Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Cody Goloubef

Snapshots: Niemelainen, Goloubef, Debunked Rumors

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The wallet of Edmonton Oilers defenseman Markus Niemelainen is a little lighter today. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced today that Niemelainen has been fined $2043.75 for cross-checking, the maximum fine allowed under the terms of the CBA. The incident in question occurred during the Oilers’ match-up with the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Niemelainen cross-checked Jets forward and fellow Finn Kristian Vesalainen in the third period as he cut toward the net on a scoring chance. Despite what in retrospect was an obvious and vicious cross-check to Vesalainen’s face, no penalty was called on the play. Niemelainen is somewhat fortunate to have escaped with only a fine in this situation.

  • Following multiple PTO’s with the AHL’s Belleville Senators this season, including suiting up for 11 games, veteran defenseman Cody Goloubef finally has a contract – except it isn’t with Belleville nor with Ottawa. Instead, the 32-year-old has signed a contract with SC Bern of the Swiss National League for the remainder of the season. Goloubef undoubtedly had his sights set on a return to Ottawa, having played in 29 games with the club over the last three seasons, but for whatever reason that did not come to fruition. An alternate captain for Belleville last season, Goloubef clearly still has strong ties to the Senators organization but it is unknown if he was offered a contract with the AHL Sens and opted to go to Switzerland instead. Bern gains a two-way defender with 160 NHL games to his credit as they fight to earn a playoff berth.
  • The nearer to the trade deadline, the more rumors begin to emerge and, of course, not all rumors are grounded in truth. Two such whispers that were put to rest this weekend revolved around Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub and Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Hagel. While both the Sens and the Hawks are struggling again this season expect to be sellers at the deadline, they aren’t eager to move cost-controlled assets that are actually contributing on a regular basis. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports rather definitively that Zub will not be moved this season, which makes perfect sense. The 26-year-old is signed through next season at $2.5MM and while he will be an unrestricted free agent at that time, possibly making him a deadline target next season, the Senators don’t want to move on too quickly from a blue liner playing top pair minutes while also leading the team in plus/minus. In Chicago, the Blackhawks have even less reason to trade young winger Hagel, signed on for just $1.5MM AAV for two more years and still a restricted free agent after that. The 23-year-old is fourth on the team in scoring and second in goals, shooting percentage, and Corsi. While Chicago is understandably receiving interest in Hagel, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reports that they have zero interest in moving him.

Minor Transactions: 11/12/21

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Early November is not exactly a prime time for transactions – trades, signings, and loans alike – but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any at all. In fact, a few notable players are on the move, all from different levels and for different reasons.

  • Cody Goloubef and the Ottawa Senators can’t seem to stay away from one another. The veteran defenseman, an Ontario native, was first acquired by the Senators in a trade with the Boston Bruins in 2018-19. He re-signed with the club for the the 2019-20 season, though he was dealt away to Detroit late in the year. Goloubef then turned around and signed another one-year deal with Ottawa and served as a veteran leader for AHL Belleville last season. After 29 NHL games and 61 AHL games with the organization over the past three years, Goloubef did not re-sign with the team this summer and seemed that he could either be heading elsewhere or perhaps retiring. As it turns out, the answer was neither. Goloubef has signed a PTO with Belleville, the club announced, and that may just be the beginning. Given the ongoing depth issues that the Senators entire system is facing on the blue line, Goloubef could just be getting his legs under him in the AHL before signing with Ottawa. Either way, this tryout seems to be a precursor to yet another contract with the Senators. Goloubef, 31, has a decade of pro experience, including 160 NHL games, not to mention Olympic experience, so the club could do far worse with an in-season signing.
  • By all accounts, Daniel D’Amato is not officially a Vegas Golden Knights prospect, but the team is treating him like one. D’Amato was a training camp standout for the Knights this fall, but left both Vegas and Henderson camps without a contract, returning to the OHL’s Erie Otters. Yet, after a strong start to his junior season with seven points in 11 games, D’Amato was suddenly making his pro debut last knight for the AHL’s Silver Knights. With some reports calling this a call-up but no record of a contract, it remains unclear under what conditions D’Amato has joined the Knights organization. What is certain is that the club likes the two-way winger and he could be in play for an entry-level contract before too long.
  • Nico Gross was once considered an up-and-coming NHL prospect. The Swiss defenseman was a standout on the international stage and impressed by making the jump from the Swiss juniors to the OHL and producing right away. The New York Rangers used a fourth-round pick on the talented blue liner in 2018 and at the time it was regarded as a high-ceiling selection. However, by 2020 Gross had flatlined in his development and the Rangers opted not to extend him an entry-level contract. Despite some speculation that perhaps another team might sign him, Gross returned to Switzerland and signed a two-year deal with powerhouse NLA club EV Zug in 2020. This was considered a safe play with the 2020-21 AHL season in doubt and Gross needing consistent ice time at 21. Again though, the young defenseman has failed to improve. Rather than using two years in Europe to prepare for another run at the NHL, Gross has done little through 64 games and was even demoted for nine games last season. The team clearly still believes in his potential, as Gross has signed a two-year extension, the team announced. What the move really says though is that Gross does not believe he can land a deal in North America and it’s starting to seem like maybe he never will.

