Colorado Avalanche Acquire Denis Malgin
The Colorado Avalanche, still looking for some scoring depth, have acquired Denis Malgin from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Dryden Hunt. The move is the second time Hunt has switched teams this season after being claimed off waivers from the New York Rangers in October.
Malgin, 25, returned to North America this season after spending the last two years in Switzerland, where he dominated the National League for both Lausanne and Zurich. In 2021-22 he scored 21 goals and 52 points in 48 regular season games, then put up 18 points in 17 postseason matches. It appeared as though he might get an extended opportunity next to John Tavares and Mitch Marner with Toronto, but after scoring just four points in 23 games so far, the team has moved on.
Colorado has recalled Martin Kaut today, likely as Malgin sorts out travel plans to join the club.
Hunt, meanwhile, is a more traditional bottom-six forward and has just two goals in 28 games split between Colorado and New York. Though he’s not a huge player, he does bring a lot more physicality than Malgin, and can potentially give Toronto an extra fourth-line option to work with.
Notably, Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok was spotted at practice today in a regular sweater. His return from injury would have likely pushed Malgin down, if not entirely out of the lineup, and likely means there won’t be an immediate spot for Hunt. That could mean Hunt will end up on waivers again at some point, though the Maple Leafs do have an extra roster spot right now for Jarnkrok’s activation.
A swap of playstyle from two underperforming depth forwards, this may end up not meaning much for either organization. It certainly will, however, cause some more painful memories for Maple Leafs fans who watched the team trade Mason Marchment for Malgin in 2020. While Marchment has established himself as a force in the league, Malgin provided the Maple Leafs with four points in 31 total games.
Colorado Avalanche Claim Dryden Hunt; Phil Di Giuseppe Clears
After losing Lukas Sedlak to waivers earlier this week, the Colorado Avalanche have made a claim of their own. Dryden Hunt will be heading to Denver, claimed away from the New York Rangers. Phil Di Giuseppe, who was also on waivers, has cleared and can be assigned to the minor leagues.
Colorado hasn’t been happy with the makeup of their fourth line, so had been making tweaks in recent days. It appeared as though head coach Jared Bednar still didn’t love the group last night, playing Anton Blidh and Jayson Megna for barely over six minutes in an overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Claiming Hunt gives the team another option for the bottom-six, and likely will result in the assignment of one of the two recently-recalled forwards.
Now 26, Hunt has played in 168 regular season games in his NHL career, and appeared to have solidified his role with the Rangers last season when he put up 17 points in 76 appearances. That came along with 153 hits, a number that trailed only Ryan Reaves among New York forwards.
In Colorado, he’ll get a chance to establish himself as a full-time player once again, and help fill some of the depth issues the club has experienced so far. One of the most impressive groups in the NHL last season, the Avalanche have relied almost exclusively on their top four forwards to start the year. Mikko Rantanen, Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, and Artturi Lehkonen are off to solid starts but beyond that, the rest of the group up front hasn’t been effective enough. Alex Newhook, Evan Rodrigues, and Logan O’Connor are all scoreless through the first four games, while J.T. Compher has just a single assist.
While Hunt isn’t expected to be much of an offensive presence, it does seem to be a great opportunity for him to bring his physicality and energy to a group still trying to find its identity early on.
Dryden Hunt, Phil Di Giuseppe Placed On Waivers
Two more players have graced the waiver wire today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Dryden Hunt of the New York Rangers and Phillip Di Giuseppe of the Vancouver Canucks are available for claim.
Di Giuseppe is coming off season-opening injured reserve, suggesting he is ready to return to action now that he’s found himself on waivers. If he clears, he’ll likely join the Abbotsford Canucks where he spent all of last season. The 29-year-old does have 201 NHL games under his belt, but with the recent injury it seems unlikely that he’ll be claimed.
Hunt on the other hand is more of an interesting story. The 26-year-old undrafted forward plays a physical game and never seems to be out of energy, attacking defenders and tracking down the puck every time he hits the ice. In 76 games with the Rangers last season he scored six goals and 17 points while delivering 153 hits and racking up 52 penalty minutes.
While there might not be a lot of offensive upside there, it’s easy to see why another team might want to add Hunt to the bottom-six mix, especially given the fact that he comes with a cap hit of just $762.5K. That number could fit into basically any team’s cap structure and even with some poor results in limited minutes this year, there are signs that he could be a benefit to clubs struggling to find a good mix on the fourth line.
