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Minor Transactions: 01/09/19

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It’s a day off for all but six NHL teams today, with only three games scheduled for this evening. Of those three the clash between Colorado and Calgary strikes as the most important, given their respective positions in the Western Conference. The Flames are trying to hold onto first place in the Pacific Division while Colorado is just trying to hold onto a playoff spot, meaning these two points are extremely important to both clubs. While they and the rest of the league prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves of the day.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Garrett Wilson from the minor leagues, after placing Zach Aston-Reese on injured reserve. Aston-Reese suffered an injury in last night’s game and could be out for a while, providing Wilson with another opportunity at the NHL level. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins captain has just two points in 14 NHL games this season but provides a physical presence for the club that may be lacking elsewhere.
  • Dan Renouf is on his way back to the Charlotte Checkers after just a day in the NHL, a reward for the hard work he has put in at the AHL level this season. Renouf has just one NHL game to his name during three years of professional hockey, but has been the Checkers’ most reliable defenseman for much of the season.
  • Michael Bunting will join the Arizona Coyotes today, giving the team another option while Josh Archibald is awaiting the birth of a child. Bunting has 18 points in 22 minor league games this season.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have brought up goaltender Maxime Lagace from Chicago of the AHL.  He will take the place of Malcolm Subban who is day-to-day with an illness.  Lagace has played in 18 games with the Wolves this season, posting a 2.72 GAA and a .898 SV%.

Sergei Andronov Drawing NHL Interest

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About this time every year, rumors start to pop up regarding the top KHL players who could have NHL suitors in a few months. Today, it was reported that Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is in Russia to scout some of their own players and potentially meet upcoming free agents. One of those pending free agents is Sergei Andronov, who Darren Dreger of TSN reports is a “player of interest” for the Maple Leafs and “several” other NHL clubs. Dreger notes that Andronov could command a salary of somewhere between $1.5-2.0MM next season.

If you’re a St. Louis Blues fan scratching your head wondering where you’ve heard the name Andronov before, it’s because he was a third-round pick of the team back in 2009. He even came to North America and signed an AHL contract in 2012 to play in the minor leagues, before earning a one-year entry-level contract with the Blues. Unfortunately, that would be the end of his affiliation with that organization as he would return to the KHL and CSKA Moscow in 2014, where he has remained ever since.

Andronov doesn’t bring a ton of offensive upside, but is an elite faceoff man and a capable defensive center. It makes sense that he would be drawing interest as a fourth-line and penalty killing option for an NHL team, though they’ll have to convince him to leave one of the most stable organizations in the KHL. Andronov recently suited up for Russia at the Olympics and World Championships, and will be a name to watch over the next few months. Though his contract only officially runs through the end of April, Dreger notes that Andronov will only be making the (potential) move for the 2019-20 season.

