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Minor Transactions: 08/25/23

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The following is a list of notable minor-league and overseas transactions for August 25, 2023:

  • Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson has signed a one-year deal with the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers, according to a team release. Johnson, 29, heads to Britain after spending last season in Germany with the DEL’s Augsburger Panther. There, he tied for fifth in team scoring with seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 45 games. An undrafted free agent signing out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2017, Johnson recorded four points in 13 games with Pittsburgh from 2018 to 2020. He last suited up in North America in the AHL in 2021-22, splitting the season between the Ontario Reign and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
  • The ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones have signed OHL standout James Hardie to a one-year contract extension, per a team announcement. Hardie, 21, suited up in two regular-season games and ten playoff games for the Cyclones to conclude last season after finishing his major junior career as captain of the Mississauga Steelheads. After clocking over a point-per-game over the past three seasons with Mississauga, it’s admittedly surprising Hardie wasn’t able to secure an AHL contract, but perhaps a lackluster playoff performance in Cincinnati (just a goal and an assist) hurt his ability to land a contract in North America’s second-highest pro tier. Instead, he’ll again suit up for the new ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, hoping to work his way up the pro ladder.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Minor Transactions: 09/12/22

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Hockey is so close you can taste it. In less than a month, regular season games will be happening for the 2022-23 campaign and the long grind toward the Stanley Cup will have started. Over the next few weeks, we’ll keep track of all the notable minor signings to see where minor league and fringe players will ply their trade this season.

  • Jake McGrew, who was not issued a qualifying offer by the San Jose Sharks earlier this summer, has signed with AIK in Sweden for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old sixth-round pick spent most of last season with the San Jose Barracuda, scoring 12 goals and 23 points in 57 games. Now an unrestricted free agent, he’ll try to continue his development overseas.
  • Maxim Letunov, dealt to the New York Rangers at the deadline in exchange for Tarmo Reunanen, has signed with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the KHL after becoming a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer. Letunov, 26, played three games in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks in 2019-20 and scored one goal.
  • Adam Johnson, last seen with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL, has signed with the Augsburger Panther in the DEL. The 28-year-old forward has 13 NHL games to his name, all of them with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who signed him in 2017 out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

This page will continue to be updated with any further transactions. 

Snapshots: Johnson, Winnik, NCAA Transfers

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After Adam Johnson’s sudden and unexpected departure from the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks, the forward has landed back in North America. Johnson has signed a contract with the AHL’s Ontario Reign for the remainder of the year, the team announced. This isn’t quite the NHL contract that was expected when Johnson returned home from Sweden, but is still a good opportunity for the 26-year-old to show off for the L.A. Kings and other NHL teams before the off-season. Johnson played in 13 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins over the past two years, recording four points, and has put up good numbers in the AHL previously. The University of Minnesota-Duluth product is hoping that another strong showing in the minors will prove that he is worthy of another NHL deal.

  • Veteran forward Daniel Winnik will not be returning home, though. Winnik, 36, will continue his playing career for at least another season by signing a one-year extension with Geneve-Servette of the Swiss National League. The contract also includes an additional option year, if the experienced pro actually has two years left in him. Winnik played in nearly 800 career NHL games before departing for Switzerland in 2018, suiting up for eight different teams along the way. He has found more consistency in the second stage of his career, having already played three seasons with Geneve-Servette and now gaining one or two more to come. Winnik has excelled overseas even in his late thirties, playing at a near point-per-game pace.
  • There will be a number of familiar faces in new places across the NCAA next season. It has already been an unprecedented off-season for notable transfers, even with the Frozen Four still yet to be played. More than a dozen players have already switched schools, including some NHL prospects. Two of the more recent names to make a change include Vegas Golden Knights’ forward prospect Brandon Kruse and Winnipeg Jets’ goalie prospect Jared Moe. Kruse, 22, has already played four full seasons at Bowling Green, but will take advantage of his fifth year of eligibility due to COVID to become a graduate transfer to Boston College, the program confirmed. The 2018 fifth-round pick has been one of the Falcons’ best forwards and is a nice pickup for the Eagles, who are still believed to be in the running for several other noteworthy transfers as well. Moe, 21, is moving on from Minnesota after sitting behind Carolina Hurricanes’ prospect Jack LaFontaine this season (and LaFontaine has committed to another year with the Gophers as well). Moe has reported on his own that he will flip to Big Ten rival Wisconsin next season, where the starting job is at least open to competition. Moe may not be the only Winnipeg keeper to transfer this off-season too; UMass Lowell goaltender Logan Neaton is also in the NCAA Transfer Portal after he too was used sparingly this season.

