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Brennan Menell

International Notes: Menell, MacInnis, Gilmour, Jokipakka

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It appears that defenseman Brennan Menell has signed a three-year extension to continue his stay in the KHL. Menell has apparently re-signed with Dynamo Moskva to extend his career overseas. The smooth skating defenseman was able to re-capture some of his scoring touch is his return to the KHL after suffering through an offensive drought in the 2021-22 season. Menell had returned to North America for 2021 with the Toronto Marlies and couldn’t find any consistency before being dealt to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the remainder of the season. He finished out the year and signed a deal with Dynamo last summer.

This past season in the KHL the 25-year-old put up two goals and 22 assists in 44 games to finish seventh on the team in scoring. It was a return to form for the Minnesota native as he had shown an offensive flair in his only previous KHL season in which he scored 38 points in 47 games for Dinamo Minsk.

In other international notes:

  • Center Ryan MacInnis has re-signed with Adler Mannheim of the DEL on a one-year deal. The St. Louis native was a second-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2014 and played 26 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets over two seasons, tallying just a single assist. The big, strong forward is the son of NHL legend Al MacInnis and had a terrific OHL career with the Kitchener Rangers, but at this point given his lack of offensive production it’s hard to see him returning the NHL.
  • Sticking with Adler Mannheim, they have signed defenseman John Gilmour to a contract. Gilmour was a seventh-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2013 and played this past season with Minsk Dynamo where he put up nine points in 52 KHL games. The Montreal native has previously dressed in games for the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres, notching five points in 37 NHL games.
  • Finally, Adler Mannheim also signed defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka to a contract.  The 31-year-old Finland native last played in the NHL during the 2016-17 season with the Ottawa Senators and Calgary Flames. That final NHL season saw the rearguard notch six points in 41 NHL games. Jokipakka spent last season in Liiga where he had 19 points in 50 games playing for Ilves.

Brennan Menell Signs In KHL

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Sep 19: Menell has indeed signed a one-year contract with Dynamo Moscow, becoming only the third American-born player to join them in team history.

Sep 14: It wasn’t so long ago that Brennan Menell was considered an up-and-coming defenseman who would soon push for NHL playing time. Undrafted, he had become a star for the Iowa Wild of the AHL, and even got into five games with the Minnesota Wild. Now, it appears he’s headed back to the KHL, as Sport-Express is reporting that he has signed a contract with Dynamo Moscow.

Menell, 25, already spent one season overseas, playing the 2020-21 campaign with Dinamo Minsk. He was outstanding for the KHL club that year, registering the most assists by any KHL defenseman and finishing with 38 points in 47 games. He was even better in the playoffs where he had seven points in five games, but that success didn’t follow him back to North America.

In easily his worst professional season to date, Menell had just 11 points in 38 games split between the Toronto Marlies and Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Perhaps that is why he’s headed back overseas, along with the fact that he became a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer. There just hasn’t been much NHL opportunity for the smooth-skating Menell, who is a classic example of offensive defensemen not being able to crack into the higher level as a depth option. Still just 25, it likely isn’t the last we’ve heard of him.

Philadelphia Flyers Acquire Brennan Menell

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The fact that the NHL’s trade deadline was Monday hasn’t stopped some team executives from wheeling and dealing. The Philadelphia Flyers announced that they are acquiring defenseman Brennan Menell from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for future considerations. Again, the timing of this deal could be seen as curious due to the recent passing of the trade deadline. But the AHL, where Menell has played this season, actually has its own trade/loan deadline on March 28th, which could be a potential explaining factor for why this deal was made.

Menell, 24, signed in Toronto this offseason (after a trade from Minnesota for a conditional 7th, conditions that will not be met) coming off of a spectacular season playing for Dynamo Minsk in the KHL. In 2020-21 he had 38 points in 47 games for Minsk. He originally left the Minnesota Wild, where he signed as an undrafted free agent, for the KHL seeking a better opportunity to develop his game, as he told Michael Russo of The Athletic. (subscription required) That decision helped pave his way to becoming a group-six unrestricted free agent this past offseason. Menell signed with the Maple Leafs, who likely made the signing with the idea that Menell’s strong record of offensive production at the AHL and then KHL levels would translate to their organization and potentially their NHL team. The team signed Menell to a one-year, two-way deal worth $750k, a deal that included a $400k AHL salary for Menell, a not-insignificant financial commitment for a league where the minimum salary is just over $50k. But despite those hopes and that commitment, this season has not gone well for the player. He has only managed to play 20 games for the Marlies, and his scoring has seemingly dried up. He has one goal and five points in those 20 games, a significant decline from his last AHL season where he had 47 points in 57 games. Despite that decline, Menell gets a chance at a change of scenery with the Flyers, where he can potentially make an impact with their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and show that he deserves a place in their organization before he is once again an unrestricted free agent.

