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Aaron Dell

Snapshots: Nylander, Dell, Sourdif, Primeau

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Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander left tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens about mid-way through the first period and will not return according to a team announcement. The team said that the move was precautionary so there does not appear to be any long-term doubt about Nylander’s status for the rest of the preseason.

The incident in question happened just before eight minutes into the first period. The Maple Leafs were transitioning into the Canadiens’ zone and teammate Nicholas Robertson appeared to push Nylander down with his stick forcing Nylander into a Montreal defenseman’s leg head-first.

Nylander is entering the first year of an eight-year, $92MM extension signed with Toronto earlier this year. He’s expecting again to be an integral part of the Maple Leafs offense after scoring 40 goals and 98 points in 80 games during the 2023-24 NHL season. There haven’t been any further updates this evening but the organization should announce his long-term availability in the upcoming days.

Other snapshots:

  • Goaltender Aaron Dell is headed back to the San Jose Sharks organization only a few days after being released from his professional tryout agreement. The AHL affiliate of the Sharks, the San Jose Barracuda, announced they signed Dell to an AHL contract for the upcoming season. It will be the second time in three years that Dell has suited up for the Barracuda producing a 15-17-4 record in 38 games played for the team in the 2022-23 AHL season with a .898 save percentage.
  • According to Alex Baumgartner of Five Reasons Sports, Florida Panthers prospect Justin Sourdif will be out for the next couple of weeks with an upper-body injury. Despite making his NHL debut last year, Sourdif had an outside chance of cracking the opening night roster for the defending Stanley Cup champions. The team will hope for a bit more production at the NHL level before he becomes a full-time player with Sourdif scoring 12 goals and 38 points in 58 games last season for the Charlotte Checkers.
  • Tony Androckitis of Inside AHL Hockey reports the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, are signing forward Mason Primeau on a one-year AHL contract. Primeau has spent the last four years split between the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights and the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost Pirates producing tepid results. He already has a strong connection to the Flyers organization with his uncle, Keith Primeau, who played in Philadelphia from 1999 to 2006.

Sharks Sign Aaron Dell, Joey Keane To PTOs

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The San Jose Sharks are adding to their training camp on day two, signing defender Joey Keane and goaltender Aaron Dell to professional try-out agreements.

This deal gives Dell a chance for yet another reunion with the San Jose Sharks. His first NHL games came in San Jose, after working his way up their minor league depth charts as an undrafted free agent. He made his Sharks debut in 2016, serving as the backup to Martin Jones during his prime starting years. Dell flashed bright spots as a rookie, recording an 11-6-1 record and .931 save percentage. He continued to proudly fill San Jose’s backup role through the 2019-20 season but was never able to work into more than 33 games in one season, leading to a move to New Jersey in 2020.

Dell’s production took a major hit when he left San Jose. He’s played in just 23 games since then, recording a measly two wins and .887 save percentage. Not even a return to San Jose in 2022-23 could save Dell’s slide. Now 35, Dell has become a de facto minor leaguer but could make one more lunge toward the NHL lineup on this PTO, joining a Sharks team with shallow goaltending behind star prospect Yaroslav Askarov.

Keane hasn’t achieved the same NHL success, instead spending the majority of his North American career in the AHL. He recorded 83 points across 144 games, including supporting the 2022 Chicago Wolves to a Calder Cup Championship. That production was enough to earn Keane two spot starts in the Carolina Hurricanes lineup, though he wasn’t able to record a point in either outing. Keane has spent the last two seasons with the KHL’s Moscow Spartak, where he’s scored 35 points in 102 games.

Kings Reassign Aaron Dell

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The Kings are trimming their roster after being eliminated in the first round in five games by the Oilers, returning depth goalie Aaron Dell to AHL Ontario today.

Dell, 34, didn’t suit up for the Kings this season after they signed him to a one-year, two-way contract on March 4. The veteran of seven NHL seasons and 130 games last played in the NHL with the Sharks in February 2023.

