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Minor Transactions: 10/6/17

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The NHL season is underway. NHL (and AHL) camps have shaken out and the final AHL signings of the off-season are filing in, as well as early season NHL adjustments. Here are some minor transactions from across the minors today:

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled defenseman Ben Harpur from their newly relocated affiliate, the Belleville Senators, the team announced. Harpur played in six regular season games for the Sens last season, but suited up for an additional nine playoff games and was given substantial ice time. However, with the off-season addition of Johnny Oduya, Harpur was pushed from the top seven on the organizational depth chart. In fact, many would say that Harpur is actually the second-to-next-man-up, behind star prospect Thomas Chabot, but in their first promotion of the season –  with Oduya dealing with a lower-body injury and captain Erik Karlsson still sidelined – Ottawa chose Harpur instead.
  • Back in Binghamton, the former home of the AHL Senators, new tenants the Devils, New Jersey’s former Albany affiliate, has made a couple notable moves of their own. The team announced today that they have brought in a pair of NHL veterans, inking forward Tim Kennedy to a one-year deal and signing defenseman Tim Erixon to a PTO. Kennedy, a 31-year-old journeyman forward who last played in the NHL in 2013-14, scored 29 points in 37 games for the divisional rival Rochester Americans in 2016-17. Erixon, a 2009 first-round pick, was one of many AHL veterans to man the blue line for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ affiliate in Wilke-Barre/Scranton last season. The 26-year-old is solid, if not unspectacular, but stands a good chance of earning a contract for the Devils, who lack minor league depth on the blue line.
  • The Stockton Heat, affiliate to the Calgary Flames, have added a pair of experienced defenseman to their own blue line, announcing the signings of Cody Goloubef and Colby Robak. Goloubef is particularly interesting as he played 33 games for the Colorado Avalanche last season and was a late camp cut by the Buffalo Sabres, performing well on a PTO. Goloubef is a major boost for Stockton, but he will certainly keep an eye out for NHL opportunities as the 2017-18 season progresses. Meanwhile, Robak has not played in the NHL since 2014-15 and hasn’t played a meaningful big league role since early in 2013-14 with the Florida Panthers. Yet, Robak continues plugging along and had a strong AHL season in 2016-17, one spent mostly with the Utica Comets but which began with the Stockton Heat. The team seemingly saw enough to bring him back.
  • The Hershey Bears signed forward Jeremy Langlois to a one-year AHL deal today, as reported by the ever-popular Washington Capitals affiliate. The hard-working forward from Tempe, Arizona is trying to get back to the NHL after a one-year deal with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16 was spent entirely in the AHL. The Quinnipiac alum was an undrafted free agent that first impressed with big numbers in the ECHL and then the AHL, with the Sharks then-affiliate in Worcester, earning him an entry-level deal and a major role on the re-located Barracuda squad two years ago. However, he was unqualified and signed with the Rockford Ice Hogs in 2016-17, where his offense steeply declined. Langlois will look for a fresh start in Hershey this season.

Atlantic Notes: Senators, Reinhart, Krug, Frk

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Although they didn’t make any deals over the past few days, Senators GM Pierre Dorion had been actively trying to bring in some forward help before the season gets underway, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.  The Sens are already down one important forward in Clarke MacArthur and are set to have a pair of rookies in Logan Brown and Alex Formenton suit up in their opener on Thursday.  Colorado’s Matt Duchene has been a target but Garrioch adds that the two sides remain nowhere close on a potential trade.  Dorion also acknowledged that they feel they have enough defensive depth, even with Erik Karlsson set to miss the beginning of the season (although he’s not expected to miss more than a handful of games as he has nearly fully recovered from offseason foot surgery).

