Pittsburgh Trades Derrick Pouliot To Vancouver
The Pittsburgh Penguins have finally given up on Derrick Pouliot, trading the first-round defenseman to the Vancouver Canucks for Andrey Pedan and a fourth-round pick. Pouliot is no longer waiver-exempt, and did not earn a role with the Penguins this fall. Pedan on the other hand cleared waivers today and can immediately be sent to the minor leagues if the team so chooses.
Pouliot has had a long and disappointing tenure with the Penguins since they drafted him eighth overall in 2012. The 23-year old defenseman has struggled to even crack the lineup, and whenever given a chance hasn’t been able to stay in the NHL. In the minor leagues his offensive upside shines through, but the Penguins time and again haven’t been able to live with his lack of defensive consistency.
He’ll get a new start with the Canucks, who are taking a flier on a player who was once considered a blue-chip prospect. When he was selected out of the WHL, Pouliot was compared to Brian Campbell because of his skill with the puck and elite playmaking ability. It’s what made him the first-overall pick in the WHL Bantam draft, and what helped him rack up points with the Portland Winterhawks (where Canucks’ coach Travis Green was behind the bench) and Canada’s World Junior team. That skill remains, and he’ll be given a chance right away to show it off with Vancouver.
While he may never reach his full potential, the Canucks are hoping that he’ll have a bigger impact than Pedan. Though Pedan is blessed with size and strength, he has barely seen the NHL since being drafted in the third round six years ago, and doesn’t project out to be a full-time defender at the highest level. He does have some upside as a depth player, but isn’t expected to ever reclaim the scoring touch he showed for the Guelph Storm.
In all, the Penguins cut their losses and gain an asset for a player they were likely to lose at some point for nothing, while the Canucks take a home run cut without risking very much. The rebuilding Vancouver club will likely take more of these chances over the next year or two, as it tries to build a core around Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser and their other young players.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Waivers & Recalls: 10/02/17
The waiver wire is very busy today as teams pare down their rosters. The season begins this week, and teams will try to sneak through some veterans and prospects to keep them in the organization. Here is the entire list of waivers for today:
Malcolm Subban (BOS)
Phillip Di Giuseppe (CAR)
John Ramage (CBJ)
Luke Gazdic (CGY)
Garnet Hathaway (CGY)
Jean-Francois Berube (CHI)
Tomas Jurco (CHI)
Jordin Tootoo (CHI)
Gabriel Bourque (COL)
Curtis McKenzie (DAL)
Patrik Nemeth (DAL)
David Booth (DET)
Ryan Sproul (DET)
Ryan Murphy (MIN)
Byron Froese (MTL)
Andreas Martinsen (MTL)
Brian Gibbons (NJD)
Brian Strait (NJD)
Steve Bernier (NYI)
Stephen Gionta (NYI)
Matt Read (PHI)
Brandon Bollig (SJ)
Troy Grosenick (SJ)
Brandon Mashinter (SJ)
Jordan Binnington (STL)
Cory Conacher (TB)
Colin Greening (TOR)
Vincent LoVerde (TOR)
Chris Mueller (TOR)
Kerby Rychel (TOR)
Ben Smith (TOR)
Garret Sparks (TOR)
Andrey Pedan (VAN)
Teemu Pulkkinen (VGK)
Anthony Peluso (WSH)
J.C. Lipon (WPG)
Training Camp Cuts: 10/02/17
Training camp is over for all the clubs around the NHL, and the season begins on Wednesday. By tomorrow evening, all teams must submit their cap-compliant 23-man roster, meaning there will be several cuts today. We’ll keep track of them all right here, as teams try to slip players through waivers or send them back to junior and European clubs.
Anaheim Ducks
F Giovanni Fiore – San Diego (AHL)
F Kalle Kossila – San Diego (AHL)
F Scott Sabourin – San Diego (AHL)
D Jacob Larsson – San Diego (AHL)
Boston Bruins
F Jordan Szwarz – Providence (AHL)
F Tommy Cross – Providence (AHL)
F Jakub Zboril – Providence (AHL)
F Peter Cehlarik – Providence (AHL)
F Danton Heinen – Providence (AHL)
F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson – Providence (AHL)
F Teddy Purcell – Released from PTO
G Malcolm Subban – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Calgary Flames
D Rasmus Andersson – Stockton (AHL)
G Jon Gillies – Stockton (AHL)
F Luke Gazdic – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Garnet Hathaway – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Carolina Hurricanes
F Lucas Wallmark – Charlotte (AHL)
F Phillip Di Giuseppe – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Chicago Blachawks
F Vinnie Hinostroza – Rockford (AHL)
F Jordin Tootoo – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Tomas Jurco – Waivers for purpose of assignment
G Jean-Francois Berube – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Colorado Avalanche
F Gabriel Bourque – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Dallas Stars
F Remi Elie – Texas (AHL)
F Roope Hintz – Texas (AHL)
F Jason Dickinson – Texas (AHL)
F Curtis McKenzie – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Patrik Nemeth – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Detroit Red Wings
D Libor Sulak – Lahti (Finland)
F Matt Lorito – Grand Rapids (AHL)
F Ben Street – Grand Rapids (AHL)
D Brian Lashoff – Grand Rapids (AHL)
D Dylan McIlrath – Grand Rapids (AHL)
F David Booth – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Ryan Sproul – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Los Angeles Kings
F Brooks Laich – Released from PTO
Minnesota Wild
F Luke Kunin – Iowa (AHL)
D Ryan Murphy – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Montreal Canadiens
G Charlie Lindgren – Laval (AHL)
F Andreas Martinsen – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Byron Froese – Waivers for purpose of assignment
New Jersey Devils
F Brian Gibbons – Waivers for purpose of assignment
D Brian Strait – Waivers for purpose of assignment
New York Islanders
F Devon Toews – Bridgeport (AHL)
F Stephen Gionta – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Steve Bernier – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Philadelphia Flyers