For the Maple Leafs, this trade allows them to give a struggling player a change of scenery while also clearing up a coveted contract slot. The Maple Leafs are at 47 contracts out of the maximum of 50, per CapFriendly, but after this trade, they will be down to 46. With teams around the league looking to snap up NCAA free agents and Toronto even eyeing Europe for potential reinforcements, this move could help GM Kyle Dubas clear some room for any potential additions he wants to make as the Leafs enter a crucial stretch of their season. It also comes at a convenient time for the team, as the Marlies got some help in the form of a loan for Philippe Myers from the Nashville Predators, making the loss of Menell potentially easier for the team to stomach.

The trade was first reported by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes.

29 Players Clear Waivers

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Oct 7: The San Jose Sharks have claimed Gadjovich, but the other 29 players have all cleared, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Oct 6: It’s time for teams to pare down their training camp rosters to the last few battles, meaning waivers will be full for the next several days. Today, the list is 30 names long.

Alexander Volkov (ANA)
Steven Fogarty (BOS)
Aaron Dell (BUF)
Jimmy Schuldt (BUF)
Stefan Matteau (COL)
Roland McKeown (COL)
Kiefer Sherwood (COL)
Dylan Sikura (COL)
Michael Pezzetta (MTL)
Andy Andreoff (NYI)
Ken Appleby (NYI)
Cole Bardreau (NYI)
Austin Czarnik (NYI)
Grant Hutton (NYI)
Otto Koivula (NYI)
Paul Ladue (NYI)
Dmytro Timashov (NYI)
Mitchell Vande Sompel (NYI)
Parker Wotherspoon (NYI)
Connor Bunnaman (PHI)
Adam Clendening (PHI)
Gerald Mayhew (PHI)
German Rubtsov (PHI)
Kole Lind (SEA)
Max McCormick (SEA)
Joey Anderson (TOR)
Carl Dahlstrom (TOR)
Brennan Menell (TOR)
Brett Seney (TOR)
Jonah Gadjovich (VAN)

There are quite a few players who could be claimed today, including quite a few depth forwards. One interesting name is Dell, who appears to have lost the battle in Buffalo for playing time to Dustin Tokarski and Craig Anderson. Dell was waived at the end of training camp last season as well, only to be claimed and stuck on the taxi squad for the majority of the season. The 32-year-old posted an .857 in seven NHL appearances and is likely headed for the minor leagues this time around.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Brennan Menell

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July 31: The Leafs have signed Menell to a one-year, two-way contract, per CapFriendly. It pays $750,000 at the NHL level and $400,000 at the AHL level.

July 28: The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent a conditional seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Wild for the rights to Brennan Menell, who spent last season in the KHL. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that if Menell plays 30 games for the Maple Leafs in 2021-22, the Wild will receive the 2022 seventh-round pick.

Menell, 24, is an unsigned restricted free agent that the Maple Leafs will have to convince to return to North America. He scored 38 points in 47 games during his year in Minsk, continuing a history of elite production outside of the NHL. The right-handed defenseman led all AHL defensemen with 47 assists in 57 games during the 2019-20 season, resulting in a First All-Star Team selection.

Earlier this offseason, Michael Russo of The Athletic reported that the Wild were trying to sign Menell, but if they’ve traded him now perhaps those negotiations didn’t go anywhere. The Maple Leafs face the same challenge, especially given how much success he found in the KHL. There’s no guarantee of playing time in Toronto, though the team has been looking for an answer to their top powerplay. If they believe Menell could perhaps fill that role, it’s quite an incentive to return to North America.

Snapshots: Menell, Keith, Eklund, Finkelstein

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While Minnesota has been active in re-signing players in recent days with new deals for centers Joel Eriksson Ek and Nick Bjugstad, they also are in discussions on a new contract for defenseman Brennan Menell, reports Michael Russo of The Athletic (subscription link).  Talks have picked up in recent weeks with a formal offer on the horizon.  The 24-year-old is believed to be seeking a one-way contract to return from the KHL and put up the numbers to justify such an offer as he was second in the league in points by a blueliner this season, notching 38 points in 47 games.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • As part of his efforts to be traded to a place closer to his son, Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith has changed agents and is now represented by Gerry Johannson of The Sports Corporation, notes Postmedia’s Jim Matheson. He had previously been repped by RWG’s Ross Gurney.  Johannson happens to be based out of Edmonton which Matheson believes could help the veteran eventually wind up with the Oilers although due to expansion, such a move wouldn’t come until after Seattle picks their team.
  • Draft prospect William Eklund intends on remaining in Sweden next season before coming to the NHL, relays Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News (Twitter link). The 18-year-old is a consensus top-ten pick and accordingly, his entry-level contract would supersede the final year on his deal with Djurgarden but instead, he’ll stay with them and try to build on a 23-point season, impressive numbers for someone that can still be in their junior system for two more years.
  • The Maple Leafs have added some defensive depth as their farm team announced the signing of blueliner Ben Finkelstein to a one-year, minor-league deal. The 23-year-old was a seventh-round pick of Florida back in 2016 but didn’t sign in 2020 after wrapping up his college career.  Finkelstein spent this season with Greenville of the ECHL, averaging nearly a point per game with 11 goals and 21 assists in 35 games.

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