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Oilers, Senators Swap Xavier Bourgault, Roby Jarventie

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The Senators have already completed one transaction today, signing goaltender Mads Søgaard to a two-year deal, and they’ve now completed a second. They’ve sent left winger Roby Jarventie and their 2025 fourth-round pick to the Oilers in exchange for forward prospects Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson, per announcements from both teams.

“This trade provides us with additional competition and depth at forward,” Senators general manager Steve Staios said in a press release. “Both Xavier and Jake are trending in the right direction with their respective development. With the potential for greater playing opportunity next season, they should both benefit considerably.”

Bourgault, 21, is the big fish in this trade. He was the Oilers’ first-round pick in 2021, taken 22nd overall, a pick acquired from the Wild in a pick swap on draft day that resulted in Minnesota selecting top goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt at 20. Unfortunately, Bourgault hasn’t progressed as hoped and is yet to make his NHL debut.

After wrapping up his junior career with the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, Bourgault signed his entry-level contract in March 2022 and turned pro the subsequent season. He did okay in his first season on assignment to AHL Bakersfield, finishing 2022-23 with a solid 13 goals, 21 assists and 34 points in 62 games and finishing fourth on the team in scoring. But this past season was unkind to the Quebec native, whose offense was limited to only eight goals and 20 points in 55 games with Bakersfield. He was also held without a point in two playoff games.

Edmonton recently rejuvenated their forward prospect pool in a big way, acquiring 2022 ninth-overall pick Matthew Savoie in a trade with the Sabres earlier this month. That made Bourgault somewhat expendable for a team in the middle of a championship contention window, especially one with their forward corps set for the immediate future.

But with Ottawa, Bourgault should have a much clearer path to his NHL debut. He can play center and right-wing, both of which are positions of need for the Sens – at least in depth roles. He joins a group that includes veterans Noah Gregor and Zack MacEwen as well as up-and-comers Jan Jeník and Zack Ostapchuk that will be competing for roster spots out of camp.

The Sens also added Chiasson in this deal, but he’s far off from seeing NHL ice. The 21-year-old was selected three rounds after Bourgault in 2021 but stayed in juniors for his overage season, meaning he didn’t turn pro until last year. After signing his ELC with Edmonton, Chiasson played just one game with AHL Bakersfield and was instead sent to ECHL Fort Wayne for most of the campaign, where he had nine goals and 20 points in 68 games with a -12 rating.

In exchange for parting ways with a pair of prospects, the Oilers recoup Jarventie, a player that the team’s Bob Stauffer reports they’ve liked for quite some time. Selected 33rd overall by Ottawa in 2020, the 6’2″, 214-lb Finnish winger made his NHL debut last season, recording an assist and a -5 rating in seven games while averaging a paltry 7:31 per night. The 21-year-old has one season remaining on his entry-level contract, which will presumably be spent with Bakersfield.

While he doesn’t have Bourgault’s billing as a first-round pick, Jarventie does have a much better recent track record in the minors. Injuries and roster moves limited him to 22 games with AHL Belleville last season, but he clicked at nearly a point per game with nine goals and 11 assists in 22 contests. He has 86 points (38 goals, 48 assists) in 136 career games with Belleville since arriving in North America in 2021.

BetterHelp 101: Understanding Online Therapy And How To Find Support (Sponsored)

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This is a sponsored post from BetterHelp.  As a BetterHelp affiliate, MLB Trade Rumors receives compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

As society’s knowledge of mental health grows, more treatment opportunities are available to a more significant number of people living with mental health challenges. One such option is online therapy, which allows individuals to receive mental health support from a device with an internet connection from any location.

What Is BetterHelp?

BetterHelp is an online therapy platform that works with a database of over 30,000 counselors, therapists, social workers, and psychologists from all 50 US states and some countries worldwide. This platform aims to break down barriers that often keep people from seeking help, such as financial burdens, a rural location with limited options for therapy, or a lack of accessibility in one’s area.

Understanding BetterHelp

BetterHelp may work differently than meeting with a traditional therapist. Below are some ways individuals can use online therapy via this service.

