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Minor Transactions: 04/02/19

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Just a few days remain in the NHL regular season and there is still must-see television every night. This evening brings about several important games including a do-or-die matchup for the Montreal Canadiens against the best team in the NHL. Carey Price will have to try and keep the Tampa Bay Lightning off the board or the Canadiens risk falling further behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots. Meanwhile the Arizona Coyotes are in a similar must-win situation, but happen to get the Los Angeles Kings—a slightly easier matchup.

  • The Nashville Predators have assigned Zac Rinaldo to the minor leagues on a long-term injury loan. Rinaldo had been ruled out for the season earlier this year after shoulder surgery, but perhaps is healthy enough to at least participate in some minor league practices. It’s unclear if there are any expectations that he can get back into a game this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Andreas Englund from the AHL, likely a reward for his play this season. The 23-year old defenseman has six NHL games under his belt but spent this entire year in the minor leagues. Christian Wolanin has been assigned to the AHL in return, giving the Belleville Senators some more firepower as they try to lock up a playoff spot.
  • Dylan Sikura has been sent back down by the Chicago Blackhawks for much the same reason, as the Rockford IceHogs are still within striking distance in the AHL. Sikura, 23, has 30 points in 40 games for the IceHogs this season.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have sent Kiefer Sherwood and Chase De Leo back to the San Diego Gulls to help with their playoff run. The Gulls unfortunately won’t be getting Troy Terry back anytime soon because of his broken leg, but at least will get some other reinforcements.
  • The Washington Capitals have sent Jonas Siegenthaler back to the AHL for the time being, though that is likely just a cap saving measure in case they suffer another injury over the next few days. The team will be without Michael Kempny through the playoffs, making Siegenthaler their likely seventh defenseman.

Minor Transactions: 02/25/2019

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With the trade deadline upon us, roster restrictions have now been lifted so there should be an influx of recalls today.  On top of that, there should be plenty of “paper transactions” post-deadline as teams send down and then recall players in order to preserve their AHL postseason eligibility. Only players on AHL rosters at 3pm ET are eligible to play in the league’s playoffs. While all eyes are on the deadline, today is also one of, if not the, busiest day of the season for minor transactions. Try to keep up right here:

  • The Canadiens announced the recall of winger Dale Weise from Laval (AHL). He was sent down last week to accommodate the return of Paul Byron from IR but this move was expected with the 23-man roster limit now removed.  Weise played in three games with the Rocket, scoring twice.  He will likely battle for fourth line ice time down the stretch.
  • The Devils have shuffled their forward group, announcing that they have sent wingers Joey Anderson and Brett Seney to AHL Binghamton while recalling forwards Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian, and John Quenneville. Anderson has just three points in 19 NHL games this season while Seney has spent the bulk of the year in New Jersey, collecting 13 points in 50 NHL contests.  McLeod, a 2016 first-rounder, has played just once with the big club this season but sits second on Binghamton in scoring and should now get a longer look to assess his development.  Bastian has also played just once in New Jersey but leads Binghamton in goals with 17 in 56 games.  They also announced that goalie MacKenzie Blackwood has been recalled from Binghamton following the trade of Keith Kinkaid, as well as defenseman Egor Yakovlev, with Eric Gryba heading back to the AHL.
  • For the time being at least, the Senators have re-assigned defenseman Cody Goloubef, centers Logan Brown and Filip Chlapik, and winger Drake Batherson to Belleville of the AHL, per a team announcement.  The team also made forward Rudolfs Balcers and defenseman Christian Wolanin paper transactions for the inevitable reality of last-place Ottawa having an early end to their season, but Belleville continuing on to the postseason.
  • The Flyers have brought back defenseman Samuel Morin from his conditioning stint with AHL Lehigh Valley.  He has been working his way back from ACL surgery from an injury sustained in the minor league playoffs back in May and played in a pair of games with the Phantoms.  It’s likely that Morin won’t be thrown into action with Philadelphia right away but with the roster limit gone, they can have him on the active roster from here on out. The team also made defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Corban Knight paper transactions. The young Myers was the top defender for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantom prior to his recall, while Knight is an experienced AHLer who can lead a team. Their return for the postseason would be a major boost for the Phantoms.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled Matt Donovan from the AHL, placing Dan Hamhuis on injured reserve. Donovan is leading all Milwaukee Admirals defensemen in scoring with 29 points through 55 games, but hasn’t played an NHL game since 2014-15.
  • Christian Dvorak has officially been recalled from his conditioning stint with the Tucson Roadrunners, meaning he’ll be back on the ice for the Arizona Coyotes soon. The young forward has missed the entire season up to this point, but could give the Coyotes a much needed offensive boost down the stretch.
  • Matt Luff was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings today, only to be returned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign later on alongside Michael Amadio. It’s unclear if this move was intended for AHL postseason means, seeing as the Reign are in last place in the entire league and aren’t going to be heading to the postseason.
  • The Vancouver Canucks have returned goaltender Marek Mazanec and forward Zack MacEwen to the AHL’s Utica Comets, the team announced. Mazanec’s demotion is good news for the Canucks; Thatcher Demko has been cleared for action and will dress for the Canucks as the backup tonight.
  • Teddy Blueger has been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, but could be on his way back up shortly. With Tanner Pearson shipped out of town, Pittsburgh needs another forward and Blueger has been the next man up. He should get a chance at regular minutes down the stretch.
  • Collin Delia will return to the minors upon the activation of Corey Crawford, Chicago announced. Delia has performed admirably in net during Crawford’s absence and even earned a contract extension with his play, but needs the starts available in the AHL rather than sitting behind Crawford and Cam Ward.
  • With the Toronto Maple Leafs trading away Par Lindholm today, stating their desire to open up regular NHL minutes for Trevor Moore, it is no surprise that Moore was an emergency recall by the team. Moore has been the epitome of consistency through his time with the University of Denver and AHL Marlies and now hopes to bring that same dependable production to the NHL.
  • The Arizona Coyotes made a pair of paper transactions, assigning defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Conor Garland to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners – to ensure their AHL postseason eligibility – and then called them back up.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes followed suit, making forwards Saku Maenalanen and Warren Foegele paper transactions, so that they may compete with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers if need be.
  • The Dallas Stars are without Mats Zuccarello after just one game with the trade addition. To fill his roster spot for the time being, the team has recalled Denis Gurianov from AHL Texas. Gurianov has shown flashes, but inconsistency in the pros, but now Dallas needs him to be a reliable option over the next four weeks.
  • Daniel O’Regan seemed like a likely trade candidate as a young impending free agent who has not been a fit in Buffalo. The Sabres even showcased him this past week, but to no avail. The deadline has come and gone and Regan is still a Sabre, or more accurately a Rochester American after being demoted today. Tage Thompson was a paper transaction for the club.
  • Dylan Sikura was made a paper transaction by the Chicago Blackhawks, as well. While the team would like to see what he can do in the NHL over the next month, the Blackhawks are trending away from the postseason, making Sikura’s best bet at postseason play a return to the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs. The move today maintains his eligibility to do so.
  • The Colorado Avalanche made dependable depth forward Sheldon Dries a paper transaction, but the reassignments of fellow forwards A.J. Greer and Andrew Agozzino were not just formalities. The pair will head back to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, having presumably lost their roster spots to the healthy Colin Wilson and the acquisition of Derick Brassard.
  • Goaltender Harri Sateri, defenseman Filip Hronek, and forward Filip Zadina were all made paper transactions by the Detroit Red Wings. Sateri and Hronek are currently filling in as injury replacements and will likely return to the AHL for real in short time, but Detroit wants to see what top prospect Zadina can do in the NHL down the stretch. The Red Wings surely won’t be making the playoffs though, so they made sure the trio can all still experience a postseason run this year.
  • The Edmonton Oilers made veteran minor league forwards Brad Malone and Josh Currie paper transactions. The duo is currently helping out in the NHL, but with the Oilers’ playoff hopes all but dead, their major role the rest of the way will likely be as experienced leaders guiding the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors into the postseason.
  • Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin, and new addition Ryan Donato were all made paper transactions today by the Minnesota Wild. The trio is very much part of the Wild’s immediate plans this season, as well as their future, but Minnesota may not make the playoffs this year and the forwards could benefit from making a run with AHL Iowa.
  • New York Islanders defenseman Devon Toews was another paper transaction. Toews has carved out a role for himself with the club, which currently leads the Metropolitan Division, but should be be available to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers come playoff time, a return to the team at a critical time would only further his development.
  • Lukas Radil was a paper transaction for the San Jose Sharks today. The Sharks are hoping to make a deep playoff run this year, but on the off chance that doesn’t materialize, the experienced forward Radil would be of benefit to the AHL Barracuda.
  • The Vancouver Canucks currently have defensemen Ashton Sautner and Guillaume Brisebois on the roster as the team battles injuries. However, to make sure the AHL’s Utica Comets were not stripped of two of their top defenders this season, Vancouver made the pair paper transactions today.
  • The Winnipeg Jets announced that they have reassigned defenseman Tucker Poolman to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose today. The move was expected after the Jets traded for not one but two defenseman today. The move also serves to ensure Poolman can play in the AHL postseason if need be. The same goes for forward Mason Appleton, who was also sent down.
  • Peter Cehlarik and Karson Kuhlman have both been returned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, but it remains unclear if this is a paper transaction or an actual move by Boston. With the deadline passed and roster restrictions nullified, one would think that Cehlarik and Kulhman – who have both player regular minutes for the Bruins of late – would be back up. However, no such move has been made and perhaps the team simply wants to give the duo some more ice time in the minors now that their NHL roster includes several more veteran members up front.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have demoted defenseman Andy Welinski and forward Sam Steel in favor of defenseman Korbinian Holzer and goaltender Angus Redmond. The move may have something to do with AHL playoff eligibility, but more than anything it is about Redmond’s recall. The Ducks, who continue to struggle with injuries in net, will dress Redmond as their backup tonight with Ryan Miller sidelined with a lower-body injury. It is the first NHL experience for a keeper who has played almost exclusively in the ECHL as a pro.

