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Jonas Johansson

Colorado Avalanche Re-Sign Jonas Johansson

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The Colorado Avalanche are going to keep one of their midseason acquisitions, re-signing Jonas Johansson to a one-year contract. The depth goaltender was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in March and was set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer. Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports that the two-way deal will carry an NHL salary of $750K.

Johansson, 25, has played just 21 games in the NHL to this point in his career, despite being a relatively high draft pick in 2014. Selected 61st overall, he slowly worked his way up through the Sabres minor league system, making his NHL debut in 2019-20. Unfortunately, that debut didn’t go very well, with Johansson posting an .894 save percentage in six appearances. He struggled again at the start of 2020-21 when the Sabres were desperate for competent goaltending, leading to the trade with the Avalanche.

Amazingly, things seemed to immediately turned around when put behind a more capable lineup. In Colorado, Johansson posted a .913 save percentage in eight appearances, even recording his first NHL shutout. His 5-1-1 record for the Avalanche showed he could at least be a depth option, if not a full-time backup at the NHL level next season.

At the league minimum, that can be quite a valuable asset for the Avalanche, though Johansson will have to clear waivers to report to the minor leagues. That could mean he is a target of many teams in training camp, should they go through any goaltending injuries early on.

Trade Deadline Summary: West Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the West Division.

Anaheim Ducks
Status: Seller

In – D Haydn Fleury, F Alexander Volkov, 2022 fifth-round pick (TOR)
Out – D Ben Hutton, D Jani Hakanpaa, F Antoine Morand, 2022 sixth-round pick, conditional 2023 seventh-round pick

Arizona Coyotes
Status: Neutral

In – None
Out – None

Colorado Avalanche
Status: Buyer

In – F Carl Soderberg, D Patrik Nemeth, G Devan Dubnyk, G Jonas Johansson
Out – D Greg Pateryn, F Josh Dickinson, F Ryder Rolston, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2021 fifth-round pick, 2021 sixth-round pick

Los Angeles Kings
Status: Neutral

In – F Brendan Lemieux, D Christian Wolanin, conditional 2022 third-round pick (PIT), conditional 2023 fourth-round pick (PIT)
Out – F Jeff Carter, F Michael Amadio, 2021 fourth-round pick

Minnesota Wild
Status: Buyer

In – None
Out – None

San Jose Sharks
Status: Neutral

In – F Alexander Barabanov, D Greg Pateryn, G Magnus Chrona, 2021 fourth-round pick (TOR), 2021 fifth-round pick (COL), 2022 fifth-round pick (BUF via VGK)
Out – G Devan Dubnyk, F Stefan Noesen, F Antti Suomela, D Fredrik Claesson, D Nick DeSimone, 2021 fourth-round pick

St. Louis Blues
Status: Neutral

In – None
Out – None

Vegas Golden Knights
Status: Buyer

In – F Mattias Janmark, D Nick DeSimone, 2022 fifth-round pick (CHI)
Out – 2021 second-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, 2022 fifth-round pick

Trade Deadline Summary: East Division

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The NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. A relatively slow day ended with a late burst, as many teams jumped into the mix at the last minute. How do you think your team did? Share your deadline grades in the comments for teams in the East Division.

Boston Bruins
Status: Buyer

In – F Taylor Hall, F Curtis Lazar, D Mike Reilly
Out – F Anders Bjork, 2021 second-round pick, 2022 third-round pick

Buffalo Sabres
Status: Seller

In – F Anders Bjork, 2021 second-round pick (BOS), 2021 third-round pick (FLA), 2021 third-round pick (MTL), 2021 fifth-round pick (MTL), 2021 sixth-round pick (COL)
Out – F Taylor Hall, F Eric Staal, D Brandon Montour, F Curtis Lazar, G Jonas Johansson

