Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Brandon Hagel
The Chicago Blackhawks have begun the teardown, though it will start with a very surprising move. They are trading Brandon Hagel and a pair of fourth round picks in 2022 and 2023 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 first-round pick. After the deal became official, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson issued the following statement:
“I said a few weeks ago that we are rebuilding, and this is clearly the start of that. Getting two first round draft picks as well as two, young, NHL players helps us kickstart that process in a major way. We know that Brandon Hagel was a fan favorite — our fans loved him for all the reasons we loved him — and we know he be successful with the Lightning.”
Hagel, 23, is on one of the most valuable contracts in the league this season and carries a cap hit of just $1.5MM through the 2023-24 season. The deal, signed in August, was after a rookie season that saw him score nine goals and 24 points in 52 games. This year he’s fired well past those marks, already racking up 21 goals and 37 points in 55 games.
That kind of an asset isn’t usually one that a struggling team trades, though the Blackhawks’ new management, led by general manager Kyle Davidson, has been clear that there is a full rebuild coming in Chicago. Trading Hagel now, when he very well might be at the peak of his value (but not necessarily his production), will give that rebuild a kickstart, even if it does mean they lose some prime, inexpensive years of a homegrown talent. Despite being selected by the Buffalo Sabres in 2016, Hagel waited and signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks two years later, and has only ever played for that organization.
Still, for a package of picks and players like this, it is easy to understand why Davidson pulled the trigger for his first trade since losing the interim tag and being officially named general manager earlier this month. The team had gutted their own system through previous acquisitions like the Seth Jones trade from last summer and it will likely be several years until they are truly considered playoff contenders again. If they are moving Hagel they are likely willing to trade just about anyone on the roster for the right price.
For the Lightning, they have no one to imitate but themselves when it comes to trade deadline moves. This deal is extremely similar to the one that landed them Blake Coleman two years ago, which–along with the addition of Barclay Goodrow–made their forward group incredibly deep and ultimately helped them win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Like Coleman, Hagel may be slightly undersized but plays a versatile, in-your-face game that can work in basically any spot in the lineup.
Even better, while Coleman was under contract for just one more season following that 2019-20 campaign, Hagel won’t even be an unrestricted free agent when his current three-year deal ends in 2024. He’ll still be an RFA at that point, meaning the Lightning have even more control. His extremely low cost means that he won’t negatively affect the Lightning’s cap situation, one that is always tight as they often find themselves in long-term injured reserve and in need of inexpensive options. In fact, simply moving out Katchouk and Raddysh makes the cap work for Tampa Bay, thanks to how cheap Hagel is.
While collecting draft picks is one thing, Davidson will soon have a bigger task on his hands than sending assets out the door. The Blackhawks are going to need to not only find the right players in the draft–the picks from Tampa Bay are certainly not expected to be very high, and even in the case that Tampa falters, the picks are top-ten protected–but also develop them into legitimate NHL talents. That work has already been mostly completed with Katchouk and Raddysh, who were both second-round selections and have been regulars this season in the Lightning lineup.
That’s not to say either of them will bring the level of offense Hagel had, though there are certainly some interesting aspects to the new Chicago forwards. For one thing, Raddysh isn’t heading into a room of unknowns, as he played on a line with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome for the Erie Otters. He’s also been developing quite nicely in the Lightning system and, standing 6’3″, brings size that Hagel never could. Raddysh has five goals and 12 points in 53 games with Tampa Bay this season, though that comes while averaging just barely over 11 minutes a night.