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • While the Sabres inked Jack Eichel to a massive extension on Tuesday, the team has no plans to pursue a new deal during the season with forward Sam Reinhart, reports Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. The second overall pick from 2015 had a career-high 47 points in 2017-18 but saw his goal total drop from 23 to 17.  Buffalo has toyed with the idea of deploying Reinhart as their third line center this season and while the versatility to play down the middle is certainly an asset, playing in the bottom six won’t help his production in this, his contract year.
  • Although he has been placed on injured reserve, Bruins defenseman Torey Krug is progressing well in his recovery from a broken jaw, GM Don Sweeney told Stephen Hewitt of the Boston Herald. The team plans to have him go for further testing on Friday but the hope is that he won’t be out much longer than a week.
  • Red Wings winger Martin Frk gave serious consideration towards leaving the team to play overseas, notes Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. After being waived on multiple occasions last season, the soon-to-be 24-year-old played in just two NHL games last season (both with Carolina before rejoining Detroit via the waiver wire) but he was assured by head coach Jeff Blashill to get a long look in training camp.  The decision to stick around was a smart one as he was named to their season-opening roster on Tuesday.

Ottawa Cuts Suggest Karlsson, Brassard Ready To Play

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With three more cuts today, the Ottawa Senators have pared their roster down to 23 players and look ready to begin the season. The Senators put winger Max McCormick on waivers with the intention of sending him to Belleville of the AHL. The team also sent down defensemen Thomas Chabot and Ben Harpur. Those moves also suggest that two of their players, Erik Karlsson and Derick Brassard, might be closer to ready than many anticipated, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.

According to Garrioch, both Karlsson and Brassard both have a chance to be ready for Thursday’s season opener against the Capitals. Karlsson, coming off foot surgery this offseason, hasn’t been cleared for physical contact yet, but the most recent roster moves suggest that he must be close as he is one of the seven defensemen on the roster. Karlsson, a two-time James Norris Memorial Trophy winner which goes to the top defensive player, has been the key to the Senators’ success including their playoff run last year. The defenseman finished the year with 17 goals and 54 assists for 71 points. Brassard underwent labrum surgery in June, which required a four to five months of recovery. It’s been four, but talk is that he is also close to returning for Ottawa. The 30-year-old center had a bit of a down year, putting up 14 goals and 39 points, but had a 27-goal season the year before.

The team did cut two of their young, future defensemen in Chabot and Harpur. Chabot, the team’s first-round pick from 2015, was considered a likely candidate to make the team, but a poor performance in the team’s final preseason game, a 9-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, ended his run to make the team. He finished the game with a -5 plus/minus rating. Harpur, a fourth-round pick in 2013, has worked his way up the minor league system. He’s played 11 games for the Senators, but also contributed in nine playoff games for the team last season.

The scribe writes that on offense, the move to send McCormick down means that center Logan Brown, their 2016 first-round pick, and Alex Formenton, their second-round pick this year, both made the team.

Morning Notes: Karlsson, Sanford, Rooney

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Erik Karlsson is the key to the Ottawa Senators, and with him still nursing an injury the team may get off to a rough start. Emily Sadler of Sportsnet broke down a Pierre Dorion interview, in which the Senators’ GM talks about a hopeful October return for the team captain.

If Karlsson doesn’t get back into the lineup quickly, the Senators will have to rely on other players to step up into a bigger role. One of the possibilities is Thomas Chabot, who has impressed in camp and looks about as ready as you can be to jump into the NHL. Chabot, one of the premiere prospects in the entire league, plays a different game than Karlsson and is left-handed, but has had a positive impact almost every time he’s touched the ice. The Senators play a very structured defensive system, and if he can familiarize himself quickly he could be an elite possession player right away.

  • Zach Sanford underwent successful surgery on his shoulder yesterday, and will be out the expected five to six months. Blues fans had hoped Sanford would push for a full-time spot this season after coming over from the Washington Capitals in the Kevin Shattenkirk deal, but will be out for most of the season after dislocating his shoulder this summer. The 22-year old scored five points in 13 games down the stretch for the Blues, but will have to fight to get back into the lineup in 2018.
  • The New Jersey Devils have recalled Kevin Rooney from Binghamton, in what was essentially a paper transaction. Though Rooney was sent down yesterday, he never actually left camp and will likely suit up for the Devils tonight against the Washington Capitals. He won’t crack the opening day roster, but there is potential for Rooney to see some time with the big club at some point this season. He made his NHL debut last year, but was held scoreless through four games.

NHL Snapshots: Penguins, Karlsson, Oleksiak, Callahan

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The Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins released a statement saying they will attend an invitation from President Trump to come to the White House. No date has been announced.