New Jersey Devils
Status: Seller

In – D Jonas Siegenthaler, F A.J. Greer, F Mason Jobst, 2021 first-round pick (NYI), conditional 2021 fourth-round pick (NYI), conditional 2022 fourth-round pick (EDM)
Out – F Kyle Palmieri, F Travis Zajac, D Dmitry Kulikov, 2021 third-round pick

New York Islanders
Status: Buyer

In – F Kyle Palmieri, F Travis Zajac, D Braydon Coburn
Out – F A.J. Greer, F Mason Jobst, 2021 first-round pick, conditional 2021 fourth-round pick, 2022 seventh-round pick

New York Rangers
Status: Neutral

In – 2021 fourth-round pick (LAK)
Out – F Brendan Lemieux

Philadelphia Flyers
Status: Neutral

In – 2021 fifth-round pick (VGK via WAS), 2022 seventh-round pick (STL via MTL)
Out – F Michael Raffl, D Erik Gustafsson

Pittsburgh Penguins
Status: Buyer

In – F Jeff Carter
Out – conditional 2022 third-round pick, conditional 2023 fourth-round pick

Washington Capitals
Status: Buyer

In – F Anthony Mantha, F Michael Raffl, conditional 2021 third-round pick (ARI/NJ)
Out – F Jakub Vrana, F Richard Panik, D Jonas Siegenthaler, 2021 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick, 2021 fifth-round pick

Buffalo Sabres Trade Jonas Johansson

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When Michael Houser was signed to an NHL contract yesterday, some wondered whether it meant a trade was coming for one of the other Buffalo Sabres goaltenders. That was a good prediction, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports Jonas Johansson is on his way to the Colorado Avalanche for a 2021 sixth-round pick. The deal, which was first reported by Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News yesterday when Johansson was not at practice, had a slight hold up but has now been completed.

Johansson, 25, was the 61st overall pick in 2014 and has climbed the ranks of the Buffalo organization over the last few years. In 2019-20 he posted a .921 save percentage in 22 games for the Rochester Americans, while also making his first appearance at the NHL level. Expected to challenge Carter Hutton this season for the Sabres backup role, he has struggled instead, posting an 0-5-1 record and .884 save percentage in seven appearances. John Vogl of The Athletic called him the worst goalie he’s seen in 19 seasons covering the Sabres, though obviously, the Avalanche believe he can provide some value for the team.

Perhaps that’s because for Colorado, an .884 would be a tremendous upgrade at the backup goaltending position. With Pavel Francouz injured, the team has used Hunter Miska in that role this season, where he has registered an .838 in five appearances. With their sights set on the postseason and not much proven talent behind starter Philipp Grubauer, the Avalanche have decided to add another name to the mix.

While a sixth-round pick doesn’t mean much in the long run, it could signal the start of a fire sale in Buffalo. Johansson is set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent in the summer and could be just the first of several rentals sold off as the deadline approaches. The Sabres have quite a few expiring contracts, including Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, Tobias Rieder, Riley Sheahan, Brandon Montour, Matt Irwin, Jake McCabe, Linus Ullmark and Hutton. Any number of those could be on their way out, especially if GM Kevyn Adams is happy to take draft picks in return for the lesser names.

Linus Ullmark To Miss At Least A Month

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Yesterday, Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger indicated that he was hopeful that goaltender Linus Ullmark would be in a day-to-day situation after missing their two games this weekend.  Unfortunately for him and Buffalo, that isn’t the case.  Speaking with reporters before today’s matinee including Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News (Twitter link), the best-case scenario for the netminder is that he’ll be back in a month.

Ullmark sustained the lower-body injury in the first period of Thursday’s game against New Jersey after making a stop on Nico Hischier.  Carter Hutton took his place after the period ended and is likely to play both games against the Flyers this weekend but Harrington suggests in a separate tweet that the Sabres may have to look outside the organization beyond that point.

