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Aaron Dell

Blue Jackets Sign Aaron Dell And Nicolas Meloche To Tryout Agreements

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It appears PTO season is upon us across the NHL with several veterans inking tryouts in recent days.  The Blue Jackets are the latest team to get in on the fun as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they’ve inked goaltender Aaron Dell and defenseman Nicolas Meloche to tryout agreements.

Dell is no longer a full-time NHL backup but has seen action at the top level in each of the past seven seasons, spanning 130 total appearances where he has a 2.92 GAA along with a .905 SV%.  Last year, he got into four contests with San Jose and fared relatively well, compiling a 2.71 GAA with a .913 SV%.

The 34-year-old has spent most of the last two years at the AHL level.  With San Jose’s farm team last season, Dell played in 38 games but struggled as his 3.14 GAA was his highest single-season mark at that level while his .898 SV% was his lowest output.

Not surprisingly, his struggles affected his ability to secure a guaranteed contract this summer, resulting in this news.  However, he should have a chance to land a deal from Columbus in the coming weeks.  Daniil Tarasov is now waiver-eligible and should be a full-timer with the Blue Jackets, leaving only Jet Greaves in the mix with AHL Cleveland.  A good showing in camp could allow Dell to be the other half of that tandem next season.

As for Meloche, things did not go as planned last season.  After playing in 50 games with the Sharks in 2021-22, he had a strong enough market to get a one-year, one-way deal worth $950K from Calgary with the expectation that he’d land a spot on their back end.  That didn’t happen.

Instead, after a tough showing in training camp landed him on waivers, the 26-year-old went unclaimed and was assigned to the minors, spending the entire season at the AHL.  Meloche put up 21 points in 64 games with the Wranglers, matching his career best at that level but evidently, it wasn’t enough to land a guaranteed deal.

Meloche’s path to a contract isn’t as strong as Dell’s.  Columbus made two big splashes on the back end this summer with the acquisitions of Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov while there are already eight blueliners on NHL contracts that are likely ticketed for Cleveland.  Even if he can’t land a contract with the Blue Jackets, however, a strong showing in camp could allow him to catch on somewhere else.

San Jose Sharks Reassign Aaron Dell

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The San Jose Sharks have announced that goaltender Aaron Dell has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. The move ends Dell’s relatively brief stay on the Sharks’ NHL roster, as he was originally called up on February 11th.

In that span, Dell played in two games for the Sharks. He let in two goals on 27 shots in the Sharks’ 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on February 14th, and saved eight shots in 23 minutes of action during the Sharks’ February 12th win over the Washington Capitals.

Dell has spent most of this season as part of a three-goalie arrangement in the AHL, sharing time in the crease with Eetu Makiniemi and Strauss Mann. In 21 games at the AHL level, Dell has a 7-11-1 record, .898 save percentage, and 3.23 goals-against-average, and he is the only one in the Barracuda’s goaltending trio who has a save percentage below the .900 mark.

The 33-year-old is an experienced netminder who worked his way up from the University of North Dakota to the ECHL then to the AHL before breaking into the NHL in 2016-17 as a backup for the Sharks. Dell has 130 NHL games on his resume, with a career .905 save percentage.

A pending unrestricted free agent, Dell will now head back to the AHL to resume his role with the Barracuda, and this move could also lead to Mann moving back to ECHL Wichita for the first time since late January.

Sharks Recall Aaron Dell

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The Sharks have made a roster move in advance of their game tomorrow against Washington as they announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled goaltender Aaron Dell from AHL San Jose.

The veteran has gotten into a pair of games for the Sharks this season, stopping 61 of 68 shots in a pair of losses.  Those appearances make it that the 32-year-old has seen NHL action in each of the last seven years.  That’s not bad for an undrafted goaltender who turned pro at the age of 24.

Dell has spent most of the season with the Barracuda, posting a 3.23 GAA and a .898 SV% in 21 appearances as he splits time with prospect Eetu Makiniemi.  Those numbers are a bit weaker than his performance from a year ago when he was in Buffalo’s system.

It’s unclear which goaltender Dell is being called up to cover for.  Kaapo Kahkonen has played in both games since the All-Star break while James Reimer served as the backup.  It would appear one of them is either injured or sick for this recall to be needed.  San Jose had an open roster spot available so no corresponding move needed to be made to bring Dell up.

San Jose Sharks Recall Eetu Makiniemi

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The San Jose Sharks have called up another goaltender, adding Eetu Makiniemi for the first time this season. Aaron Dell has been returned to the AHL, after allowing five goals on 37 shots against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.

Makiniemi, 23, was a part of the Brent Burns trade this summer, coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes along with a third-round pick and Steven Lorentz for the star defenseman. The young netminder was originally selected 104th overall in 2017 and has been excellent in his short time in North America.

