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Max McCormick

Max McCormick Clears Waivers

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Saturday: As expected given the lack of upside to making a claim, McCormick has safely cleared waivers, reports Hurricanes beat writer Michael Smith. The Central Division leaders will get some cap relief in the final days of the regular season while retaining the depth forward for their playoff run.

Friday: You don’t often see players placed on waivers after the trade deadline, as roster limits are lifted and teams can carry everyone they need. In today’s cap world though, there are sometimes situations that require a team to move a player down even after the deadline has passed. That’s what has happened with the Carolina Hurricanes today, who have placed Max McCormick on waivers to create some roster flexibility.

As CapFriendly points out, the rules for waiver claims after the deadline are slightly adjusted, meaning McCormick could not play for a team that claims him. If someone did claim him, it would essentially end his season, which doesn’t benefit his new team very much. Still, there is at least a slight possibility that a team would claim McCormick simply to remove him as an option for the Hurricanes as they head into the postseason. An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, there would be no real risk other than upsetting a fellow management team.

It’s a tough spot for McCormick, 29, who has played in ten games this season for Carolina. The former Ottawa Senators forward has two goals in those appearances, spending more time on the taxi squad than on any active roster.

Carolina Hurricanes Recall Several Players

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The Carolina Hurricanes are back in action tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but as of yesterday several players still remained on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list. With that in mind, the team has made a large number of transactions, starting with the recall of Morgan Geekie, Steven Lorentz, Max McCormick, and Jake Bean from the taxi squad. The team has also recalled Sheldon Rempal directly from the AHL to the active NHL roster, while adding Drew Shore and Joey Keane to the taxi squad.

The Hurricanes were forced to postpone several games after Jordan Staal, Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, Teuvo Teravainen, and Jesper Fast all found themselves on the CPRA list. Of that group, only Staal had been removed as of yesterday.

Among the recalls, all but Lorentz have already played in the NHL, with Geekie even playing two games this season. The 24-year-old Lorentz broke out last season with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, scoring 23 goals and 46 points in 61 games. Selected 186th overall in 2015, the 6’4″ forward has worked his way up through the minor league system, first spending time in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades. If he makes his NHL debut this evening, it will be quite the climb for the former Peterborough Petes player.

The team is expected to have Lorentz skate beside Staal and Ryan Dzingel on the third line, while McCormick, Geekie and Rempal make up the fourth unit. Bean, who was one of the best offensive defensemen in the entire AHL last season, will finally get another chance at the NHL level. The 13th overall pick in 2016, Bean has been stuck behind a deep NHL defensive group and has just two games to his name with the Hurricanes.

Large Group Of Players Placed On Waivers

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With just a few days before the start of the regular season, a huge number of players have been placed on waivers. The full list includes:

Anaheim Ducks: 

Anthony Stolarz
Andy Welinski
Christian Djoos
Andrew Poturalski
Chase De Leo
Vinni Lettieri
Sam Carrick
Andrew Agozzino
David Backes

Carolina Hurricanes:

Antoine Bibeau
Steven Lorentz
Spencer Smallman
Jeremy Bracco
Gustav Forsling
Drew Shore
Max McCormick

Colorado Avalanche:

Jacob MacDonald
Dan Renouf
Kyle Burroughs
Mike Vecchione
T.J. Tynan
Miikka Salomaki
Jayson Megna
Sheldon Dries

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Nic Petan

These massive waiver placements are no different than the normal training camp cuts that would occur in late-September in a normal year. Should they clear, these players will be eligible to report to the taxi squad or AHL. There are a few names that stand out from the crowd though.

Backes, a veteran of 950 NHL games, still carries a $6MM cap hit on the final season of the five-year, $30MM contract he signed with the Boston Bruins in 2016. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports, this is not a move by the Ducks to try and rid themselves of Backes, but create some additional flexibility. At any rate, his contract basically makes him waiver-proof as no other team would want to take it on at this point in the season.

Bracco, a former top prospect that scored 79 points in 75 games for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL as recently as 2018-19, has seen his development stall and finds himself on the outside looking in for the Hurricanes once again. Djoos, once an up-and-coming defenseman in the Washington Capitals system, is now 26 and available to the whole league, should they want to take a chance.

Carolina Hurricanes Re-Sign Max McCormick

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The Carolina Hurricanes are welcoming back a valued depth forward. The team has announced a new one-year, two-way contract with veteran Max McCormick. The extension carries a $700K NHL salary and $125K AHL salary. McCormick will be an unrestricted free agent once again at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season.