Minor Transactions: 02/11/19

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After a busy weekend in the NHL things have slowed down to just a trio of games on the schedule for tonight. Things will kick off with a Pittsburgh-Philadelphia matchup that will be a lot more interesting than it was a few weeks ago. Always a heated rivalry, the two teams are headed in opposite directions and now sit just six points apart in the Metropolitan standings. As teams prepare for the week’s action, we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Dylan Sikura from the minor leagues, giving them an extra healthy forward while David Kampf is out. Sikura has played well in the minor leagues this season recording 30 points in 40 games, but is still waiting for his first NHL goal. The 23-year old forward was a standout at Northeastern University but has just six points in 16 games with the Blackhawks so far in his young career.
  • Patrick Brown has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes, giving the team a 13th forward as they prepare to play the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night. Brown has 18 points in 46 games for the Charlotte Checkers and last played in the NHL during the 2016-17 season.
  • Eric Robinson is on his way back up to the Columbus Blue Jackets, taking the place of Mark Letestu who has been sent back to the Cleveland Monsters. Robinson, 23, has recorded 24 points in 45 games with the Monsters but is still looking for his first NHL point. Letestu meanwhile played in just two games with the Blue Jackets during his recent recall, and failed to get on the score sheet.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have returned defenseman Anton Lindholm to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, the minor league affiliate announced. Lindholm has split his time between the two teams this season, but has only played in two games with the Avs versus 34 with the Eagles. While Lindholm would prefer to be up with the NHL squad, where he spent the entirety of last season, but the depth of the Avalanche on the blue line paired with his own meager production has limited his opportunity at the top level.

