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Minor Transactions: 1/8/2016 (Updated)

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With some teams preparing for their mandatory mid-season break, GM’s are trimming their rosters, reassigning waivers-exempt players to the minors to ensure they can continue to play during the off time. Additionally, teams bank additional cap space during the hiatus by moving players off of the big league roster. We’ll monitor all of today’s roster transactions in this post and update throughout the day.

  • (Update) 5:30pm: With T.J. Oshie and Tom Wilson both dealing with injuries and unable to practice today, the Washington Capitals have recalled forward Paul Carey from Hershey of the AHL, reports Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic. Both Oshie (upper-body injury) and Wilson (lower-body injury were hurt in the team’s 1 – 0 win over Ottawa last night. Carey has already seen action in three games with Washington but has not registered a point. He currently ranks third in scoring for Hersey with 25 points.
  • The Nashville Predators have placed defenseman Petter Granberg on waivers, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie. The 24-year-old Swedish blue liner has appeared in nine games this season for the Predators but has not recorded a point and has averaged just under nine minutes a game. Granberg was originally acquired by Nashville from Toronto via waivers in November of 2015. After failing to make the team in training camp he was waived on the last day of September and after clearing the team assigned him to Milwaukee. Nashville recalled Granberg from the AHL on November 26th. It’ likely he will again clear waivers and remain in the Predators organization.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to do the backup goalie shuffle, again sending Antoine Bibeau to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and recalling Jhonas Enroth, reports James Mirtle of The Athletic. Bibeau has appeared in just two games, winning one and losing one, while putting up excellent overall numbers – 1.98 GAA and 0.927 Save %. Enroth has posted a record of 0-3-1 in four starts, with a GAA of nearly four. It’s likely the move was made so that Bibeau can stay sharp playing in the minors and he will again be recalled from the Marlies when the Leafs return to action Friday.
  • The Arizona Coyotes assigned Laurent Dauphin, Brendan Perlini and Anthony DeAngelo to Tucson of the AHL, the team announced via their Twitter account. Dauphin has tallied three points in 21 games for Arizona and is averaging 11 minutes per game filling in on the team’s bottom line. Perlini, the team’s first-round pick in 2014, made his NHL debut this season and has appeared in 15 games, scoring four goals and five points. DeAngelo, acquired via trade from Tampa Bay this past summer, has tallied three goals and nine points in 20 games in his first taste of NHL action. Again, it’s likely the assignments were made to ensure the trio continue to play during the break.

5 Key Stories: 1/2/16 – 1/8/16

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Let’s recap the five biggest stories from the week of 1/2/2016 through 1/8/2016:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets occupy the top spot in the league due in large part to their recent 16-game winning streak. The team had a chance to tie a record set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins – a team led by “Super” Mario Lemieux and the ageless Jaromir Jagr – but the Blue Jackets came up short, falling to the Washington Capitals by the score of 5 – 0. Nonetheless, it’s an incredible feat accomplished by the Blue Jackets and an announcement to the rest of the league that they are indeed a team to be taken seriously.
  • It’s been an up-and-down year in Winnipeg, but Jets rookie phenom Patrik Laine has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. The 18-year-old Finn is currently tied for third in the league in goal scoring with 21 and has already established himself as one of the league’s most exciting young stars. Unfortunately, Laine is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion in Winnipeg’s 4 – 3 loss to Buffalo on Saturday.
  • Colorado has certainly been one of the league’s biggest disappointments in 2016-17. An offseason coaching change was expected to spark a talented roster back into playoff contention but instead the Avalanche have been the worst team in the league and at this point are one of the few clubs who can safely be called “seller” in advance of the trade deadline. This of course has led to all kinds of rumors, with the most recent involving Boston. The Bruins reportedly inquired as to the availability Gabriel Landeskog with Colorado asking for rookie blue liner Brandon Carlo in return. While there appears to be no traction in trade discussions between the two teams, that could change closer to the March 1st deadline.
  • It was a busy week on the waiver wire with several players switching teams by virtue of waiver claims. Reid Boucher changed clubs twice going from Nashville to New Jersey and finally on to Vancouver all via waivers. Ty Rattie went from St. Louis to Carolina and San Jose lost Matt Nieto to Colorado.
  • Montreal winger Brendan Gallagher is slated to miss the next eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured hand. Gallagher was injured when a shot from teammate Shea Weber struck his hand during a recent game.