Snapshots: Johnson, Holloway, Becker

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Any team looking to add some ability and NHL experience to their minor league depth ahead of the trade deadline now has a new option on the market that won’t cost any trade capital. Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson has unexpectedly left the SHL’s Malmo Redhawks and returned to North America, the team announced. The remainder of Johnson’s contract was terminated, allowing him to sign in the NHL immediately, but judging by the club’s press release the decision hardly seemed “mutual”. Johnson signed with Malmo in December and with 12 points in 21 games, he has been one of their most productive per-game scorers alongside the SHL’s own version of the Sedin twins, brothers Pathrik and Ponthus Westerholm. Now, with the Redhawks battling for a playoff spot in the stretch run, they have lost one of their best forwards. GM Patrik Sylvegard stated that Johnson no longer wanted to be in Malmo and he felt the team deserved to only have those committed to the playoff hunt on the roster, leading to the split despite the negative impact it may have on their on-ice results. This kind of sudden departure could imply that Johnson has interest waiting for him back in North America, but that remains to be seen. As for his viability as an actual asset to an NHL contender this season, Johnson is a big played in 13 games with the Penguins over the past two seasons, recording four points despite very limited minutes, and has been a force in the AHL with 108 points in 185 games in three seasons. Johnson initially signed with Pittsburgh after just two years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth as a highly sought-after college free agent and could still have supporters in front offices across the league. His hometown Minnesota Wild could be a candidate to keep an eye on; the team has a recent history of using local products in depth roles.

  • While the impact of Wisconsin’s early exit from the NCAA Tournament has already been felt at the NHL level with the Montreal Canadiens’ speedy signing of top prospect Cole Caufield, it means that the Edmonton Oilers have their own top prospect to make a decision on. However, it may not be so straightforward for 2020 first-rounder Dylan Holloway and his pro club. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Holloway suffered a broken thumb back in the semifinals of the Big Ten conference tournament and played through the injury for two more games before the Badgers were upset by Bemidji State. Now, the team and the prospect are awaiting the results of  X-rays scheduled for Monday before making their next move. If Holloway is unlikely to be able to play again this season, then he will not be signed to an entry-level contract, at least not one that begins with the 2020-21 season. Holloway could still turn pro and begin his career next year, but if he does not sign now and burn his first season then he could be tempted to return for his junior year at Wisconsin. Holloway missed some time out of his NCAA season this year due to his participation with Team Canada at the World Juniors and the preceding training camp, but still managed to produce one of the better stat lines in college hockey with 35 points in 24 games. Edmonton would surely like to have the dynamic winger in their lineup as soon as possible, but Holloway may opt to return to Wisconsin for one last run with a roster that will return much of its talent from this year and will add some elite recruits as well. Of course, if it is determined that Holloway can continue to play this season then he is far more likely to follow Caufield to the NHL as soon as possible.
  • Boston Bruins prospect Jack Becker might be heading toward the record amount of time between being drafted and making his pro debut. The 2015 seventh-round pick is leaning towards returning for a fifth NCAA season as a graduate student, reports Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal. Becker, who is already 23, has played four full seasons with the Michigan Wolverines, but has been granted a fifth season of eligibility due to the NCAA’s COVID-19 policy. It’s worth wondering what Becker has left to gain from the college game. After being drafted in 2015, the two-way forward spent two more seasons in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede before joining Michigan. He was nothing if not consistent as a bottom-six forward who contributed decent offense and strong defensive play over four seasons, eventually taking over the captainship of the program this past year and leading a decorated Wolverines team. Becker may not have tremendous NHL upside, but has developed a mature, two-way game and leadership abilities and could be a nice minor league asset with the possibility of a fourth-line role in the NHL. Becker is unlikely to magically develop the scoring ability to be a top offensive weapon for Michigan or even if he were to transfer to a program with less NHL talent, so a fifth season seemingly serves no purpose. If Becker returns for another college season, he will be 25 before his potential first full pro season in 2022-23. At that point will Boston – or anyone – really care to commit to an entry-level contract? Should Becker reverse course, the Bruins can offer him the chance to join one of the AHL’s best rosters in Providence, a team that has turned more than its fair share of unheralded prospects into capable NHL depth players over the years.

Adam Johnson Signs With Malmo Redhawks

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After becoming a Group VI unrestricted free agent, Adam Johnson is headed to Sweden. The 26-year-old forward has signed with the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL for the rest of the season.

Not every undrafted college free agent can turn into a star. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Johnson in 2018 after his outstanding sophomore season at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and he quickly worked his way up the ranks to make his NHL debut in 2019. He played 13 games with the Penguins over two seasons, recording four points. His real contribution was at the AHL level, however, where he racked up 108 points in 185 games.