Minor Transactions: 01/05/19

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It’s the first weekend of the new year and the NHL is ready to roll out some marquee match-ups. Two cross-conference contests start the action, with matinees from the Flames and Flyers, as well as the Wild and Senators. Later, P.K. Subban and the Predators visit Shea Weber and the Canadiens, the division rival Sabres and Bruins battle it out for the final time this season, and some of the game’s biggest names clash when the Sharks host the Lightning. With nine games on the docket today and another seven tomorrow, teams are sure to be shuffling their rosters. Expect some movement today and keep track right here:

  • Recently-named AHL All-Star Jacob Middleton has been recalled by the San Jose Sharks, CapFriendly reports. The 23-year-old defenseman has shown off his well-rounded game this season with the San Jose Barracuda, with 12 points and a team-leading +15 rating in just 26 games. At 6’3″, 210 lbs., Middleton has NHL size, but over the past year or so has begun to show NHL talent as well. The 2014 seventh-round pick is exceeding expectations for San Jose, becoming yet another capable option on their deep blue line. The only question now is whether he makes his debut on this recall and, if so, how he performs under the pressure. In confirming the recall, the Sharks also announced that Justin Braun has been placed on injured reserve, which may provide Middleton the opportunity to see some action.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced, somewhat unsurprisingly, that Kasimir Kaskisuo is on his way back up today, courtesy of an emergency recall. With starter Frederik Andersen still sidelined with a groin injury and backup Garret Sparks currently in the concussion protocol, the Leafs turned to newly-acquired Michael Hutchinson to start on Thursday and will apparently ask him to do so again tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. There was optimism that Sparks could be ready to at least dress as the backup tonight, but Kaskisuo’s call-up would indicate that won’t be happening. Toronto simply has to hope that Hutchinson can manage the game well enough, as Kaskisuo’s season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies has been nightmarish (.871 SV% and 3.82 GAA) and he should be nowhere near an NHL net right now, if possible.
  • Another team to frequently swap their goalies around has done so again, as the AHL lists the St. Louis Blues as having recalled Jordan Binnington and reassigned first-year pro Evan Fitzpatrick to the San Antonio Rampage. Fitzpatrick, a 2016 second-round pick, earned his first NHL recall earlier in the week as the organization dealt with the losses of Chad Johnson (waivers) and Ville Husso (injury), but the green 20-year-old did not see any action. Following the acquisition of Jared Coreau, ironically from the same Anaheim Ducks that claimed Johnson, the Blues now have another veteran option in the AHL and apparently feel comfortable bringing Binnington back up. Binnington has enjoyed a strong season in the minors and is St. Louis’ best option behind starter Jake Allen, even if his limited NHL experience does leave a lot to be desired.
  • After clearing waivers, Chicago Blackhawks forward Andreas Martinsen is headed to the AHL, the team announced. Joining him is rookie Dylan Sikura, who has struggled to produce with Chicago so far but is enjoying a fine season with the Rockford Ice Hogs alongside brother Tyler. As for Martinsen, he is no stranger to the minor leagues; the hulking Norwegian played in 64 games with the Ice Hogs last season compared to just nine with the Blackhawks. Martinsen has registered just four points in 24 games in Chicago this season, so the ’Hawks likely won’t be rushing to call him back up.

Minor Transactions: 12/12/18

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There has already been quite a few moves this morning from teams welcoming back or saying goodbye to key players, but with the NHL heading towards the middle of the season there will be many more. As always we’re here to keep track of all the minor moves:

  • The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Dylan Sikura and Carl Dahlstrom from the minor leagues while assigning Alexandre Fortin to the Rockford IceHogs. The team also placed Artem Anisimov on injured reserve while he deals with a concussion. Sikura, a standout at Northeastern University over the last several seasons, is off to a great start in his rookie season in the AHL, scoring 18 points in 26 games.
  • Rourke Chartier is on his way back up to the San Jose Sharks, recalled today from the AHL. The 22-year old forward has played 13 games for the Sharks this season, recording his first NHL goal but failing to register another point. The fifth-round pick has found some early success in the minor leagues, but will have to continue to prove himself if he wants a full-time role in the NHL.
  • Jordan Kyrou has been assigned to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, leaving the St. Louis Blues after a short call-up. Kyrou, a top prospect in the Blues’ system, has yet to prove that he belongs at the highest level despite some prime opportunities. The young forward will continue his development in the AHL for the time being, while St. Louis gets Jaden Schwartz back into the lineup.
  • The Los Angeles Kings have moved Alec Martinez to injured reserve, while recalling Daniel Brickley from the minor leagues. Brickley signed as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota State University-Mankato last spring, has just 22 professional games under his belt so far, all but one coming at the minor league level. The 6’3″ defenseman needed an opportunity to show what he could do at the NHL level, and Martinez’ injury may just be that chance.
  • Paul Carey is on his way down to the AHL, as the Ottawa Senators announced that they have reassigned the veteran to Belleville. The free agent addition was only recalled on Sunday and did not see the ice with the Sens. Carey has only five NHL games to his credit this season, all back in October, and no points to show for it either. The two-way forward has been close to a point-per-game player for Belleville in 20 games, but Ottawa seems hesitant to give him much of an opportunity just yet.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets will take another look at veteran forward Zac Dalpe, who they have recalled from the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Dalpe has been with the club for more than two years and played in twelve games with Columbus last year, but has only one NHL appearance so far this season. Dalpe has been remarkably productive in Cleveland, with 25 points in 24 games, but has struggled to translate his production to the top level throughout his nine year career. The Blue Jackets will see if he can be more than just a body on this most recent promotion.
  • After adding Chad Johnson on waivers, the Anaheim Ducks have sent goalie Jared Coreau back to the AHL, the team announced. In exchange, they have called up rookie defenseman Josh Mahura from the San Diego Gulls. Mahura has already logged six games with the Ducks in his first pro season and could see more opportunity on this latest recall.

Western Notes: Kase, Sikura, Schmidt, Gurianov

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Good news for the Anaheim Ducks as the team learned today that barring a setback, forward Ondrej Kase is expected to make his debut on Monday, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Kase has been reportedly skating on a line with teammates Ryan Kesler and Nick Ritchie.

Many people felt that Kase might take his game to a new level this year after posting a 20-goal season a year ago. The 23-year-old, however, suffered a concussion during the team’s final preseason game and has been out since then. The former seventh-round pick has done a nice job working his way through the Ducks’ system and earning a full-time role with the team. He was rewarded over the summer with a three-year, $7.8MM ($2.6MM AAV) bridge deal. Hopefully, he can step in right away and help out a struggling team that has gone 2-7-2 in their last 11 games.

  • NBC Sports’ Charlie Roumeliotis suggests that new Chicago Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton will be keeping a close eye on his former team, the Rockford Ice Hogs as its very likely he will want to continue the team’s youth movement by bringing up several of their top players from there at some point during the season. At the top of the list would likely be winger Dylan Sikura, who is faring well there in his rookie campaign after four years at Northeastern University. Sikura has five goals and 12 points in 15 AHL games. “First of all, I care about the team, I care about the players, I care about the people who are down there,” said Colliton. “So it’s only natural for me to keep my fingers on the pulse. But we want to build as much depth as we can within this group and that includes the guys in Rockford. Because there are going to be injuries, and we want competition, that it’s not a given you’re going to play or not a given you’re going to have a certain role and that’s healthy for everyone and it’s going to push everyone to be better.”
  • The Vegas Golden Knights should get a boost in one week when suspended defenseman Nate Schmidt becomes eligible to return. The speedy defenseman has been missed by his team as they struggle through the early part of the schedule. SinBin Vegas’ Steve Carp writes that Schmidt should immediately return to the role as the team’s leader in minutes played and shutdown defender as well inject both special teams’ units with his talents. However, the team doesn’t have the luxury of easing him in as other teams might considering the team’s inability to string together wins.
  • Despite scoring his first NHL goal of his career, Dallas Stars prospect Denis Gurianov was returned back to the AHL Sunday and while the 21-year-old impressed, The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro reports that the team made the move for cap reasons. Regardless, the team believes that while Gurianov has come a long way since last season when he was scratched during multiple games in the AHL playoffs, he still hasn’t done enough to force his way into a permanent role with Dallas.