Jets Update Laine’s Condition

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Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice announced today that Patrik Laine did indeed suffer a concussion as a result of a hard hit delivered by Buffalo’s Jake McCabe during the third period of yesterday’s game. Maurice added that there is currently no timetable for the talented rookie winger’s return.

Laine was attempting to receive a pass in the neutral zone when McCabe stepped up and put a body on the 18-year-old Finn. According to Maurice, the two players ended up butting heads during the initial collision. Laine then hit the back of his head on the ice as he fell following the hit. After the game, Maurice said he had “no issue” with the hit.

The second overall pick in the June 2016 draft, Laine is tied for third in the league in goals scored (21) with the player chosen ahead of him, Auston Matthews. He was in the midst of a nice stretch of hockey, tallying two goals and five assists in four games prior to the injury. It’s impossible to overstate how important Laine is to the Jets and with the team struggling to find consistency, losing him for a long period would be a damaging blow to their playoff chances.

New York Hockey Notes: Tortorella, Davidson, Isles, Buchnevich

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The Columbus Blue Jackets, fresh off their 16-game winning streak, are in the unusual position of being considered among the best teams in the NHL. They currently own the league’s best record at 27-6-4 and currently rank among the top teams in several statistical categories. With the Jackets taking an early lead at home against the New York Rangers tonight, it’s perhaps interesting to note how much of an impact two former Blue Shirts have had on the fortunes of Columbus this season, argues Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post.

Former Ranger net minder and television analyst John Davidson took over as President of the Blue Jackets back in 2012 and has overseen the acquisition of much of the current roster. One of his first moves was to bring in the team’s GM, Jarmo Kekalainen, with whom Davidson worked while both were in the Blues organization. Kekalainen and his staff are responsible for drafting Alexander Wennberg and Zach Werenski, among others, and have orchestrated trades for Brandon Saad and Seth Jones.

Perhaps the biggest move Davidson and the Jackets have made was hiring head coach John Tortorella, who spent parts of five seasons behind the bench in New York and who led the Rangers to the playoffs four times and a berth in the 2012 Eastern Conference Final. Tortorella has rebuilt his reputation as one of the league’s top coaches and according to Davidson, Torts has pushed the players and adds “the players are also allowed to not only play the game hard, play the game in the way it should be played, but also have fun doing it. And Torts has done all that stuff.”

It remains to be seen just how far the Jackets will go this season. They certainly look like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender at this point and as the second youngest team in the league, they should remain one of the league’s best for the foreseeable future. Much of the credit for their success is owed to two men who used to be members of one of their Metro division rivals.

Elsewhere in New York hockey:

  • Unlike Columbus, the New York Islanders have underachieved and unless they get things turned around, they’ll be in danger of missing the playoffs. Their struggles this season may also have a negative affect on star center John Tavares’ desire to remain with the Islanders beyond the term of his current contract. Tavares has one more season left on his deal and it would be a crushing blow if he were to leave the team after the 2017-18 campaign. However, while things appear bleak today, the team does have hope for the future as Arthur Staple of Newsday writes. Even though they aren’t quite NHL-ready, Josh Ho-Sang and Michael Dal Colle are getting a thorough education playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the AHL and will soon be ready to contribute for the big club. The talented youngsters are learning what it takes to be pros from former NHL defenseman and Sound Tigers head coach Brent Thompson and while there is still work to be done their skill is undeniable.
  • Pavel Buchnevich, who was assigned to Hartford on the AHL yesterday, appeared in the Wolf Pack’s game last night and tallied a power play goal in his first game action in nearly eight weeks. More importantly for Buchnevich and the Rangers, Buchnevich reported no pain after the game, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. While the Wolf Pack return to the ice tonight but Buchnevich will not be joining them. Brooks reports that he won’t participate in back-to-back games but is expected to be in the lineup again for the third game of the weekend set, barring any complications of course.