Johnson has dealt with nagging injuries throughout his time with the Penguins organization and will now have to try and get his game to another level overseas. There’s no doubt he can help an AHL team, but without much NHL experience, it’s hard to justify even a two-way contract. That doesn’t mean he can’t get back though, especially if he dominates the competition overseas.

The Unleashed 2020: Potential Group VI Unrestricted Free Agents

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Though most players have to wait until after their 27th birthday to become an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team in the league without compensation, there are a few other ways to get to the open market. Players that complete seven full seasons in the NHL are eligible for UFA status, as are restricted free agents that do not receive qualifying offers. There is another way however, offered to those players who don’t get a long opportunity in the NHL but have put in several years at the professional level: Group VI unrestricted free agency.

Earlier this month, CapFriendly compiled a complete list of players on track to become free agents early. To refresh your memory on how a player qualifies for Group VI free agency, they must meet three requirements:

  1. The player is 25 years or older (as of June 30th of the calendar year the contract is expiring).
  2. The player has completed 3 or more professional seasons – qualified by 11 or more professional games (for an 18/19 year old player), or 1 or more professional games (for a player aged 20 or older). This can include NHL, minor league, and European professional league seasons played while under an SPC.
  3. The player has played fewer than 80 NHL games, or 28 NHL games of 30 minutes or greater for a goaltender.

The entire list of players at risk can be found below, but make sure you check out CapFriendly for more detailed information on how they could avoid the designation this summer.

*Indicates that the player could still play in enough games this season to become ineligible for Group VI free agency

Anaheim Ducks

Andrew Poturalski
Justin Kloos

Arizona Coyotes

(none)

Boston Bruins

Ryan Fitzgerald

Buffalo Sabres

(none)

Calgary Flames

Ryan Lomberg
Rinat Valiev
Jon Gillies

Carolina Hurricanes

(none)

Chicago Blackhawks

(none)

Colorado Avalanche

Antoine Bibeau

Columbus Blue Jackets

Doyle Somerby

Dallas Stars

Gavin Bayreuther
Dillon Heatherington

Detroit Red Wings

(none)

Edmonton Oilers

Colby Cave*
Shane Starrett

Florida Panthers

Danick Martel
Jack Rodewald

Los Angeles Kings

(none)

Minnesota Wild

Carson Soucy

Montreal Canadiens

Laurent Dauphin
Gustav Olofsson

Nashville Predators

Michael McCarron*

New Jersey Devils

Brandon Baddock
Dakota Mermis

New York Islanders

Jordan Schmaltz

New York Rangers

Boo Nieves*
Vinni Lettieri
Danny O’Regan
Nick Ebert

Ottawa Senators

Morgan Klimchuk

Philadelphia Flyers

Reece Wilcox

Pittsburgh Penguins

Riley Barber
Thomas Di Pauli
Adam Johnson

San Jose Sharks

Anthony Greco

St. Louis Blues

Mackenzie MacEachern*
Andreas Borgman

Tampa Bay Lightning

Daniel Walcott
Patrick Sieloff
Spencer Martin

Toronto Maple Leafs

Kasimir Kaskisuo

Vancouver Canucks

Ashton Sautner

Vegas Golden Knights

Valentin Zykov
Oscar Dansk

Washington Capitals

Liam O’Brien
Colby Williams
Tyler Lewington

Winnipeg Jets

J.C. Lipon

Penguins Activate Bryan Rust, Nick Bjugstad

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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced several moves today, which included activating several of their players off of  injured reserve. The team announced they activated forwards Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust (who was on long-term injured reserve) and both are expected to play in today’s lineup against Dallas.

The Penguins also changed the status of several players as Sam Lafferty, Adam Johnson and Joseph Blandisi all had their emergency recalls altered to regular recalls.

Rust has missed the entire season after blocking a shot in the preseason with his hand. The 27-year-old winger has also been a major missing piece in the Penguins’ lineup which also is missing Evgeni Malkin. The hope is that Rust can immediately supply the top-six with a prominent winger and add some offense to a suddenly struggling Pittsburgh squad. Rust scored a career-high 18 goals last season.

Bjugstad hasn’t appeared in a game since Oct. 5 after going down with a lower-body injury and should be a big addition to a team in need of some healthy veterans. The 27-year-old center has only appeared in two games this season, but scored nine goals and 13 points as a bottom-six center for the team in 32 games after the Penguins acquired him from Florida in February earlier this year.

Alex Galchenyuk Placed On Injured Reserve

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have made it official, placing Alex Galchenyuk on injured reserve and recalling Adam Johnson. Galchenyuk and Patric Hornqvist both missed practice today and were listed as day-to-day. Johnson will come up after recording two points in his AHL debut this season.

