Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mitchell Stephens

Seattle Kraken Reassign Mitchell Stephens

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Due to a three-day break until their next regular season contest the Seattle Kraken have made a cap-related roster move. The Kraken announced they’ve reassigned forward Mitchell Stephens to their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

This transaction would only be counted as a non-paper move if Seattle expected Yanni Gourde back by the weekend which isn’t the case. Despite AHL Coachella Valley having two games between now and the Kraken’s next game, there’s no expectation Stephens will suit up for them.

Since Stephens cleared waivers earlier this month, Seattle won’t have to send him through the wire for the modest cap-savings. The move was made during the 4 Nations Face-Off break so the Kraken still have a seven-game window with Stephens before he needs to clear waivers again for reassignment.

He’s been a fine if unimpressive bottom-six center for Seattle this year. Stephen is only 10 contests away from reaching his career-high of 38 games played which came in the 2019-20 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He’s scored one goal, and two assists, and has managed a 53.6% faceoff percentage averaging 9:14 of ice time this season, albeit with a -8 rating.

Those numbers don’t jump off the page as a legitimate bottom-six option for most teams in the NHL but the cap-strapped Kraken are positioned to rely on cheaper insurance options this season. Stephens could finish the final stretch of the regular season with Seattle should the team sell off multiple forward assets leading up to the trade deadline.

Kraken’s Mitchell Stephens Clears Waivers, Victor Ostman Recalled

at CDT | by 2 Comments

2/10: Kraken forawrd Mitchell Stephens has cleared waivers, per a team report.

2/9: The Seattle Kraken announced a trio of roster moves on Sunday. Most notably, the team has placed forward Mitchell Stephens on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to the minor leagues. Stephens has appeared in Seattle’s  last 16 games. He contributed two points, six penalty minutes, and a minus-four while averaging just north of nine minutes in ice time. Seattle also reassigned defenseman Cale Fleury and goaltender Ales Stezka to the AHL, and recalled goaltender Victor Ostman from the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks.

Seattle does not play again until February 22nd, likely indicating that the moves of Stephens, Fleury, and Stezka are headed for AHL playing time during the 4-Nations Face-Off break. Ostman has been recalled to keep the team roster-compliant, and could be in store for an impromptu vacation while the team takes the next two weeks off. Ostman is playing in his rookie professional season this year, after spending the last four seasons vying for the starting role at the University of Maine. He’s performed well in his first pro games, already winning out the Mavericks’ starting role with an impressive 18-7-4 record and .905 save percentage in 29 games played. Ostman is playing in front of seasoned pro Jack LaFontaine, who has a 10-4-1 record and .904 Sv% in 16 games.

While Ostman questions what warm destination he’ll spend the next two weeks in, the Kraken will hold their breath to see if Stephens stays with the club while passing through waivers. He’s been a career depth-forward, alternating between the NHL and AHL lineups over the last six seasons. That stretch started in the 2019-20 season when Stephens made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning, then had his name etched into the Stanley Cup just a few months later. He recorded six points, 10 penalty minutes, and a minus-nine in 38 games as an NHL rookie – with all four stats still standing as career-highs. Stephens has played in 82 NHL games in parts of four seasons since then, but only managed 13 points. He’s been far more productive in the minors, totaling 92 points in 139 AHL games since the start of the 2020-21 season. Stephens will get a chance to return to his AHL productivity, should he pass through waivers unclaimed.

Kraken Activate Joey Daccord, Recall Mitchell Stephens

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Seattle Kraken have activated starting goaltender Joey Daccord off of injured reserve. Daccord has missed Seattle’s last five games with an upper-body injury sustained in the team’s December 22nd matchup against Colorado. Seattle has also recalled forward Mitchell Stephens from, and assigned goaltender Ales Stezka and defenseman Cale Fleury to, the minor leagues in corresponding moves.