Minor Transactions: 01/06/19

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Despite many eyes across North America focused on the NFL Wild Card playoffs, the NHL has a busy Sunday scheduled this weekend. Seven games are on tap today, with the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators—two teams that are in the rumor mill—kicking things off this afternoon.  As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league today.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues once again, and could have him dressed for the Toronto Marlies game this afternoon. Kaskisuo has been serving as the backup for Michael Hutchinson while the team deals with injury, but still hasn’t gotten into an NHL game. With Frederik Andersen expected to return soon, he may have to wait for another opportunity.
  • Though the terminology varies on the ECHL and AHL websites, minor league defenseman Nolan De Jong will be playing for the San Jose Barracuda for the time being. With Jacob Middleton recalled by the Sharks, the Barracuda have acquired De Jong to give them some more depth on the back end. The former University of Michigan captain has nine points in 22 games with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL this season.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled goaltender Cam Johnson from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. He was recalled with the recent injury to MacKenzie Blackwood, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Johnson will serve as the backup today against Vegas. The former University of North Dakota standout has had an up and down season between the ECHL and Binghamton. While he has had quite a bit of success with the Adirondack Thunder, he hasn’t been as successful in 14 AHL games. Johnson has a 3.91 GAA and a .866 save percentage. To make room for Johnson, the team assigned defenseman defenseman Egor Yakovlev to the AHL.
  • The Calgary Flames announced they have assigned forward Dillon Dube and goaltender Jon Gillies to the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Dube has appeared in 23 games with Flames, but if the team is sending him down, it’s likley that forward Andrew Mangiapane is ready to return from injured reserve. And with David Rittich healthy and ready to go, the team didn’t need Gillies, who was serving as an emergency backup. He has yet to make an appearance for Calgary.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have assigned both forward Ben Street and defenseman Jake Dotchin to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Both players had cleared waivers recently. The team also sent defenseman Korbinian Holzer to San Diego. The moves are expected to open up roster spots for the return of center Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler, who have been on injured reserve. Rackell has been out since Dec. 5 with a ankle injury, while Fowler has been out since Nov. 12 with a facial fracture. UPDATE: Stephens adds that Fowler has officially been activated off of injured reserve.
  • The Edmonton Oilers will get back a key defenseman as they announced they have activated Kris Russell, while placing forward Kailer Yamamoto on injured reserve. Russell has been out since Dec. 11 with a groin injury and has been badly missed in Edmonton, who have since acquired multiple defenseman to add depth to their team. Russell has eight points and a plus-four rating for the Oilers. Yamamoto, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, is still trying to gain a full-time position with the team, but has just a goal and two points in 13 appearances, while having eight points in 11 games in the AHL.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled Chad Ruhwedel from his conditioning stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 28-year-old defenseman has played the role of the team’s seventh defenseman for several years now, but found himself in the press box for a long stretch of time, since Nov. 19, and the team opted to send him to the AHL to get him back into game shape. Ruhwedel played five games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting one goal, five points and a plus-eight.

Injury Notes: Bruins, Capitals, Penguins, Pageau

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The Boston Bruins should get a boost just in time for the Winter Classic on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks as NHL.com’s Dan Rosen reports that Brad Marchand should be ready to go after practicing today, barring any setbacks. He missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury, but it looks like it wasn’t a serious issue. Marchand is having another solid campaign as he has 12 goals and 41 points in 39 games this year.

Rosen also points out that defenseman Charlie McAvoy remains questionable for the big game. The defenseman has missed two games with a lower-body injury and did not practice today. The gifted defenseman has struggled dealing with injuries as he has appeared in just 17 games this year, although he has 11 points.

  • Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post writes that Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen will be out Monday against Nashville and miss his second straight game with an undisclosed upper-body injury. However, the team got better news on Brooks Orpik, who listed as a game-time decision for Monday after missing 27 games with a right-knee injury. The scribe writes that both players practiced Sunday and are both close to returning to the team. The team has also been without Christian Djoos.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins could be without both forward Bryan Rust and defenseman Olli Maatta on Monday as both are listed as day-to-day, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Matt Vensel. Rust didn’t practice today with an undisclosed injury, while Maatta suffered a lower-body injury during Saturday’s game against St. Louis, but finished the game. He didn’t practice today either.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau is close to a return. While he’s not expected to play Monday, could be back not long after that. The 26-year-old has been out all season after having surgery to repair a torn Achilles muscle. He had a six-month timetable in mid-September and is well ahead of schedule. Pageau had 14 goals and 29 points last season.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Goaltender Michael Hutchinson

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With Frederik Andersen currently day-to-day with a groin injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs had already been forced to call up Kasimir Kaskisuo – and his .866 AHL save percentage. The team was a Garret Sparks injury away from having the struggling Kaskisuo as their starter in the short term. Depth in net had become a dire need for the organization and today GM Kyle Dubas was quick to address that need. The Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired goaltender Michael Hutchinson from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick.

Hutchinson, 28, is a shrewd pickup for Toronto, especially for a future late-round selection. Hutchinson is not far removed from being a regular fixture in net for the Winnipeg Jets from 2014 to 2017. While Hutchinson lost that job in Winnipeg last season, making only three appearances, he managed to play in 76 games over the three seasons prior. In a total of 106 NHL appearances, including four with Florida this year, Hutchinson has a .907 save percentage and 2.70 GAA. Hutchinson has had his fair share of struggles at both the NHL and AHL level this season and has not been the reliable third-string option to injury-prone Roberto Luongo and James Reimer as the Panthers had hoped when they signed him this past off-season. However, his minor league play has been vastly superior to Kaskisuo’s and his career NHL numbers are quite similar to Sparks’. The Leafs still don’t have a stalwart backup goalie to Andersen, but have cheaply acquired an experienced veteran keeper that is a clear upgrade to their depth in net.

