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Alex Galchenyuk

Colorado Avalanche Sign Alex Galchenyuk

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After a training camp tryout and an AHL PTO, Alex Galchenyuk has secured another NHL deal. The Colorado Avalanche have signed the veteran forward to a one-year contract for the rest of this season. According to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets, the deal is worth a pro-rated $750K, the league minimum. If the team wants him to continue in the minor leagues, he would have to clear waivers.

This may well have come a few months earlier had Galchenyuk not suffered an injury in camp that ended any chance of him starting the year with Colorado. At the time of his injury, head coach Jared Bednar had explained that the team would reconsider a deal when the injury was dealt with. Earlier this month, that resulted in an AHL tryout with the Colorado Eagles, where Galchenyuk managed seven points in seven games.

The 28-year-old forward has had a fascinating career thus far, one which includes a 30-goal season and seven different NHL stops. The third-overall pick from 2012 has the obvious skill required to compete at the NHL level and over the years developed a strong work ethic, but his game is still rife with inconsistency. He will look like a difference-making player for three shifts in a row, and then be completely out of position on the next.

Still, over the last few years, Colorado has built up a reputation for finding the perfect fit for players who may have been cast off from other organizations. Valeri Nichushkin may be the best example – the big Russian was once bought out by the Dallas Stars after going an entire season without scoring a goal, only to develop into an elite two-way winger for the Avalanche. Players like Ryan Graves, Jacob MacDonald, Kurtis MacDermid, and Jack Johnson have all found fits with the Avalanche after other teams moved on, learning how to play a specific role.

If Colorado can do the same with Galchenyuk, there is at least enough history to suggest that he can become a valuable piece this season. Given how their forward depth has been tested with injury so far, there will certainly be an opportunity for him to prove he still belongs. There is probably no better chance coming for Galchenyuk, so he’ll have to make the most of this one.

Alex Galchenyuk Signs AHL Contract

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Now that he has been cleared from injury, Alex Galchenyuk has signed an AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets. The veteran forward was in Colorado Avalanche camp on a professional tryout when he suffered the injury, and head coach Jared Bednar had told reporters at the time that he expected him back with the organization at some point.

An AHL deal will allow the 28-year-old to get back up to speed in the minor leagues and try to prove he deserves another NHL deal, a path he has taken before. In 2021, after clearing waivers with the Carolina Hurricanes, Galchenyuk was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who stuck him in the minor leagues to “rebuild” his game. After six excellent appearances with the Toronto Marlies – the only AHL games of his career – Galchenyuk was back up and a regular in the Toronto lineup.

Last season, he scored 21 points in 60 games with the Arizona Coyotes, and headed into the offseason looking for a new opportunity. It seemed like Colorado could be the perfect place, given how much depth they lost at the forward position, but an injury robbed him of the chance. Now, with the Avalanche dealing with injuries upfront, perhaps there will be a new opening for him to reclaim his place as an NHLer.

It is unlikely that Galchenyuk ever returns to the 30-goal scorer he was as a young player in Montreal but perhaps he can carve out a new role as a reliable secondary scoring option deeper in the lineup. He’ll have to prove it for the Eagles first.

Pittsburgh Penguins Promote Kerry Huffman

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have made a notable front-office change, promoting Kerry Huffman to the role of Director of Professional Scouting.

Huffman had joined the Penguins last season as a pro scout after serving five years as an assistant coach for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The former Philadelphia Flyer hung up his playing skates in 1999 and only has one previous year of scouting experience with Pittsburgh.

He comes in to replace Ryan Bowness as he previously held the role, with Bowness leaving the organization four months ago. Per the Penguins, Huffman will oversee a team of four as the scouting team puts its attention on the NHL and AHL.

Prior to his coaching and scouting career, Huffman was a player agent from 2012-2016 and represented clients such as current/recent NHLers Tyler Seguin and Alex Galchenyuk.

 

Alex Galchenyuk Released From PTO

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Sep 29: It’s now clear why Galchenyuk had such an early exit. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar explained to Baugh that the veteran forward suffered an injury and will miss a “significant amount of time, ” but that he actually liked how he had been performing at camp. In fact, the team may get back in touch with Galchenyuk once he’s healthy again.