Katchouk is another big, powerful forward, and another OHL graduate, this time from the Soo Greyhounds. He has two goals and four points in 38 games with the Lightning this season, averaging under ten minutes a game. Notably, though he has played 20 fewer games than some of his teammates and rarely sees the ice when he does get in the lineup, Katchouk ranks third among all Tampa Bay forwards in hits with 98. It will be interesting to see if size becomes a trademark of the Blackhawks under Davidson, given the first player out the door is a 5’11” 174-lbs winger, albeit one that has never shied away from contact or the physical side of the game.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was first to report that Hagel had been traded, while John Buccigross of ESPN provided the specific details.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Andrej Sekera Placed On Waivers
March 18: Sekera has cleared waivers, according to Chris Johnston of TSN. The veteran defenseman can now be assigned to the minor leagues, where $1.125MM of his cap hit would come off the books.
March 17: A somewhat surprising name has hit the wire today, as Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the Dallas Stars have placed Andrej Sekera on waivers. Sekera was only activated from long-term injured reserve a few days ago and hasn’t played since January.
Last playing on January 28, Sekera’s placement on waivers is most interesting because of the situation the Stars are currently in. The team is still battling for playoff spot in the Central Division but recently lost top defenseman Miro Heiskanen to mononucleosis. They have relied heavily of late on the trio of John Klingberg, Ryan Suter, and Esa Lindell, while Joel Hanley, he of just 108 career NHL games, is seeing only a handful of minutes.
Sekera would seem to be a fine depth piece to insert over Hanley if needed, and it even seemed that was the plan just a few hours ago. As Saad Yousuf of The Athletic tweets, head coach Rick Bowness said this morning that they would “for sure” get Sekera into the lineup on the weekend. If that is still the plan, it obviously is not hinging on the veteran defenseman clearing waivers today, something that’s certainly no guarantee this time of year.
While he does carry a $1.5MM cap hit, Sekera is also on an expiring deal, meaning a team could potentially claim him as if he were a deadline rental acquisition. It doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility for a player with 834 games of NHL experience to draw some interest, even if his season hasn’t been a successful one. In 24 games, Sekera has registered just three points while averaging just under 14 minutes a night.
If he does clear, the Stars could potentially bury a good chunk of his cap hit in the minor leagues if they are looking to make an addition of their own at the deadline.
Latest On Nick Paul
March 18: On a live chat with followers today, Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets explained that his understanding is the Senators’ most recent offer to Paul was a four-year, $10MM contract. Paul is reportedly looking for something with an average annual value closer to $3MM.
Additionally, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that the Senators have made Paul a healthy scratch in advance of their matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers. He also reports that Paul is “expected to be moved” by the Senators shortly, in advance of Monday’s trade deadline.
March 17: The Ottawa Senators aren’t expected to be very active ahead of Monday’s deadline, but one player who could draw plenty of interest if made available is Nick Paul. The versatile forward is a pending free agent that carries a cap hit of just $1.35MM this season and could add some punch to a team’s bottom-six while also being an extension candidate wherever he lands.
Why isn’t he an extension candidate in Ottawa? That’s not entirely clear, as though Paul had been open about wanting to stay with the Senators it does not appear as though much progress has been made on a contract. In fact, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote today that there has been “not much movement” and David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tweets there is “no progress” between the two sides. Pagnotta now expects Paul to be moved before the deadline.
The 26-year-old forward (27 on Sunday) has 11 goals and 18 points in 59 games this season but has been moved all over the lineup to fill whatever role is necessary. Deployed in heavy defensive minutes on the regular, he’s spent more time at center this season than any year in the past and is averaging more than 17 minutes a night.
This certainly isn’t a player that a contender would want to plug into the top-six, but Paul’s grinding style does suggest that he would do well in a playoff atmosphere. That’s not something he’s experienced to this point in his career even in the minor leagues, meaning a chance at joining a contender might even be something he welcomes at this point.