Perhaps the best part about adding Hutchinson is that he has already cleared waivers this season and may be moved back and forth between the Maple Leafs and Marlies at will. Toronto’s goaltending depth issues began just prior to the start of the season, when both Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney were claimed on waivers when the Leafs opted to protect Sparks. Pickard had a rough experience with the Philadelphia Flyers early on, but the Maple Leafs nevertheless tried to reclaim their lost property when the Flyers also placed him on waivers. However, they failed to bring Pickard back in as he was claimed by the Arizona Coyotes. McElhinney, on the other hand, has been the best of the Carolina Hurricanes’ trio of goalies and is unlikely to be up for claim again this season. Hutchinson was likely one of the top two-way keepers available and apparently one of the more affordable.

As for the Panthers, when healthy the duo of Luongo and Reimer have the roster spots in Florida locked up. Hutchinson was never going to overtake either keeper, especially given his performance this season. The team also hoped to get young Sam Montembeault some NHL experience this season and the Springfield Thunderbirds starter now takes over as the organization’s No. 3. It makes sense that the Panthers got what they could for a disappointing signing. However, if injury does strike Luongo again, Reimer’s struggles and Montembeault’s inexperience become of greater concern for Florida, especially if they are fighting for a playoff spot. Expect the Panthers to keep an eye on waivers and the goalie market for the remainder of the season.

Rutherford: Deal For Guentzel Won't Give Penguins Any Cap Difficulty

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Although the new five-year, $30MM deal the Penguins gave forward Jake Guentzel on Thursday really tightens their salary cap situation, GM Jim Rutherford told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that this doesn’t affect their projections for next season:

Considering that Pittsburgh now has just over $74MM committed to just 14 players for next season per CapFriendly, they are going to be needing a lot of players at the lower end of the pay scale.  Even if the cap raises to $83MM as the league projects, that doesn’t leave much wiggle room for the Penguins to fill out a roster beyond players making close to the minimum salary.  That could certainly affect their efforts to bring back pending UFA goalie Casey DeSmith who is off to a very strong start to his season and should command a notable raise this summer.

Jake Guentzel Signs Five-Year Extension With Pittsburgh Penguins

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Christmas has come just a couple of days late for Jake Guentzel, but he isn’t complaining. The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed the forward to a five-year extension worth $30MM. Guentzel was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer, but will now be with the team at least through the 2023-24 season at a cap hit of $6MM. He will become the team’s fourth highest-paid forward behind only Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel.

CapFriendly reports the breakdown of the contract is as follows:

2019-20: $7MM
2020-21: $5MM
2021-22: $7MM
2022-23: $5MM, 12-team no-trade clause
2023-24: $6MM, 12-team no-trade clause

At first blush the contract may seem steep because it vaults Guentzel into the upper echelon of salaries in the league—only 61 forwards in the entire NHL carry a $6MM cap hit this season—but there is certainly reason to believe that the third-round pick deserves every penny. Selected 77th overall in 2013 out of the USHL, Guentzel then attended the University of Nebraska-Omaha for three seasons where he refined his game and started showing his innate ability to perform in the most important moments. Leaving school after three seasons to join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Guentzel led the AHL team in scoring during the playoffs with 14 points in 10 games.

The undersized but fearless forward would eventually make his NHL debut in the 2016-17 season and score on his first shift (and his first shot), and end up as a key contributor down the stretch. Once again Guentzel would come through in the playoffs, leading the team with 13 goals en route to a Stanley Cup. That performance was improved upon the following spring, when he recorded 21 points in 12 games only to be knocked out in the second round. The young forward had certainly cemented himself as one of the most important players on the Penguins, if only for his postseason performances.

Still, there was obviously still some work to do in the regular season. Guentzel had struggled at times during his first full year, registering only 48 points in 82 games last season despite seeing time with future Hall of Fame players. Any doubts the team had in him have been put to rest this year, as the 24-year old has 33 points through 36 games and is averaging more ice time than even Kessel. GM Jim Rutherford explained exactly how the young forward has developed over the last few years:

Jake established himself as an impact player for our team from the beginning, especially during 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. He has become a core player on the team and we are thrilled to get Jake signed long-term with the Penguins.