With Sammy Blais returning, the Rangers needed to clear some space, and might end up losing Hunt in the process.
Arizona Coyotes Sign Jordan Gross, Dryden Hunt
The Arizona Coyotes have announced two minor signings, inking Jordan Gross and Dryden Hunt to one-year, two-way contracts. Gross was one of the team’s remaining restricted free agents, while Hunt is coming over from the Florida Panthers after failing to receive a qualifying offer.
Gross, 25, was an undrafted free agent signing out of Notre Dame in 2018 and has spent the last two seasons with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. The puck-moving defenseman did make his NHL debut with the Coyotes this year, recording a single point in two games.
Hunt meanwhile played in 21 games for the Panthers this season and even suited up twice in the postseason bubble. Not much of an offensive threat at the NHL level, he nevertheless has been excellent in the minors, scoring 29 points in 35 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2019-20.
Micheal Haley, Dryden Hunt Put On Waivers
Monday: Hunt has cleared waivers and was assigned to the minor leagues immediately. Haley has also cleared.
Sunday: Two more names have hit the waiver wire as Elliotte Friedman announces that the New York Rangers have put enforcer Micheal Haley on waivers, while the Florida Panthers have done the same with winger Dryden Hunt.
Haley’s time was coming in New York. His playing time was decreasing by the game as the 33-year-old “tough guy” was only averaging 5:49 on the ice. Haley may have worn out his welcome on the team’s two-game trip to Florida where he racked up 24 penalty minutes against Tampa Bay in 4:09 of ice time on Thursday and then immediately picked up two more after 1:26 on the ice against Florida on Friday after which he was benched for the rest of the game. To make matters worse for the Rangers, they found themselves on the penalty kill 10 times between the two games, allowing seven power play goals. With a penalty kill ranked 29th with a 73.2 percent success rate, Haley, and his ability to accrue penalties, might seem expendable.
Hunt, on the other hand, has not been productive on an offensive standpoint. The 23-year-old has no goals and just four assists over 20 games and has just one assist over his last 11 appearances. His playing time seems to have dwindled as well over the last few games, playing a season-low 7:50 against the Rangers on Saturday. While he’s been known as a hard-worker, Hunt just hasn’t been able to justify his place with the Panthers due to his lack of production. Hunt did produces at the AHL level last year, scoring 23 goals and 44 points in 51 games, while scoring three goals in 31 games with Florida last season.
Atlantic Notes: Brannstrom, Sandin, Panthers, Lightning, Bjork
When the Ottawa Senators announced Sunday that the team had assigned defenseman Christian Jaros to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, it meant that the Senators intend on keeping top prospect Erik Brannstrom on the team, according to Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas.
The 20-year-old had an impressive camp, but more importantly is a good look for the Senators who traded away star Mark Stone for the young defensive phenom. The Golden Knights sent Brannstrom, Oscar Lindberg (now playing in the NLA) and a 2020 second-round pick. If Brannstrom makes his mark quickly, it would help make the Stone trade more palatable.
Brannstrom, the 15th overall pick in 2017, played 50 games in the AHL between the Chicago Wolves and the Belleville Senators, scoring seven goals and 32 points in that time.
- TSN’s Kristen Shilton reports that Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock confirmed that defenseman Rasmus Sandin is going to make Toronto’s opening day roster. “We got four [defencemen]…and, well, Sandin,” said Babcock. Sandin, the team’s first-round pick in 2018, was impressive in his first year with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL last season at 18 years of age, scoring six goals and 28 points in 44 games, and has been extremely impressive during the preseason so far.
- The Athletic’s George Richards reports that with the cuts of Owen Tippett, Dominic Toninato and Riley Stillman, the Florida Panthers have essentially announced that defenseman Josh Brown and forward Dryden Hunt have made the team. The 25-year-old Brown played 37 games for the Panthers last season, while the 23-year-old Hunt got into 31 games, scoring three goals and 10 points.
- The Tampa Bay Lightning could be without two players for opening night after Cedric Paquette and Tyler Johnson suffered injuries in Saturday’s final preseason game. NHL.com’s Corey Long reports that Paquette left the game with his right arm in a sling after taking a hit from Florida’s Stillman and his status remains in question for the season opener, while Johnson didn’t return to the bench in the third period, but head coach Jon Cooper said he was removed as a precaution and likely will be fine.
- Boston Globe’s Matt Porter reports that despite a solid preseason, forward Anders Bjork is likely going to start the season in Providence in the AHL with the hope that he can gain some consistency after shoulder injuries have derailed his last two seasons. Bjork played just 20 games for the Bruins last season.