Training Camp Cuts: 9/30/18

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It’s the last day of September and the start of the regular season is mere days away. Final cuts are looming and the decisions are going to get much tougher. While the drama really lies with the waiver wire over the next few days, keep track here of all the players otherwise sent down right here:

Buffalo Sabres (via team Twitter)

F Justin Bailey (to Rochester, AHL)
F Nicholas Baptiste (to Rochester, AHL)

Carolina Hurricanes (via CapFriendly)

F Patrick Brown (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Greg McKegg (to Charlotte, AHL)

Chicago Blackhawks (per CapFriendly)

G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Dylan Sikura (to Rockford, AHL)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

G Jean-Francois Berube (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Tommy Cross (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Zac Dalpe (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Dan DeSalvo (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Nathan Gerbe (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Miles Koules (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Mark Letestu (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Ryan MacInnis (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Michael Prapavessis (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Dillon Simpson (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Sam Vigneault (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Justin Wade (to Cleveland, AHL)

Dallas Stars (via Mark Stepneski of NHL.com)

F Erik Condra (to Texas, AHL)
F Michael Mersch (to Texas, AHL)

Detroit Red Wings (per team Twitter update)

F Jussi Jokinen (released from PTO, via MLive’s Ansar Khan)
F David Pope (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
D Vili Saarijarvi (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
G Harri Sateri (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Givani Smith (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Dominic Turgeon (to Grand Rapids, AHL)
F Filip Zadina (to Grand Rapids, AHL)

Edmonton Oilers (per team Twitter update)

D Jakub Jerabek (awaiting assignment)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

G Charlie Lindgren (to Montreal, AHL)

New York Rangers (per team Twitter update)

D Brandon Crawley (to Hartford, AHL)

Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)

D Mark Friedman (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
G Carter Hart (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)
D Philippe Myers (to Lehigh Valley, AHL)

Tampa Bay Lightning (per team release)

D Erik Cerna (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Mitchell Stephens (to Syracuse, AHL)
F Alexander Volkov (to Syracuse, AHL)

Toronto Maple Leafs (per team Twitter update; Dhiren Mahiban)

D Andreas Borgman (to Toronto, AHL)
F Jeremy Bracco (to Toronto, AHL)
F Adam Brooks (to Toronto, AHL)
F Emerson Clark (to Toronto, AHL)
F Rich Clune (to Toronto, AHL)
F Pierre Engvall (to Toronto, AHL)
F Colin Greening (to Toronto, AHL)
F Carl Grundstrom (to Toronto, AHL)
D Timothy Liljegren (to Toronto, AHL)
F Mason Marchment (to Toronto, AHL)
F Trevor Moore (to Toronto, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Toronto, AHL)
F Dmytro Timashov (to Toronto, AHL)
D Sean Durzi (from Toronto, AHL to Owen Sound, OHL)
D Mac Hollowell (from Toronto, AHL to Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)

Washington Capitals (via The Athletic’s Chris Kuk)

F Riley Barber (to Hershey, AHL)
F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)

Poll: Who Will Win The Calder Trophy In 2018-19?

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The Athletic’s NHL Draft and prospects guru Scott Wheeler has released the first definitive list of candidates for the Calder Trophy in 2018-19, and the order may surprise some people. Admittedly, the list is in the context of fantasy hockey, but Wheeler’s rankings are true to how he thinks Calder voting will unfold if each rookie hits their stat projections. As such, it’s not this year’s first overall pick, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, at the top of the list, but presumptive top-six center for the Vancouver Canucks, Elias Pettersson. Pettersson will be put in a much better position to rack up points than will Dahlin, the next-best candidate, as potentially one of the three best scoring forwards for the Canucks and traditionally productive forwards have a better shot at the Calder than (relatively) equally productive defensemen.