Over 26 AHL games since the start of 2021-22, Makiniemi has gone 17-6-2 with a .920 save percentage. Given Dell’s struggles, it’s easy to see why the team would want to switch.

Still, it’s not easy to be a Sharks goaltender right now. The team is bleeding shots and scoring chances, and is now one of just three teams in the league to have given up at least 100 goals. Three losses in a row takes them to 8-16-4 on the year, only ahead of the Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific Division.

With James Reimer still working through an injury, it’s Kaapo Kahkonen’s net with Makiniemi likely serving as backup. The team has a very light schedule at the moment, with just three games between now and December 17. That means Makiniemi may not actually end up making his NHL debut, though he’ll get some experience and exposure to the league over the next few days at least.

James Reimer Moved To Injured Reserve

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When the San Jose Sharks recalled Aaron Dell over the weekend, it suggested that James Reimer’s injury might be hampering him more than originally thought. The veteran netminder had played through it against the Los Angeles Kings, but didn’t look himself, allowing four goals on 28 shots. Today, the Sharks have decided to shut him down for at least a few days, moving Reimer to injured reserve and recalling Jeffrey Viel in the process.

Reimer, 34, has played in 15 games so far this season and has alternated between outstanding performances and struggles behind a leaky Sharks team. He has allowed four or more goals in seven games, but two or fewer in six. It has added up to a .903 save percentage but there have been times when San Jose would have been run out of the building without his acrobatic performance.

Behind him is Kaapo Kahkonen, who hasn’t been able to pull off the feat quite as often. The younger netminder has a 2-5-2 record and .871 save percentage through nine games. Dell, meanwhile, hasn’t posted acceptable NHL numbers since 2019-20, and shouldn’t be getting much playing time even if Reimer is held out for a longer period of time.

The Sharks likely won’t be able to avoid it, though, as they have two back-to-back situations coming up this week. The team will play tomorrow in Montreal, Wednesday in Toronto, Saturday in Ottawa, and Sunday in Buffalo, before returning home. Since Reimer must miss a minimum of seven days (since his last appearance), the best case is that he returns in time for the game against the Sabres.

It could be a tough week for the struggling Sharks, who now sit seventh in the Pacific Division and have lost three in a row.

San Jose Sharks Recall Aaron Dell

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Nov. 26: Dell is now back up with the Sharks, giving San Jose three goalies on their active roster for the time being.

Nov 25: After Reimer missed a game this week, he’s ready to go again and will start for the Sharks today. Dell has been returned to the AHL.

Nov 22: In a curious move, the San Jose Sharks have recalled Aaron Dell from the minor leagues, giving them a third goaltender on the roster. James Reimer was present at yesterday’s skate and Kaapo Kahkonen was outstanding in the team’s win over the Ottawa Senators.

Dell’s recall would suggest there might be an injury, though it is unclear which goaltender would be unavailable at this point. The Sharks are scheduled to travel to Seattle to take on the Kraken in a match tomorrow night, before returning to San Jose for a mini two-game homestand over the weekend.

In seven games for the San Jose Barracuda, Dell has posted a .904 save percentage. The 33-year-old netminder is back with the organization that gave him a chance at the NHL level, icing him 107 times over four seasons. Dell has struggled since leaving San Jose, and appears to be nothing more than a third or fourth-string option at this point.

Kahkonen stopped 37 of 38 saves against the Senators, bringing his save percentage up to .894 on the season. Reimer, the team’s starter, has a .906 in 14 appearances so far.

San Jose Sharks Sign Aaron Dell, C.J. Suess

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Along with announcing the reported contract for Andrew Agozzino, the San Jose Sharks have inked two more depth players today. Aaron Dell and C.J. Suess are both coming aboard on one-year contracts.

Dell will be the headliner here, given his history with the organization. The 33-year-old netminder spent four years in the NHL with the Sharks between 2016-2020, appearing in 107 games over that span. He never has been able to recapture the form he showed as a rookie (a 27-year-old rookie) that first year, when he posted a .931 save percentage in 20 games.

Over the last few seasons, Dell has bounced around and struggled not only at the NHL level but the AHL level as well, making this signing a bit of a head-scratcher. The Sharks already have five goaltenders under contract for this season plus Kaapo Kahkonen to sign, meaning there isn’t much room for Dell anywhere. Perhaps this points to the team moving one (or more) of their more veteran options out of town.

James Reimer and Adin Hill, the two goaltenders on one-way deals, are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer and don’t appear to have long futures with the Sharks. With Dell’s addition, giving the organization another option for the minor league club, perhaps someone else is on his way out.