Signing Up

Signing up for BetterHelp often takes a few minutes. The initial sign-up process is a questionnaire which asks prospective clients about the following:

  • Reasons for seeking therapy and goals
  • The individual’s diagnosis or mental health challenge
  • Therapist gender preferences
  • Whether they’d like to meet with an LGBTQ+, Black, or Asian therapist
  • Preferences for individual, couples, or teen therapy
  • Gender, age, sexuality (optional), pronouns, and relationship status
  • Spiritual identity
  • Past experience in therapy
  • Intimacy challenges
  • Substance use habits

After filling out the questionnaire, which may take around five to ten minutes, prospective clients will be directed to fill out their name, email, and password. Then, they will be sent to the payment page, where they can choose a plan. After the payment has been processed, it often takes around 48 hours for a therapist to be matched with them.

Payment

BetterHelp plans are charged monthly for four weeks of therapy. The overall monthly cost covers four sessions with the therapist (one per week) and access to all of BetterHelp’s other resources, such as support groups and classes. Cost ranges from $65 to $100 per week, which can be more affordable than traditional therapy.

The match process

Therapists are matched with clients based on the client’s responses to the questionnaire upon signing up. The only limitation is that a therapist must be licensed to practice in the state the client lives in to be able to work with them. Clients can change providers at any time for any reason.

Using the platform

Individuals can log in through the app or website to use the BetterHelp platform. There, they can find their messages with their therapist, a journaling feature, options to schedule appointments, and extra resources. Through the settings section, clients can check their billing information, change their therapist, and edit their profile. Weekly sessions with a therapist can be held via phone, video, or live chat, all through the app or website.

Extra resources

BetterHelp offers resources that might not be offered by in-person providers, such as the following:

  • Weekly support groups
  • Online classes by mental health experts
  • Goal tracking options
  • Journaling and journal prompts
  • Worksheets

All features are included in the platform’s weekly price, so clients can access them without paying extra.

BetterHelp’s outreach

BetterHelp works with the broader community to offer support to non-profit organizations and individuals in need. They have given over 65 million dollars in discounts and financial aid to cover therapy for low-income individuals and donated over 95,000 months of free therapy to communities in need. BetterHelp partners with over 100 non-profit organizations.

Who might benefit from an online therapy platform?

Online therapy is often more flexible and convenient than in-person options. This option might benefit people with a busy schedule, such as parents, full-time workers, and athletes, who may not have the time to commute to an extra appointment. Many of the most evidence-based modalities, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), are available online.

Is online therapy effective?

Since 2021, four out of ten US adults have used this option. One study reported that over 71% of participants believed it was more effective than face-to-face therapy. Another study found that online therapy often led to increased quality of life for clients with anxiety and depression and was more affordable.

Takeaway

By seeking support online, financial, locational, and accessibility barriers can be removed, allowing more people to receive the support they seek. To get started, consider working with a platform like BetterHelp.

Rangers, Matthew Robertson Agree To Two-Way Deal

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The Rangers have come to terms on a new one-year deal for RFA defender Matthew Robertson, the team announced Monday. It’s a two-way deal, per Mollie Walker of the New York Post.

Robertson, 23, was coming off the final season of his entry-level contract. He’ll stick around in the Big Apple for at least another season while he tries to get what was once a promising development path back on track.

The 2019 second-round pick carries appealing size at 6’4″ and 201 lbs, but the left-shot defender hasn’t yet been able to work his way up to making his NHL debut. He received a handful of call-ups last season as injury insurance but didn’t get into any game action. He’s displayed solid puck-moving ability while on assignment to AHL Hartford, totaling 55 points over 190 games during his three professional campaigns. But like most of his teammates over the past few years, he hasn’t had a standout impact defensively, posting a cumulative -25 rating and never logging anything better than a -7.

With Erik Gustafsson out of the picture from last season’s defense group, there’s a little bit of increased opportunity for depth defenders in the Rangers organization. Robertson will hope to take advantage of that, but he’ll need to jockey for positioning with some more experienced names slated for minor-league action to start the year, such as Connor Mackey and UFA addition Casey Fitzgerald.