 

Predators To Recall Frederick Gaudreau From AHL

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The Nashville Predators will apparently recall forward Frederick Gaudreau from the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, tweets Adam Vingan of The Tennessean. Gaudreau has appeared in eight games this season for Nashville, the first NHL experience for the 23-year-old native of Bromont, Quebec, and has registered a single assist in 8:43 of average ice time.

In a follow-up tweet, Vingan notes that the Predators, who were already without forwards James Neal and Viktor Arvidsson, lost Colin Wilson early in the second period of the team’s game last night. Neal leads the Preds with 14 goals while Arvidsson is second on the club in scoring with 25 points.

To help cover for the absences of Neal and Arvidsson, the team recalled center Vladislav Kamenev from Milwaukee yesterday. The Russian center made his NHL debut last night, seeing 10:21 of ice time without registering a point. Kamenev was Nashville’s second-round selection in the 2014 entry draft and is having a strong second season with Milwaukee, tallying nine goals and 24 points in 31 AHL games.

To create room on the roster for Gaudreau, the Predators have placed Neal on IR, according to a team press release.

Boedker A Healthy Scratch Tonight For Sharks

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Mikkel Boedker, San Jose’s key offseason addition, will be a healthy scratch tonight for the second time on the season, writes Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area. The 27-year-old winger will be replaced in the lineup by Tommy Wingels.

Boedker inked a four-year deal with the Sharks worth $16MM after registering a 51-point campaign last season, splitting the campaign with Arizona and Colorado. The belief at the time was that the Danish winger would benefit playing with San Jose’s talented centers as Boedker never had anyone as good as Joe Thornton or Logan Couture to play with while in Arizona. Instead, Boedker has scuffled through the first half of 2016-17, registering just two goals and six assists in 38 games despite spending roughly half of his time skating either with Thornton or Couture, according to the website Left Wing Lock.

Consistency, or the lack thereof, appears to be Boedker’s biggest issue in the opinion of his head coach, Peter DeBoer, who knows Boedker from their days together in junior hockey.

“I know this kid and I know his character. My conversation with him was, heading into Christmas, he probably played eight or 10 of the best games he’s played here. Might have been our best player six or seven of those nights. 

“He’s 40 games in, he knows our systems. He knows how we want to play. He’s been able to play that way and been effective for more than a game or two. He’s done it for a stretch. Now, it’s just consistently bringing that. 

“This is a tough division we’re in. You can’t take your foot off the gas. We’ve got tough decisions to make every night, and we’ve got good players sitting out. I think that’s the message, and he gets it. I’m sure we’ll get a good response when he’s back in.”

It’s clear that DeBoer is still willing to give Boedker another opportunity to prove himself but his patience must be wearing thin. With three years remaining on his contract after the conclusion of the 2016-17 campaign, it will be interesting to see what the Sharks will do with the skilled winger moving forward. If he fails to turn his season around the team could look to move on but trading him with that much money left on his deal won’t be easy. The Sharks could choose not to protect Boedker and hope the Vegas Golden Knights take a chance on the gifted offensive player. Expansion clubs typically struggle in the goal-scoring department and they might be willing to assume some risk in the hopes Boedker returns to his 50-point ways.

Central Division Snapshots: Iginla, Blues, Weber

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One of the few teams at this point in the season virtually assured of becoming a trade deadline seller is the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche currently have the league’s worst record and rumors have already begun to circulate that they could attempt to move major core pieces as soon as this month. Even if they stay the course with their core group, yet again, it’s likely the club will still look to deal players with expiring contracts and/or complementary veteran assets. One of those pieces is Jarome Iginla, and according to Adrian Dater, one potential suitor for the longtime NHL star could be the Chicago Blackhawks.