Montreal Canadiens Sign Cody Goloubef To PTO

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens will have some more defensive depth in training camp, as the team announced today that Cody Goloubef has signed a professional tryout.

Goloubef, 31, has bounced up and down between the AHL and NHL for the last decade, totaling 160 games played at the highest level. None of those came last season as he instead spent the entire year with the Belleville Senators, recording six points in 31 games. He split the 2019-20 season between Ottawa and Detroit, suiting up 26 times.

While his NHL career has been unspectacular, Goloubef did get the chance to suit up for Team Canada at the 2018 Olympics, where he registered two points in six games and took home a bronze medal. The same year he won the Spengler Cup but has otherwise not suited up internationally since the 2009 World Junior Championship.

For Montreal, this is likely nothing more than some training camp depth, though Goloubef could certain land a two-way deal to play for the Laval Rocket. It’s unlikely he’ll see much time in the NHL this season.

Four Other Players Placed On Waivers Sunday

at CDT | by 2 Comments

April 12: Mete and Vatanen were both claimed, but the other four players all cleared waivers. They can now be assigned to the taxi squad or minor leagues.

April 11: While Victor Mete and Sami Vatanen headline the waiver wire Sunday, the last day to put players on the waiver wire before the trade deadline, four other players were also waived, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Among those are Detroit Red Wings defensemen Danny DeKeyser and Alex Biega as well as Nashville’s Josh Healey and Ottawa’s Cody Goloubef.

For DeKeyser and Biega, this is the standard waivers practice as both players have seen the waiver wire earlier this year. While playoff teams may be interested in a veteran like DeKeyser, there is no chance that a team would take a chance on the 31-year-old considering he has a $5MM AAV this year as well as next year. No team will be willing to take on the injury-prone defenseman for a second year. DeKeyser, however, has been healthy this season, playing in 31 games for Detroit with two goals and six points. Biega, on the other hand, has just appeared in four games for the Red Wings this season, but has served mainly as a taxi squad player and emergency replacement player. The 33-year-old has one assist this season.

As for the other two — Healey and Goloubef — both must be placed through waivers after each signed an NHL contract earlier in the day. Healey signed a one-year deal with the Predators, while Goloubef signed an NHL deal with the Ottawa Senators.

Ottawa Senators Sign Cody Goloubef To One-Year Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators announced they have signed defenseman Cody Goloubef to a one-year, two-way pro-rated contract for the rest of the 2020-21 season. Goloubef had been playing under a professional tryout contract with the Belleville Senators this year, but has earned an NHL deal now. The deal is worth $700K.

Goloubef has moved around the league quite a bit over his career, but is not an unfamiliar name in Ottawa. The 31-year-old was acquired via trade from the Boston Bruins back in 2019 and played for the Senators for more than a year before he was claimed off waivers by the Detroit Red Wings in February of 2020. Most of his NHL experience comes years ago when he played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, but he did appear in 29 games for Ottawa.

