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Penguins Re-Sign Derrick Pouliot And Josh Archibald

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The Penguins put pen to paper with a pair of their restricted free agents on Wednesday as they announced the re-signings of defenseman Derrick Pouliot and forward Josh Archibald.  Pouliot receives a one-year contract worth $800K while Archibald inks a two-year pact with a cap hit of $675K.  Both players received one-way deals.

Pouliot spent the bulk of this past season with Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, playing in a career-high 46 games with the Baby Pens.  He collected 23 points in that span, matching his output from 2015-16 but he only needed 37 games to reach that mark that season.  The 23-year-old battled a lower-body injury that cost him 21 games in the NHL and as a result, he saw action in just 11 contests with the Penguins, all in the regular season.  In 67 career NHL games spanning three seasons (all with Pittsburgh), Pouliot has two goals and 12 assists.

Archibald collected a career-best 29 points in 61 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season while picking up his first ever NHL points, tallying a trio of goals in 10 games with Pittsburgh in the regular season.  He also saw action in four playoff contests and is a candidate to lock down a more permanent roster spot in 2017-18.

Pittsburgh has three remaining restricted free agents this offseason, forwards Jean-Sebastien Dea and Conor Sheary as well as defenseman Brian Dumoulin.

Penguins Sign Defenseman Kevin Czuczman

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Last off-season, the Pittsburgh Penguins went on a signing spree, inking a whole bunch of defenseman with even the slightest NHL experience to two-way deals in hopes that bolstering their defensive depth would pay off. The 2016 names included Chad Ruhwedel, Cameron Gaunce, Steve Oleksy, David Warsofsky, Stuart Percy, and Tim Erixon. After a season where their NHL defensive corps suffered injury after injury and the AHL depth was constantly called upon, even earning Ruhwedel a new contract, the Penguins are back at it again this summer. New additions already include Zach Trotman, Jarred Tinordi, Chris Summers, and an extension for Trade Deadline acquisition Frank Corrado as well.

Add another name to the list, as the Penguins announced today that they have signed Kevin Czuczman to a one-year, two-way deal worth the $650K minimum at the NHL level. Czuczman spent the 2016-17 season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose on a minor league contract, but posted the best scoring numbers of his entire hockey career, with 32 points in 76 games. The former Lake Superior State standout has NHL experience as well, as he signed with the New York Islanders out of college in 2014 and played in 13 games down the stretch with the team, recording two points. Since, Czuczman bounced around the Islanders’ minor league affiliates and then moved to Manitoba, establishing himself as a good defensive defenseman and a locker room leader along the way. Czuczman will provide some solid stay-at-home depth for a team that often lacks that type of player.

Will Czuczman see any NHL action in 2017-18 though? Probably not. The Penguins’ top six of Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, Justin Schultz, Olli Maatta, Ian Cole, and newcomer Matt Hunwick is well-established and Ruhwedel has likely earned the #7 spot. Down in Wilkes-Barre, Corrado and Derrick Pouliot will push for roster spots and, assuming they fall short, will certainly be the first call-ups. Trotman, who played in large chunks of the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons with the Boston Bruins, and Tinordi, who was a spot starter for the Montreal Canadiens for years, are then next up on the depth chart. That would make Czuczman approximately 12th on the Pittsburgh organizational depth chart. With all that said, if any team is gonna blow through eleven defenders this season, it’s the injury-prone Penguins. Czuczman chose his new home wisely.

Expansion Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

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Over the next few weeks we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

With the Penguins up two games to zero in the Stanley Cup Finals, the team’s success under the guidance of GM Jim Rutherford cannot be understated. Potential back-to-back championships following a long list of playoff disappointments and identity crises would all but erase the sting of many poor management decisions under former GM Ray Shero.

