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Poll: Which Unrestricted Free Agents Will Columbus Re-Sign?

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The Columbus Blue Jackets and GM Jarmo Kekalainen specifically now face the harsh reality of what happens when you go all-in against pocket aces. The team threw their chips in the middle when they went out and acquired Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Adam McQuaid and Keith Kinkaid at the deadline, propping up a squad that was already headlined by two star players that didn’t want to negotiate extensions. Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky are likely on their way out of town—not before making a splash in the real estate market though—leaving the team with plenty of questions to answer this summer.

The Blue Jackets now have a handful of players that could land big deals in the summer, and Kekalainen will have to make a decision on who to try and keep around. He wants players that love the city, but it’s not clear if any of the big names are willing to commit to Columbus. That has led to plenty of speculation about how the Blue Jackets will navigate the next few weeks, including from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) who today examined the possibility of a sign-and-trade scenario. That kind of move would require quite a bit of planning between several parties, but could result in the Blue Jackets reclaiming some of those chips that are sitting in piles all around the table.

There is the possibility that several players will be retained by the Blue Jackets. Duchene specifically made quite an impact after a trade from the Ottawa Senators, and experienced the longest playoff run of his career, something he has been chasing for some time. The 28-year old center registered ten points in ten postseason contests, and was routinely one of the best players on the ice for the Blue Jackets. His situation is tricky though, as the Blue Jackets would owe the Senators another first-round pick in 2020 if they re-sign Duchene. That’s a high extra fee to pay on a deal that will already be quite expensive. Duchene is heading into the summer as one of the very best free agents available, and could command a huge salary on a long-term deal.

So who will the team bring back? Will any of the high profile names return, or are the Blue Jackets destined to hand over the offensive keys to Pierre-Luc Dubois and the other young exciting prospects? With a defense headlined by Seth Jones and Zach Werenski, the latter of which also needs a new contract as a restricted free agent, do they even need to bring back any of their outgoing players?

Vote below on who you think will be back with the Blue Jackets next season. Select as many names as you wish, and leave a comment to explain your choices!

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Snapshots: Mrazek, Olofsson, Panthers

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When the Eastern Conference Final resumes on Tuesday, the Carolina Hurricanes may have a different starting goaltender. NHL.com’s Shawn P. Roarke relays that Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour would not commit to starting Petr Mrazek again in Game Three. The Boston Bruins have scored 11 goals in the first two games of the series, all but one of which were attributed to Mrazek. He had only allowed allowed on goal in his previous two games and only 20 total in nine playoff games this season before arriving in Boston. Clearly, the Bruins have him figured out right now and it may be time for Carolina to give Curtis McElhinney a shot. Brind’amour approached Mrazek about coming out of Game Two, but the 27-year-old keeper wanted to stick it out, a right that the coach said he had earned. However, as Mrazek’s play did not improve as the game went on, he has likely lost that right to determine when he plays. McElhinney, who turns 36 next week, may have tread on the tired but is well-rested after making only three appearances so far in the playoffs. In those game, he has been stellar as well, posting a .947 save percentage and 1.56 GAA. If the Hurricanes are to win four of their next five games to come back and beat Boston, they’ll need some magic and Mrazek appears to be all out. Perhaps McElhinney has been saving some up for the first postseason run of his 12-year NHL career.

  • Chicago Blackhawks prospect Fredrik Olofsson is heading home to Sweden. Olofsson, who made his pro debut last month with the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs, has signed with MODO of the Swedish Hockey League, according to Swedish news source Kvalls Posten. This could be the end of Olofsson’s days in North American hockey, as he wraps up a solid NCAA career only to immediately bolt. Olofsson was a fourth-round pick by the Blackhawks in 2014 and played four seasons at the University of Nebraska – Omaha, leading the team in scoring in his senior season. The 22-year-old forward played in a pair of games with the Blackhawks’ affiliate, but has not been offered an NHL contract. He will thus become a free agent in August when his NHL rights expire, but doesn’t seem optimistic about his market. Interestingly, while Olofsson has represented Sweden on the international stage, he has never played competitively in his home country. Olofsson played his midget, junior, and college hockey in the U.S., but is now finally ready to return home.
  • The Florida Panthers are expected to be major players on the free agent market this summer, with much of the speculated centered on their interest in top free agents Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. While goaltending was certainly an issue this season and Bobrovksy would help immensely, defense was also a major concern and wouldn’t be addressed by grabbing only those two. Unsurprisingly, GM Dale Tallon tells The Athletic’s George Richards that a top-four right-handed defenseman is also on his wish list this summer. However, cap space is going to be tight for the Panthers and top righties like Erik Karlsson and Tyler Myers are likely out of their price range. Richards lists Anton Stralman and Adam McQuaid as right-side free agent options, while Ben Lovejoy, Dan Girardi, and Roman Polak would be other possibilities. If those aren’t impressive enough to be considered a top-four solution, Florida could be an intriguing trade partner for the Winnipeg Jets or Ottawa Senators for Jacob Trouba and Cody Ceci respectively.