Chicago boasts a potent top line consisting of Artem Anisimov, Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane. That trio has combined for 42 goals and 63 assists this season. The Hawks also have Jonathan Toews, one of the league’s top all-around centers, and terrific two-way winger Marian Hossa but have struggled in recent years to find another winger to fill out the line.

In his tweet, Dater indicates Iginla could function as a “replacement” for Hossa, but since the Slovakian winger is expected to be back in the lineup tomorrow, it’s unclear how, or even if, that would impact Chicago’s rumored interest in Iginla. It’s quite possible the Hawks would view the former Flames sniper as a player in need of a change-of-scenery and one who could contribute some big goals down the stretch and into the playoffs for a team with aspirations of capturing their fourth Stanley Cup in the last eight seasons.

Iginla is in the final season of a three-year deal with an AAV of $5.33MM and would qualify as a pure rental for any team looking to deal for him. After back-to-back strong seasons of 29 and 22 goals, the 39-year-old right wing has slumped to just five through 37 games this season for Colorado. However, a move to a playoff race, particularly if allowed to play with gifted offensive players like Toews and Hossa, could help rejuvenate the 20-year veteran.

The Blackhawks would have to figure out how to fit Iginla in under the salary cap as according to Cap Friendly, the team is slated to have just under $2MM in space at the deadline. They could certainly open up more room by reassigning a young player to the minor leagues and also could try to convince Colorado to take back salary by swapping a more valuable asset to the Avalanche in a hypothetical move.

Elsewhere in the Central Division:

  • The St. Louis Blues are pushing for a renovation of the Scottrade Center and a recent proposal submitted to the city’s Board of Alderman seeks $67.5MM in taxpayer funds to help pay for it, as Mike Faulk and Koran Addo of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch write. According to the proposal, the city’s contributions would come from sales tax already generated at the venue and with a 1% sales tax on Blues tickets. The team’s Chairman, Tom Stillman, argues the arena is outdated and the renovations are necessary not only to satisfy the Blues’ needs but to ensure other events, such as NCAA basketball tournament games, remain in St. Louis: “The Scottrade Center is no longer competitive,” said Blues Chairman Tom Stillman, adding that NCAA and concert promoters have warned that they will stop coming to St. Louis without upgrades to compete with facilities in Indianapolis, Kansas City, Nashville, Tenn., and elsewhere. The team and the city also plan to petition the state for money for the renovation but governor-elect Eric Greitens has previously opposed taxpayer funding for stadiums/arenas, calling it “welfare for millionaires.” Whether Greitens’ reluctance to allocate public funds for such a project could hinder or even halt renovation is unclear. Additionally, if renovations are not completed on the arena, it’s unknown if that would prompt ownership to pursue moving the team to another market.
  • Nashville welcomed back Shea Weber for his first visit to the city as a member of the Montreal Canadiens last night. And while seeing the former team captain in a different sweater must have been bittersweet for many fans, particularly given Nashville’s struggles and P.K. Subban’s health issues, Adam Vingan of The Tennessean writes that ultimately the trade sending Weber to Montreal is one that shouldn’t be viewed with regret. Vingan argues that the reasons the trade was made last June still apply today. Simply put, Subban is younger and swifter than his counterpart and in four years, when Weber is 35 and likely well on the down-slope of his career, Subban will be 31 and likely still in his prime.

Examining Recent January Trades

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It’s been abnormally quiet on the trade front this season with completed deals primarily involving depth and/or minor league players switching teams. A combination of most clubs having limited cap space and so few far enough out of the playoff race to be considered obvious sellers has severely limited activities through roughly half of the 2016-17 schedule. It’s likely we’ll have to wait until the week of the March 1st deadline to see a thaw in trade discussions but if recent history is any indication, there is a good chance at least one trade of significance will be made in the month of January.

