Minor Transactions: 08/11/23
There’s nothing much expected in terms of big news at the NHL level on a Friday in August. That being said, there’s still a fair amount of notable minor-league transactions trickling in today. As always, we’re keeping a running list of today’s deals here:
- The AHL’s San Jose Barracuda have signed goaltender Beck Warm to a one-year contract, per a team release today. Warm joins the San Jose Sharks’ minor-league affiliate after bouncing around between the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres organizations the past three seasons. Warm, 24, went undrafted but signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Hurricanes in 2020 after a five-season WHL career with the Tri-City Americans and Edmonton Oil Kings which saw him post a .908 save percentage and five shutouts over the course of 150 games. He didn’t look bad by any means during his time in Carolina with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, posting a save percentage above .910 with both teams. However, he fell victim to a deep goalie depth chart in Carolina, and the Hurricanes opted not to issue him a qualifying offer in the summer of 2022. He then signed an AHL contract with the Rochester Americans, Buffalo’s affiliate, but spent the season in the starting role for the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, where he posted a 28-9-4 record, one shutout, and a .899 save percentage in 43 regular-season contests. He’ll now look to leverage a strong ECHL performance into consideration for more playing time in the AHL with the Barracuda. He’ll compete for playing time with a trio of Sharks goalies likely headed for minor-league assignments next season: Eetu Mäkiniemi, Magnus Chrona and Georgi Romanov.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Minor Transactions: 11/07/21
Today may not be a busy day on the NHL schedule, but it’s certainly been a hectic day on the transactions slate at all levels of the game. There was a lot of action today on the NHL to AHL wire, but there have been some other moves today, too. Keep up with today’s minor transactions here.
- New York Rangers goalie prospect Talyn Boyko was dealt in the WHL today from the Tri-City Americans to the Kelowna Rockets. Boyko was drafted in the fourth round in 2021, largely because of his massive 6′ 8″ frame. However, it’s been a rough start for Boyko with a 1-6-1 record and .887 save percentage on the season. Hopefully a move to Kelowna turns his fortunes around this season.
- Carolina Hurricanes netminder Beck Warm was re-assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves from the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals, per the AHL transactions page. The move comes after Alex Lyon was brought up to Carolina today in the wake of Antti Raanta‘s injury Saturday, meaning Chicago needed another goaltender. Warm’s impressed in the ECHL with a 4-1-0 record and .921 save percentage to start the year.
Minor Transactions: 10/19/21
While a long list of NHL games caps off this Tuesday night, there was a lot of movement at lower levels of the North American hockey depth chart today. As NHL teams deal with a trend of injuries across the league, it carries a ripple effect across both the AHL and ECHL, forcing roster moves. Here are today’s minor transactions:
- The AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, affiliate of New York, have recalled forward Erik Brown from the ECHL’s Worcester Railers, per the Connecticut Post’s Michael Fornabaio. Brown has been a fringe AHL player since ending his collegiate career with the Rochester Institute of Technology, but the 26-year-old logged his first AHL point, an assist, in 13 games last year with Bridgeport. It was his first full professional season after missing the entirety of 2019-20.
- The Chicago Wolves assigned goalie Beck Warm to the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals today. Warm, who’s on a two-way NHL deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, will make his ECHL debut if he stays but already has one full professional season under his belt. An undrafted free agent, Warm impressed in 14 AHL games with Chicago last year, posting an 8-4-1 record and .914 save percentage. He’s been forced down the depth chart with the addition of NHL-experienced Alex Lyon into the organization as the team’s third goalie, however, and he could take a starting role in Norfolk.
- The St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, assigned forward Shawn Cameron to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits, per the ECHL’s transaction page for October 19. Cameron split last season between Greenville and the AHL’s Utica Comets, where he scored three points (including his first AHL goal) in 11 games. He fared much better in Greenville, notching 10 points in 23 games.
Carolina Hurricanes Sign Max Letunov, Alex Lyon
Saturday: The Hurricanes have officially announced Lyon’s deal at the previously-reported terms. The deal will carry a guaranteed payout of $250K. Letunov’s deal was later confirmed as well and carries a $140K guarantee.
Friday: The Carolina Hurricanes just keep signing players. Since the free agent market opened on Wednesday, the ‘Canes had already signed ten players. Make that a dozen now, as CapFriendly reports two new additions to Carolina’s list of newcomers. Forward Max Letunov and goaltender Alex Lyon have each signed one-year, two-way contracts worth the minimum $750K. Lyon will make $200K in the AHL, while Letunov will make $100K.