Why Tampa Bay’s Defense Will Look Much Different Next Season

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While recency bias has hockey fans looking back on the Tampa Bay Lightning’s season as a failure due to their shocking early playoff exit, in reality the team was historically good, winning 62 games en route to 128 points and an easy President’s Trophy win. In general, most teams who enjoy that level of success would look to change as little as possible, even with the postseason disappointment. Last year’s Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals have become the standard for staying the course and, by all accounts, the Lightning expect to follow in their footsteps and avoid the temptation to make sweeping changes.

However, it’s not that simple. As Joe Smith of The Athletic writes, the Bolts will have to undergo a major makeover on their blue line. Tampa Bay is already committed to over $73MM for 16 players next season. That list includes top defensemen Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, as well as most core forwards like Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, J.T. Miller, and Yanni Gourde and starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. However, it does not include half of the eight defensemen used regularly by the Lightning this season: Anton Stralman, Braydon Coburn, Dan Girardi, and Jan Rutta. More importantly, it also doesn’t include sophomore breakout forward Brayden Point. Even with the salary cap expected to climb north of $80MM this off-season, re-signing Point will eat up most of that space and extending fellow RFA forwards Cedric Paquette and Adam Erne will add up as well. Without a considerable cap dump, it would seem re-signing even one of those UFA defensemen, nevertheless most of them, will be incredibly difficult.

So what does Tampa do about this situation? The aforementioned cap dump seems a near certainty, as veteran forward Ryan Callahan is expected to be traded or bought out this summer. A buy out could give the Lightning the wiggle room to re-sign one of the four pending UFA’s, while a trade could either open up cap space or allow the team to bring in a blue liner with a bad contract like Callahan’s. Yet, Callahan alone is not the only move that the Bolts could make before next season. Smith mentions Miller as the easiest forward to trade away, as his trade protection does not kick in until the new league year on July 1st. Johnson, Palat, and Alex Killorn all have full or limited No-Trade Clauses, making them harder to deal, but still expendable regardless. In moving any of those four valuable forwards – or even Point if negotiations reach an impasse – the Bolts would likely be able to land a talented defenseman in return.

Outside of Callahan though, the Lightning do not have to make other trades to form a capable defense. Internally, they already have a promising top-four in veteran stars Hedman and McDonagh and promising young rearguards Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak. AHL standout Cal Foote will also challenge for a job in camp, while the team will almost certainly target a defenseman with the 27th overall pick in the first round this year, who could push for an NHL spot right away if they’re lucky. Moving Callahan, if salary does not come back in return, could enable the team to re-sign Rutta, likely the cheapest option of the four, or perhaps Coburn or Girardi on hometown discounts. It is hard to imagine Stralman being within their price range or any two returning. Yet, affordable options will also exist on the free agent market, as many players may be willing to sign for less for a shot at the Cup in Tampa Bay. Veteran UFA options who could come in under $2MM or so include Michael Del Zotto, Adam McQuaid, Ben Lovejoy, and Roman Polak, among others.

The only certainty when it comes to Tampa’s defense this season is that it will not look the same as it did last year. There is simply no financial way for the team to maintain the depth and balance on the blue line that this unit had, but some savvy moves this off-season could still keep the defense just as strong. How the team handles Point, Callahan, and the free agency and trade markets will be one of the more intriguing story lines this summer and could dictate whether the Bolts are able to follow the Capitals’ model and stay the course toward a championship following postseason disappointment.

Adam McQuaid, Ryan Murray Remain Out For Blue Jackets

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For anyone hoping to see Adam McQuaid face off against his former team this postseason, you’ll have to wait a while longer. As the Columbus Blue Jackets departed for Boston today to face the Bruins in their second-round series, Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports that neither McQuaid nor fellow defenseman Ryan Murray made the trip. There is no clear timeline for either’s return, but they will at least miss the first two games in Boston.