Daccord has stood as one of the best goalies in the league when healthy. He’s rivaled the top of multiple star categories – ranking 14th in both save percentage (.912) and goals-against-average (2.51). Daccord also ranked 13th in wins (12) and 14th in games played (23) at the time of his injury. He’s in the midst of another strong year after setting a 19-18-11 record and .916 Sv% in 50 games last season – Daccord’s first as a full-time starter in the NHL. He ascended to the role after years if string performances in the minor leagues, collectively recording a 60-27-7 record and .918 through 98 games, and four seasons, in the AHL.

Meanwhile, Stephens will return to his role as Seattle’s depth forward with Yanni Gourde on injured reserve. Stephens has been back and forth between the NHL and AHL lineup this season, most recently being assigned to the minors in mid-December. He’s scored four points in six games since, bringing his season total up to eight points in 18 games. He’s added one assist in nine NHL games. Stephens is likely to hang in the press box for the short-term, but could fight for fourth-line minutes above Tye Kartye.

Kraken Reassign Mitchell Stephens

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Kraken returned center Mitchell Stephens to AHL Coachella Valley yesterday, according to a team announcement. He did not require waivers because he’d been on the active roster for fewer than 30 days since his Nov. 30 recall and played less than 10 games.

Stephens, 27, inked a two-year, two-way deal with the Kraken in July after reaching unrestricted free agency. The right-shot pivot cleared waivers during the preseason, setting him up for his ninth year of play in the minors. He had three goals and an assist in 11 games for Coachella Valley before Seattle announced captain Jordan Eberle would miss extended time following pelvic surgery, creating the need for a forward recall. Stephens played in nine straight contests for the Kraken, posting an assist and a -2 rating while averaging 9:45 per game and winning 55.4% of his draws.

A second-round pick of the Lightning back in 2015, Stephens is now with his fourth NHL organization. He climbed his way up the organizational ladder in Tampa and debuted with them in the 2019-20 season. He stayed in the Bay until the 2021 offseason when the Bolts traded him to the Red Wings for a sixth-round pick. Stephens spent one year in Detroit but was non-tendered after recording six assists in 27 games in 2021-22. He signed on with the Canadiens the following summer, where he spent the last two seasons before heading west to Seattle a few months back.

Stephens graded decently defensively in his recall, controlling 44.5% of shot attempts and 49.2% of expected goals at even strength despite starting the majority of his shifts in the defensive zone. If injuries strike again this season, he’ll likely be in line for another recall, but his path back to NHL minutes was muddied this week when the Kraken acquired Kaapo Kakko via trade from the Rangers.

The Kraken now have two open spots on the active roster and $4.075MM in current cap space, per PuckPedia.

West Notes: Jones, Larsen, Lomberg, Stephens

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones skated before practice today as he works his way back from a right foot injury, notes WGN Radio’s Charlie Roumeliotis (Twitter link).  The 30-year-old was originally pegged to be out around four weeks with the injury and he has missed the last three so resuming on-ice skating now suggests he’s pretty much on track in his recovery.  Jones has played in 17 games so far this season where he has 10 points while logging 25:43 per night, his highest ATOI since his first season with Chicago back in 2021-22.

More from out West:

  • The Flames announced (Twitter link) that assistant coach Brad Larsen has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team to attend to a family matter. Larsen is in his first season with Calgary after joining them as an assistant coach this past offseason following a year away from the league after being fired as head coach with Columbus after two seasons.
  • Still with the Flames, winger Ryan Lomberg did not accompany the team on its trip to Dallas and won’t be in the lineup tonight, relays Sportsnet 960’s Derek Wills (Twitter link). His absence isn’t injury-related; instead, he stayed back in Calgary to be with his wife with the birth of their child pending.  Lomberg has three assists, 22 penalty minutes, and 47 hits in 27 games this season in his second stint with the Flames after signing a two-year, $4MM contract with them back in July.
  • A day after being sent to the minors, the Kraken recalled center Mitchell Stephens per the AHL’s transactions log. The move ultimately allowed them to delay his waiver clock by one day.  The 27-year-old went into today’s action with four games played with Seattle where he had been held off the scoresheet in a little over nine minutes per game of ice time.