Despite only just coming off his entry-level contract, Guentzel was going to be eligible for salary arbitration this summer and would have had a good case for a huge raise. He also is much closer to unrestricted free agency than most players signing their second contract, meaning this deal will actually buy out two UFA seasons. At the pace he’s going, those unrestricted free agent years would have been worth much more than $6MM, explaining how the Penguins came to the $30MM number.

In fact, with the salary cap expected to rise again next season and recent contracts like the one William Nylander signed setting the market, $6MM actually may be a bit of a bargain for the Penguins. Even so, it will almost surely force them to make some tough decisions at other spots on the roster given that they have nearly $80MM tied up in 15 players for next year including Justin Schultz’ $5.5MM cap hit that is currently sitting on long-term injured reserve. With Zach-Aston Reese, Juuso Riikola and Marcus Pettersson all still scheduled for restricted free agency, there may not be any room to re-sign names like Derick Brassard or Casey DeSmith.

Regardless, the team now has a core player locked up long-term in Guentzel and will continue to find ways to build around him. If his playoff performance continues, there’s no telling how valuable he could really become.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Three Stars, Transfer Fees, Wilson

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The NHL awarded their weekly Three Stars again today, this time choosing Sergei Bobrovsky as the easy recipient of the top honors. After struggling early in the season, Bobrovsky is right back to being arguably the best goaltender in the league as he posted a 4-0-0 record last week that included two shutouts. The pending unrestricted free agent has stopped 179 of the last 186 shots he has faced and now carries a .913 save percentage on the year.

Second and third went to two Atlantic Division rivals, as Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning appeared on the list. The Toronto defender added to his scoring lead among all NHL defensemen with a nine-point week, while Kucherov continued to show why he is one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league with his own nine-point effort.

  • According to the Associated Press, the NHL paid more than $35MM in transfer fees last season to sign players from around the world, as part of a continuing agreement with leagues in Sweden, Finland and other countries. The idea behind the transfer agreements is to funnel money back into the development programs all around the world, which in turn provides more diverse talent for the NHL. It has worked as planned in recent years as top talents like Rasmus Dahlin, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Miro Heiskanen and Patrik Laine have all been selected in the top three picks of the entry draft. The KHL and the Swiss NLA do not have transfer agreements with the NHL at this time, which also complicates the process of their talent coming over in the first place.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins think they have an answer to the physical play that rival Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals provides, and he’s already in their system. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines how Garrett Wilson could be brought back up after the holiday season in order to provide some leadership and toughness for the Penguins, who recently lost physical defenseman Jamie Oleksiak at the hands (or, perhaps hand) of Washington’s Wilson. Pittsburgh’s Wilson cleared waivers earlier this month and was sent down to the minor leagues a few days ago to make room for the activation of Dominik Simon.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Pittsburgh Penguins

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As the holiday season quickly approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Click here for the other articles in this series. 

What are the Penguins most thankful for?

Kris Letang’s return to health.

It’s hard to mention the Penguins without immediately pointing to the continued stardom of Sidney Crosby, or the luxury of having Evgeni Malkin as a second-line center, but if anyone can steal some of the spotlight it’s Letang. The 31-year old defenseman has played 34 of the Penguins’ 36 games this season and is showing why at one point in his career he was considered one of the best in the entire world. After years of struggles with injuries both major and minor, Letang finally found some health last season and rewarded the Penguins with a 51-point season. That was good for 17th among all NHL defenders, but Letang had more to prove after the Penguins were eliminated and failed to capture their third straight Stanley Cup.

This year, the right-handed defenseman has taken on even more responsibility and is averaging more than 26 minutes a night. That’s five minutes more than his closest teammate, and puts Letang fourth in the entire league behind only Drew Doughty, Seth Jones and Ryan Suter. With that kind of ice time he has responded brilliantly, tightening up his defensive play and recording 28 points through his 34 games. The next highest-scoring defenseman on the Penguins is Jamie Oleksiak with 11 points, showing just how much responsibility is heaped upon Letang’s shoulders on a nightly basis.

Who are the Penguins most thankful for?