McQuaid, 32, has yet to play this postseason after suffering a concussion late in the regular season. The veteran defender was acquired by the Blue Jackets from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, but many still remember him most from his time with the Bruins. McQuaid, ironically a Columbus draft pick, spent the first nine years of his career in Boston before he was traded this past off-season. At the time, Boston was dealing from a position of strength, but ended up struggling with injuries on the back end all season and could have used McQuaid. Now, they could face the physical stay-at-home defender in the playoffs, that is if he can get healthy. Not only would McQuaid sure up the Blue Jackets’ bottom pair and provide insight into the Bruins’ inner workings, he would also provide the playoff experience sorely lacking from the roster. McQuaid has appeared in 68 playoff games and two Stanley Cup Finals, including winning it all with the Bruins back in 2011.

Murray, like McQuaid, is no stranger to being injured. The 2012 No. 2 overall pick has only played in more than 66 games in a season once in his six-year NHL career and finds himself on the sidelines again this postseason with a back injury. Murray has actually had a career campaign, recording 29 points in just 56 games and +20 rating that led all Columbus defensemen. Yet, Murray has been out since early February and it grows harder to imagine a comeback with each missed game. If Murray is able to return versus Boston or perhaps later in the playoffs, it would give the Blue Jackets a major boost and make them an even more dangerous puck-moving team.

Fortunately, Hedger notes that Markus Nutivaara did make the trip and is not expected to miss any further time with the upper-body injury that cost him the final two games of the first round sweep. He joins Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, and David Savard as a very capable top-four unit for Columbus. However, with McQuaid and Murray still out, the Blue Jackets could struggle matching up their bottom pair against the Bruins. Scott Harrington played very well against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but will have to keep up with that level of play if he and Dean Kukan (or Adam Clendening or Vladislav Gavrikov) want to defend against a deep Boston team.

Minor Transactions: 04/09/19

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There’s just one sleep left before the NHL playoffs get underway, and teams are preparing as best they can for the grind that is about to begin. Tomorrow evening will see five series kick off, all starting in Tampa Bay with the Presidents Trophy-winning Lightning welcoming the Columbus Blue Jackets. As they get set for a weeks-long war to lift the Stanley Cup, we’ll be here keeping track of any minor moves they make along the way.

  • The Blue Jackets have recalled Adam Clendening from the minor leagues once again, and he will serve as the seventh defenseman for their opening night match. The team has left Ryan Murray and Adam McQuaid back in Columbus as they continue to deal with upper-body injuries, meaning Clendening was needed to give them some extra insurance in case something goes wrong before tomorrow night.
  • After clearing out their lockers yesterday, Luke Kunin, Jordan Greenway and Ryan Donato are all on their way to the minor leagues to take part in a Calder Cup chase. The trio of forwards should give the Iowa Wild an incredible boost as they try to climb their way into a playoff spot, especially given how much NHL experience they received this year. Greenway especially will be a welcome addition, given he played 81 games for the Minnesota Wild this season and scored four points in his two-game stint with Iowa earlier in the year.
  • It’s going to be tough for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to make the playoffs this season, so the Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to recall Tristan Jarry in order to give themselves a little more insurance in net. Jarry has played nearly the entire season in the minor leagues, ending up with a 23-15-3 record and .915 save percentage. The 23-year old goaltender will join the team tomorrow in New York.
  • Conor Garland will be going down to help the Tucson Roadrunners according to Craig Morgan of The Athletic. The 23-year old Arizona Coyotes forward was a revelation this season, scoring 13 goals in 47 NHL games while also contributing more than a point-per-game at the AHL level. The former junior superstar will try to help the Roadrunners catch the San Diego Gulls or Colorado Eagles and secure a playoff berth in the Pacific Division.
  • The Calgary Flames have recalled Jon Gillies from the minor leagues to give them another goaltender for the playoffs, though Mike Smith is still expected to start the series. The Flames have dealt with goaltending issues all year long, but don’t expect Gillies to come in and get much action. The 25-year old played all season in the minor leagues and struggled to the tune of an .899 save percentage.

Snapshots: McDavid, Getzlaf, Murray, Engelland, Kubalik

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While their regular season ended and their offseason had begun, the team still saw a scary scene unfold in the second period of Saturday’s game against Calgary when Connor McDavid tried to skate past defenseman Mark Giordano, but had his feet knocked out of him as his leg slammed against the goalpost. He didn’t return.