With Thomas Chabot now out with a broken hand and Jake Sanderson‘s debut with the Senators likely delayed, the stretch run in Ottawa is getting grimmer by the day. Already the team has won just five of their last 18 games and could be looking at an even worse period without their top defenseman. If an extension isn’t going to get done, getting a draft pick for Paul seems to be the obvious move for general manager Pierre Dorion.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Nashville Predators Still Trying To Extend Filip Forsberg
The Nashville Predators sit firmly in the first wild card position in the Western Conference, four points ahead of the skidding Vegas Golden Knights and five points ahead of their Central Division rivals, the Dallas Stars. In fact, Nashville is closer to the second-place St. Louis Blues than the Stars are to the, though Dallas does hold two games in hand. With that playoff spot in hand, it certainly would be surprising to see the Predators sell pending unrestricted free agent Filip Forsberg before Monday’s deadline.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising then when Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Predators have re-engaged in extension negotiations with Forsberg. The insider explains that just “marginal” progress has been made, though the team maintains the focus is on keeping Forsberg, not trading him.
Forsberg of course has been involved in a deadline deal before, one that impacted his entire NHL career to this point. In the spring of 2013, the now-infamous deal for Martin Erat (and Michael Latta) brought the young Swedish forward to Nashville less than a year after he was selected 11th overall by the Washington Capitals. In the decade since, he’s racked up 210 goals in 545 games, including 32 tallies this season. That number puts him in a tie for ninth in the league, and in line for a huge contract, whether it comes with Nashville or not.
One of Predators’ general manager David Poile’s trademarks is signing players to long-term extensions for reasonable–but risky–cap numbers and the 27-year-old forward is one of his biggest wins. Signed to a six-year, $36MM extension in 2016, just before he became a restricted free agent for the first time, Forsberg provided years of excess value as one of the most reliable goal-scoring wingers in the league. Now, on the precipice of just his third contract, he’s having the best season of his career and would likely be sought after by a huge chunk of the league this summer.
With that tempting experience just a few months away, it will certainly be difficult for the Predators to lock him up at this point. The team will undoubtedly need to offer a substantial raise on the $6MM cap hit he has carried so far, and the ink is just barely dry on Tomas Hertl‘s eight-year, $65.1MM contract extension that could shape this offseason’s market.
In this case, at least, the Predators don’t necessarily have to get a deal done before Monday’s deadline. Like any other team that is adding rentals, keeping Forsberg for their own playoff run seems prudent. But deadlines in general have a way of speeding up negotiations, meaning perhaps there will be a decision one way or another before the weekend is through.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
AHL Shuffle: 03/18/22
While the entire hockey world is focused on the trade deadline, there are still games to be played over the next few days. The six matches on the schedule for this evening include another entertaining bout between the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, two teams that continue to do battle in the Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes are on top but have lost two in a row, while the surging Capitals are on a three-game win streak and now just three points out of a divisional playoff spot. As they and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- Last night the Toronto Maple Leafs made a curious roster move, adding Alex Steeves under emergency conditions while Wayne Simmonds gained non-roster status. The team clarified today that it was for personal reasons and Simmonds would be added back today, and he was with the group again at practice according to Mark Masters of TSN. The team will have to move Steeves (or someone else) off the roster to officially add Simmonds back.
- The Detroit Red Wings have assigned defenseman Luke Witkowski to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Witkowski, 31, is on his second tour of duty in Detroit and is best known for playing a throwback “enforcer” style of hockey that has become increasingly rare in today’s game.
Metropolitan Division
Central Division
- The Arizona Coyotes have assigned Michael Carcone back to the AHL, after he played his second NHL game earlier this week. The 25-year-old forward is a top option in the minor leagues but is still without a single point at the highest level.
Pacific Division
- The Anaheim Ducks have returned Danny O’Regan to San Diego of the AHL. He has played just four games with Anaheim this season, recording one assist but he has been more productive in the minors with the Gulls, picking up 26 points in 37 games.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
IIHF Announces Suspension Of Russian, Belarusian Teams
March 18: The Russian Ice Hockey Federation is protesting the decision and released the following statement:
The actions of the RIHF are in accordance with the belief that the IIHF’s restrictive measures against Russian athletes are discriminatory.
