Minor Transactions: 11/23/21
Once the hockey season kicks into full gear, few transactions outside of NHL trades, claims, recalls, and reassignments garner much attention from the masses. Yet, some notable moves in other league do continue throughout the year. A handful have taken place today in fact:
- The rare AHL trade has not been as uncommon so far this season, as the third trade of the season has been completed. As the narrative of the Senators’ poor organizational depth on the blue line continues to be an issue for both Ottawa and Belleville, the farm team brought in some help today. The AHL Senators announced that they have acquired defenseman Jack Dougherty from the Providence Bruins in exchange for future considerations. Dougherty is a name familiar to fans in Belleville, having played for the team the past two seasons. He only played one game with Providence this season, so his usage could have just as much to do with the deal to send him back to Belleville as does the Senators’ own needs. Dougherty, 25, was a second round pick of the Nashville Predators back in 2014 and a standout for both the U.S. National Team Development Program and in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks. While he never panned out, with no NHL experience to speak of, Dougherty has settled nicely into a role as a useful, two-way defenseman in the AHL.
- Sometimes very capable pros slip through the cracks in the off-season and are forced to settle for ECHL contracts and the hopes of proving on AHL injury loans that they can still play at a high level. Such is the case for goaltender Jon Gillies and forward Nick Lappin, who have both joined the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms on PTO’s today, on loan from their respective ECHL clubs. Gillies, 27, was on a PTO this fall with the New York Islanders that did not result in a contract. His time with the Maine Mariners has actually been spent mostly with their AHL parent club, the Providence Bruins, where he posted stellar numbers in three games, but again without a new contract in the end. The accomplished collegiate goalie and experienced pro is hoping Lehigh Valley finally takes notice of his ability and rewards him with an AHL deal. Lappin is hoping for the same result from his time with the Phantoms. The 29-year-old forward is not the same player he was as a regular call-up of the New Jersey Devils for several years, but also hasn’t had the chance to play a complete season in the past two years. Lappin will try to take advantage of this AHL opportunity to show he still plays with the same physicality and grit and that his scoring touch is not lost.
- In a quirk of the transfer process in Switzerland’s National League, former NHLer Chris DiDomenico has already signed a new contract… with a different team… for next year. The 32-year-old journeyman has signed a two-year deal with SC Bern, but first will complete the current season with HC Fribourg-Gotteron in a strange arrangement. DiDomenico actually made his name initially in Switzerland (and Italy) from 2012 to 2017 before signing with the Ottawa Senators. When he left North America after two seasons with the Sens, he returned immediately to Switzerland and started producing at an elite level once again. As dangerous as he looks this season with Fribourg, tallying 26 points in his first 24 games, he could be even better next year in Bern with fellow former NHLers Cory Conacher, Kaspars Daugavins, and Dominik Kahun.
Hurricanes’ Eric Gelinas, Wild’s Ivan Lodnia Clear Unconditional Waivers
Nov 23: After both players cleared waivers, they are now able to have their contracts terminated and sign overseas. Gelinas technically was recalled to the NHL before terminating it but is headed back to Rogle where he played last season. As for Lodnia, Michael Russo of The Athletic understood that a few weeks ago the young forward was linked to Finland, but nothing has yet surfaced regarding his next destination.
Nov 21: Two NHL seasons and contracts (and possibly careers) could soon be coming to an end. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that a pair of names have been placed on unconditional waivers today for the purpose of contract termination. They are veteran defenseman Eric Gelinas of the Carolina Hurricanes and young forward Ivan Lodnia of the Minnesota Wild.
Gelinas, a name that should be familiar to NHL fans, is an experienced defender in the league with nearly 200 games to his credit with the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche. However, he spent the past three seasons in Europe before returning with a one-year contract with the Hurricanes this off-season. Given the defensive depth in Carolina though, Gelinas has yet to see a return to the NHL level and very well might not have played for anyone other than the AHL’s Chicago Wolves this season. As a result, he is seeking a contract termination so that he can pursue greater opportunities elsewhere. One of the best offensive defensemen in Sweden last year, Gelinas is likely to head back to the SHL if he clears waivers.