Sep 28: After joining them fewer than ten days ago, Alex Galchenyuk is no longer with the Colorado Avalanche. Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports that his professional tryout with the team is over and that Jacob MacDonald has taken his locker with the main group.

This does not necessarily mean bad news for Galchenyuk. He could have signed a contract with another team, in the NHL or abroad, and will continue his career there. If it does mean he was simply released, however, it isn’t a great sign for what will come next.

The third-overall pick in 2012, Galchenyuk was once a rising star in the league, scoring 30 goals during the 2015-16 season for the Montreal Canadiens. Things have gone steadily downhill since then, with the enigmatic forward bouncing around the league and failing to capitalize on great opportunities.

Stops with the Arizona Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, and Toronto Maple Leafs have all been rather unsuccessful, and now a chance to join the defending Stanley Cup champions appears to have vanished. At 28, this likely isn’t the end of his hockey journey but it certainly seems like Galchenyuk will never again be an impact player in the NHL. If he hasn’t already signed a contract somewhere else, he may need to broaden his search to overseas or the minor leagues to continue playing hockey at a high level.

Colorado Avalanche To Sign Alex Galchenyuk To PTO

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Not quite as big as signing Nathan MacKinnon to a massive eight-year extension but the Colorado Avalanche are bringing another high draft pick to camp. Alex Galchenyuk will sign a PTO with the Avalanche according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic.

Galchenyuk, 28, was the third overall pick in 2012 and would be joining his seventh NHL team should he earn a contract with Colorado. Last season he played with the Arizona Coyotes – his second stint with the club – scoring six goals and 21 points in 60 games. Once a 30-goal scorer with the Montreal Canadiens, Galchenyuk’s inconsistency and defensive struggles have left him scrambling for a job at this point in his career.

It’s not a lack of effort in this case, but things just haven’t clicked for Galchenyuk in the last several years. Given chances next to great talents like Evgeni Malkin and John Tavares, he hasn’t been able to produce at a high enough level to remain in a top-six role. With a limited defensive repertoire and little penalty-killing experience, a bottom-six role doesn’t seem to suit him well.

Still, there is skill and versatility in Galchenyuk, who can play center as long as his deployment is managed. In Colorado, perhaps he can find a home as a depth option that gets to play with talented teammates in offensive situations, and he can experience a nice little bounce-back season. That is of course only if he earns an actual NHL contract, something that is far from guaranteed with a PTO.

It wouldn’t be the first time that the Avalanche have taken a player previously written off and given them new life in a limited role – just ask Stanley Cup champions, Jack Johnson or Darren Helm – so perhaps they can work a little more magic with Galchenyuk this season.

Free Agent Profile: Alex Galchenyuk

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Much of the chatter in hockey circles these days focuses around the games best and most eccentric players like Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, and Nikita Kucherov. Among these storied names, few seem to be talked about as much as former number three overall pick Alex Galchenyuk. The former Canadiens forward was seen as one of the most dynamic prospects in the 2012 NHL draft, a true center with game-breaking playmaking ability, and the future of the Canadiens franchise.

Given where Galchenyuk sits now, a free agent with no contract signed almost a month into free agency, some may feel his career is winding to a close at just 28 years of age. Due to his hype, many also forget just how good Galchenyuk was in his early days with Montreal. Debuting in his first pro season, Galchenyuk had 27 points as a rookie in 48 games during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Seeing as he was still only a teenager, his less-than-incredible production was easily forgiven. However, he would take some time in his development, finally breaking out in 2015-16 with a career-high 30 goals and 56 points in 82 games.

Although that breakout performance was still not at the ceiling many hoped he would reach, it was an encouraging step forward. But, those looking for more wouldn’t find it. Galchenyuk would put up 44 points in 61 games the following season and 51 points in 82 games after that. The young forward was consistent and a quality top-six forward, but still wasn’t as billed and following the 2017-18 season, he was dealt to the Arizona Coyotes, which would begin a career of bouncing around the NHL. Galchenyuk regressed to 41 points in 72 games with Arizona. Following 2018-19, Galchenyuk would spend time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs (including time in the AHL), finally returning to Arizona for the 2021-22 season.

This past season represented something of a turnaround for Galchenyuk, playing in 60 games, all with the Coyotes. However, he still couldn’t return to his previous level of production, tallying six goals and 15 assists, four of the goals coming in a single five-game stretch in February. Now a free agent with seemingly little interest, the forward awaits an opportunity to once again prove himself.