F Matt Read – Waivers for purpose of assignment
San Jose Sharks
F Brandon Bollig – Waivers for purpose of assignment
F Brandon Mashinter – Waivers for purpose of assignment
G Troy Grosenick – Waivers for purpose of assignment
St. Louis Blues
F Sammy Blais – San Antonio (AHL)
D Jake Walman – Chicago (AHL)
G Jordan Binnington – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Cory Conacher – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Carl Grundstrom – Frolunda (SHL)
F Miro Aaltonen – Toronto (AHL)
F Frederik Gauthier – Toronto (AHL)
F Andreas Johnsson – Toronto (AHL)
F Kasperi Kapanen – Toronto (AHL)
F Tobias Lindberg – Toronto (AHL)
F Trevor Moore – Toronto (AHL)
F Nikita Soshnikov – Toronto (AHL)
F Dmytro Timashov – Toronto (AHL)
F Mason Marchment – Toronto (AHL)
D Travis Dermott – Toronto (AHL)
D Justin Holl – Toronto (AHL)
D Andrew Nielsen – Toronto (AHL)
D Michael Paliotta – Toronto (AHL)
D Rinat Valiev – Toronto (AHL)
G Kasimir Kaskisuo – Toronto (AHL)
F Colin Greening – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Chris Mueller – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Kerby Rychel – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
F Ben Smith – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
D Vincent LoVerde – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
G Garret Sparks – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
Vancouver Canucks
D Andrey Pedan – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Vegas Golden Knights
F Teemu Pulkkinen – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Washington Capitals
F Anthony Peluso – Waivers for purpose of assignment
Winnipeg Jets
F Jack Roslovic – Manitoba (AHL)
F Brendan Lemieux – Manitoba (AHL)
F Michael Spacek – Manitoba (AHL)
F J.C. Lipon – Waivers for purpose of assignment.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Andrey Pedan To One-Year Extension
Andrey Pedan has signed a one-year extension with the Vancouver Canucks for the 2017-18 season. Pedan was set to become a restricted free agent this summer. The deal will be a two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level, and will leave him as an RFA again in the summer of 2018.
Pedan spent most of this year with the Utica Comets after making his NHL debut last season, though he was up with the Canucks for multiple stretches without getting into any game action. The 23-year old has yet to really make his mark for the Canucks, despite costing them a third-round pick in 2014 when they acquired him from the New York Islanders. Perhaps he’ll be used more frequently for the team next season as they head into a “rebuild” phase, though they currently have several defenders he’d have to hop over on the depth chart.
Always considered an interesting prospect, Pedan has all the tools to be successful in the NHL. He’s big—6’5″ 215-lbs—strong and fast enough to keep up with smaller players. He also has a good first pass and plays with a physical edge. Something about him hasn’t ever been able to put it all together though, and despite some solid point production last year he hasn’t been able to get into the NHL lineup very much. Perhaps it’s a case of a big defenseman just taking a little bit longer to develop, but as his point totals go down and penalty minutes go up, he’s getting closer to being considered a former-prospect instead of a current one. He’ll turn 24 this summer, and will try to prove he belongs at the NHL level.
Pedan’s agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey was actually the first to break the news on Twitter, while CapFriendly reported the financial details.
Minor Transactions: 1/19/17
Here is where we’ll keep tabs on today’s minor roster moves:
- Minnesota announced that they have recalled defenseman Mike Reilly from Iowa of the AHL. He has spent the bulk of the year in the minors and has four goals and 11 assists in 29 AHL contests. Reilly also has played in nine games with the Wild, being held off the scoresheet while averaging 12:57 of ice time per night.
- Carolina has swapped backup goalies, announcing that they have recalled Michael Leighton while assigning Alex Nedeljkovic back to their AHL affiliate in Charlotte. The two swapped places earlier this week, allowing Leighton to get into a couple of minor league games to stay in game shape. Eddie Lack, the regular backup for the Hurricanes, remains out of the lineup indefinitely due to a concussion.
- Buffalo announced that they have summoned goalie Linus Ullmark from Rochester (AHL). Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News reports (Twitter link) that Anders Nilsson is dealing with the flu so Ullmark will take his place in the interim. This is the fourth recall for Ullmark this year but he has yet to see action with the Sabres this year. He has a 15-13-1 record in the minors this year with a 3.03 GAA and a .908 SV%.
- Ottawa has recalled right winger Casey Bailey from AHL Binghamton per their Twitter page. The Sens are currently dealing with a flu bug, notes Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun. Bailey has played in four games for the Senators this season being held off the scoresheet but sits tied for second in goals in Binghamton with 10 in 33 minor league outings.
- The Canucks swapped out depth defenders, announcing that they’ve recalled Jordan Subban while sending Andrey Pedan back to Utica (AHL). Subban leads all Comets blueliners with 22 points this season and has not yet played in the NHL. As for Pedan, he had been up for the better part of a month but did not suit up in Vancouver and was close to needing waivers to be sent back down having been up for 29 days.
- In what is becoming a daily shuffle, Anaheim announced the recall of winger Stefan Noesen from San Diego of the AHL. It’s the fourth straight day that he has either been recalled or demoted as the Ducks look to conserve as much cap space as possible. Noesen has a goal in nine NHL games with Anaheim this season while adding 15 points in 22 minor league contests.