The Pittsburgh Penguins respect the institution of the Office of the President, and the long tradition of championship teams visiting the White House. We attended White House ceremonies after previous championships – touring the historic building and visiting briefly with Presidents George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama – and have accepted an invitation to attend again this year.

Any agreement or disagreement with a president’s politics, policies or agenda can be expressed in other ways. However, we very much respect the rights of other individuals and groups to express themselves as they see fit.

  • NHL.com’s Chris Stevenson writes that Ottawa Senators’ star Erik Karlsson skated with his teammates Saturday for the first time since having surgery to repair torn tendons in his left foot on June 14. The star defenseman wore a light blue non-contact jersey while skating, but did not participate in drills. “It’s a positive thing, but we don’t want to get too excited. It’s a second step,” Senators coach Guy Boucher said. “It’s a positive thing, but we don’t want to get too excited. It’s a second step.” Karlsson is expected to take a couple of days off to see how his ankle responds. No timetable has been set as the Senators regular season starts on Oct. 5.
  • NHL.com’s Scott Burnside writes that the Dallas Stars are close to identifying their top-four defenseman as the team is leaning towards Marc Methot, John Klingberg, Esa Lindell and Jamie Oleksiak. The scribe writes that Oleksiak has in particular garnered praise from head coach Ken Hitchcock. “This is now 10 days of hockey for Jamie that he’s played outstanding. If he continues at this pace he looks like a guy that can help,” the coach said. “I don’t think you can win in the National Hockey League unless you can lock down your top four guys.”
  • Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith writes that Tampa Bay Ligntning’s Ryan Callahan reported a successful preseason game after playing in his first contest Saturday since Jan. 7. He ended his season after that as a nagging hip injury plagued him to the point that he decided to undergo surgery to correct the problem. The 32-year-old wing only played 8:25, but he said he felt comfortable and felt good playing his physical style 0f game. “I didn’t think about my hip or anything when I was out there,” Callahan said. “It’s a big thing for me to get the first game out of my system, blocking shots, taking some hits, giving some hits. It’s a good step.”

 

Atlantic Notes: Pastrnak, Karlsson, Brassard, Athanasiou

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While the Bruins and unsigned winger David Pastrnak remain far apart on money, Pastrnak’s agent J.P. Barry told Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald that they are both in agreement on discussing a maximum eight-year term.  Prior reports have suggested that the team is offering around $6MM per year while Pastrnak’s camp is looking for something closer to the $8.5MM that Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl signed for earlier this offseason so there is still quite a gap to bridge financially.  TSN’s Pierre LeBrun adds (Twitter link) that there were lengthy discussions between the two sides today.

More from the Atlantic:

  • There remains no timeline for Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson to resume skating as he continues his recovery from foot surgery back in June, reports Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. At the time of the procedure, the expected recovery time was four months.  As a result, his availability for the season opener a month from now against Washington is now in question.
  • Another Senators player recovering from offseason surgery is center Derick Brassard, who told Postmedia’s Ken Warren that he feels that his recovery is ahead of schedule. The 29-year-old went under the knife to repair a torn labrum on June 6th with an expected recovery time of four-to-five months.  He doesn’t expect team doctors to clear him for contact until at least the four-month mark which makes it unlikely that he’ll play in the opener on October 5th.
  • There’s “nothing new” on contract talks between the Red Wings and RFA winger Andreas Athanasiou, GM Ken Holland told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. Meanwhile, Athanasiou’s agent Darren Ferris told reporters that the KHL has “moved to more of a probability at this time”.  James notes that AK Bars Kazan in the KHL has a one-year offer worth between $2.5MM-$3MM while the Red Wings are coming in at two years at around $1.9MM.  It wouldn’t be surprising if Detroit’s PTO deal for P.A. Parenteau from earlier today came about with the uncertainty surrounding Athanasiou’s situation.

Morning Notes: Jets, Karlsson, Horvat

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet is hearing that there are incoming extensions for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice, keeping the duo in Winnipeg for the next few years. The Jets came closer to the playoffs than many remember last year, finishing ninth in the Western Conference with 87 points. With a young group of forwards led by Mark Scheifele, Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers, the Jets will be a tough contender in the battle for the playoffs once again. With Steve Mason in net, perhaps they’ll finally get the goaltending required to take the next step.