After the acquisition of Phil Kessel, the team has not looked back in the slightest offensively. They sat out and relished their summer last off-season with minimal movement, but this year Rutherford has decisions to make. Although the makeup of the team will surely be different come October, there are many options to be considered.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:

Sidney Crosby (NMC), Evgeni Malkin (NMC), Phil Kessel (NMC), Patric Hornqvist, Carl Hagelin, Bryan Rust, Tom Kuhnhackl, Scott Wilson, Josh Archibald (RFA), Oskar Sundqvist (RFA), Jean-Sebastien Dea (RFA)

Defense:

Kris Letang (NMC), Olli Maatta, Ian Cole, Brian Dumoulin (RFA), Derrick Pouliot (RFA), Justin Schultz (RFA), Frank Corrado (RFA), Tim Erixon (RFA), Stuart Percy (RFA)

Goalies:

Marc-Andre Fleury (NMC), Matt Murray

Jake Guentzel, Conor Sheary, Daniel Sprong, Carter Rowney, Tristan Jarry, Zach Aston-Reese, Thomas DiPauli, Teddy Blueger, Dominik Simon,  Jeff Taylor, Ethan Prow, Lukas Bengtsson, Sean Maguire

Key Decisions

To get the elephant in the room cleared aside, it seems a foregone conclusion that Marc-Andre Fleury will waive his No Movement Clause in order for the franchise to protect Matt Murray. This arrangement would suit him, as he performs far better statistically in a starting role, and it allows him to be “the guy” in a new city. If for some unforeseen reason Fleury opts against waiving his NMC, Rutherford will assuredly find a trade elsewhere prior to the expansion draft. At the end of the day, Murray, with two amazing playoff performances at only 23 years-old, is going nowhere.

The other four players who must be protected are those which will not give management any sleepless nights. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are both future hall of famers playing prime hockey, providing great value for their contracts. Kessel, at his reduced rate, has absolutely exceeded expectations when his contract was shipped from Toronto. Kris Letang is the only player who some fans have balked out, as he has missed substantial chunks of time, consistently hitting LTIR and wasting cap dollars. Letang, however, is easily a top-10 defenseman in the league,. Watching how these playoffs have been far less decisive than last for Pittsburgh, there is no doubt the entire organization is willing to take the risk to have him return to the blueline.

The major decision right off the start will be whether Rutherford will decide to go with the 7 forwards-3 defensemen-1 goalie model, or the 8 total protected alternative. It seems apparent that most teams will opt for the former, because it provides protection to two additional players. The Penguins, however, are facing truly unique circumstances, and it seems slightly more likely that they will opt for the latter.

Assuming they go that route to protect their defensive corps (one of Justin Schultz/Olli Maatta), the decision at forward will not be an easy one. Beyond the big three up front who must be protected, there are a few names which could intrigue Vegas. Considering the cost to acquire him (James Neal), and his absolutely pivotal net-front presence, Patrick Hornqvist seems the safest bet to secure protection. Rutherford is a big fan, and many in management have placed a lot of faith in him. The downside of this, of course, is that it would leave Bryan Rust exposed. Rust has already made a name for himself in big games, with multiple game-winning and series-clinching goals. He has the same net-front mentality that Hornqvist does, and is five years his junior. Hornqvist is the more proven offensive commodity, but Rust’s 15 goals and 28 points are nothing to look down upon. In the wake of a potential loss of the hard nosed but unrestricted Chris Kunitz, this would be a painful blow to the team’s physicality. Thankfully, both Conor Sheary and Jake Guentzel are exempt from selection, which helps solidify their top lines regardless of this decision.

The defense if the 4-4-1 model is adopted is quite easy to predict. Although Ian Cole has been a completely perfect shot-blocking minute muncher this playoff run, he is 28 years old and relatively ineffective at driving offense with speed. Assuming that Schultz re-signs and doesn’t command an absolute robbery of a contract, he will be protected. His playoff run has been mostly solid, if spotted with occasional mishap, and his 51 points last season was good for 6th among defenseman in the league, just behind the likes of Dustin Byfuglien and Duncan Keith. That sort of production isn’t easily replaced, and especially considering Letang’s precarious health situation, he is the go-to offensive defenseman in his absence.