Lodnia, 22, is a different case. The young forward is in his first pro season in North America after playing in the KHL on loan last year. A 2017 third-round pick and long-time OHL standout, Lodnia is considered a good prospect and likely expected to be treated as such by the Wild. Instead, Minnesota’s depth forced them to assign Lodnia to the ECHL to begin the year. When he opted not to report, Lodnia was suspended and as a result, has not played a single game this season. Enough is enough apparently, as the two sides are moving toward a contract termination. It is unclear if the Wild have tried to trade Lodnia and, if so, if his refusal to report has been a turn-off to potential suitors. An interested club could still grab Lodnia on waivers, but typically unconditional placements go untouched. He could potentially sign with another NHL team, or AHL team, but there is also the chance that he returns to Europe instead. It’s a strange twist to what once seemed like a budding NHL career that now may never be.
Brayden Point Out 4-6 Weeks
The Tampa Bay Lightning have issued an update on Brayden Point, announcing that the center will be out four to six weeks with an upper-body injury.
It’s not the best news for the Lightning, but it certainly isn’t as bad as it could have been either. Point was originally ruled out indefinitely after being tripped on a breakaway and slamming into the end boards. While he was able to finish that game, Point was obviously hurt and now will miss at least a month.
That means he should be back in time for the Olympics, should Team Canada take him to Beijing, and will return around the same time the Lightning are currently expecting Nikita Kucherov back from his own injury. In the meantime, others will have to step up and carry the load for Tampa Bay and keep them in an Atlantic Division playoff position.
Point, 25, has averaged 20 minutes a night through the first 16 games of the season, scoring seven goals and 13 points in that time. After leading the entire league in goals during each of the last two postseasons, there are few players more impactful to the lineup. His presence is felt all over the ice, and between him and Anthony Cirelli, the Lightning have two of the most well-rounded two-way centers in the league.
Cirelli too has been asked to play a ton already this season, including more than 24 minutes with Point out of the lineup on Sunday. That heavy load will continue now for the next while, though others will be asked to do more as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Arizona Coyotes
As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads towards the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Arizona Coyotes.
What are the Coyotes most thankful for?
The flat salary cap.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NHL to hit pause on the 2019-20 season, limited attendance figures across the league, and ended the natural rise of the salary cap, teams all around the league were stuck with bad contracts that they could no longer afford. Enter the Coyotes, who used their massive amount of cap space to leverage draft picks and futures out of several transactions this summer. The team now has eight picks in the first two rounds of the 2022 NHL Draft, while their actual salary expenditure comes nowhere near the collective cap hit of the players they accumulated.
Loui Eriksson, Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle, Anton Stralman, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Andrew Ladd were all considered bad contracts, but the Coyotes welcomed them with open arms if it meant adding future assets. None of those deals last more than two seasons, meaning the Coyotes will be free to do as they like down the road.
Who are the Coyotes most thankful for?
It’s hard to know if Armstrong has what it takes to build a winner, but at least Coyotes fans have a clear plan to cheer for right now. The team is bad this season. It will probably be bad for the next several seasons. But that’s better than, as Armstrong put it recently, making the playoffs “once every four years — if lucky, get by a first round, but most times get beat out.”
There will be a lot of pressure on Armstrong to pick the right players with these draft picks he has accumulated, but don’t forget that the team brought in some help for the rookie GM. Director of amateur scouting Darryl Plandowski was one of Armstrong’s first hires, bringing him to Arizona after 12 years as the assistant director of amateur scouting with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Plandowski and Armstrong weren’t allowed to participate in the 2020 draft for Arizona because of their previous roles but were responsible for the 2021 group that was headlined by Dylan Guenther (9th overall) and Josh Doan (37th).
What would the Coyotes be even more thankful for?
A healthy deadline market.
There’s little doubt that Armstrong and company would be willing to trade almost anyone on the roster at this point, but their deadline prizes include Phil Kessel, Ryan Dzingel, and Ilya Lyubushkin, among others. Perhaps a player like Gostisbehere, who is experiencing a renaissance in the desert, would also fetch a price if the Coyotes retained salary, despite the Philadelphia Flyers spending two draft picks to get him off the books a few months ago. It’s really not about getting prime, franchise-changing assets at this deadline, but any small piece that can add to the pile would be appreciated.
One thing to note is that because they retained salary on Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Darcy Kuemper already, the Coyotes can’t just trade everyone at a slashed cap hit. They can only retain salary on one more contract for this season–though, Kuemper’s retention expires at the end of the year so they can do it a couple of times again in 2022-23.
What should be on the Coyotes’ Holiday Wish List?
Draft picks, draft picks, and maybe another few veterans?