Florida Panthers Agree To Terms With Three Players
The Florida Panthers officially have agreed to terms with Dryden Hunt, Thomas Schemitsch and Jayce Hawryluk on one-year two-way contracts. Hawryluk’s agreement had been previously reported, with CapFriendly noting that he had accepted his qualifying offer worth $874K in the NHL. The other two will earn $715K at the NHL level. All three will still be restricted free agents next summer.
Hunt, 23, is one of the players who has quietly developed into a legitimate NHL option for the Panthers the last few seasons. Undrafted out of the WHL, Hunt ended up exploding in his final year of junior to the tune of 58 goals and 116 points in 72 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors. Jumping to the professional ranks didn’t slow him down, and he has now posted consecutive 23-goal seasons for the AHL Springfield Thunderbirds, despite spending time in both seasons with the Panthers. In 42 NHL games he has 11 points, and he heads into 2019-20 as a player fighting for a role on an improved team. If he can make it, it’s hard to bet against a player that has been overlooked for so long but defied the odds at every opportunity.
Hawryluk is another player who will be battling for a chance to start the year in the NHL, but comes with a much higher draft pedigree. The 32nd overall pick in 2014 made his NHL debut last season, suiting up 42 times for the Panthers and recorded 12 points. Hawryluk has proven he can hang in the bottom-six for the Panthers, but with additions like Brett Connolly and Noal Acciari lengthening out the lineup, there is no guarantee he sees a full season this year.
Schemitsch, 22, is the only one of the three yet to make his debut in the NHL but is not to be overlooked. The third round pick from 2015 had 24 points in 56 games for Springfield while also having the size and reach to handle defensive coverage at the professional level. The 6’4″ defenseman will continue to try and take the necessary developmental steps to make it to the highest level, though things are a little crowded there after the addition of Anton Stralman in free agency.
Free Agent Focus: Florida Panthers
Free agency is now just a few days away and there are quite a few prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign. The Florida Panthers have quite a few restricted free agents to acquire although no young players worthy of significant deals, while the team has few important unrestricted free agents to worry about, which gives the franchise the opportunity to focus completely on the free-agent market that opens on Monday.
Key Restricted Free Agent: D MacKenzie Weegar – The Florida Panthers have brought the 25-year-old blueliner slowly and he’s starting to provide some value as bottom-tier defenseman. Weegar almost doubled his offensive output, putting up four goals and 15 points last season, while seeing his ATOI increase by more than two minutes to 16:58. Injuries kept him out of 18 games, but Weegar is slowly developing into a reliable player the team needs as defense remains one of the team’s biggest weakpoints. His minus-three rating isn’t too bad, but could be improved upon.
F Denis Malgin – The team has gotten some output out of the 22-year-old Malgin, but the forward has failed to play more than 51 games in any of his three seasons so far with the Panthers as he has dealt with numerous injuries. Regardless, Malgin has showed some potential to put up some points, although he is never likely to be more than a third-line option at best for the Panthers. He tallied seven goals and 16 points, a little less than the 11 goals and 22 points he put up in 2017-18. While he’s shown to be a serviceable depth option for Florida, he likely will never be a 20-goal scorer.
G – Sam Montembeault – With a need for a starting goaltender and the fact that Florida traded James Reimer earlier this morning, the team doesn’t even have a legitimate backup on the roster. The 22-year-old Montembeault did get some NHL playing time this season and might be ready for a permanent back-up role. He played 11 games for the Panthers last season, posting a 3.04 GAA and a .894 save percentage. His numbers weren’t much better in Springfield, suggesting that he probably needs more seasoning, but the youngster is likely the heir apparent to the backup sometime in the future.
Other RFAs: F Anthony Greco, F Jayce Hawryluk, F Dryden Hunt, F Juho Lammikko, F Maxim Mamin, D Ian McCoshen, D Thomas Schemitsch, F Dominic Toninato
Key Unrestricted Free Agents: F Riley Sheahan – A former first-round pick with the ability to play center, the 27-year-old has now found himself with three teams already and it could be a fourth. Sheahan was acquired in February as part of the deal that saw Florida trade off Jared McCann and Nick Bjugstad, but didn’t do much to impress with the Panthers. He scored just two goals in 33 games for Florida and finished the season with nine goals and 19 points. However, the main reason that the Panthers took on Sheahan was that his contract was expiring, which the team wanted in hopes of bringing in a big-game free-agent.