Robertson will be an RFA again next summer upon expiry.

Senators Sign Mads Søgaard To Two-Year Deal

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The Senators have agreed with RFA goalie Mads Søgaard on a two-year contract, per a team announcement. It’s a two-way deal in 2024-25 before upgrading to a one-way in 2025-26. It comes in with a $775K cap hit and will pay him $225K in the AHL next season.

Søgaard, 23, made his NHL debut with Ottawa in 2021-22 and has served primarily as their third-string netminder since. The 2019 second-round pick brings his gargantuan 6’7″ frame to the crease, yielding some rather strong numbers on the farm with AHL Belleville last season. He posted a .916 SV% and 2.45 GAA with an 18-9-3 record in 32 appearances, all setting or hovering around career highs.

But while the Dane has shown solid development at the minor league level, he’s yet to succeed with any consistency in his NHL time. Over 24 starts and three relief appearances over the past three seasons, he’s struggled with a .884 SV% and 3.44 GAA, although he’s managed to help keep the Sens in float in front of him nonetheless with a 10-10-3 record. His advanced metrics aren’t pretty, though, as he’s conceded 15.2 goals above the average netminder during his limited run in the Ottawa crease, per Hockey Reference. He particularly struggled in his call-up action this season, limping to a .859 SV% and 4.05 GAA in six appearances with a 1-3-0 record. Søgaard allowed 10.3 goals above expected in just 282 minutes of action, per MoneyPuck, more than backup Anton Forsberg allowed over the course of 30 games.

Sens general manager Steve Staios called this season an “important stepping stone” for Søgaard in the team’s press release, and it’s easy to see why. He won’t start the season on the NHL roster with Forsberg still under contract and Linus Ullmark set to be their new starter after being acquired from the Bruins last month. But he will remain their top call-up option from Belleville should injuries affect either of the two, and they’ll look for him to at least get closer to a league-average save percentage when given a chance.

Søgaard is still under team control for another four seasons. He’ll be an RFA once again when his deal expires in 2026.

KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Signs Byron Froese

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July 15: The league confirmed a one-year deal for Froese with Lokomotiv today.

July 13: After predominantly playing at the AHL level for the past several years, it appears that free agent center Byron Froese has decided it’s time to try something different.  Sport-Express’ Mikhail Zizlis reports that the veteran is set to sign a one-year deal with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL.

The 33-year-old spent the last two seasons on a two-way contract with the Golden Knights.  Last season, Froese got into 16 games with Vegas but wasn’t particularly productive, collecting only a single assist while winning nearly 56% of his faceoffs in 10:40 of playing time per game.  He also got into 53 contests with AHL Henderson, notching 13 goals and 18 assists.

Over his 13-year professional career, Froese has played in 141 NHL games between five different teams, recording 20 points.  But in the minors, he has been much more of an impactful scorer, tallying 140 goals and 172 assists in 513 appearances with eight different teams.

Froese could plausibly have opted to play a similar role for the upcoming season, one that saw him play a big role in the minors while being an NHL-capable recall to cover minutes on the fourth line.  But after years of being in that same role, he’ll now head overseas and should be able to play big minutes for the full season.  If things don’t go as well over there as he’s likely hoping for, Froese could easily return to North America for 2025-26 and go back to the role he has had for the last decade, so even with this news, this might not be the last we see of Froese in the NHL.

East Notes: Marchenko, Johnson, Mangiapane

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have reportedly talked with restricted free agent forward Kirill Marchenko about both a short-term and long-term contract (as per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic).  Marchenko is pushing for a longer-term deal, but with Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell only in his second month on the job, it appears he is doing his due diligence before considering a longer pact with the 23-year-old.