Coming in at number three is Boston Bruins forward Ryan Donato, who led both the NCAA and Olympics in goals last season and will look to win a top-six role for Boston and continue to find the back of the net at an alarming rate. Playing alongside either Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk is an easy way for Donato to quickly become an elite scorer at the NHL level. The fourth-ranked candidate is second overall pick Andrei Svechnikov of the Carolina Hurricanes, who – like Pettersson – will be given an immense amount of responsibility right away as a top-six winger who is arguably already one of the three most skilled forwards on the team. However, Svechnikov is one of three Hurricanes rookies on Wheeler’s list, which could take away from his case. Rounding out the top five is Dahlin’s fellow rookie in Buffalo, center Casey Mittelstadt, who scored at nearly a point-per-game pace in the college ranks and in a brief stint with the Sabres to end the year. Mittelstadt should face favorable match-ups this season with the lines anchored by Jack Eichel and Patrik Berglund drawing considerable attention from the opposition.

Wheeler’s top twenty Calder Trophy candidates are as follows:

  1. C Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
  2. D Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres
  3. RW Ryan Donato, Boston Bruins
  4. RW Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
  5. C Casey Mittelstadt, Buffalo Sabres
  6. RW Filip Zadina, Detroit Red Wings
  7. C Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes
  8. C Henrik Borgstrom, Florida Panthers
  9. C Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes
  10. D Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
  11. RW Dylan Sikura, Chicago Blackhawks
  12. RW Eeli Tolvanen, Nashville Predators
  13. C Filip Chytil, New York Rangers
  14. LW Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
  15. LW Valentin Zykov, Carolina Hurricanes
  16. RW Kailer Yamamoto, Edmonton Oilers
  17. C Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
  18. LW Kristian Vesalainen, Winnipeg Jets
  19. C Sam Steel, Anaheim Ducks
  20. RW Vitaly Abramov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Honorable Mentions: C Vladislav Kamenev, Colorado Avalanche; LW Jordan Greenway, Minnesota Wild; C Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues; LW Andreas Johnsson, Toronto Maple Leafs; C Michael Rasmussen, Detroit Red Wings; C Lias Andersson, New York Rangers; D Sami Niku, Winnipeg Jets; D Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers; RW Daniel Sprong, Pittsburgh Penguins

What do you think? Who will be the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and take home the Calder Trophy at the end of the season? The favorite? The first overall pick? Another top candidate? Or a name not even mentioned here?

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Chicago Blackhawks

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Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2018-19 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Chicago Blackhawks

Current Cap Hit: $74,008,045 (under the $79.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Nick Schmaltz (one year, $925K)
F Dylan Sikura (one year, $925K)
F Dominik Kahun (two years, $925K)
F David Kampf (one year, $925K)
F Victor Ejdsell (one year, $834K)
F Alex DeBrincat (two years, $778K)

Potential Bonuses:

Kahun: $2.85MM
Sikura: $925K
Schmaltz: $850K
DeBrincat: $133K

Total: $4,76MM

The team has a number of quality youngsters who will eventually cost them a good deal of money. However, the team has high expectations for Schmaltz, who had a breakout season and was one of the few bright spots in Chicago during a dismal season. Schmaltz, in his second year, scored 21 goals and added 52 points and is expected to be the team’s No. 2 center for a number of years in the future. The only key issue that Schmaltz continues to work on is his struggles in the face-off circle as he had just a 40.1 percent faceoff winning percentage last year, which is horrible.

The team’s other major bright spot was the play of DeBrincat. The 20-year-old made the team and then tallied 28 goals in his rookie campaign and looks to be another solid scorer for Chicago to work with in the top-six. The team hopes for a similar season from Sikura, who the team signed out of Northeastern University, where he posted 58 goals over four seasons there. The 23-year-old winger looks to have a solid chance of joining DeBrincat in the top six this season.

Two other interesting names, who could make an impact with the team are Ejdsell and Kahun. Ejdsell, who the team acquired in the Ryan Hartman trade at the deadline, has an opportunity to beat out Sikura for a top-six spot if he has a good training camp, while Kahun, signed to a two-year deal out of Germany, is another candidate to make the team and contribute immediately.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

G Cam Ward ($3MM, UFA)
F Marcus Kruger ($2.78MM, UFA)
D Jan Rutta ($2.3MM, UFA)
F Chris Kunitz ($1MM, UFA)
F Jordan Schroeder ($650K, UFA)
F Tyler Sikura ($650K, UFA)

While the Blackhawks offseason was relatively quiet, the team did make a splash in the goaltending market after the team went for much of the season last year without their starting goaltender. Because of their lack of depth, the team added Ward to help fill the backup role, who could also take over starting duties if needed. The 35-year-old Ward played 43 games for Carolina a year ago and posted a .906 save percentage along with two shutouts. While those numbers aren’t great, they are better than the goalies they carried a season ago.