Casey DeSmith.

While any of the Penguins superstars could be the answer here, it’s the unexpected nature of DeSmith’s season that makes him so wonderfully appreciated. If someone were to have said that Matt Murray had only played 14 games by Christmas, and his save percentage was exactly .900 it would have been hard to imagine the Penguins would be anywhere near a playoff spot. But there they are in third place in the Metropolitan Division because of the exquisite play of DeSmith, who has made a legitimate case to take over as the team’s full-time starter.

In 24 appearances DeSmith has posted an 11-6-4 record and leads the way with a .926 save percentage, good enough for fourth in the league among goaltenders with at least ten starts. The undrafted University of New Hampshire product trails just Jaroslav Halak, Andrei Vasilevskiy and John Gibson in that statistic, giving the Penguins more than enough to keep them in the hunt.

Interestingly, the 27-year old goaltender is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and could very well be playing his way into being this year’s Scott Darling or Carter Hutton. DeSmith has never carried a team as the starter for very long, but might get that chance from a desperate organization if he doesn’t re-sign with the Penguins before July 1st.

What would the Penguins be even more thankful for?

A Derick Brassard sighting.

Last year the Penguins were desperately trying to find some depth to put down the middle behind Crosby and Malkin, and ended up selling off Ian Cole and several other assets to acquire Brassard from the Ottawa Senators (with the Vegas Golden Knights helping along the way). At the time it looked like an immediate win for the Penguins, who could plug Brassard in beside players like Phil Kessel and ride towards another Stanley Cup. The fact that Brassard was under contract for another season at a now-reduced cap hit was just icing on the cake.

Not so fast, as Brassard never totally fit in with the Penguins down the stretch and disappeared in the playoffs. His ice time was reduced during the postseason run, something that has recently happened again this season. The 2006 sixth-overall pick has been nowhere to be found this year, recording just nine point in 27 games while registering poor possession numbers and being absent on the powerplay even when he is given the opportunity. If the team could somehow get a piece of the 60-point center Brassard once was they would have one of the most dangerous groups in the league. As it stands, they’re struggling to find much consistency or production in the bottom six.

What should be on the Penguins’ Holiday Wish List?

Another center.

It makes almost no sense that the Penguins would need to go after another center given how they loaded up over the last 12 months. The team has a group consisting of Brassard, Riley Sheahan, Derek Grant and Matt Cullen who have all have experience in the middle, and yet can’t seem to get any production from the position outside of their top two options. This wasn’t supposed to be an issue for them this year after adding depth, but it’s proving to be once again.

GM Jim Rutherford hasn’t been shy about making deals to improve his club in the past, and has already traded away Carl Hagelin and Daniel Sprong this season. He would need to balance the salaries somewhat in order to do anything, but is spending big on a rental option like Kevin Hayes or Matt Duchene even really an option? The team hasn’t selected a player in the first round for four consecutive years, and traded Kasperi Kapanen (22nd overall in 2014) before he ever even played a game for them. Surely at some point they’ll have to say enough is enough and keep their draft picks, but perhaps Rutherford will take another shot this time around.

Jamie Oleksiak Out Indefinitely With Concussion

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The Pittsburgh Penguins confirmed today what was readily apparent last night: Jamie Oleksiak has suffered a concussion. The team announced that Oleksiak will be out indefinitely while also activating Dominik Simon from injured reserve.

Oleksiak sustained the injury when he was knocked to the ice by a hard punch from Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson and needed assistance to get to the bench. The fight occurred less than a minute into what would turn into a feisty game, and will cost Oleksiak at least a little time as he recovers. The Penguins will have to find someone else to take on the 16 minutes that Oleksiak averaged with the Penguins this season.

Turning 26 tomorrow, Oleksiak seems to have turned a corner in his NHL career and is finally starting to show the kind of potential that made him the 14th overall selection in 2011. The 6’7″ defenseman never could establish himself with the Dallas Stars, but has 25 points in 79 games since coming to Pittsburgh and was off to the best start of his career this season. Though he doesn’t carry any powerplay or regular penalty kill responsibility, Oleksiak did provide the Penguins with a big, physical presence to balance out some of their smaller skilled defensemen. That will now be lacking while he recovers, a period which is completely up in the air at this point.

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