Other UFAs: F Troy Brouwer, D Ludwig Bystrom, D Michael Downing, F Henrik Haapala, F Jamie McGinn, D Julian Melchiori, F Vincent Proplan,
Projected Cap Space: The Panthers currently sit a little more than $25.23MM under the cap ceiling, according to CapFriendly, which should give them plenty of maneuvering room to sign multiple big-name free agents. The team is well-known for being interested in signing both of Columbus’ top free agents in Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky and, if the team can convince both to sign, they have ample cap room to lock up both to long-term deals. If they can only sign one, that still leaves them with Plan B options as well, although their top priority is to add a goaltender, their most desperate need.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 12/15/18
As always, Saturday features a busy slate on the NHL schedule with 20 teams in action. As a result, there is bound to be plenty of roster movement throughout the day. We’ll keep track of those moves here.
- The Panthers announced a series of roster moves, recalling center Henrik Borgstrom and forward Jayce Hawryluk from Springfield of the AHL while returning wingers Dryden Hunt and Anthony Greco to the Thunderbirds. Borgstrom is one of Florida’s top prospects and is off to a good start in his first full professional season with 19 points in 21 games. He did get into four games late last year so this won’t be his first NHL action. That isn’t the case for Hawryluk, who is up for the first time following a great start to his season that sees him tied for the AHL lead in assists with 21. Hunt has split the season between nearly equally between the NHL (13 games) and the AHL (15 games) but has been much more productive in the minors while Greco made his NHL debut earlier this week.
- Defenseman Tyler Lewington is getting his first NHL shot as the Capitals have promoted him from AHL Hershey per a team release. The 24-year-old is in his fourth professional season and is among the AHL leaders in penalty minutes this season with 67. He will likely serve as a reserve defender in the absence of Christian Djoos who underwent surgery on his thigh on Friday.
- Veteran blueliner Kyle Cumiskey has inked a minor league deal with Boston for the rest of the season, reports Mark Divver of the Providence Journal (Twitter link). He had previously been with them on a PTO deal but did well enough to earn a guaranteed contract. He’ll give the Bruins some extra depth in the minors and they have five remaining NHL contract slots if they ultimately need to bring him up to the big club.
- The Sabres announced that they have recalled defenseman Matt Hunwick from his conditioning stint with AHL Rochester. The veteran has yet to play this season for Buffalo due to a neck injury but played in two games with the Americans on the conditioning stint. The team has an open roster spot so they won’t need to send someone down in order to activate the 33-year-old off of injured reserve. The team also announced they have activated defenseman Marco Scandella off of injured reserve and he is expected to play tonight. Scandella has missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury.
- The Blues have assigned winger Zach Sanford to San Antonio of the AHL, per the AHL’s Transactions Page. The 24-year-old has been relatively productive in a limited role in St. Louis with nine points in 24 games but the assignment will give him an opportunity to play considerably more than the 11:39 per night he’s averaging with the big club.
Minor Transactions: 11/19/18
Nine games grace the NHL stage tonight including some key matchups featuring some of the best teams in the league. Perhaps the best example of that is when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Nashville Predators in a battle of Stanley Cup contenders. As teams prepare for their big night, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.
- The Washington Capitals are expected to have Braden Holtby dressed once again as he returns from injury, and have sent Ilya Samsonov back down to the minor leagues. Taking his place on the roster is young defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who has played two games for the Capitals this season. Samsonov is one of the top goaltending prospects in the world, but will have to wait for his next opportunity before making his NHL debut.
- Micheal Haley is back with the Florida Panthers, as the team recalled him today along with Dryden Hunt. Denis Malgin and Maxim Mamin were reassigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds to make room. Haley, 32, spent the start of the season away from the team working with the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, but has now resumed his career and will try to inject some physicality and energy into the Panthers lineup.
- The Arizona Coyotes have returned three players to the AHL as they make room for other on the roster returning to health. CapFriendly reports that forward Mario Kempe and defensemen Dakota Mermis and Robbie Russo have all been reassigned to the Tuscon Roadrunners. Russo did not see any game action on his first recall of the season, while Mermis skated in just over eleven minutes in his one appearance and Kempe recorded a team-low 10:22 ATOI in four games. The trio don’t seem to have the trust of the coaching staff just yet and the Coyotes likely hope that they can stay healthy enough to avoid seeing any of the group for a while.