That may be a good idea for GM Kevyn Adams.  While Ullmark has done well this season with a 2.44 GAA and a .919 SV%, Hutton’s regression has continued.  After putting up career-worsts in GAA (3.18) and SV% (.898) in 2019-20, he has failed to improve upon those this season, checking in at 3.24 and .889 respectively heading into today’s contest.  Technically still just six points out of a playoff spot, their postseason hopes aren’t entirely dashed but relying on Hutton to carry the load while trying to stay in the mix would be risky.

However, goaltending depth has been hard to come by this season as they’ve been snatched up off waivers routinely to the point where some teams are simply carrying three goalies to avoid the risk of losing their third-stringer for nothing.  That means that trading for a short-term upgrade is even going to be harder than usual.

In the meantime, Jonas Johansson has been promoted from the taxi squad and will serve as Hutton’s backup this weekend.  We’ll soon see if they’re able to bring someone else in or if they’ll indeed be filling Ullmark’s absence internally until he’s able to return.

Buffalo Sabres Loan Jonas Johansson To Germany

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After making his NHL debut this past season and putting up stellar numbers in the AHL, young Buffalo Sabres goaltender Jonas Johansson is hoping to take the next step this coming season. Given the struggles that veteran Carter Hutton experienced this year, Johansson should have the opportunity to challenge for an NHL role from the get-go. Being fully prepared for a training camp battle will be a major factor in Johnasson’s odds in the position battle, so the net minder is getting an early start to his season. The Krefeld Pinguine of Germany’s DEL have announced that they have acquired Johansson on loan from the Sabres.

The DEL has postponed its regular season start until mid-December, but the league has put together a preseason tournament for eight of their 14 teams, called the Magenta Sport Cup. Johansson’s loan covers the extent of the tournament, which begins on November 11. After that point, it is unclear if he will stay with the Krefeld or will return to Buffalo in anticipation of NHL training camp opening.

By landing Johansson, Krefeld gets a goalie who recorded a .921 save percentage and 2.28 GAA in the AHL last season, both of which were top-ten marks. While he was limited to just five AHL appearances in 2018-19, his performance was even better. Johansson, 25, stands 6’5″ and 214 lbs. and is a great positional goaltender. He will be a major asset for Krefeld, as he hopes to be in the backup role for Buffalo.

Buffalo Sabres Re-Sign Jonas Johansson

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The Buffalo Sabres have completed a bit of offseason work, signing goaltender Jonas Johansson to a one-year contract worth $700K. Johansson was a pending restricted free agent.

If you can remember all the way back to February, you’ll recall that for a little while the Sabres were without both Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark at the same time. That’s when Johansson got his first chance at the NHL level, playing in six games and actually faring relatively well. The 25-year-old goaltender posted an .894 save percentage, stopping 135 of 151 shots.

In the minor leagues, he did much better and that’s where Johansson is likely heading once again in 2020-21. A third-round pick in 2014 he could actually become a Group VI unrestricted free agent when this contract expires, but he’s doesn’t appear to be the answer just yet for the Sabres at the NHL level.

Minor Transactions: 03/06/20

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The hockey world is in mourning today after Henri Richard’s death, but the league unfortunately must march on even while grieving. As always, we’ll keep track of the minor moves right here.

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled Christian Wolanin from the minor leagues, sending Christian Jaros back to take his place. The swap gives them a different option for their trip to the west coast, which starts tomorrow with a game against the San Jose Sharks.
  • The New Jersey Devils have sent both Jesper Boqvist and Josh Jacobs back to the AHL. Boqvist, 21, has played 35 games this season but has just four goals and zero assists. He’ll need to find his game again in the minors if he ever wants to be an impact player for the Devils.
  • Jonas Johansson has been assigned to the Rochester Americans once again, leaving the Buffalo Sabres after two weeks. The big goaltender now has six games under his belt at the NHL level, with many more likely coming in the future.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned goaltender Anthony Stolarz to AHL San Diego.  He was recalled earlier this week to serve as the backup while Ryan Miller dealt with the flu but now that he has returned, Stolarz can return to his role as the starter for the Gulls.  Anaheim has also returned defenseman Simon Benoit to San Diego, per the AHL’s Transactions Page.  He was recalled for the second time this season on Wednesday but has yet to see NHL action.
  • With Cody Ceci being activated off IR, the Maple Leafs have loaned defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the AHL’s Marlies.  The 20-year-old got into 11 NHL games with Toronto, recording an assist while logging just over 10 minutes a night in ice time.