In terms of Cheveldayoff, his biggest task in the near future could once again be Jacob Trouba. After a holdout last season that leaked into November and came with a trade demand, Trouba eventually signed a two-year $6MM contract with the Jets and went on to have an excellent season in an increased role. Trouba’s complaints were mostly about playing time and future, and it seems that he’s now passed Tyler Myers on the depth chart in Winnipeg. We’ll have to wait and see if that’s enough to get Trouba to sign a long-term deal next summer, or if the young defenseman again wants out of town.

  • Erik Karlsson hasn’t resumed skating according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, and still isn’t sure if he’ll be ready for opening day. Karlsson underwent surgery on his foot and ankle in June and was given a four month timeline for recovery. Karlsson is part of the media tour for the NHL and NHLPA’s Declaration of Principals, which hope to help establish guidelines for inclusivity from minor hockey to the professional ranks. Dan Rosen of NHL.com has the entire Declaration, which apparently was the brainchild of Pat Lafontaine and Luc Robitaille after a trip to the Vatican. The announcement even included a letter from the Pope endorsing the program.
  • Bob McKenzie of TSN returned from his summer vacation to give us a bit of information on the ongoing Bo Horvat negotiations. He believes the two sides are closing in on a deal, and speculates it would be in the range of six or seven years at a salary between $5-6MM. We’ve heard that the Vancouver Canucks and Horvat have discussed everything from a bridge deal to an eight-year contract, with the latter seeming less likely. Horvat is one of several high profile free agents left to sign, but there never seemed to be much doubt that a contract would eventually be signed.

Central Notes: Subban, Josi, Ellis, Steen, Fabbri

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Proving that defense is the key to a Stanley Cup Finals run, the NHL Network released its list of top 20 defensemen in the NHL and the Nashville Predators were stocked full of them. They had the most blueliners on the list, including P.K. Subban (#6), Roman Josi (#7) and Ryan Ellis (#19).

Subban, coming off his first year with the Predators after being traded from Montreal, had a solid season even though his numbers dropped from his previous three years with the Canadiens. Subban finished with 10 goals and 30 assists for the year, but made the all-star team and proved to be a pest to every team’s top scorers.

Josi’s season was also down from previous years, but his numbers also stood out with 12 goals and 37 assists, giving him three straight years with 49 points or more. Ellis leaped into the spotlight this year as he took his game to another level this year with a career high in goals with 16. He also had 11 power play points, three game-winning goals and led the team with 137 blocked shots.

Of course, Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson was first on the list, but only a couple other teams had more than one player on the top-20 list. With the addition of Kevin Shattenkirk (#15), the New York Rangers had two defensemen on the list with Ryan McDonagh at #17. The Calgary Flames also boasted two blueliners in the top 20, Dougie Hamilton (#16) and Mark Giordano (#18).

  • In his final column, the St. Louis Post Dispatch’s Jim Rutherford writes that while the talk is that Alex Steen has regressed over the past couple of years, he believes that the 33-year-old wing has been cast in the wrong role. He believes that Steen’s 33-goal season in 2013-14 was an anomaly and he should not be considered as a 30-goal scorer. If looked at from a 20-goal scoring point of view, Steen’s numbers (33 goals in the last two seasons) make more sense.
  • Rutherford in the same piece adds that he does not believe any of the Blues top prospects, Klim Kostin, Jordan Kyrou or Tage Thompson, have much of a chance of breaking with the Blues after training camp. He said Kostin is still recovering from an injury and just moved to the U.S. a couple of months ago. Kyrou is ticketed to go back to his junior team, while Thompson struggled adjusting to the AHL.
  • Rutherford adds that Robby Fabbri is expected to be ready for training camp after tearing his ACL. He believes he will start the season off as the team’s center, but if the team is not scoring enough, he could easily see Fabbri forced to move back to the wing position.

Senators Passed Up Chance To Unload Ryan

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One of the few players who was heavily anticipated to become a Vegas Golden Knight did not – Bobby Ryan. Despite an above-average playoff performance in the Senators’ heartbreaking Conference Final run, Ryan has vastly under-performed relative to his contract. Instead of coordinating a deal to unload that contract to Vegas, they instead lost Marc Methot, perhaps the second best defenseman on the team in that Cinderella story. Methot’s contract was not perfect, to be sure, but Ryan’s deal still looms large over the team for years.