Marchenko just completed his second NHL season and topped 20 goals once again. The former second-round pick posted 21 goals and four assists in his rookie season in 59 games, placing him 10th in Calder Trophy voting. This past season the native of Barnaul, Russia found his passing game as he finished the season with 23 goals and 19 assists in 78 games.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic writes that the Columbus Blue Jackets have begun negotiations on an extension with youngster Kent Johnson. The Blue Jackets have been busy searching for a new coach and had prioritized that over a Johnson extension as the 21-year-old didn’t have arbitration rights and figured to be a simple contract negotiation after a disappointing season saw him post just six goals and 10 assists in 42 games. Johnson is a former fifth overall pick and will likely be looking for a short-term deal to try and boost his stock before his next deal.
  • Sammi Silber of The Hockey News believes that the Washington Capitals will wait to see how newly acquired forward Andrew Mangiapane fits into the team’s lineup before they make any decisions about his future. The Capitals acquired the 28-year-old from the Calgary Flames on June 27th and is two years removed from a 35-goal season. The Toronto, Ontario native once looked like an emerging goal scorer, but has just 31 goals over the past two seasons.

Snapshots: Blue Jackets, Tavares, Parise

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Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets management will meet in person this week with two potential candidates for their head coaching vacancy. Portzline believes that the two candidates are former Minnesota Wild bench boss Dean Evason and Jay Woodcroft, who was fired last season after the Edmonton Oilers got off to a slow start.

Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell has mentioned a third candidate in the mix, but the belief is that they are on hold for right now. Waddell has also said he doesn’t want the coaching search to drag into August, which means a decision is likely in the next couple of weeks. The sides will have to work on the specifics surrounding a contract, as well as potential coaching staff, but the process should be over soon.

In other NHL notes:

  • Frankie Corrado joined TSN SportsCenter to talk about Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares. Corrado was asked about Tavares’s next contract, and he believes the Maple Leafs should try and squeeze Tavares on an extension to get it under $6MM annually. Corrado adds that Tavares still puts up points, but he doesn’t drive the play and isn’t a player for whom Toronto can pay a premium. He also adds that Toronto hasn’t won anything with him and could try and use that fact, in combination with Toronto being Tavares’s hometown to keep him at a discount. Tavares is entering the final season of a seven-year $77MM contract and will count $11MM against the cap next season.
  • Zach Parise spoke with Kevin Karius earlier this month on The Kevin Karius Show and discussed his retirement from the NHL. The 39-year-old revealed that he hasn’t officially filed the paperwork to retire but added that he is done playing. Parise signed with the Colorado Avalanche in January and dressed in 30 games, posting five goals and five assists while playing just shy of 13 minutes a game. Parise was a key piece in the first round of the playoffs, posting two goals in five games and filling in for Jonathan Drouin on Colorado’s second line.

Evening Notes: Ceci, Hrkac, Kovalenko

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The Edmonton Oilers will have a market of teams interested in defenseman Cody Ceci, should they want to trade him away, per Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff on Bob Stauffer’s Oilers Now podcast. Seravalli added, “Right (shot) defensemen in that pay range are always in demand. Just go look at the pay range this summer and look at some of the money thrown around. Cody Ceci at that number is probably quite palatable.”

Ceci carries a $3.25MM cap hit through next season, before entering unrestricted free agency next summer, making him a manageable rental on a new team. But it’s hard to imagine Edmonton, who still carries $6.2MM in cap space, will be quick to move Ceci unless they need urgent relief. The 30-year-old defender held firm to his quant role in the middle of Edmonton’s lineup this year, posting five goals and 25 points through 79 regular season games. It was the second-most he’s scored int he last five seasons, though three points shy of his career-high. Nonetheless, Ceci provided the hard, two-line passing and general defensive stoutness to properly back Edmonton’s top lines, even if his performances with the Oilers have been far from exciting. On the open market, Ceci offers the presence of an 11-year vet with 88 career playoff games – just enough to warrant a cheap return.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Anaheim Ducks have hired former NHL forward Tony Hrkac as their Director of Professional Scouting, shares Derek Lee of The Hockey News. Hrkac has served as a pro scout with the Tampa Bay Lightning since the 2015-16 season, after serving in a variety of coaching roles in Wisconsin. He’ll now take the next step in his managerial career at an apt time, joining the team amid a Mighty Ducks rebrand having played in 140 games as a Mighty Duck during his own career.
  • Dynamic Colorado Avalanche prospect Nikolai Kovalenko has returned to the United States for training after a brief vacation, shares Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now. That news should set Kovalenko up for a full run at the NHL lineup next season, after scoring three points in four AHL games and appearing in two Stanley Cup Playoff games at the end of the season. The 24-year-old became a highly acclaimed prospect with 54 points in 56 games during the 2022-23 KHL season – a performance he followed with 35 points in 42 games. He’ll now look to bring his dynamic scoring ability to the NHL, where fans should get a much clearer picture of his long-term upside.