Quite frankly, the Coyotes don’t want to be good next year. They don’t want to add a young player that breaks out in 2022-23 and leads them to challenge for a playoff spot. They’re stripping it down to the bones and with the 2023 Draft being so impressive (at least at the top), they want to be in the mix for the first-overall pick.
In fact, they actually may turn into something of a buyer at the deadline, if only to take on even more bad money in the form of overpaid veterans. A player like Brett Connolly, currently buried in the minor leagues for the Chicago Blackhawks but still costing them $2.375MM against the cap, is a perfect target for a team like the Coyotes. He could fill out a spot on their team next year without the risk of really turning them into a contender, and potentially even be flipped at the 2023 deadline if things go well. There are many players like this around the league, all which could be collected if Armstrong still wants to weaponize his cap space further.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Troy Stecher, Mitchell Stephens Out Through Olympic Break
The Detroit Red Wings have updated a pair of long-term injuries, as both Troy Stecher and Mitchell Stephens will be out through the February Olympic break. Stecher underwent wrist surgery, while Stephens is dealing with a lower-body injury.
Stecher has played just six games so far this season, and he’ll miss another few months as the Olympic break doesn’t end until February 22. The 27-year-old defenseman was such a difference-maker at this year’s World Championship that it appeared as though he might be taking a step forward, but through those six games he averaged fewer than 15 minutes and had just a single point for the rebuilding Red Wings.
Stephens meanwhile had suited up 16 times for Detroit this year, only leaving the lineup after suffering an injury on November 13. The 24-year-old forward hadn’t registered a goal yet, but did have four assists through those games as he filled in as a bottom-six center option.
The Red Wings have come back to earth recently after a nice start to their season, and now sit 8-9-3 on the year. Still extremely young, mounting injuries will only test their depth even further. While they are technically just a few points out of the playoffs, a four-game losing streak and -13 goal differentially certainly don’t have them heading in the right direction.
Chara Placed In COVID Protocol; Nelson Out 2-4 Weeks
The New York Islanders have had another player enter this COVID protocol, as general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters including Arthur Staple of The Athletic that Zdeno Chara tested positive. The rest of the team has tested negative so far, and they are preparing to play tomorrow night.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of the bad news for the Islanders. Lamoriello also explained that Brock Nelson will be out two to four weeks with a lower-body injury. To fill out the roster, Thomas Hickey and Anatolii Golyshev have been recalled from the AHL.
Chara joins Adam Pelech, Andy Greene, Anders Lee, Josh Bailey, Kieffer Bellows, and Ross Johnston in the protocol, all of whom are not expected back in time for tomorrow. That means the Islanders will continue to play extremely short-handed unless the league steps in to postpone some games. The team is scheduled to take on the New York Rangers tomorrow night and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
It’s not even just COVID-related absences hurting the team though, as Ryan Pulock is also out long-term with an injury and now Nelson also finds himself on the shelf. The team has now lost six games in a row and finds themselves slipping completely out of the playoff picture in the Metropolitan Division.
Jared Spurgeon Out Week-To-Week
The Minnesota Wild are still sitting in first place in the Central Division, but they’re going to have to hold onto that spot without their captain for a while. Jared Spurgeon is considered week-to-week according to head coach Dean Evason, who spoke with reporters including Sarah McLellan of the Star Tribune.
Spurgeon left the team’s game against the Florida Panthers early with a lower-body injury and missed Sunday’s contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Wild lost both of those games (the latter in a shootout) and are now just one point ahead of both the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets in the Central race.
The 31-year-old Spurgeon meanwhile was having another strong season, with eight points through his first 16 games while averaging more than 21 minutes a game. He left the match against the Panthers after just three minutes of ice time and now appears to be on the shelf for the next little while.
In his place, the team has young Calen Addison back up with the NHL group, but put Jordie Benn into the lineup for just the second time this season. Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin ended up carrying a huge load, each playing more than 25 minutes (with Dumba eclipsing 28!) in the loss to Tampa Bay.
John Davidson Retires From HHOF Selection Committee
The Hockey Hall of Fame has a new selection committee chairman, as Mike Gartner will take over from the retiring John Davidson. Davidson has been on the committee for more than two decades and spent the last seven years as chair. Cammi Granato will be the new voting member, joining 17 others who decide on inductees every year.
Davidson, who currently serves as president of hockey operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets, is one of the more well-known faces in hockey from his time as a player, executive, and broadcaster. He has held the president role for the Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers, following a goaltending career that spanned more than 300 NHL games and a broadcasting career that covered many more.