The Alberta native reached unrestricted free agency last summer after not being re-signed by San Jose but didn’t sign any NHL offers. He participated in training camp on a PTO with the Blue Jackets but failed to make the team and was released from his tryout without signing an NHL or AHL agreement. Dell later landed on a PTO with the Hurricanes later in the season as they were dealing with the beginning of the long-term absence of starter Frederik Andersen, but didn’t get a contract out of that stint, either.

Dell’s first non-exhibition action of the 2023-24 season came on the international stage, suiting up for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in late December. There, he posted a .906 SV% and a 2-2-0 record in four games. Upon returning, he landed an AHL contract with Ontario, which later turned into an NHL agreement with the Kings so they could add him to the roster as needed for injury insurance. In 12 games with Ontario this season, the veteran showed he still had what it takes to play at the professional level with a strong .914 SV% and 2.57 GAA in 12 appearances, compiling one shutout and a 7-4-1 record.

Dell will again become a UFA this summer and look to land another NHL contract. He is likely to serve as a club’s third or fourth-string netminder. He hasn’t been a full-time NHL option since starting 30 games and making three relief appearances for the Sharks in 2019-20.

Kings Recall Carl Grundstrom And Aaron Dell

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The Kings have made a pair of roster moves as they get set for Monday’s series opener against Edmonton.  The team announced that they’ve recalled winger Carl Grundstrom from his conditioning loan with AHL Ontario and also promoted goalie Aaron Dell from the Reign.

Grundstrom hasn’t played with Los Angeles in more than two months due to a lower-body injury but did get into a pair of games with the Reign this past week, picking up a goal and an assist.  The 26-year-old played in 50 games with the Kings this season, collecting eight goals and four assists along with 115 hits while averaging a little under 11 minutes a night.  With how long he has been out, it’s not a guarantee that he’ll jump back into the lineup right away but there’s a good chance he’ll suit up at some point in the series.

As for Dell, his AHL contract was converted to an NHL one last month, making him eligible to be recalled down the stretch.  He played in a dozen games for the Reign after joining them midseason, posting a 2.57 GAA with a .914 SV%.  The 130-game NHL veteran will serve as Los Angeles’ emergency third-string option for the postseason, allowing prospects Erik Portillo and Jacob Ingham to serve as Ontario’s tandem heading into the AHL playoffs.

Kings Sign, Waive Aaron Dell

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3/5: The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports that Dell has successfully cleared waivers, meaning that Los Angeles can assign the goaltender to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.

3/4: The Kings placed veteran goaltender Aaron Dell on waivers Monday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. He was not signed to an NHL contract, so the news means the Kings have signed him to what’s likely a one-year, two-way contract to ride out the season. Friedman later confirmed it was a two-way deal.

Dell, 34, attended training camp with the Blue Jackets on a professional tryout contract but was not signed. After sitting unsigned for the first few months of the season, Dell signed another unsuccessful PTO with the Hurricanes, during which he represented Canada at the Spengler Cup with a .906 SV% and 2.59 GAA in four games.

Finally, Dell found somewhere to get professional playing time in January, signing a tryout with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, the Kings’ primary affiliate. He’s logged five appearances there over the past few weeks, posting a .906 SV% and 2.63 GAA with a 2-3-0 record. He logged his first shutout of the season on Friday, making 24 stops in a 3-0 win over the San Diego Gulls.

With Pheonix Copley done for the season after injuring his ACL in December, Dell sits fourth on the Kings’ goaltending depth chart behind Cam Talbot, David Rittich, and top prospect Erik Portillo. The Kings acquired the signing rights to the former University of Michigan standout in a trade with the Sabres last March, and he’s responded with a sparkling .923 SV%, 2.38 GAA, two shutouts, and a 16-8-3 record in 28 games for the Reign.

Dell provides L.A. with a more veteran option in case of an injury to either Rittich or Talbot if they so choose. An undrafted free agent signing by the Sharks out of the ECHL in 2015, Dell has worked his way up the ranks to make 106 starts and 24 relief appearances over a seven-year career with San Jose, the Devils, and the Sabres. He has a 50-50-13 record with five shutouts, a 2.92 GAA, and .905 SV%.