Kraken Sign Kim Saarinen To Entry-Level Contract

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The Seattle Kraken have signed goaltender Kim Saarinen to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will carry an NHL annual average value of $975K. Saarinen notably becomes the first goaltender from the 2024 NHL Draft to sign his first NHL contract. He was the eighth goalie off the board when Seattle took him with the 88th overall pick.

Saarinen spent his draft season bouncing around HPK’s system in Finland. He spent the bulk of the year with their U20 club, where he posted 14 wins and a .917 save percentage across 23 appearances. He carried that production into spot starts at the U18 level – with eight wins and a .945 in nine appearances. It also carried into his first two games in the Liiga, Finland’s highest league, where Saarinen saved 50 out of 55 shots en route to one win and a .909 save percentage.

Saarinen is a distinctly responsible goaltender, excelling at never pushing the bounds of his positioning and always staying square to shooters. He uses his size to take up the net and follows pucks to his pads. With that said, Saarinen is still missing the fine tunings of a true top-flight goaltender, notably needing to improve his aggression and agility in such a big frame. He’ll get plenty of chance to hone those talents now on an NHL deal, joining a goalie room that’s already seen strong development out of Niklas Kokko. The pair will serve as Seattle’s top goaltending prospects moving forward, vying for roles over Philipp Grubauer and Joey Daccord.

Utah Exploring Extension Or Trade With Victor Söderström

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The Utah Hockey Club is reportedly exploring the possibility of either an extension or a trade of defenseman Victor Söderström, shares Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). Söderström is Utah’s only remaining restricted free agent after the team extended both Barrett Hayton and Egor Sokolov last week.

Söderström’s contract is a bit harder to work out. The 2019 11th-overall pick failed to earn a consistent NHL role on his entry-level deal. He’s instead muddled between the NHL and AHL lineups, with his playing time becoming somewhat of a spectacle for Coyotes fans. Söderström has spent plenty of time with the NHL roster since his debut in 2021, though routine healthy scratches have limited him to just 53 games since. He’s done little with the chances, netting just one goal – scored in his third career game – and 10 assists at the NHL level. He similarly struggled to score in the AHL early in his career, with just 50 points through his three seasons and 108 games in the minor leagues. Söderström started to buck that trend this year, though, playing through his first full season spent in one spot since 2019-20. He posted nine goals and 32 points in 62 games with the Tuscon Roadrunners this season – career-highs in every category.

It was a promising year for the 23-year-old defender, even if his stat line didn’t jump off the page. Still, fans got a strong glimpse of what Söderström offers at a top level. He showed a strong ability to champion transition up the ice, with heads-up passing and strong positioning, helped along by an improving ability to close down opponents as they enter the attacking zone. While not high-scoring, Söderström showed he could bring those positives on a nightly basis, underlined by added confidence in stepping into space in the offensive end.

Söderström showed glimpses of a former blue-chip prospect this season, though he still seems far off from vindicating his top-15 draft selection. There are reasons to hold onto hope, though, as he showed distinct improvement under a consistent role. Matching that at the NHL level could pay dividends – and Utah has an open spot on their second pairing that Söderström could push for. But he’ll face distinct competition from Michael Kesselring, Juuso Valimaki, and top prospect Maveric Lamoureux for the role – having already lost a fight for minutes with the former two last season.

That competition is enough to have Utah gauging that Söderström may garner on the open market. It’s hard to think many teams would be quick to pay up for a former top prospect yet to vindicate his draft capital – nor is Utah likely too eager to make a move that won’t favor them with a signing still a possibility. This has all of the makings of trade winds bound to drag on for a while, but with an attractive offer, a new team could land the talents of a former top pick with plenty of room to grow next season.

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