Maatta could certainly find himself on the outs, but it’s difficult to imagine him being exposed in the expansion draft. The team showed a great deal of confidence in him by inking him to a 6 year contract after limited sophomore season action, and his contract at $4.083 is certainly manageable. The 23 year-old two-way defender will certainly need to improve his skating to keep up with the high-flying organizational mentality, and there is the possibility his sluggishness has landed him in serious disfavor. If Rutherford were intent on moving on from Maatta, however, it would not be via expansion – he is too valuable a piece to lose for nothing. A trade is certainly a possibility, but the smart money is on the front office praying for a healthy summer of training and improvement for the young Finn.

It is certainly conceivable that the Penguins do opt for the 7-3-1 option, if they truly value Rust more than Schultz or Maatta. This would result in Rust, Scott Wilson, and one of Tom Kuhnhackl, Josh Archibald, and Carl Hagelin to be the additional protect-ees. (Hagelin’s $4 MM contract would likely make him a prime target for sacrifice under this scenario.) Maatta would be the likely claim in this potentiality, as he is less favored internally for purely stylistic reasons when contrasted with Schultz.

However, it seems more likely that Pittsburgh has already worked out a scenario between Fleury, his agent, and Vegas management regarding Marc-Andre Fleury. Rutherford’s lack of panic around the draft last year has led many to believe that this situation has already been handled, and that perhaps a sweetener will be thrown in for not claiming Bryan Rust or a young defenseman.

Projected Protection List

F Sidney Crosby (NMC)
F Evgeni Malkin (NMC)
F Phil Kessel (NMC)
F Patrick Hornqvist

D Kris Letang (NMC)
D Brian Dumoulin
D Justin Schultz
D Olli Maatta

G Matt Murray

If for whatever reason one of Maatta and Schultz is left to dry in the place of this prediction, the re-signing of Trevor Daley and perhaps even Ron Hainsey would likely follow suit. The loss of Rust would be difficult to sustain on an emotional level, as he has been a leader for the younger Wilkes-Barre call-ups since last season. But with young players like Zach Aston-Reese and Daniel Sprong looking to claim a roster spot in training camp next season, his offensive production would likely be easy to absorb. Ultimately, however, it seems probable that Fleury will be Vegas’ selection. Following his impressive resurgence in the first two round of the playoffs, and his difficult situation in Pittsburgh behind the legendary Matt Murray, it seems a fit that would work for all parties involved.

Without AHL Team, Blues Face Disadvantage

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When the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliation with the Chicago Wolves was officially terminated on Wednesday in favor of partnership with Las Vegas, an important aspect of the deal was overlooked by many around the league. The St. Louis Blues will still provide players to the Wolves, but only their best players are likely to see action, as the Golden Knights hold primary ownership. Given the Knights’ situation, why play borderline prospects of an outside organization, who you are still technically competing with? They will need warm bodies for years to come, but Knights prospects will always be valued higher.

This association may not seem like a huge deal, considering that NHL teams have used AHL partnerships in years past. However, St. Louis will be the only team dealing with this handicap in the upcoming season, and it’s not a situation that will help their organization gain advantage over a tough Central division. A team hasn’t dealt with this sort of turmoil in the minors since the 2009-10 season when the Anaheim Ducks had no affiliate whatsoever. The Ducks that year? They finished 11th in the conference and missed the playoffs.

Although Vegas, without an abundance of pro-ready prospects, may appreciate this arrangement for AHL competitiveness reasons, it can only mean a step back for St. Louis. There is no tangible benefit to having your third and fourth line hopefuls lose valuable playing time to outside players. One need only look to the role players of this year’s playoff teams to realize that having a deep bench in case of injuries is always worthwhile. The Penguins for example, have Carter Rowney, Josh Archibald, and currently injured Tom Kuhnhackl performing important spot-duty. Derrick Pouliot even has an outside shot of seeing playing time this series. If any of these had played on a split-squad in the AHL, there is a strong probability they would not have the requisite experience to be inserted into NHL playoff hockey.