Aaron Dell Signs PTO With AHL Ontario

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Last month, the Hurricanes signed veteran goaltender Aaron Dell to a tryout agreement, loaning him out to Canada’s Spengler Cup entry a few days later.  While there hasn’t been an announcement from Carolina about him since then, it appears Dell was released as he has already found a new team. Per the AHL’s transactions log, the netminder has signed a tryout agreement with AHL Ontario, the affiliate of the Kings.

The 34-year-old has yet to play this season beyond his stint at the Spengler Cup where he had a 2.59 GAA and a .906 SV% in four games while losing in the semi-final.  Last season, Dell spent most of the year with AHL San Jose, posting a 3.14 GAA with a .898 SV% in 38 contests.  He also got into four games with the Sharks, extending his streak of years with an appearance at the top level to seven.  Dell had a 2.71 GAA and a .913 SV% in those outings, both better than his career averages of 2.92 and .905 respectively.

With Pheonix Copley on LTIR, David Rittich is currently up with the Kings so Dell figures to serve as the veteran backup to prospect Erik Portillo with the Reign.  Meanwhile, with Los Angeles being speculated to be searching for a veteran third-stringer, this signing could take them out of the trade market on that front with Dell being well-suited to fill that role for the time being.

Snapshots: Gibson, Perron, Dell

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According to the EliteProspects transaction page, former NHL goaltender, Christopher Gibson, will return home to Finland, as he has signed a contract with Rauman Lukko of the Finnish Liiga. As recently as last year, Gibson was rostered in the Seattle Kraken organization, playing all season for their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

Gibson was originally drafted 49th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2011 NHL Draft but would wind up signing his entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013. Only two years later, Gibson was a part of the trade that sent Michael Grabner to the Maple Leafs, has was included in the return for the New York Islanders.

Spending the better part of 10 years in the American Hockey League, Gibson is a veteran of 244 games at the minor league level, carrying a record of 124-77-37, with a .910 SV% and a 2.64 GAA. At the NHL level, Gibson will leave North America having played in only 16 games over seven seasons, carrying a .901 SV% and a 3.33 GAA.

Other snapshots:

  • Returning to the lineup tonight regardless of the decision, the NHL decided to uphold the six-game suspension of Detroit Red Wings forward, David Perron, after the NHLPA filed an appeal on his behalf. After the appeal process played out, Commissioner Gary Bettman relied heavily on Perron’s intentions during the play to defend the original suspension, as the entirety of his reason can be found here.
  • Signing Aaron Dell to a professional tryout agreement only four days ago, the Carolina Hurricanes will be watching Dell from overseas as they decide on his immediate future with the organization. Approaching next week, Dell has been added to Team Canada’s roster for the 2023 Spengler Cup, and will likely serve as Dell’s overall tryout with the Hurricanes organization.

Aaron Dell Joins Carolina On PTO Agreement

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Goaltender Aaron Dell has joined the Carolina Hurricanes on a professional try-out contract. This moves comes after Carolina placed Antti Raanta on waivers and subsequently sent him to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

Dell hasn’t played yet this season, spending most of last year with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. He appeared in 38 games with the club, setting a 15-17-4 record and recording a .898 save percentage. Dell also received four NHL games last season – going 0-3-0 and stopping 94 of a possible 103 shots for a .913 save percentage. Now 34, Dell has become a prominent option for goaltending depth around the league, with Carolina set to become the fourth franchise that the netminder has suited up for.

Dell’s journey to the big leagues began at the University of North Dakota, where he played three seasons before setting his sights on pros. But his options were limited after going undrafted in the NHL Draft, with the goalie opting to move to the Allen Americans of the now-defunct Central Hockey League to kick off his pro career in 2012-13. Dell moved to the ECHL for the following season, playing well enough to warrant an AHL call-up mid-season and an invite to the San Jose Sharks’ training camp ahead of the 2014-15 season. Dell wouldn’t receive an NHL contract out of camp but, after continuing his strong performances in the minors, signed his first deal with the Sharks in March of 2015. He would receive his NHL debut in the 2016-17 season, a year where Dell played in 20 games and set a career-high .931 save percentage.

Now, eight seasons later, Dell will look to continue his NHL career in Carolina. The veteran pro has totaled 130 career NHL games, going 50-50-13 and recording a .905 save percentage.

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.

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