McCormick, 28, initially arrived in Carolina as a free agent last summer. He did not see any NHL action this season for the first time since 2014-15, but still managed to prove his worth to the club. McCormick recorded 35 points in 56 points, placing him among the top five scoring forwards for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. With fellow top scorers Janne Kuokkanen and Julien Gauthier now gone and the Hurricanes’ affiliate relocating to Chicago, McCormick’s return provides some consistency and leadership to a team undergoing major changes.

McCormick has the ability to contribute at the NHL level as well. As a member of the Ottawa Senators, he played in 71 games over four years and chipped in ten points and 136 hits as an impact fourth liner. McCormick plays a heavier game than his stature may indicate and can hold his own on a checking line. The Hurricanes have not used a typical checking line in recent years, but should they opt to insert some grit and energy into the bottom-six, McCormick is a great option.

Pheonix Copley Headlines Three Players On Waivers

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Thursday: Copley has cleared waivers and will be assigned to the Hershey Bears of the AHL. The other two have also cleared.

Wednesday: The Washington Capitals have seemingly decided to make the switch to Ilya Samsonov as their backup goaltender. Pheonix Copley has been placed on waivers, along with New York Islanders forward Scott Eansor and Carolina Hurricanes forward Max McCormick. Eansor recently announced he would be retiring from professional hockey, meaning this placement will probably precede a mutual contract termination.

Copley,  27, was just signed to a three-year $3.3MM extension in February, though that was at least in part due to the upcoming expansion draft. The backup goaltender played in 27 games with the Capitals last season and recorded a 16-7-3 record with a .905 save percentage, but is a little too pricey for the team right now with his $1.1MM cap hit. Samsonov, who carries just a $925K cap hit on his entry-level deal, is one of the top goaltending prospects in the world and should get his first taste of NHL action this weekend.

The 22-year old Samsonov dominated the KHL for three straight seasons between 2015-18, but struggled somewhat in his first season in North America. Posting an .898 save percentage for the Hershey Bears, he showed some inconsistency even behind a strong group. Despite those disappointing stats, he still possesses all the potential in the world and could push for a starting role at some point in the future. Seeing exactly what they have will be important to the Capitals, who have starter Braden Holtby approaching unrestricted free agency and in line for a huge raise on the open market.

Training Camp Cuts: 10/01/19

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Even with the season starting tomorrow, teams still have some final cuts to make today. Rosters have to be cap compliant by the end of the day. though with so much talent on waivers there might still be some last-minute moves. We’ll keep track of those right here. Keep checking back throughout the day for updates.

Arizona Coyotes (per team release)

D Ilya Lyubushkin (to Tucson, AHL)

Buffalo Sabres (per team release)

F Remi Elie (to Rochester, AHL)
F Curtis Lazar (to Rochester, AHL)
F Scott Wilson (to Rochester, AHL)
D Casey Nelson (to Rochester, AHL)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Alan Quine (to Stockton, AHL)
F Zac Rinaldo (to Stockton, AHL)
F Dillon Dube (to Stockton, AHL)
D Andrew MacDonald (released from PTO)

Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)

F Clark Bishop (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Julien Gauthier (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Brian Gibbons (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Gustav Forsling (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Roland McKeown (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Anton Forsberg (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Max McCormick (placed on injured/non-roster)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk (placed on injured/non-roster)

Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)

G Collin Delia (to Rockford, AHL)
F Kirby Dach (placed on injured/non-roster)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

F Marko Dano (to Cleveland, AHL)
D Andrew Peeke (to Cleveland, AHL)
F Liam Foudy (placed on injured/non-roster)

Colorado Avalanche (per team release)

F Jayson Megna (to Colorado, AHL)
D Kevin Connauton (to Colorado, AHL)
D Calle Rosen (to Colorado, AHL)
D Ian Cole (placed on injured/non-roster)

Detroit Red Wings (per team release)

D Jared McIsaac (to Halifax, QMJHL)
F Chase Pearson (placed on injured/non-roster)

Edmonton Oilers (per team release)

F Sam Gagner (to Bakersfield, AHL)

Minnesota Wild (per team release)

F J.T. Brown (to Iowa, AHL)

Montreal Canadiens (per team release)

F Ryan Poehling (to Laval, AHL)

Nashville Predators (per team release)

F Miikka Salomaki (to Milwaukee, AHL)
D Steven Santini (to Milwaukee, AHL)

New Jersey Devils (per team release)

D Matt Tennyson (to Binghamton, AHL)
D Ty Smith (to Spokane, WHL)

Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)