Snapshots: Tomasino, DeAngelo, Tracey, Stephens

at CDT | by 10 Comments

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has shared that red-hot winger Philip Tomasino will be held out of Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury. Seth Rorabaugh of Pittsburgh’s Tribune-Review Sports adds that Tomasino is out on a day-to-day basis.

Tomasino has been on fire since joining the Penguins. He’s on a four-game scoring streak, netting three goals and four points along the way. Tomasino has already lapped the one assist he managed in 11 games with Nashville to start the year – likely thanks to the near-four minutes more in average ice time he’s received in Pittsburgh, jumping from 11:18 a night with Nashville to 15:00 with Pittsburgh. Tomasino is one of seven Penguins rivaling point-per-game scoring over the last four games. That standing will earn him a quick return to the Penguins’ top-six when he’s back to full health.

Other quick notes around the league:

  • Polarizing defenseman Tony DeAngelo shared that he’s not optimistic about an NHL return with Larry Brooks of the New York Post. DeAngelo signed a contract with Russia’s SKA St. Petersburg this summer. He’s managed four goals and 24 points in his first 23 games with the club. He told Brooks that his goal is to return to the NHL, but didn’t specify what’s limiting his hopes. DeAngelo played through eight NHL seasons, mostly spent between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes. He stood as a high-scoring, but minimal-defense option for both teams. With no NHL deal in sight, DeAngelo moved to Russia over the summer and may be kept there despite scoring above a point-per-game. DeAngelo is joined on the SKA roster by former NHL players Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nikita Zaitsev, and Mikhail Grigorenko.
  • Brayden Tracey, the 29th-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, has signed a one-year contract with Jukurit of Finland’s Liiga. He’ll move over seas after starting this season with no points through four games with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Tracey has spent the bulk of the last five seasons with the Anaheim Ducks’ minor league affiliate, totaling 84 points through 188 games. He’s received just one NHL game over that tenure – recording nine minutes of ice time and no scoring in a win over Detroit in January of 2022. He was returned to the minors immediately after, and hasn’t earned a look since. Tracey will now try to prove his worth, and earn another NHL contract, with a strong year in Finland’s top league.
  • The Seattle Kraken have returned forward Mitchell Stephens to the minor leagues, per the AHL Transaction Log. Stephens slotted into Seattle’s last four games, recording six shots on net but no scoring while operating on the Kraken’s fourth line. He’ll return to a middle-six role in the AHL, where he currently has three goals and four points in 11 games. Stephens split time between the Montreal Canadiens’ NHL and AHL roster last season, recording three points in 23 NHL games and 35 points in 49 AHL games.

Kraken Recall Mitchell Stephens, Activate Vince Dunn Off LTIR

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Prior to their game tonight against San Jose, the Kraken announced (Twitter link) that forward Mitchell Stephens was recalled from AHL Coachella Valley.  Additionally, defenseman Vince Dunn has been activated off LTIR according to the NHL’s media site.

Stephens is in his first season with Seattle after signing a two-year, two-way deal with them early in free agency back in July.  The 27-year-old is a veteran of 95 career NHL appearances between Tampa Bay, Detroit, and Montreal.  Stephens got into 23 appearances with the latter last season, notching three points while winning over 55% of his faceoffs in a little over nine minutes a night of playing time.

It’s his first recall of the season and it comes following somewhat of a slow start to his season.  Stephens has three goals and an assist in 11 games so far with the Firebirds.  By comparison, he had 35 points in 49 games with AHL Laval just last season.

Meanwhile, the return of Dunn is a welcome one for the Kraken.  He has been one of the more impactful blueliners league-wide in recent years, especially on the offensive side of things after putting up 110 points in 140 games between 2022-23 and 2023-24 while logging over 23 minutes of ice time each night.  Prior to suffering an upper-body injury that kept him out for nearly six weeks, Dunn was off to a good start on that front this season as well, notching three points in his first four outings.

Dunn’s return gives Seattle now three above-average threats from the back end which will help an offense that’s near the middle of the pack in terms of goals scored.  Brandon Montour is off to a solid start in his first season with the Kraken while Ryker Evans has helped pick up the offensive slack in Dunn’s absence.  Both players enter tonight’s action with 15 points, good for a tie for third in team scoring.