Gartner, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 2002, is one of just eight players in NHL history to score at least 700 goals. The legendary forward played for the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Phoenix Coyotes during a 1,432-game career, but failed to ever hoist the Stanley Cup.
The newcomer to the committee certainly is familiar with the Hall of Fame, having been inducted herself in 2011 after an outstanding playing career. One of the most decorated women in the history of hockey, Granato now serves as a scout for the Seattle Kraken.
There was no 2021 class because of the pandemic, but just recently Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre, Doug Wilson, Marian Hossa, Ken Holland, and Jarome Iginla were inducted as the class of 2020. Among those newly eligible for 2022 are Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Roberto Luongo, Caroline Ouellette, and Henrik Zetterberg.
AHL Shuffle: 11/23/21
Three games on the schedule this evening, one of the more quiet Tuesdays of the year for the NHL. That includes Connor McDavid looking to extend his 17-game point streak to start the year, as he tries to chase down teammate Leon Draisaitl for the league lead in points. As the Oilers and others prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor league shuffling.
Atlantic Division
- Kyle Clifford has been recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who sent Joey Anderson back to the AHL in his place. The veteran forward was acquired from the Blues earlier this month and suited up for a pair of minor league games over the weekend. The two-time Stanley Cup winner could get into the lineup against his old team when Toronto faces Los Angeles tomorrow, though he skated as an extra today at practice.
Metropolitan Division
- The New Jersey Devils are sending Alexander Holtz back to the AHL, recalling Chase De Leo in his place. De Leo has 14 points in eight games with the Utica Comets this season, leading them in scoring through the early part of the year. Holtz meanwhile was unable to record his first NHL goal in six games, posting two points in that time.
- The Washington Capitals have sent Axel Jonsson-Fjallby to the minor leagues, after eight games with the big club. The 23-year-old forward has one assist on the season, but did look like he could be a useful bottom-six player because of his top-end speed.
Central Division
- The Nashville Predators have sent Mathieu Olivier to the AHL, after he played just 9:35 in his last game and then served as a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old has played in five games this season and has one point.
Pacific Division
- As expected, Sean Durzi has been recalled again by the Los Angeles Kings. The team sent him down temporarily to accrue some extra cap savings between games. Durzi is still waiting for his NHL debut.
This page will be updated throughout the day
Minnesota Wild Targeting J.T. Miller
Things are not alright in Vancouver amidst another disappointing start. The Canucks sit seventh in the Pacific Division with just three wins in their past ten games. While the front office and ownership have promised (at least publicly) to stay the course and not overreact to their current turmoil, NHL competitors are taking notice and lining up for a piece of a potential fire sale.
At the front of the line are the Minnesota Wild. The Central Division leaders are enjoying a strong start, but are not without holes in the lineup, one of them being another top-six scorer. While The Province’s Ben Kuzma notes that Minnesota native Brock Boeser would seem to be the ideal acquisition, he reports that the Wild have in fact called on J.T. Miller. While Miller has flashed ability at every stop, including New York and Tampa, he has been at his best since landing with the Canucks. Miller can do it all from the center position; a balanced scorer, fierce checker, and face-off ace, Miller has developed into a well-rounded top-six pivot. He even plays big minutes for the Canucks, too. The Wild have taken notice and clearly feel that he could be an asset, perhaps even on the top line.
Kicking the tires is far from finalizing a deal though and the Canucks won’t let Miller go easily. Miller is signed through next season and at a $5.25MM AAV that is very palatable for a player who has scored at a near point-per-game pace since arriving in Vancouver. Kuzma suspects that a package from Minnesota would likely include Kevin Fiala, which could be attractive to the Canucks. Fiala and the Wild seem to be at odds about his role on the team following a difficult negotiation this summer and the 25-year-old forward could benefit from a change of scenery. The Canucks would get younger by swapping Miller for Fiala, but will also maintain their goal of avoiding a rebuild by adding another talented, proven forward in return. That won’t be it either, as the Canucks will be able to command some building blocks as well. Their first-round pick and top prospects Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy are likely off the board, but a second-round and/or an exciting young name like Calen Addison or Adam Beckman could be floated instead.
Again, a deal is nowhere close but when interest is able to be confirmed like this, there is typically more than just smoke. The Canucks and Wild seem like good trade partners, the question is whether Vancouver is willing and if so whether Minnesota can meet their demands. Miller could be a game-changer for a Wild team in position to make a deep run this season.