably more experience. The 25-year-old has played 11 games in the NHL and is in his sixth full season of professional hockey, after being drafted 101st overall in 2014. Through 25 games with the Manitoba Moose this season he has six points, which is actually not all that far off his AHL career-high of 13. On an expiring contract, he’ll be a Group VI unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, making this essentially a deadline rental for the Reign, who are second in the Pacific Division and looking for a Calder Cup.
In Phillips, the Moose are getting a 23-year-old who is in just his second full season of pro hockey, after a long career in the OHL. Selected 118th overall in 2017, the left-shot defenseman has five points in 38 games this season and will be a restricted free agent in the summer, without arbitration rights. While he could potentially go unqualified, he’ll at least get a chance down the stretch to show the Jets organization he’s worth another contract, even if it is of the two-way variety.
Tampa Bay Lightning Re-Acquire Riley Nash
The Tampa Bay Lightning have brought back forward Riley Nash from the Arizona Coyotes via trade in exchange for future considerations, the team announced today. Tampa Bay lost Nash on waivers to the Coyotes earlier in the season.
Nash, after clearing waivers today, will report to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.
He’s bounced around this season, in large part, because his defensive game has slipped slightly from the elite pedestal where it once stood. While Nash hasn’t been a factor offensively for a few seasons now, he was still one of the game’s higher-end fourth-line centers because of his skill defensively.
Now, after the departures of Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk, Nash is likely Tampa Bay’s 13th forward for their playoff run. He has 34 games of playoff experience.
This season, Nash has just four assists in 49 games.
Michael McNiven Traded To Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators have added a little more goaltending depth, acquiring Michael McNiven from the Calgary Flames in exchange for future considerations. This is the second time McNiven has been dealt for future considerations just this season, after arriving in Calgary a little over two weeks ago from the Montreal Canadiens.
McNiven, 24, made his NHL debut this season for the Canadiens, unfortunately allowing three goals on just seven shots to give him a career .571 save percentage at the highest level. While he’s just 24, there’s no guarantee he gets a chance to change that, at least not yet. The move to Ottawa doesn’t mean he’s going to be heading to the NHL level, as he’ll likely report to the minor leagues again.
In all, the young netminder never did actually enter a game for the Flames organization, meaning this may be a forgotten stopover in an odd season. While he’ll be a restricted free agent again this summer, McNiven remains (as he has in the past) a prime candidate to go unqualified. In 82 career AHL games, he has posted a 31-35-13 record with an .891 save percentage.
While future considerations often don’t mean very much, in this case, it appears to have been an AHL player heading back the other way. Tyrell Goulbourne has been traded from the Belleville Senators to the Stockton Heat. Players on AHL contracts can’t be included in the same trade as NHL players, meaning this had to be done as two separate transactions.
New York Islanders Extend Zach Parise, Cal Clutterbuck
Despite being well out of the playoff picture, a pair of New York Islanders veterans are staying put. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports that forwards Zach Parise and Cal Clutterbuck have signed extensions in New York. Per the Islanders, Clutterbuck’s extension is for two years, while Parise’s is just for one. The deals will go into effect for the 2022-23 season.
Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Clutterbuck’s deal carries a cap hit of $1.75MM.
Parise, who signed a one-year league-minimum deal to join the team after getting bought out by the Minnesota Wild, has provided great value for that $750,000 cap hit. Despite seeing limited ice time, he has eight goals and 24 points in 60 games, a decent offensive clip and good consistency. The 37-year-old has improved his defensive game from his last years in Minnesota as well.
Clutterbuck is extremely likely to take a pay cut from his previous deal, which paid him $3.5MM a year. He remains a very good defensive winger but is really beginning to struggle offensively and on special teams. He has 15 points in 59 games this season, averaging 14:02 per game.
If you think this news is puzzling, you’re not alone. Rumors swirled for weeks about both of these players getting dealt prior to the Trade Deadline, especially Clutterbuck. But general manager Lou Lamoriello has a history of retaining his veterans whenever possible in an effort to keep consistent voices in the locker room, and it appears that pattern hasn’t changed. It could be that the organization views this year as an outlier, a somewhat reasonable assumption considering their 13-game road trip to start the year and their rash of injuries.
But it’s a gamble nonetheless by the Islanders, as they continue to limit internal opportunities for young players within their organization.