Stats:

2021-22: 60 GP, 6G, 15A, 21pts, -11 rating, 32 PIMs, 89 shots, 13:09 ATOI

Career: 643 GP, 146G, 208A, 354pts, -77 rating, 253 PIMs, 1,266 shots, 14:52 ATOI

Potential Suitors:

Considering his likely price-tag, discussed below, Galchenyuk could find a home in any of the 32 NHL teams in theory, however where he is most likely to find a spot is presumably in one of two groups: those in the basement and those married to the cap ceiling. For those teams currently rebuilding, Galchenyuk represents something of an upgrade, and if the forward can rebound, they may be able to deal him to a contender closer to the deadline for an asset. If not, the team is rebuilding and doesn’t have to commit to him any longer than they wish. Galchenyuk could merely be a roadblock for one of that team’s prospects or young players, but for some rebuilders, they may prefer to let those players continue their development in juniors, college, the AHL, or overseas as opposed to a struggling NHL roster, Galchenyuk then becoming a reliable placeholder at the least.

The other option could be a contender up against the salary cap. With his recent struggles, it’s fair to wonder why a contender would want to give Galchenyuk a roster spot. However, this team would more likely than not need a player playing at the league minimum, and if the preference is to give that spot to a veteran who has played, and performed, at this level before, as opposed to a younger, less polished option, then Galchenyuk would be a fit.

Projected Contract:

Coming off a 21-point season as a former 30 goal scorer with seemingly little to no interest at this point in free agency, a tryout with an invitation to training camp is probably Galchenyuk’s best bet for his next contract. If he impresses in training camp, he could easily turn that tryout into an NHL contract. Another benefit to this option is that teams that may not have particular interest in Galchenyuk could invite him to camp and allow him to open eyes around the league as other teams who may not have considered him gain places on their roster due to poor performance or injury. If the veteran is able to find a guaranteed contract this offseason, it’s very unlikely it would be for anything more than the league minimum.

Given his situation, the best option for Galchenyuk would not necessarily be the best contractual option, but a situation where he could succeed and begin the process of becoming the player he was with the Canadiens several years ago. A reunion with Montreal, who are currently rebuilding and could look to add veterans to their group as their young prospects develop, is an intriguing proposition, given that is where the overwhelming majority of Galchenyuk’s NHL success has come.

USA Hockey Announces Roster For 2022 World Championship

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The U.S. roster for the upcoming IIHF World Championship has been set, a group that includes both NHL stars and prospects waiting for their first opportunity. The event will be held later this month in Helsinki, Finland, and will see the U.S. squad try to improve from their third-place finish a year ago.

The full roster:

G Jon Gillies
G Strauss Mann
G Alex Nedeljkovic

D Nick Blankenburg
D Jordan Harris
D Luke Hughes
D Caleb Jones
D Seth Jones
D Jaycob Megna
D Andrew Peeke
D Nate Schmidt

F Riley Barber
F Kieffer Bellows
F Thomas Bordeleau
F Sasha Chmelevski
F Sean Farrell
F Alex Galchenyuk
F Adam Gaudette
F John Hayden
F Sam Lafferty
F Vinni Lettieri
F Karson Kuhlman
F Ben Meyers
F Austin Watson

One of the most interesting names to watch will be Mann, who represented his country at the Olympics earlier this year and recently signed an entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks. The 23-year-old netminder has had quite an odd path to this point, including going undrafted, playing three years at the University of Michigan, and then going to play in Sweden this season.

It will certainly be some mixed emotions for Canadian fans from the Montreal area, given how this squad includes two of the highly-touted Canadiens prospects in Harris and Farrell. The former signed and made his debut at the end of the year, while the latter just completed an outstanding rookie season at Harvard. Farrell was also a part of the U.S. Olympic squad this year, and scored three goals and six points in four games on the international stage.

The U.S. will kick things off on May 13 against Latvia.

West Notes: Coyotes, Nylander, Svechnikov

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While it was a successful tryout for Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk who inked a one-year deal for the league minimum salary earlier this week, the news got worse fairly quickly.  Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports (Twitter link) that the 27-year-old is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.  Galchenyuk split last season between Ottawa and Toronto, notching 13 points in 34 games and was pushing for a regular spot in Arizona’s lineup to start the season.