GM Doug Armstrong says he has a “comfort level” with Las Vegas GM George McPhee, and that eases his mind about the situation. Regardless of comfort, Blues ownership failed the team and its prospects by not securing a primary home for their players. The Blues need to have a solid farm system, which they had seemingly started to build with a dominant 1st-overall performance this past season. The likes of Jordan Schmaltz, Magnus Paajarvi, and Ivan Barbashev all benefited from a successful AHL outing. Going forward, securing a stable location for all of its players is a must for St. Louis. It’s a disadvantage from the beginning of summer until the end of the season.

Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Eleven Players

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have made their “Black Aces” call-ups, bringing eleven players up from the AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The players are as follows:

G Sean Maguire
D David Warsofsky
D Derrick Pouliot
D Cameron Gaunce
D Frank Corrado
F Tom Sestito
F Dominik Simon
F Jean-Sebastien Dea
F Garrett Wilson
F Kevin Porter

In addition, Daniel Sprong has also been recalled. Sprong had been playing with the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL. Sprong has one of the more interesting histories among young players, spending 18 games with the Penguins last year before going back to junior. That stint—combined with 12 healthy scratches peppered throughout—kicked Sprong’s entry-level deal into effect, which will make him a restricted free agent after next season despite spending this entire year in junior.

The second-round pick has continued to show that he’s ready for the next step in his hockey career, but will likely not get into any action with the Penguins during these playoffs. Instead, all of the players called up today will skate with the team and provide insurance should multiple injuries strike at the same time.

Minor Transactions: 04/10/17

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The 2016-17 regular season wrapped up last night with a few exciting finishes including Connor McDavid getting his 100th point, Bryan Bickell scoring a shootout goal in his final game, and Riley Sheahan finally scoring a goal (or two) this season, giving Joe Louis Arena a nice send off. Today, teams are making several roster moves to either prepare for the playoffs or give their AHL squads a fighting chance.

We’ll keep track of all the moves right here:

  • The Washington Capitals will head into their first round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs without Garrett Mitchell, as the rookie forward was sent back down to the AHL. The 25-year old was given his NHL debut on Sunday night as a reward for his exemplary service for their minor-league club. A sixth-round pick back in 2009, Mitchell has served as an alternate captain for the past two years and developed a leadership role for the Hershey Bears.
  • Ottawa has sent Andreas Englund and Nick Paul back to the AHL now that they are ready to take on the Boston Bruins. Englund has played five games for the Sens this season, but with the impending return of Erik Karlsson will not stick around for the playoffs.
  • The Islanders, eliminated on Saturday by a Maple Leafs win, have assigned Josh Ho-Sang, Adam Pelech and Connor Jones to the AHL for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers playoff push. Currently one point behind the Hershey Bears for the last spot in the Atlantic Division, the Sound Tigers will welcome the help.
  • Pittsburgh has sent Jean-Sebastien Dea, Oskar Sundqvist, Kevin Porter, Dominik Simon and Derrick Pouliot to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, clearing room for their injured players to return to the lineup. The last few games has seen Pittsburgh rest several players, while a return of Evgeni Malkin is expected at some point in the first round.
  • In addition to signing Charlie McAvoy to an entry-level deal, the Bruins have recalled Zane McIntyre from Providence on an emergency basis. He’s there to replace Anton Khudobin, who has been battling an injury on and off for the past few weeks. Tuukka Rask will start game one for the Bruins, who begin their series on Wednesday night in Ottawa.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets won’t keep Sonny Milano with them for their first round matchup, as he’s been sent back to the Cleveland Monsters. Milano was held scoreless in his four games this season,  though still possesses exceptional offensive upside. He’ll help Cleveland try to repeat as Calder Cup champions, though they’ll need to get in first; the team has just a one point lead over the Charlotte Checkers for the final spot in the Central Division.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Pontus Aberg from Milwaukee to provide some depth during their playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks. Aberg has played 15 games for the Predators this season, registering two points. The 37th-overall pick in the 2012 draft showed this season that he can dominate the AHL, scoring 52 points in 56 games.
  • The St. Louis Blues have assigned Chris Butler back to the Chicago Wolves after his one-game reward. The veteran blueliner was a rock for the Wolves this season and help them try to capture the Calder Cup trophy—they’re currently in first place in the Central Division and looking like a strong contender.