With no NHL contract option available to him, he did return to the Senators and played with their AHL affiliate where he has appeared in 19 games with the organization with three goals and four points this year.

Goloubef could offer much-needed depth just before the trade deadline if the Senators choose to move out any of their defenseman, especially with names such as Erik Gudbranson as legitimate candidate to be moved. He will likely play a role as a depth defenseman with the organization and will spend most of his time between Belleville and the taxi squad, assuming he clears waivers.

Five Players Placed On Pre-Deadline Waivers

at CDT | by 9 Comments

Monday: The Anaheim Ducks have claimed Andrew Agozzino off waivers, while the Detroit Red Wings have claimed Dmytro Timashov. The other three have cleared.

Sunday: It will be a loaded waiver wire today, as the list features five different names. Two of those players were on AHL contracts until today, as the New Jersey Devils announced that they have signed defenseman Julian Melchiori to an NHL deal for the rest of the season, while the Ottawa Senators have done the same for defenseman Hubert Labrie. Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrew Agozzino, Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Dmytro Timashov, and recently-acquired L.A. Kings forward Tim Schaller round out the list. Goaltender Kevin Poulin has cleared waivers after signing with the Kings yesterday.

Melchiori, 28, has 30 NHL games to his credit over three years with the Winnipeg Jets, but has not played at the top level since 2016-17. Nevertheless, he has been a productive member of the AHL’s Binghamton Devils this season and provides New Jersey with another NHL option, given that Sami Vatanen and potentially others could be traded away by tomorrow’s deadline.

Similarly, the 28-year-old Labrie has proven to be a dependable defender and a locker room leader for the AHL’s Belleville Senators this season and has earned the chance to appear with Ottawa down the stretch if needed. Labrie is a career minor-leaguer, but the Senators are without many options given injuries at both levels, the recent departures of Dylan DeMelo and Cody Goloubef, and the potential that names like Ron Hainsey and Mark Borowiecki could still be moved.

The Penguins and Leafs are both in the market for additional help at the deadline and need roster flexibility where they can get it. Although Agozzino is actively in the Pittsburgh starting lineup, the 29-year-old veteran is expendable if it means opening up roster space for the Penguins, who are always active at the trade deadline. Timashov, 23, has played a very limited role in 39 games this season for Toronto and this move signals that the team feels he is worth losing if it avoids other more difficult roster decisions.

Schaller, a salary cap offset in the recent Tyler Toffoli trade, was never expected to play a regular role in Los Angeles. The Kings are well out of the playoff race and focused on working their younger players into the lineup, and the 29-year-old impending free agent is not part of that movement. Schaller has previously shown to be a good bottom-six depth option, and while a claim is unlikely, he could be flipped tomorrow after gaining the extra flexibility of clearing waivers.

Detroit Red Wings Claim Cody Goloubef Off Waivers

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Detroit Red Wings have added some NHL experience today, claiming Cody Goloubef off waivers from the Ottawa Senators according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. Brian Lashoff will be returned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins in a corresponding move.

Goloubef, 30, will at least give the Red Wings a body to use on the back end down the stretch, especially if they trade off some of their other expiring pieces. He won’t bring a lot of upside, but 158 games at the NHL level is more than some of the other players the team has run out there this season.

For Ottawa, the defensive cupboard is looking awfully thin. The team has just five healthy bodies at the NHL level and four players in the minor leagues eligible for recall. If things get really dire the team could bring Olle Alsing back from Sweden, but there may be other moves in the works in Ottawa.

Cody Goloubef Placed On Waivers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Along with Louis Domingue, who is being held out by the New Jersey Devils, Cody Goloubef has been placed on waivers today. The Ottawa Senators defenseman has played fewer than ten minutes in three of his last four games.

Goloubef, 30, has played in 23 games this season with the Senators, averaging just over 15 minutes a night and recording two points. The former Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman is just depth at this point and given his expiring contract could potentially even be trade bait in the coming days.