Meanwhile, in that same report, Morgan adds that blueliner Kyle Capobianco is also listed as week-to-week due to a lower-body injury.  The 24-year-old had a chance at landing a spot on the opening roster for the Coyotes after spending most of last season in the minors where he had 13 points in 20 games with AHL Tucson.  Instead, Capobianco will also be starting the year on injured reserve.

More from the Western Conference:

  • Alexander Nylander’s stock has certainly fallen since the 23-year-old was selected eighth overall by Buffalo back in 2016 but it could be dipping even more as Scott Powers of The Athletic suggests (subscription link) that Nylander is a likely candidate to be waived by the Blackhawks after a disappointing training camp. Powers suggests that Arizona is a team that could have interest in Nylander, who missed all of last season due to knee surgery after recording 10 goals and 16 assists in 65 games in 2019-20.
  • While he has an AHL contract in hand, Jets winger Evgeny Svechnikov is expected to be converted to an NHL two-way deal in the coming days, reports Sportsnet’s Ken Wiebe. The 24-year-old impressed in the preseason with four points in five games – good for third on Winnipeg – which still has him in the mix to earn a spot at the end of the roster to start the regular season.  Svechnikov had eight points in 21 games with Detroit last season before clearing waivers in early April.

Alex Galchenyuk Signs With Arizona Coyotes

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After taking a professional tryout to attend training camp, Alex Galchenyuk has earned himself another chance with the Arizona Coyotes. Late last night Darren Dreger of TSN reported that the Coyotes have signed the enigmatic forward to a one-year, $750K contract for the 2021-22 season. The team officially announced the signing in the early afternoon, releasing this statement from GM Bill Armstong:

We are very pleased to sign Alex. He is a versatile, skilled forward who works hard and has earned a spot on our roster. He will be a good addition to our team.

Galchenyuk, 27, seemed to reinvent himself last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring 12 points in 26 games down the stretch and four more in six playoff games. While he still is frustratingly inconsistent at times, this is a player with more scoring upside than most of the Coyotes’ current roster. Arizona, which is going through another drastic rebuilding phase under Armstrong, look to be going into the season with aging veterans like Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, and Andrew Ladd in the nightly lineup.

Even though he’s making quite a bit less than those players, Galchenyuk offers something they don’t at the offensive end of the rink and should get some looks playing alongside Arizona’s more talented forwards. The last time he played for the Coyotes was the last time he had a strong season, scoring 19 goals and 41 points in 2018-19. If he can even repeat that he would be easily worth the league-minimum salary he earned, and would likely play himself into a trade deadline deal once again.

Whether he can really get his career back on track is completely unclear, but Galchenyuk is still young enough to earn a multi-year deal next offseason if he can prove to be a valuable top-six and powerplay option. There aren’t many spots around the NHL where he would receive a better opportunity at those minutes than in Arizona.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Alex Galchenyuk To PTO

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The Arizona Coyotes are bringing a familiar face back to training camp, signing Alex Galchenyuk to a professional tryout according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

Galchenyuk, 27, appeared to be on his way out of hockey entirely before the Toronto Maple Leafs picked him up this season and worked to rebuild his game. It proved effective–at least somewhat–in the regular season when he registered 12 points in 26 games, but Galchenyuk was back to his frustratingly inconsistent self in the postseason. Flashes of brilliance were marred by one brutal giveaway, making his four points in six games against the Montreal Canadiens not mean much of anything.

It’s that inconsistency that has plagued Galchenyuk since his 30-goal season in Montreal when he looked like the star they hoped to select at third overall in 2012. He has struggled to find a fit with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators since then, meaning his last successful season was actually in Arizona in 2018-19. He had 19 goals and 41 points that year playing away from the bright lights of a big market, a form he is obviously hoping to regain with this tryout contract.

For the Coyotes, skill, inconsistent as it may be, is needed on this year’s roster. The team has Clayton Keller, Phil Kessel, and Nick Schmaltz at the top, but otherwise have a group of forwards that are all basically bottom-six options at this point. In fact, many of them couldn’t even secure that role on other teams, meaning Galchenyuk should have at least a fighting chance for an NHL contract.

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