However, the team had good news today as McDavid walked into the clubhouse in a leg brace, but without crutches and x-rays showed there was no break, although results of an MRI had not come back in. TSN’s Tom Gazzola reports that McDavid believed that his leg was broken the moment it happened. McDavid finished the season second in the league in scoring as he tallied 41 goals and 116 points this season. It looks like McDavid has avoided a serious injury.

  • The Department of Player Safety announced that they have fined Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf $2,500 for roughing Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe. The incident happened in the final minutes of the season finale on Saturday when Getzlaf sucker-punched Kempe against the boards. Both players received 10-minute misconduct penalties as well as Kyle Clifford and Nick Ritchie.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have two defensemen out with injuries and their status hasn’t changed as the team gets ready for the first round of the playoffs later this week against Tampa Bay. The Columbus Dispath’s Brian Hedger writes that defenseman Ryan Murray continues to be out with an upper-body injury. He has missed 24 games with his injury. Meanwhile Adam McQuaid also sits out with an upper-body injury as his status also hasn’t improved. McQuaid has missed five games.
  • Despite heading for unrestricted free agency this summer, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Deryk Engelland isn’t ready to retire. The 37-year-old said he’s healthy and wants to keep playing, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. “Keep playing. That’s the goal. I feel good out there,” said Engelland. “I’m not banged up or anything like that. If you talk to anyone that’s done, they tell you play as long as you can.”
  • During the end-of-the-season press conference, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said that he envisions the team bringing over prospect Dominik Kubalik and having him on the Blackhawks’ roster next season, according to The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus. The hope is that he will make a similar impact that Dominik Kahun did this season. The 23-year-old forward’s rights were acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in January for a fifth-round pick, but Kubalik scored 25 goals and 57 points in 50 games in the NLA this year.

Poll: Toughest First-Round Opponent For Tampa Bay Lightning?

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It’s been months since any team in the East other than the Tampa Bay Lightning was considered to have any real chance at the top seed in the conference. The Lightning have been one of the most dominant regular season teams in recent memory, locking up the President’s Trophy more than two weeks ago and joining the 60-win club earlier this week.

What has also been clear for some time is that Tampa would be destined to face the Boston Bruins or Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the playoffs, as their two divisional rivals have been near the top of the league standings for much of the year and always on a collision course to play each other in round one due to the NHL’s current playoff format. Yet, it’s easy to forget that the Lightning too have to win in the first round. Many have taken it as a foregone conclusion that Tampa would advance, but upsets occur in sports and the Lighting are as susceptible to a collapse as any heavy favorites that have fallen in the past.

So who has the best chance to knock off the regular season champs? Well, the defending Stanley Cup winners would have been an ideal match-up, but the Washington Capitals pulled out of range of a wild card finish earlier this week and clinched the top seed in the Metropolitan Division with a win on Thursday. The New York Islanders, with their suffocating defensive style and stellar goaltending, also would have been an intriguing opponent, but they have also assured themselves of a non-wildcard spot. Finally, the star-studded Pittsburgh Penguins would have made for a difficult and highly entertaining series with the Bolts, but a win on Thursday night guaranteed that they cannot finish any lower than seventh in the conference.

That leaves three potential opponents for Tampa Bay in round one: the Carolina Hurricanes, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Montreal Canadiens. Two of these three teams will make the playoffs – Carolina has clinched a playoff berth with a Thursday night victory – but only one will be lucky enough to land the second wild card spot and go up against the Lightning. Of these three, which one could pull off the eight seed upset?

The Hurricanes are on pace to finish seventh in the East and avoid Tampa and they cannot be caught by the Canadiens. However, if the the Blue Jackets pass by Carolina, the team would have to celebrate their first postseason in ten years by playing the Bolts. The ’Canes could give the Lightning problems with their ability to suppress shots, as they are the only team in the conference that allows less than 29 shots per game on average. A defense corps that is among the deepest and most talented in the league makes offense a struggle for the opposition and the added bonus of consistent play in net explains why Carolina is eighth-best in the league in goals against per game. Despite the franchise’s lack of postseason experience of late, Justin Williams and Jordan Staal are also major assets when it comes to playing smart, tough playoff hockey. The main concern for the Hurricanes though is that they have not been as successful offensively as they have been defensively. Despite leading the league in shots per game, the team is 16th in goals for per game and 20th on the power play and they’ve lacked game-breaking scoring talent this season outside of Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. It’s impossible to expect to shutout Tampa Bay, so if Carolina can’t find some secondary scoring they could struggle against the Bolts.