Banning players from international competition based on nationality fuels intolerance in the media and could lead to divisions within the ice hockey community, which has always been known for its unity.
February 28: The IIHF has officially announced an indefinite suspension of the Russian and Belarusian national and club teams in response to the recent use of military force in Ukraine. Luc Tardif, president of the IIHF, released a statement:
The IIHF is not a political entity and cannot influence the decisions being taken over the war in Ukraine. We nevertheless have a duty of care to all of our members and participants and must therefore do all we can to ensure that we are able to operate our events in a safe environment for all teams taking part in the IIHF World Championship program.
We were incredibly shocked to see the images that have come out of Ukraine. I have been in close contact with members of the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine and we hope for all Ukrainians that this conflict can be resolved in a peaceful way and without the need for further violence.
Under current conditions, these actions would be taken:
- 2022 IIHF Continental Cup (4-6 March 2022) – Belarus club team HK Gomel would not participate
- 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship (21 April-01 May 2022) – Russia and Belarus men’s U18 teams would not participate
- 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship (13-29 May 2022) – ROC and Belarus men’s national teams would not participate
- 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship (Dates TBB) – Russia women’s U18 national team would not participate
- 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship (Dates TBD) – Russia men’s U20 national teams would not participate
- 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship (26 August-4 September 2022) – ROC women’s national team would not participate
The IIHF has also announced that they have withdrawn the 2023 World Junior Championship hosting rights from Russia. In the coming months, discussions will be held to find a new host.
They have also “not left out the possibility of further actions” though they hope for a “swift and peaceful resolution to the war.”
Anaheim Ducks To Hold Out Hampus Lindholm As Deadline Approaches
The Anaheim Ducks have reached the point of no return with Hampus Lindholm. After general manager tried for weeks to get an extension done with the pending free agent defenseman, Lindholm is now expected to be traded by Monday’s deadline. A trade is likely enough to warrant holding him out of the lineup entirely, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, who tweets that Lindholm won’t play tonight.
In terms of where he might be headed, Darren Dreger of TSN reports that a few teams “continue to digest” the asking price, which currently is a first-round pick, and third-round pick, and a top prospect. While that may seem like a big ask for a rental player, just a few days ago Ben Chiarot landed a similar package for the Montreal Canadiens. Lindholm is much more well-rounded than the former Canadiens defenseman, though he doesn’t have the recent successful postseason run that Chiarot is lauded for.
LeBrun suggests that the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues would make sense for Lindholm, though the defenseman has been speculatively linked to nearly every contender in the league at some point.
There is an injury history that the Ducks have to consider when protecting him over the next few days. Lindholm played just 18 games last season after suffering various injuries including a broken wrist. Throughout his career, he’s been able to play 80 games in a single season just once, and that was in 2015-16. Logging nearly 23 minutes a night opens him up to plenty of risk, especially given how many shots he blocks. If his time with the Ducks is over, the 28-year-old leaves with 581 games played, fourth all-time for the franchise among defensemen.
With Lindholm taken out and Josh Manson traded, the Ducks will have a new look going forward on the blueline. Veteran Cam Fowler and young Jamie Drysdale lead the group, though suddenly plenty of playing time is up for grabs. Kevin Shattenkirk, the only other established veteran in the group, is signed for one more season at a $3.9MM cap hit.
Latest On Claude Giroux
All signs point to Claude Giroux leaving the Philadelphia Flyers now that he has played in his 1,000th game, though there is still at least a bit of intrigue in regards to where he is going. Anthony SanFilippo of Crossing Broad reported last night that Giroux would not be accompanying the Flyers on their trip to Ottawa, something that Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet confirmed this morning.
The sharp money is on the Florida Panthers right now in terms of who will acquire Giroux before Monday’s deadline, though Friedman writes that the Colorado Avalanche have “not given up” as of this morning. Emily Kaplan of ESPN writes that there could be another team involved, though she too expects it to be Florida when the dust settles.