Buffalo Sabres Recall Aaron Dell

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The Buffalo Sabres announced Saturday morning that they have recalled goaltender Aaron Dell from the Rochester Americans of the AHL ahead of their game this afternoon at home against the New York Islanders. According to Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News, goaltender Craig Anderson had left practice early on Friday and is listed as day-to-day, necessitating the move for Buffalo.

The Sabres had been utilizing a tandem of Anderson and Dustin Tokarski in net, which Dell will now join. Some might wonder why Buffalo would choose to recall the veteran Dell over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, however it is worth noting that Luukkonen started in net for Rochester last night, his fifth straight start for the club. Even if Dell does not play today (or if Luukkonen had not played today), it might make sense to give the younger goaltender a rest as opposed to asking him to travel from Utica, where Rochester played last night, back to Rochester, then to Buffalo ahead of a 12:30 pm puck drop.

For his part, Dell has made a career as a serviceable backup in net. This season, he has split time between Buffalo and Rochester. In 10 games with Buffalo, Dell has a 4.03 GAA and .893 save-percentage, but a 3.02 GAA and .907 save-percentage in the AHL.

Sabres’ Aaron Dell Clears Waivers

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Jan. 30: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Dell cleared waivers today. He will continue to serve his three-game suspension as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

Jan. 29: The Sabres appear to be set to get Craig Anderson back tonight, lessening their need for goaltending depth.  Accordingly, the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve placed netminder Aaron Dell on waivers.

Dell was in the news earlier this week when he received a three-game suspension for his hit on Senators winger Drake Batherson.  Two games still remain on that ban, one of which is tonight in Arizona.  As long as he’s on the active roster and not moved to non-roster status, he still should get credit for serving the second game of his suspension even while being on waivers.

It has been a rough season on the ice as well for the 32-year-old as he has struggled mightily in his NHL action so far.  He has played in a dozen games for Buffalo in 2021-22, recording just one victory while posting a 4.03 GAA and a save percentage of just .893.  Those numbers are actually better than what he put up in seven games with New Jersey last season which is what led to him settling for a two-way deal worth the league minimum of $750K in the NHL and $350K in the minors.

Despite all that, there is still a chance that Dell is claimed.  Several teams are dealing with injuries between the pipes at the moment and could view the veteran as a short-term stopgap to allow a prospect currently on recall to return to the minors.  If that doesn’t happen, Buffalo could opt to immediately send Dell down or keep him on their roster through the weekend to clear the remainder of his suspension and then send him to the taxi squad or AHL Rochester.

Buffalo Sabres Announce Numerous Roster Moves

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Everything is happening all at once in Buffalo. The team has been waiting to re-activate several injured players for more than a week now, yet at the same time they have been waiting all day for COVID-19 test results after multiple initial positives earlier. Just ahead of their game tonight against the Arizona Coyotes, the team has now announced it all in a flurry of moves that will re-shape the roster, at least for the time being.

Though less anticipated, the COVID Protocol absences are unfortunately the bigger part of the Sabres’ roster news. The team has placed defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and forwards Victor Olofsson and Rasmus Asplund in the protocol. Assistant coach Matt Ellis was also named as one of five additional members of Buffalo’s traveling party who will be sidelined due to COVID. These three players in particular are obviously a major loss for the Sabres. Dahlin, the 2018 No. 1 overall pick, has taken that next step in his development this season and has been Buffalo’s best player. He leads the team with 28 points and 23:51 average time on ice and ranks in the top five in goals, hits, blocked shots, and takeaways. No loss could impact the Sabres’ more. With that said, Olofsson and Asplund are also major absences. The former is having a down year, but still in the top five in scoring and plays a critical role on the power play. The latter has already surpassed his career marks in games played and points and is one of the better possession players on the team. For the Sabres’ sake, hopefully the trio are only out short-term as they play such meaningful roles and the club is already missing a laundry list of players due to injury.

That list has shrunk today though. With no options left in net following Michael Houser landing on COVID Protocol yesterday, Aaron Dell suspended and waived, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Malcolm Subban on injured reserve, the Sabres finally activated Craig Anderson and Dustin Tokarski just in time for their game. Anderson had been out since early November with an upper-body injury but has been working his way back in recent weeks, while Tokarski has been out since early December. Anderson was playing very well prior to his injury, especially for someone who was set to retire this past  off-season, so the Sabres will be hoping he can return to form. They also have regained the services of veteran forward Kyle Okposo, who’s having a resurgent season. Okposo has missed the past week, but is still fourth in scoring with 23 points in 37 games. The team can certainly use that offense with Olofsson and Asplund sidelined.

Additionally, Buffalo has also recalled defenseman Casey Fitzgerald from the taxi squad. Fitzgerald has played in four NHL games this year, with one point on the scoreboard, but has nine points in 27 games with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

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