Minor Transactions: 09/17/21
Hockey is coming. The NHL season is coming quickly, with real preseason action just around the corner. As we keep an eye on those RFA contract negotiations, there is still more happening in the minor and European leagues. As always, this is where you’ll find information on all the notable minor moves of the day.
- The Grand Rapids Griffins have signed Dennis Yan to a one-year contract after he spent last season with the Black Wings 1992 of the ICEHL. Yan, 24, was a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning when Steve Yzerman was running that organization, and a valuable contributor at the AHL level. In 13 games overseas last season he scored just five points, but will get a chance to resume his professional career in North America this year.
- CapFriendly reports that Ryan Lohin has signed a professional tryout with the Seattle Kraken after failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Lightning this summer. Lohin, a seventh-round pick in 2016, split last season between the AHL and ECHL, scoring seven goals and 15 points in 25 games with the Syracuse Crunch.
- Stuart Percy, a first-round pick in 2015, has signed with Motor Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic for the season that has already started. Now 28, Percy actually played 12 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but never did live up to his billing as a future top-four NHL defenseman. He spent last season in Finland, where he recorded 17 points in 50 games with Vaasan Sport.
- The Laval Rocket have agreed to terms with Kevin Roy on an AHL contract for the upcoming season, bringing him over from the Tucson Roadrunners where he scored 11 goals and 30 points in 35 games. The 28-year-old winger hasn’t seen the NHL since the 2018-19 season but does have a pretty lengthy history in the minor leagues now, suiting up for the San Diego Gulls, Springfield Thunderbirds, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Roadrunners and soon the Rocket.
This page will be further updated as transactions are reported
Snapshots: Jagr, Lightning, Martenet, Sharks
While he has stated that he fully plans to play next season, there have been no discussions between right winger Jaromir Jagr and the Panthers regarding a potential contract extension, reports George Richards of the Miami Herald. Instead, the two sides plan to sit down following the season to see if they can work out a new deal.
The 45 year old Jagr has been on one year contracts for the last six seasons and undoubtedly will be signing another one wherever he winds up landing. In his second season with Florida, his numbers have taken a dip but he sits fourth in team scoring with 16 goals and 27 assists in 79 games. He may have to take a pay cut to remain with the team, however, as the Panthers already have over $61MM in payroll committed for next season. Jagr is carrying a $4MM cap hit this season but has already reached an additional $1.5MM in games played bonuses.
Other notes from around the league:
- After agreeing to terms on an entry-level deal with prospect goalie Connor Ingram earlier today, the Lightning also announced (via Twitter) that they’ve inked forward prospect Dennis Yan to an amateur tryout agreement and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. Joining them is 2015 first rounder Brett Howden who is now eligible to be sent down after his junior team was eliminated from the postseason. The trio represent some reinforcements for a Crunch team who has been hit hard by injuries in Tampa Bay and are in a battle for top spot in the AHL’s North Division heading into the final two weeks of the season.
- Also heading to the pros for the first time is Dallas defensive prospect Chris Martenet. The AHL’s Stars announced that he has been assigned to the team following his junior team, the Ottawa 67’s, was eliminated from the playoffs. The 20 year old tied a career high in points at the OHL level with 16 in 55 games split between London and Ottawa.
- Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer provided a brief injury update on forwards Logan Couture and Joe Thornton, classifying each as day-to-day, notes CSN Bay Area’s Kevin Kurz. He wouldn’t specify when either would be back, only saying that they’re expected back “at some point”. Couture has been out since taking a puck to the mouth on March 25th while Thornton suffered a knee injury on Sunday against the Canucks.