Here’s a brief rundown of notable transactions completed in January from the past three seasons:

  • 1/16/2016 – Pittsburgh acquired Carl Hagelin from Anaheim in exchange for David Perron and Adam Clendening. The addition of Hagelin, one of the game’s swiftest skaters, helped pave the way for Mike Sullivan to implement a speedier attack that helped lead the Penguins all the way to a Stanley Cup championship. He has another three-years on his contract with an AAV of $4MM and has established himself as a key contributor in Pittsburgh’s top-nine. Perron, meanwhile, added some offense to Anaheim’s lineup, tallying 20 points in 28 games down the stretch last year but left the team as an unrestricted free agent in the summer, inking a two-year deal with St. Louis. Clendening was essentially a throw-in and didn’t see any action with Anaheim. He too left as a free agent, joining the New York Rangers in the offseason.
  • 1/6/2016 – Nashville sent Seth Jones to Columbus for Ryan Johansen. This was a rare “hockey trade” that most considered a win-win for both teams at the time the deal was consummated. Columbus desperately needed a #1 defenseman and Jones has the potential to be just that player. Along with rookie blue liner Zach Werenski, Jones has added skill, quickness and puck-moving to the Blue Jackets back end. Johansen, meanwhile, addressed Nashville’s longstanding need for a top center and since the trade has registered 61 points in 79 contests in a Nashville sweater. To this point it’s fair to say this move has worked out just the way both parties planned it.
  • 1/14/2015 – The Minnesota Wild added goaltender Devan Dubnyk in a deal with Arizona, sending a 2015 third-round pick to the Coyotes. Dubnyk was Edmonton’s first-round pick in 2004 but had yet to win a full-time starting gig until arriving in Minnesota, where he has evolved into one of the league’s top goalies. He won 27 of 39 starts following the trade and placed third in Vezina voting after the season. So far this year Dubnyk leads the league in both Save % (0.941) and GAA (1.75) and is 19 – 7 – 3 in 29 games. Arizona, who could certainly use Dubnyk between the pipes this year, ultimately chose left wing Brendan Warren with the draft choice acquired from Minnesota. Warren is in his sophomore season at the University of Michigan and has five points in 18 games.
  • 1/22/14 – The New York Rangers dealt Michael Del Zotto to Nashville in exchange for fellow blue liner Kevin Klein. The Rangers, looking to balance their defense corps by adding another right-handed shot, got good value with Klein. The veteran defender had just begun the first year of a five-year, $14.5MM extension and for the most part he has been a good fit on the Rangers second pairing. He has struggled some this season but set or tied career highs in goals, assists and points in each of his first two full campaigns on Broadway. Del Zotto was brought to Music City for his offensive and puck-moving capabilities but didn’t perform well in Nashville, tallying just five points in 25 games as a Predator. He was not tendered a qualifying offer that summer and became a free agent, eventually signing in Philadelphia where he has been a solid producer for the Flyers the last three seasons.

 

Wednesday’s Waiver Wire Roundup

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Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston provides the latest updates on what has proven to be a busy day on the NHL’s waiver wire.