Buffalo Sabres Goaltending Down To AHL Tandem

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The Buffalo Sabres already had some issues in the net with their tandem of Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton this season. While neither has been too disappointing, neither has been a difference maker either. However, just in the last couple of weeks, that tandem has disappeared, at least temporarily. The team lost Ullmark to a leg injury and was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 29th and now Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski reports that Carter Hutton will be out for family reasons. No word on the timetable for his return.

The team already had called AHL’s Jonas Johansson when Ullmark went down and now the team has recalled Andrew Hammond to replace Hutton. That leaves the Rochester Americans’ tandem in charge of the NHL team.

Johansson is expected to start Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks. The 24-year-old has made two relief appearances for Buffalo this season, posting a 2.58 GAA and a .886 save percentage. However, he has been much more successful in Rochester. He was named to the AHL All-Star Game with a 2.19 GAA and a .925 save percentage in 20 appearances.

Hammond, no stranger to the NHL with 56 NHL appearances including several key winning streaks with both Ottawa and Colorado over the years, has not made an appearance since filling in for the Avalanche during the 2017-18 playoffs. He has a 2.57 GAA and a .905 save percentage with the Americans in 27 appearances this season.

Both will be expected to hold down the pipes for Buffalo until either Ullmark or Hutton are able to return.

Eastern Notes: Mantha, Johansson, Dobson, Paul

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The Detroit Red Wings lost Filip Zadina for two to three weeks, but the team did get a boost of good news as winger Anthony Mantha practiced with the first time since he suffered a mid-body injury on Dec. 21 against Toronto when Jake Muzzin slammed him to the ice, according to NHL.com’s Dana Wakiji. The 25-year-old was wearing an orange no-contact jersey, but it’s step in the right direction for the winger who has appeared in just 29 games this season.

“I’m feeling better,” Mantha said. “Obviously today was the first practice with the team, so it feels good mentally. Physically, I’ve been getting better over the last couple of weeks. I can’t complain.”

Mantha was playing well, posting 12 goals and 24 points in those 29 games and was looking to potentially post career highs, but now will look to help the Red Wings offense, which has struggled for most of the year.

  • In his most recent mailbag, the Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski writes that the Buffalo Sabres might be interested in taking a long look at 24-year-old prospect goaltender Jonas Johansson, who will be a restricted free agent next year and could be a candidate to replace Carter Hutton next season if he fares well, assuming they can move Hutton. Johansson has played well with the Rochester Americans this year, posting a 2.19 GAA and a .925 save percentage in 20 games. The team might also want to avoid keeping Johansson in Rochester next year, which could block the path when top goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen becomes a full-time AHL goalie.
  • When the New York Islanders lost defenseman Adam Pelech for the season due to an Achilles’ tendon injury, many thought that rookie Noah Dobson would be the recipient of the extra minutes that the team lost. Instead, Newsday’s Andrew Gross writes that head coach Barry Trotz has relied on his five veteran blueliners and continues to hold Dobson out of key moments in games. Dobson doesn’t play in the third period at all in tight games. The five veterans are forced to take extra shifts in order to replace Dobson, who refers to the situation as five and a half defenders, but doesn’t feel the extra ice time is having a negative effect on the other five defenders.
  • Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that Ottawa Senators forward Nick Paul is skating again and should be able to return at some point this week. The 24-year-old suffered a high ankle sprain on Jan. 7 against the Capitals and deemed to be out for four weeks, which is right on schedule. Paul has six goals and 13 points in 38 games this season.

 

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