Placing a player on waivers sometimes can increase their value at the deadline, as an acquiring team could immediately stash them in the minor leagues. Whether that is the plan with Goloubef isn’t clear, especially given that the Senators may want to just hand over some minutes to their young defense.

Ottawa Senators Seeking A Defenseman

at CDT | by 10 Comments

Heading into this season, few would have expected the Ottawa Senators to be active buyers on the trade market. Few would have expected them to be a .500 team on November 23 as well, though. The Senators are playing well and their first substantial acquisition of the season, former New York Rangers forward Vladislav Namestnikov, has worked out nicely (although he’s currently injured). The team has been open about their desire to add more veteran pieces and, while previous reports indicated their preference was to acquire another forward, The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the team is now hoping to trade for a defenseman.

The Senators were not overly strong or deep on the blue line when the season began. Behind Thomas Chabot, it was mostly a unit composed of role players and unproven prospects. However, the situation has become even more dire due to injuries. Young Erik Brannstrom remains sidelined with a hand injury, depth defender Cody Goloubef left Friday night’s game with an undisclosed injury, Andreas Englund suffered an injury in the minors, and Christian Wolanin has yet to play this season as he returns from a shoulder injury. Nikita Zaitsev is also currently in his native Russia tending to personal matters. Garrioch writes that this left Ottawa no choice but to recall both Maxime Lajoie and Christian Jaros from the minors on Friday, leaving AHL Belleville with just two NHL prospects – first-year AHLers Lassi Thomson and Olle Alsing – and a defense corps otherwise composed of tryout players and ECHL call-ups. Clearly, Ottawa could use a blue line addition purely from a numbers perspective.

However, performance is also an issue on the blue line, particularly when it comes to scoring. Zaitsev, who is expected to return soon, has not contributed much offensively despite considerable ice time. Fellow former Maple Leaf Ron Hainsey and 2018-19 standout Dylan DeMelo have also been non-factors in the scoring department. This has left Chabot carrying the load and Mark Borowiecki contributing on offense, which has not typically been his strong suit. If the Senators are going to trade for a defenseman, they may as well target a player who can take on a regular role and assist the team offensively.

With that said, don’t expect Ottawa to target any of the big names on the rumor mill. While it would be comical for the Senators to add yet another former Toronto player, Tyson Barrie is likely not a target. Nor is New Jersey’s Sami Vatanen, Pittsburgh’s Justin Schultz, or Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin. The Senators will likely target upside at a low cost. Unsigned RFA Julius Honka of the Dallas Stars seems like an intriguing option, so long as they can swing a deal before the December 1st signing deadline. An impending UFA, like Namestnikov, would also make sense for the Senators, who could flip that player at the trade deadline if need be. Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson, L.A.’s Ben Hutton, and San Jose’s Radim Simek are all interesting options. Detroit’s Mike Green, who has name value but disappointing numbers so far this season, could also be a potential buy low/sell high candidate if he could turn his game around. There are plenty of options available for the Senators to make a move, but the question remains when and who.

Ottawa Senators Re-Sign Cody Goloubef

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Ottawa Senators have re-signed defenseman Cody Goloubef to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay him $800K at the NHL level and $425K in the AHL. Goloubef was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but will now remain with the team through the 2019-20 season.

Goloubef, 29, has experienced what it’s like to be a professional hockey journeyman the last few seasons, playing for seven different NHL or AHL teams since the start of the 2016-17 season. Last year he suited up 16 times for the Providence Bruins before a trade took him to Ottawa in early January in exchange for Paul Carey. With the Senators organization Goloubef still spent the majority of the time in the minor leagues, but got a taste at the NHL level and could be used as an injury replacement again next season.

While his 134 NHL games are something to be proud of, Goloubef received the opportunity of a lifetime when he suited up for Team Canada at the 2018 Olympics. With the NHL not participating, players like him were able to represent their country on the highest stage. Goloubef and Canada took home a bronze medal at the tournament, something he’ll never forget.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top