It should be noted that Ryan has been a consistent 50+ point producer prior to this season, where he tallied only 25 through 62 contests. He’s been on pace for over 50 every year since he was a rookie. That said, his fall from grace in 2016-17was concerning and dramatic. His puck control seriously declined, his decision making faltered, and his production took a nosedive. With only 12 goals, and coming off a hot post-season, the time was ripe for GM Pierre Dorion to take advantage of Vegas’ unique situation and rid himself of a bad contract. Earning $7.25 MM AAV for the next five seasons, Ryan is the 36th highest paid forward in the league, and second-highest on the payroll behind Erik Karlsson.

For those who believe such an arrangement could not have been worked out, merely look at some of the contracts Vegas did take on. The essentially retired David Clarkson’s $5.25 MM for the next 3 seasons was shipped out at the price of a first and a 2020 second. The perennially concussed Mikhail Grabovski was dealt for a similar package, which also protected some of the Islanders’ players. Vegas also didn’t shy away from taking veteran players with value – they selected James Neal (29 years old) from Nashville as well as David Perron from the Blues (29 years old). Certainly, with a little encouragement, George McPhee might have entertained the possibility of Ryan as a Knight. The price may have been steep, but Karlsson is in the prime of his career, while many players are looking for raises in the immediate future. Clearing Ryan’s albatross off the books may have gone a long way towards building toward a consistent contender.

Ultimately, Dorion decided against unloading a bloated contract in hopes that Ryan’s post-season revival was no mirage. With the UFA crop available, it’s difficult to blame the management for doubling down on the struggling winger. Five roster players will be UFA after this season, including Craig Anderson and Kyle Turris, while Mark Stone (RFA) has earned a raise. Karlsson will then be due a raise for 2019-20, as will five other forwards. The team will need to rely upon cost-effective ELC players and bargain contracts to continue holding pace with the rest of the Atlantic division. Only time will tell whether the Ryan decision was the correct one.

Draft Notes: Suzuki, Makar, Hischier, Patrick

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The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy believes that Owen Sound’s Nick Suzuki could very well be the steal of the draft. Suzuki, who has seen explosive growth in his draft stock, scored 96 points (45-51) in 65 games. Suzuki passes the standard and advanced stats test for many. Kennedy writes:

Scouts love his skill and his compete level. What’s even more intriguing is that, by advanced stats that I have seen, Suzuki was the best possession forward in the entire draft class – better than Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier by a mile.

NHL.com’s Mike Morreale writes that NHL Central Scouting tagged Suzuki as the tenth best prospect in North America, while scout Matt Ryan regards Suzuki as a “consistent prospect” who continuously improved as the season went on. Ryan also notes that had one of the “toughest schedule against the toughest competition,” and still managed to produce eye popping numbers and performances. While there are a glut of centers primed to be taken in the top ten, it would not be shocking to see Suzuki crack the top ten.

  • Could Cale Makar be the first overall pick? The Calgary Herald’s Wes Gilbertson reports that one scout who spoke to TSN’s Bob McKenzie said he would take Makar first overall if he had that pick. Gilbertson writes that the “smooth skating” defenseman won’t be waiting long in Chicago for his name to be called, and that 27 teams were interested in talking to him at the NHL scouting combine. Picks in the top ten will be heavy with defensemen and centers, and Makar appears to be one who could have his name called as early as the top three. Some scouts have even compared him to Erik Karlsson, who was the fifteenth pick overall in the 2008 NHL draft. Adding more to this theory, ESPN Insider Corey Pronman predicts that Makar will be selected by New Jersey at number one instead of  Hischier or Patrick.
  • On the topic of Hischier and Patrick, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi adds to the speculation that the Devils could very well take a defenseman at #1, which would give the Flyers the first crack at the two centers. Carchidi writes, however, that neither center cares who goes first. Both players had dinner with Flyers GM Ron Hextall in separate gatherings, and Patrick believes he is fully recovered from the injuries he fought through during the 2016-17 season. Regardless of who they pick, the Flyers will sit pretty should the Devils take a defenseman and leave two prized centermen for Philadelphia.

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