While there has been no announcement from the team, the only way that Seattle could have activated Dunn and recalled Stephens was by transferring winger Jordan Eberle to LTIR.  The captain is expected to be out for at least the next three months after undergoing pelvic surgery a little more than a week ago.

Waiver Wire: 10/1/24

at CDT | by 2 Comments

28 players hit the waiver wire Tuesday, per PuckPedia. It’s a sharp increase from yesterday’s 12 names as more veterans are assigned to the minors later in camp. All of yesterday’s waived players cleared, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. Today’s waiver placements are as follows:

Anaheim Ducks

F Carson Meyer

Buffalo Sabres

F Joshua Dunne
F Mason Jobst
F Brett Murray
D Colton Poolman
D Jack Rathbone
G Felix Sandström

Calgary Flames

D Ilya Solovyov

Edmonton Oilers

G Collin Delia
D Ben Gleason
D Philip Kemp
F Lane Pederson

Los Angeles Kings

D Jacob Moverare

Minnesota Wild

F Reese Johnson

New York Rangers

F Anton Blidh
G Louis Domingue
D Casey Fitzgerald
D Brandon Scanlin

Seattle Kraken

F Brandon Biro
F Max McCormick
F Ben Meyers
D Gustav Olofsson
F Mitchell Stephens
G Ales Stezka

Vancouver Canucks

F Phillip Di Giuseppe
G Jiří Patera
F Nathan Smith
D Christian Wolanin

Minor Free Agent Signings: Pacific Division

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Pacific Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.

Anaheim Ducks

none

Calgary Flames

G Devin Cooley (two years)
F Martin Frk (one year)

Edmonton Oilers

D Connor Carrick (one year)
G Collin Delia (one year)
F James Hamblin (two years)
D Noel Hoefenmayer (one year)
F Noah Philp (one year)

Los Angeles Kings

F Glenn Gawdin (two years)
F Tyler Madden (one year)
F Jack Studnicka (one year)
D Reilly Walsh (one year)

San Jose Sharks

D Lucas Carlsson (two years, $800K cap hit)
D Jimmy Schuldt (one year)

Seattle Kraken

F Brandon Biro (one year)
D Nikolas Brouillard (one year)
D Maxime Lajoie (one year)
F Mitchell Stephens (two years)

Vancouver Canucks

G Jiří Patera (one year)
F Nathan Smith (one year)

Vegas Golden Knights

F Zach Aston-Reese (one year)

Mitchell Stephens Clears Waivers, Canadiens Send Justin Barron Down

at CDT | by 3 Comments

1/23: Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports that Stephens went unclaimed on waivers, and will now report to Laval.

1/22: The Montreal Canadiens have placed forward Mitchell Stephens on waivers and loaned defenseman Justin Barron to the AHL’s Laval Rockets. Stephens started the season in Laval, clearing waivers ahead of the season’s start. He scored 12 points in 16 AHL games before joining Montreal on December 1st. Meanwhile, Barron is slated for his first stint with Laval, after playing in 41 of Montreal’s 46 games this season. The 22-year-old defenseman has managed 12 points in that stretch, a step down from the 15 points he recorded in 39 games with Montreal last season. Barron also recorded 16 points in 25 AHL games last year.

While Stephens has already cleared waivers once this season, his depth has proven valuable throughout his eight-year professional career. Stephens was originally drafted 33rd overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, just a few picks before the Carolina Hurricanes drafted Sebastian Aho. He made his professional debut in the following year, playing five AHL games at the end of the 2015-16 season. He returned to juniors in the following season, but played his first full pro season in 2017-18, scoring 41 points in 70 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. That year’s scoring remains Stephens’ career-high, although he matched it in 68 games during Laval’s 2022-23 season. The 26-year-old forward has only played in 95 career NHL games, recording 16 points and 22 penalty minutes. He’s also recorded 219 career AHL games and 137 points.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top