Florida of course already acquired Ben Chiarot, moved out Frank Vatrano, and have held Owen Tippett out of the AHL lineup in advance of the deadline as they attempt to go all-in this season. The Panthers are among the league’s best teams, even if they did get beaten by the struggling Vegas Golden Knights last night. Overall, Florida has a 41-14-6 record and is still in first place in the Atlantic Division.
If it is the end of Giroux’s time in Philadelphia–Friedman tweets that the captain will be held out of the lineup through the weekend even if a trade isn’t completed today–he finishes with exactly 1,000 games and 900 points with the franchise. This season has been another strong one with 18 goals and 42 points in 57 games, even if the overall results for the Flyers haven’t been what was expected. The 34-year-old is an unrestricted free agent in the summer and has yet to raise the Stanley Cup.
Buffalo Sabres “Open” To Bringing Back Craig Anderson
It’s been quite the career reversal for veteran netminder Craig Anderson. After a reported retirement last season, Anderson may now be returning to the NHL yet again in 2022-23, back with the same team that offered him their starting role last summer. Speaking with both Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams and Anderson, The Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski reports both sides would be interested in a reunion for 2022-23.
Battling through injury, the 40-year-old goalie has had quite the season in Buffalo. He’s been by far the team’s best option this season, and he actually has a record above the .500 mark (10-8-0). The other Sabres goalies have combined for a 10-24-8 mark this year.
Buffalo will have a lot of money to spend in free agency, though, and goaltending is obviously a position they’ll look to upgrade. The team looks to finally carry some positive momentum into the following season, and they’ll likely be at least moderately active in filling out their roster.
But the question remains on whether Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be ready for full-time NHL action next season. He’s struggled at times in the minor leagues but has looked more comfortable in NHL action in limited samples. If the best place for Luukkonen is the NHL, is there room for Anderson if the Sabres choose to buy a goalie on the open market?
There may be still, as Anderson’s not only proved a valuable on-ice contributor in Buffalo but he’s been an incredibly positive voice in helping build back a winning culture in Buffalo this season along with other leaders such as Kyle Okposo and Alex Tuch. It very well may be that Father Time hasn’t come for Anderson just yet.
Ottawa Senators Sign Philippe Daoust
6:43 pm: Daoust’s three-year entry-level contract carries a $821,667 cap hit, per CapFriendly. Each year, he’ll see a $55,000 signing bonus, with a $750,000 base salary in 2022-23 and a $775,000 base salary in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
1:08 pm: The Ottawa Senators have signed prospect Philippe Daoust to a three-year entry-level contract that will start in 2022-23. The QMJHL forward currently plays with the Saint John Sea Dogs, where he will remain for the rest of this season. Senators general manager Pierre Dorion released a statement:
We’ve been very pleased with Philippe’s progress. He’s a highly skilled forward who displays good offensive instincts and creativity. With Saint John serving as Memorial Cup host this spring, we expect him to play an important role throughout the Sea Dogs’ post-season.
Daoust, 20, actually started this year with the Belleville Senators, playing 15 games at the AHL level before a trade brought his junior rights from the Moncton Wildcats to the Memorial Cup host Sea Dogs. In the 17 games he’s played since returning, Daoust has 11 goals and 22 points.
It’s an extremely uncommon path for a sixth-round pick, especially one that went completely undrafted in his first year of eligibility. But Daoust is an uncommon prospect, with even his junior career taking winding a very unusual road. From Barrie, Ontario, the young forward was completely passed over in the OHL draft and ended up playing in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League for 2018-19. That earned some interest, which took him away from the OHL and into the QMJHL, where he signed with Moncton.
As fate would have it, that decision would end up being a very good one for Daoust, who instead of missing an entire development season like the other OHL prospects in 2020-21, was able to play in 21 games with Moncton and show his game had reached an entirely different level. Overlooked for years, Daoust now has an NHL contract in hand and a future in the Senators organization.