As of now, Columbus looks like the favorite to finish eighth and play Tampa. That might not be what GM Jarmo Kekalainen expected when he added Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, and Adam McQuaid at the trade deadline, but those moves will certainly help anyway. The Blue Jackets franchise has never won a playoff series and doing so against this Lightning team would be a tall task. However, they have both considerable talent and a chip on their shoulder. Like Carolina, Columbus does not allow many shots nor many goals and additionally have the best penalty kill in the conference. Unlike Carolina, they also have a star goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky. The Jackets would need Bobrovksy to shake off past struggles in the postseason, but if he does the Vezina Trophy-winner could be a game-changer. Offensively, Columbus has had an up-and-down year but are currently 12th in goals for per game. Duchene and Dzingel are major additions to a forward unit that already included elite talent like Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson. Unfortunately, all of this ability up front has still not led to consistent offense nor has it cured a miserable power play. Failure to capitalize on opportunities could be the Achilles heel of this team.

Then there’s Montreal, who need some help to make the playoffs, but could make waves if they do. The Canadiens can only end up in the eighth seed, so it’s Tampa or bust. Montreal can never quite be counted out with Carey Price in net and Shea Weber on the blue line, but the question is whether the other pieces are there to pull off not one but four wins against the Bolts. To their credit, the Habs have been a very balanced, consistent team this season that is right in the middle of the pack when it comes to goals and shots for as well as goals and shots against. Their power play is dead last in the NHL, which is obviously not typical of a playoff team, but it’s hard to find many other holes in their game. The problem is that nothing jumps out as being good enough for a massive upset, either. If Max Domi and Tomas Tatar stay hot and Price stands on his head as usual, anything is possible, but the Canadiens have simply been a good team and anyone who beats the Lightning will need to be great. Can they step up?

What do you think? The standings might say Columbus is the most likely opponent for Tampa Bay at this point, but who would be the toughest match-up for the President’s Trophy winners?

Minor Transactions: 04/03/19

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After a number of games had playoff implications last night, this evening is much more subdued. Only the St. Louis Blues really have anything to play for as they try to hunt down first place in the Central Division just a few months after being at the bottom of the standings. The Blues will take on the recently eliminated Chicago Blackhawks, and could pull even with both the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators at 96 points.

  • Those Blackhawks have recalled Dennis Gilbert from the minor leagues, giving the 22-year old defenseman a chance at the NHL in his first professional season. The former Notre Dame standout has 14 points in 59 games for the Rockford IceHogs this season.
  • Adam Clendening has been returned to the AHL by the Columbus Blue Jackets, joining the Cleveland Monsters for their playoff run. With the Blue Jackets loss last night the team is now tied with the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and can’t afford to drop any more points over the last two games. Clendening could be recalled quickly if Adam McQuaid or Ryan Murray aren’t ready to return.
  • Brett Seney is on his way to New Jersey, having been recalled today by the big club. The 23-year old forward has played 50 games already this season for the Devils, recording 13 points as a rookie. The undersized Seney also has 18 points in 23 games in the minor leagues, though only two of those are goals.
  • As expected, the Washington Capitals have recalled Jonas Siegenthaler once again. With Michal Kempny injured and out for the playoffs, Siegenthaler will likely serve as the team’s seventh defenseman.
  • The Calgary Flames have recalled Dillon Dube under emergency conditions, giving them another forward option for the last few games of the regular season. Dube played 23 games for the Flames earlier this year, and has 39 points in 37 games for the Stockton Heat.
  • Adin Hill has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes, giving the team another goaltender as they make sure Darcy Kuemper’s injury isn’t serious. Kuemper was hit in the head by a stick last night and had to leave the game, a huge blow to the Coyotes’ playoff race.