Lyon, 28, is entering a Carolina net situation that is completely new and different. Gone is the trio of Petr Mrazek, James Reimer, and Alex Nedeljkovic and arriving are Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta, and now Lyon as the presumptive No. 3. The former Philadelphia Flyer will have to watch his back though; well-regarded prospects Eetu Makiniemi and Beck Warm are also expected to compete for AHL starts. Lyon brings valuable experience to the depth chart however. In four pro seasons, though never beginning the year on the NHL roster, Lyon played in 22 games with the Flyers, as well as nearly 150 career AHL appearances. Given the age and inconsistency issues of the Hurricanes’ new tandem, Lyon could easily make an NHL appearance for a fifth straight year.
Letunov, 25, is less likely to play a critical depth role for Carolina this season, but is a nice option for the team to call on. A star at the University of Connecticut, Letunov has produced in three AHL seasons as well, but it only earned him three games with the San Jose Sharks. The Russian product was a second-round pick back in 2014 due to his impressive skill, but has yet to show a complete game that will keep him in an NHL lineup. The Hurricanes could do far worse for a short-term top-nine injury replacement though.
AHL Announces 2020-21 All-Star Teams
After revealing their All-Rookie Team yesterday, the AHL has handed out another set of accolades for the best players in the league. The 2020-21 All-Star teams have been released, honors that are voted on by coaches players, and media. Unlike most years, when a first and second team would be announced, the league decided to name All-Division teams in this unique season.
While these teams do not predict future NHL success as well as the All-Rookie group, there are still plenty of NHL stars that have been awarded AHL All-Star honors in the past. This year’s group many young players that will soon be on an NHL bench, including several members of the All-Rookie team.
Atlantic Division
G Jeremy Swayman, Providence Bruins
D Samuel Bolduc, Bridgeport Sound Tigers
D Tarmo Reunanen, Hartford Wolf Pack
F Morgan Barron, Hartford Wolf Pack
F Cameron Hughes, Providence Bruins
F Jakub Lauko, Providence Bruins
North Division
G Zane McIntyre, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
D Oskari Laaksonen, Rochester Americans
D Cameron Schilling, Hershey Bears
F Boris Katchouk, Syracuse Crunch
F Connor McMichael, Hershey Bears
F Taylor Raddysh, Syracuse Crunch
Canadian Division
G Cayden Primeau, Laval Rocket
D Otto Leskinen, Laval Rocket
D Connor Mackey, Stockton Heat
F Kalle Kossila, Toronto Marlies
F Egor Sokolov, Belleville Senators
F Nathan Todd, Manitoba Moose
Central Division
G Beck Warm, Chicago Wolves
D Calen Addison, Iowa Wild
D Cody Franson, Rockford IceHogs
F Riley Barber, Grand Rapids Griffins
F Riley Damiani, Texas Stars
F Adam Mascherin, Texas Stars
Pacific Division
G Logan Thompson, Henderson Silver Knights
D Josh Mahura, San Diego Gulls
D Ryan Murphy, Henderson Silver Knights
F Cooper Marody, Bakersfield Condors
F Andrew Poturalski, San Diego Gulls
F T.J. Tynan, Colorado Eagles
Hurricanes Sign Beck Warm To Entry-Level Contract
The Hurricanes have added some goaltending depth to their system as CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they’ve signed Beck Warm to a two-year, entry-level contract. Notably, while future contracts are eligible to be signed now, the contract begins this season and breaks down as follows:
2020-21: $725K NHL salary (including $25K signing bonus), $60K AHL salary
2021-22: $775K NHL salary (including $25K signing bonus), $60K AHL salary
The 21-year-old went undrafted after a four-year WHL career that ended with Edmonton where he had a 2.30 GAA with a .915 SV% in 15 games for the Oil Kings before the pandemic hit. However, he did well enough to earn a one-year AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL back in November, a team that Carolina is sharing this season with their affiliate in Charlotte withdrawing from the 2020-21 season due to the pandemic. Warm has played in four games for the Wolves so far, posting a 2.25 GAA along with a .940 SV% and clearly showed the Hurricanes enough to convert him to an NHL deal.
While Warm is probably sixth on the depth chart for this season, there is definitely room for him to move up for 2021-22. As things stand, all five of their other goalies are unsigned for next year; Petr Mrazek, James Reimer, and Antoine Bibeau are all unrestricted free agents while Alex Nedeljkovic and Jeremy Helvig will be restricted free agents. At this point, it’s unlikely that all five will be re-signed so Warm, who was immediately re-assigned to the Wolves, should be in line for more playing time next season but for now, he’ll remain in a three-way timeshare in Chicago.