Minor Transactions: Last Day Of The Regular Season

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The Washington Capitals, who have long since clinched the President’s Trophy for the best record in the NHL this season, have next to nothing to play for in their 2016-17 regular season finale. What better use for such a game than to reward a time-tested contributor to the organization. The Capitals announced today that they have recalled Garrett Mitchell, as well as Chandler Stephenson, from the AHL’s Hershey Bears for the last game of the season. Mitchell, the Hersey captain, will make his NHL debut at 25 after being a sixth-round selection of the Capitals back in 2009. Far from an offensive juggernaut, Mitchell is instead a physical two-way forward who makes up for his lack of points by sticking up for the Bears’ younger players and leading by example in his own end. It is a classy move by Washington to give a player who has worked hard for the organization a brief glimpse at NHL life, even though his ceiling appears to be a nothing more than a fourth-line player at this time.

Around the league, the transactions are coming in fast:

  • Washington’s opponent tonight is the Florida Panthers and newly-recalled young goalie Sam Brittain. It remains to be seen if Brittain will make his NHL debut tonight, but he’ll at least be on the bench as Florida announced that the 24-year-old had been promoted from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds for the game. Brittain has played mostly in the ECHL this season and is far from being a regular NHLer any time soon, but will at least get a look at big league action in the season finale.
  • Another goalie getting a rare look at the highest level is the New York Rangers’ Magnus Hellberg. Buried behind all-world keeper Henrik Lundqvist and one of the more reliable backups in the league, Antti Raanta, Hellberg was surely excited to hear that he had been called up from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Hellberg, 26, has never started an NHL game and that won’t change tonight as Raanta gets the call for the Rangers. However, Hellberg has seen the ice three times in his career and has strung together several strong AHL seasons in a row, so gaining some more experience tonight, even from the bench, brings him closer to an NHL future.
  • A goalie headed the other way today is the Montreal Canadiens’ Charlie Lindgren. Despite nothing but success in his few NHL appearances early in his young career, the Habs are set in net with Carey Price and Al Montoya. Lindgren will have to wait for opportunity to strike for a longer stint with the Canadiens, as he’ll head back down to the AHL and the St. John’s Ice Caps alongside defenseman Brett Lernout, the team announced.
  • Another pair headed back to the minors are Winnipeg Jets’ prospects Kyle Connor and Nelson Nogier. Following their season finale yesterday, the Jets decided today to return the duo to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose to get some final play time in this season. While the Jets expected more than five points in 20 games from Connor in his rookie season, after being a Hobey Baker finalist for the University of Michigan last year, expect him to play a major role for Winnipeg in 2017-18.
  • Another player set to take on a major role next year is Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Robert Hagg. Fans can get a preview of the prospect-studded blue line that Philly is likely to roll out in 2017-18 when Hagg makes his NHL debut today. The team announced his recall this morning from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and he will skate alongside the likes of Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov tonight and Travis Sanheim and Samuel Morin as well next year in a truly impressive collection of young talent.
  • Across the state, the Pittsburgh Penguins are planning on resting some of their players today – those that aren’t already injured anyway – and have called up a trio of players from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to help fill the voids. Oskar Sundqvist and Derrick Pouliot, two names familiar to Penguins fans, will return to the lineup, while Jean-Sebastien Dea will make his NHL debut. A longtime WBS contributor, Dea’s work ethic and consistency has finally earned him his first shot at the pros for a team that is in desperate need of depth that can step up their play.
  • Pittsburgh’s Round One opponent, the Columbus Blue Jackets, are adding some promising young talent of their own in forward Sonny Milano. The team announced that they had promoted the 2014 first-rounder from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters and that he will get the call today against the Toronto Maple Leafs as the Jackets look to reverse their recent luck before the postseason gets underway. Milano has only skated in three games with Columbus this season, but leads the Monsters in scoring with 46 points in 61 games.
  • The St. Louis Blues announced that they have recalled defenseman Chris Butler from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. However, Butler’s return to the NHL lineup may be overshadowed by the possibility that Vladimir Sobotka could also make his season debut after a long hiatus from the team while playing in the KHL.
  • With an extremely disappointing season finally over in Dallas, the Stars have moved a slew of players back down to the AHL’s Texas Stars to give them some play time before the end of the season. Forwards Jason Dickinson, Mark McNeill, Gemel Smith, Denis Gurianov, and Remi Elie and defenseman Julius Honka will all head back to Texas, a team that, like its affiliate, has no chance at the playoffs either.