Minor Transactions: 03/30/19

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You know the NHL season is wrapping up when teams can clinch playoff spots without even winning games. Out West, both the Vegas Golden Knights and St. Louis Blues earned playoff berths with the Arizona Coyotes’ shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche, even though both teams suffered losses to inferior clubs. With every NHL team now down to five or less regular season games remaining, those windows to reach the postseason are tightening. Several more dominoes could fall tonight, as the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs can clinch, while Montreal-Canadiens-Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets-Nashville Predators are both critical games for all involved. The stakes are high and teams are making sure that they are ready to go with roster adjustments. Make sure to follow along with all of the minor moves made today:

  • Nick DeSimone’s stint with the San Jose Sharks lasted just one day, as he has been returned to the AHL’s Barracuda. The Sharks have opted not to recall another defenseman, but instead add a forward in Dylan Gambrell, one of the few players scoring at a better clip than DeSimone in the minors. Gambrell has 41 points in just 45 games with the Barracuda, but has yet to find the score sheet through six games with the Sharks this season. The University of Denver star looks like a future NHLer, but it’s unclear if San Jose is planning to give him another look before the end of the regular season or if he is simply a depth call-up. With a big game tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Sharks would need some production out of Gambrell were he to play. The Sharks also announced they have recalled defenseman Jake Middleton. The 6-foot-3 defenseman has scored five goals and 19 points in 54 games for the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to battle injuries on the blue line and have called up Adam Clendening to replace the sidelined Adam McQuaid. McQuaid took a high shot from Montreal’s Andrew Shaw the other night, for which there was surprisingly no response for the league. McQuaid has a history of injury trouble and there is no timeline for his return yet. Ryan Murray also continue to be out of commission, considered “week-to-week” by the team. As such, Clendening gets the call as the current seventh defender. The experienced depth defenseman has been highly productive with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters this season, but less so in just four games with Columbus. If another absence does cause Clendening to draw in to the Blue Jackets’ lineup, he is fully capable of playing at the NHL level, but the team would love to see production more closely resembling his strong minor league numbers.
  • The season is over for the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels after a first round loss, but the Chicago Blackhawks are not ready for Brandon Hagel and Reese Johnson to be done playing just yet. The team has reassigned the 2016 draft pick and recent free agent signing to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs for the remainder of the season. Hagel, 20, recorded a whopping 102 points in 66 games this season and added another six postseason points, even in a four-game sweep. Understandably, the Blackhawks want to see how the WHL’s fourth-highest scorer can perform at the pro level. Joining him is Johnson, who just signed with Chicago earlier this month. The technical centerman and Red Deer captain registered 53 points on the year, but could wind up an even better pro player than junior player.
  • The Anaheim Ducks announced they have recalled forwards Chase De Leo and Sam Carrick from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. The 23-year-old De Leo had a solid season with San Diego after Anaheim acquired him this summer in a trade with Winnipeg. De Leo has 19 goals and 51 points in 61 games. He hasn’t made an NHL appearance since the 2015-16 season. The 27-year-old Carrick has 28 goals and 28 assists in 57 games this year with the Gulls and has appeared in five games with the Ducks this season with no points.

2019 Trade Deadline Day Recap

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The trade deadline for the 2018-19 season has come and gone, with teams all around the league loading up for a Stanley Cup run. This year saw a nearly unprecedented level of skill available, though things got started quite early. Before deadline day, names like Matt Duchene, Brandon Montour, Mats Zuccarello, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist and Nick Jensen all switched teams. However, the day was no disappointment; a slow pace early on ended in fireworks right before the deadline and as deal trickled in right after. Below is a complete list of the 21 trades featuring all but seven of the NHL’s teams made on February 25th alone (chronologically):

To Anaheim Ducks:
D Patrick Sieloff

To Ottawa Senators:
F Brian Gibbons

 

To New Jersey Devils:
2022 fifth-round pick

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Keith Kinkaid

 

To Winnipeg Jets:
F Kevin Hayes

To New York Rangers:
F Brendan Lemieux
2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
2022 conditional fourth-round pick (if Winnipeg wins Stanley Cup)

 

To Montreal Canadiens:
F Jordan Weal

To Arizona Coyotes:
F Michael Chaput

 

To Florida Panthers:
F Cliff Pu
Future Considerations

To Carolina Hurricanes:
F Tomas Jurco (AHL contract)
Future Considerations

 

To Colorado Avalanche:
F Derick Brassard
2020 conditional sixth-round pick (no pick if Brassard re-signs)

To Florida Panthers:
2020 third-round pick

 

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
D Adam McQuaid

To New York Rangers:
D Julius Bergman
2019 fourth-round pick
2019 seventh-round pick

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