The team also brought in some grit, bringing back Kruger as well as signing 38-year-old Kunitz. Both should fill significant roles in the bottom-six and hopefully boost the production of those lines. Kruger struggled since leaving Chicago. He posted just one goal and five assists in 48 games last season and was demoted to the AHL for 19 games. However, in the offseason, Kruger admitted he played the entire season with a hernia, which is what affected his play. Now, fully healthy, Kruger might be able to bounce back. Both are solid one-year options.

The 28-year-old Rutta showed some solid signs of progress in his rookie campaign. He averaged 19:15 of ATOI, scoring six goals and 20 points, as well as having a (minus) one plus/minus ratio. Another season could boost his production as a top-four defenseman.

Two Years Remaining

G Corey Crawford ($6MM, UFA)
D Brandon Manning ($2.25MM, UFA)
D Erik Gustafsson ($1.2MM, UFA)
F John Hayden ($750K, RFA)

The Blackhawks success will likely fall on Crawford, who missed most of the season last year with concussion-like symptoms and the 33-year-old netminder has already indicated that he likely won’t be ready for training camp and could miss part of the season next year.

With those issues, there isn’t necessarily a guarantee that he will bounce back and put up similar numbers from his 2015-16 season when he put up a .919 save percentage in 55 games. His numbers were actually even better in the 2017-18 season before he was injured, posting a .929 save percentage to go with two shutouts in 28 games.

Chicago will rely on Gustafsson and Murphy to help man their defense. Both will need to improve quite a bit to improve their weakened defense. Gustafsson showed some promise after being recalled late in the season from Rockford of the AHL and he posted 16 points in 35 games. The defensive-minded Murphy, who came over in the Niklas Hjalmarsson trade was solid, if not unspectacular on defense. Both will be needed if the team wants to return to the playoffs next year.Read more

Rosters Announced For Rookie Showcase, All-American Prospect Game

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The NHLPA hosts a Rookie Showcase every season for the players recognized as the most likely to make an impact at the NHL level in the near future. Some of these names have already played a few games in the league, but many are still waiting for their first opportunity to suit up as professionals. This group is not a ranking of the top prospects in the league and is missing several names that would be included in such a list. Still, it gives a glimpse at the next generation of NHL stars.

The game will be held on August 26th at Mastercard Center in Toronto, and is used mostly as a marketing tool for some of the league’s young stars. The full roster is as follows:

G Carter Hart (PHI)
G Ilya Samsonov (WSH)

D Evan Bouchard (EDM)
D Daniel Brickley (LAK)
D Travis Dermott (TOR)
D Miro Heiskanen (DAL)
D Timothy Liljegren (TOR)
D Juuso Valimaki (CGY)

F Vitaly Abramov (CBJ)
F Rasmus Asplund (BUF)
F Rudolf Balcers (SJS)
F Drake Batherson (OTT)
F Kieffer Bellows (NYI)
F Henrik Borgstrom (FLA)
F Ryan Donato (BOS)
F Dillon Dube (CGY)
F Adam Gaudette (VAN)
F Jordan Greenway (MIN)
F Jordan Kyrou (STL)
F Casey Mittelstadt (BUF)
F Michael Rasmussen (DET)
F Dylan Sikura (CHI)
F Nick Suzuki (VGK)
F Robert Thomas (STL)
F Gabriel Vilardi (LAK)
F Filip Zadina (DET)

In a different event, the seventh USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game will be held on September 19th at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. 42 US-born players that are eligible for the 2019 NHL Entry Draft will face off, with star center Jack Hughes leading the way. The group this year includes an incredible amount of talent though, and likely will include several future first-round picks. The full roster is below:

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