Johnson will be given quite the opportunity in Pittsburgh in the meantime, as not only are Galchenyuk and Hornqvist banged up but Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust are out long-term. The 25-year old forward was another one of the Penguins’ undrafted college signings, joining the organization in 2017 after two years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Johnson has been a solid minor league player the last two seasons, scoring 43 points in 67 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season and even getting into six games in the NHL.

Still, this is a dreadful start to the season for Pittsburgh, who had their eye on a Metropolitan Division title. The team’s depth up front is being tested and all the while GM Jim Rutherford appears to be searching for a trading partner to unload one of his defensemen. Taking on the Anaheim Ducks tomorrow, you can bet there will be substantial changes if things don’t turn around quickly in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Adam Johnson

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed Adam Johnson to a one-year, two-way contract. Johnson had been eligible for arbitration but did not file. The contract carries a $700K salary at the NHL level. Assistant GM Bill Guerin released a short statement on the forward:

Adam has definitely put the work in. He’s a great skater, and has worked extremely hard to get to another level of strength and conditioning, which certainly helped him in his second pro season. I think he proved not only to us but also to himself that he can play in the National Hockey League.

The 25-year old Johnson is another one of the Penguins’ undrafted free agent signings out of the NCAA, though he hasn’t yet made quite the impact players like Conor Sheary and Zach Aston-Reese. In fact, Johnson has played just six games for Pittsburgh since signing out of Minnesota-Duluth in 2017, instead spending most of his professional career with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It’s there that the two-way forward has made his mark, scoring 74 points in 137 games.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton may be where Johnson is headed once again unless more changes are made in Pittsburgh this summer, since he is still waiver-exempt for now. If that happens and he doesn’t play in at least 74 NHL games this season he will qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency in 2020 and could take his talents elsewhere. It’ll be a difficult task for him to land a full-time role out of camp, but not impossible. If the Penguins decide to move on from another player like Nick Bjugstad or Bryan Rust they may have an opening for at least a 13th forward, something Johnson could have the inside track on given his waiver status and relative versatility.

Minor Transactions: 04/05/19

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The NHL has just one playoff spot left to determine, and it’s going to come down to the wire. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens are tied at 94 points but the former has a chance to punch their ticket tonight. The Blue Jackets are ahead on the regulation+overtime wins (ROW) tiebreaker meaning if they win tonight the Canadiens won’t be able to catch them. As they and the rest of the NHL prepare for the last weekend of the regular season, we’ll be here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins have returned Adam Johnson to the minor leagues after six games, giving their minor league affiliate a huge boost for the final few games of the AHL season. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are just three points out of a playoff spot in the AHL’s Atlantic Division, and Johnson is one of their best offensive players with 40 points in 63 games this season.
  • Chris Thorburn has been recalled by the St. Louis Blues, a veteran addition as they head into the playoffs. Thorburn has played in just a single game for the Blues this season, instead spending the majority of the year at the minor league level for the first time since 2005-06. The 35-year old forward can provide a physical presence if required, but isn’t likely to make a huge impact in the playoffs.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have returned Adin Hill to the minor leagues now that they’ve been eliminated from the playoffs. Hill was recalled to give them some insurance after Darcy Kuemper suffered a minor injury, but wasn’t needed after all.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have sent Andy Welinski back to the minor leagues and are expected to assign more players to the San Diego Gulls in the coming days. The Ducks won’t be heading for the playoffs this season, but they can at least help the Gulls on their pursuit of a Calder Cup.
  • Christian Wolanin and Rudolfs Balcers are on their way back to the Belleville Senators, as Mark Borowiecki and Bobby Ryan may return tomorrow for the Ottawa Senators. Wolanin and Balcers will help a Belleville team that is battling hard for a playoff spot against the Cleveland Monsters.
  • The exodus has begun in Florida, where the Panthers have sent Jayce Hawryluk, Dryden Hunt and Sam Montembeault back to the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds are technically still alive in the playoff chase, but would need an awful lot of things to go right over the last few games.
  • Nathan Walker has been recalled by the Washington Capitals, likely meaning that a handful of forwards will be getting tomorrow night’s game off. The 25-year old has played three games with the team this season, but spent the majority of it in the minor leagues once again. Walker became the first Australian player (though he was actually born in Wales) to suit up in an NHL game last season, and has 34 points in 54 games this year with the Hershey Bears.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have finally sent Josh Currie back to the AHL after the veteran minor leaguer enjoyed an unexpectedly long stretch at the top level in his first career NHL call-up. Currie scored two goals and five points in 21 games with the Oilers since joining the team in mid-February. He’ll now join the Bakersfield Condors, who lead the AHL’s Pacific Division and are preparing for a deep playoff run.

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