More to come throughout the final day of the 2016-17 season

Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Assign Pouliot; Recall Corrado, Sundqvist

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Despite winning 4-0 on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins have decided to make a change prior to their game against the Buffalo Sabres tonight. Struggling young defender Derrick Pouliot has been sent back down, while Frank Corrado and Oskar Sundqvist have been called up from the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. The team will still be without stars Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Olli Maattaa and several others for tonight’s game.

Pouliot, 23, continues to squander chances with the NHL club with lax defensive play and positioning errors. There is no doubt he has the talent to play at the highest level with the puck on his stick, but his coverage in front of the net and battle along the boards is still not good enough for a team looking for another championship. The former eighth-overall pick will go back down and try to find another gear in his game before the next opportunity presents itself.

Meanwhile, Corrado will get his first chance with the NHL team since coming over in a deadline deal with Toronto that saw Eric Fehr go the other way. Corrado’s lack of opportunity was well documented in Toronto, as he floundered somewhere between leagues for months at a time. The 23-year old has played seven games for the WBS Penguins since the deal, registering just one point. Pittsburgh will see if he can bring some level of defensive responsibility as they look to find a partner for Mark Streit until someone returns from injury.

Sundqvist has dominated the AHL while he’s been there this season, scoring 40 points in 55 games. The big forward has bounced up and down this season and gotten into four games with Pittsburgh, held pointless throughout. The 22-year old third-round pick looks like he’s developing nicely into a bottom-six player capable of some secondary scoring and adding a physical element to the game.

Snapshots: 100 Classic, Hornqvist, Malkin

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As reported yesterday, the Ottawa Senators will host an outdoor game next year. The “NHL 100 Classic” will be held on December 16th, 2017 to honor the first NHL game played in Ottawa 100 years prior (actually December 17th, 1917). The Senators will welcome the Montreal Canadiens to TD Place, the football stadium right along the Rideau Canal.

Just a few weeks after the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup, TD Place will have extra seating installed to accommodate the extra crowd. The Stadium currently seats 24,000 for football, but expect that to grow substantially. BMO Place in Toronto added more than 10,000 seats for this year’s Centennial Classic, after hosting it’s own Grey Cup earlier in the winter. This will be the Senators’ first hosted outdoor game.

Pittsburgh Penguins Recall Derrick Pouliot From AHL

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With a game tonight against the New Jersey Devils, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled prospect Derrick Pouliot from Wilkes-Barre Scranton of the AHL. This likely means that Ron Hainsey, injured in Wednesday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, won’t be able to go tonight.

Pouliot has spent time up with Pittsburgh in each of the last three seasons, playing a total of just eight games this year. The 23-year old was the eighth-overall pick in the 2012 draft, but has yet to establish himself as a consistent NHL player. The hopes are still sky-high for Pouliot, who was drafted one spot ahead of Jacob Trouba, the Winnipeg Jets star defender.

Pittsburgh will hope Pouliot can contribute a bit more this time around, as he has been held scoreless this year. A good puck moving defenseman in the AHL, he just hasn’t found that level of play yet in the NHL. He’ll have to do it quick though, as the Penguins are in a fight for the top of the Metropolitan Division, and need all hands on deck.

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