D John Marino (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)
G Casey DeSmith (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, AHL)

Vegas Golden Knights (per team release)

F Nicolas Roy (to Chicago, AHL)
D Nicolas Hague (to Chicago, AHL)

Washington Capitals (per team release)

F Liam O’Brien (to Hershey, AHL)
F Michael Sgarbossa (to Hershey, AHL)
D Christian Djoos (to Hershey, AHL)
D Michal Kempny (placed on injured/non-roster)

Winnipeg Jets (per team release)

D Sami Niku (to Manitoba, AHL)

Max McCormick Signs With Carolina Hurricanes

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The Carolina Hurricanes have added some more forward depth, signing Max McCormick to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will carry a $700K salary at the NHL level. GM Don Waddell released a short statement:

Max is a hard-nosed forward who has shown a scoring touch and an ability to kill penalties at the AHL level. This signing adds depth to our forward group.

McCormick, 27, spent most of his professional career in the Ottawa Senators organization before a trade last year took him to Colorado. In Ottawa, he received 71 NHL opportunities over the years in which he scored ten points and registered 78 penalty minutes. The feisty winger has been more effective in the minor leagues, meaning he’ll probably end up playing with the Charlotte Checkers this season.

The Hurricanes have improved their group up front considerably since this time last year, bringing in names like Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Dzingel, Erik Haula and Brian Gibbons, meaning there might not be much opportunity for McCormick in the NHL. If you were to pick an AHL organization though, why not head to the defending Calder Cup champions. The Checkers lost their head coach and GM when Mike Vellucci left for the Penguins, but should still be a force in the AHL’s Eastern Conference.

Ottawa Senators Trade Max McCormick

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The Ottawa Senators have traded Max McCormick to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for prospect Jean-Christophe Beaudin. Beaudin will be assigned to the Belleville Senators.

McCormick, 26, was never really able to find his footing in Ottawa after signing out of Ohio State University in 2014. The sixth-round pick was known for his blend of feisty, physical hockey and offensive ability, but instead couldn’t bring the second part of that mix to the NHL. Recording just 10 points in 71 career games with Ottawa, McCormick will move on with just a few months before he becomes an unrestricted free agent once again. He had previously his Group VI free agency in 2017 and signed a two-year deal with the Senators that had guaranteed him a one-way salary of $650K this season.

Beaudin meanwhile is another lottery ticket for the Senators, given his struggles since making the jump from junior hockey. Originally selected in the third round of the 2015 draft, Beaudin was a big scoring threat in the QMJHL but has failed to bring that offense to the minor leagues. In 42 games for the Colorado Eagles this year, the 21-year old winger has 13 points.

Joel Hanley Placed On Waivers

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Tuesday: Hanley has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Monday: With several defensemen approaching a return from injury, the Dallas Stars have placed Joel Hanley on waivers. That’s according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, who also reports that Max McCormick of the Ottawa Senators has cleared. McCormick was subsequently assigned to the minor leagues.

Hanley, 27, is no more than a seventh defenseman for the Stars, playing in 15 games this season but seeing relatively little ice time. The undrafted UMass-Amherst graduate has suited up 37 times in the NHL between the Montreal Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes and Stars, while recording six points. None of those points have come since the start of the 2016-17 season, and Hanley is still looking for his first NHL goal.

With a two-way contract that brings just a $650K cap hit at the NHL level there may be some interest in Hanley, but the likely outcome is his assignment to the Texas Stars of the AHL. The veteran will serve as some help to that group while being able to come back up to Dallas at a moment’s notice. Connor Carrick, John Klingberg and Stephen Johns meanwhile will continue their recovery, and likely get into the lineup over the next few weeks. All three were present at practice this morning, though Klingberg is the only one facing an imminent return. Marc Methot, also dealing with an injury, still has no timetable for return according to Sean Shapiro of The Athletic.

Ottawa Places Max McCormick On Waivers

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With a number of players coming back from injury, the Ottawa Senators have decided to make some room on their roster as they placed winger Max McCormick on waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

McCormick didn’t get much playing time with the Senators as he has only appeared in 14 games this season. Even when he did, Senators head coach Guy Boucher wasn’t big on handing him much playing time as he averaged just 7:30 of ATOI this season. He did play in the three recent games (albeit not the previous two) and got even less time as he averaged under six minutes a game. He has one goal this season.

The forward could be a cheap option for another team, although it would seem unlikely any team would want to take a chance on him. McCormick does make just the minimum $650K and will be an unrestricted free agent after this year. He played 30 games with Ottawa last season, producing three goals and five points.

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