  • The Vancouver Canucks have claimed forward Reid Boucher off of waivers from New Jersey. Boucher recently returned to the Devils organization, albeit for only a short time, after they reclaimed the winger off of waivers from Nashville over the weekend. The Predators had earlier acquired the 23-year-old via waivers from New Jersey. All told, Boucher has one goal and three points in 12 appearances this season. It’s clear there is still much interest around the league in the former fourth-round draft pick and based on last season’s eight-goal, 19-point output in 39 games, it’s easy to see why. Vancouver currently ranks 23rd in the NHL in scoring and has been in the market for a scoring-line winger since this past summer. Boucher represents a low-cost, low-risk option to fill that need.
  • Ty Rattie is headed to Carolina after the Hurricanes were awarded their claim on the 23-year-old winger. Rattie was placed on waivers yesterday by St. Louis, the team that drafted the 6-foot, 195-pound forward in the second-round of the 2001 entry draft. Carolina ranks 19th in scoring this season and has just two players who have scored more than eight goals. The skilled Rattie has an excellent track record of offensive production at both the junior and minor league levels. He netted 105 goals over his final two junior campaigns in 131 games and has registered 69 goals and 137 points in 196 AHL games in the Blues organization. After appearing in just four NHL games with St. Louis this season, Rattie should be given a better opportunity in Carolina to show what he can do.
  • Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins have placed veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin on waivers this afternoon. Khudobin has struggled between the pipes in his second stint with the organization, winning just one of seven starts and posting a GAA above three. The net minder, now in his eighth NHL season, is in the first season of a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.2MM. If he clears waivers and is sent down to Providence of the AHL, Khudobin would still account for $250K against the Bruins cap. It’s possible another team in need of goaltending depth takes a chance on the 30-year-old back-up and if he is claimed the Bruins will be in need of a goalie with enough NHL playing experience to expose in next June’s expansion draft. Likewise, other club’s could have interest in Khudobin for the same reason if they don’t currently have a second goalie that meets that requirement under contract for next season. Should Khudobin be claimed or assigned to the minors after clearing waivers, the Bruins will likely recall Zane McIntyre to serve as the team’s back-up behind Tuukka Rask.
  • Joining Khudobin on waivers is four-year veteran left wing Matt Nieto. The 24-year-old has struggled to put up points this season, posting just two assists in 16 games this season for San Jose. However, Nieto scored 10 goals in each of his first two NHL campaigns and could provide another team with solid production in a bottom-six role should he be claimed. He will be a RFA next summer after earning $735K on a one-year deal and might represent a low-cost, low-risk acquisition for a club looking to add forward depth.

Metro Division Notes: Blue Jackets, Read, Hurricanes

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The Columbus Blue Jackets last night extended their remarkable winning streak to 16 games and the team undoubtedly qualifies as one of the league’s biggest surprises of the 2016-17 season. Expected to have a better chance of contending for the top pick in next June’s draft than a playoff spot, the Jackets currently have the best record in the NHL and sit at or near the top in a number of statistical categories. It’s gotten to the point where Michael Arace of The Columbus Dispatch wonders, “who are these guys?”

As Arace notes, the team is getting balanced scoring from throughout the lineup, excellent play between the pipes from Sergei Bobrovsky and have the ability to employ a stifling defense. The common refrain among Blue Jackets players, however, is hard work and a dedication to improving every day is the secret behind their success.

“The key thing is everyone works hard and for the team,” goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said. “The leaders push the key players, and (it filters down). The most important thing is we work hard for each other.”

The team’s captian, Nick Foligno, who has 33 points in 34 games, concurs.

“We have won by hard work and continuing to play to an identity,” Foligno said. “You don’t win 16 by luck. That is something the guys in here can hang their hat on, but also know it has to continue.”

“We can’t just sit on it now. That’s what I’ve seen as the big difference in here. We’re not a team that is content with that. We want to be a better team. … We know who we are and we’ve played to that for the first 30 or so games, and it has to continue for the next 40.”

Head coach John Tortorella, much-maligned and thought to be on the hot seat following a horrible showing by Team USA’s entry in the World Cup of Hockey, is proving to again be among the top coaches in the game with his deft guidance of the Blue Jackets and should garner plenty of support for the Jack Adams trophy if Columbus can parlay their outstanding start into a playoff berth.

Elsewhere in the Metro Division:

  • Not long ago, the Philadelphia Flyers found themselves in the midst of a 10-game winning streak and comfortably residing in a playoff spot in the competitive Metro Division. However, after dropping six of seven with their lone win coming via shootout, the Flyers are clearly scuffling and in need of a spark. As Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post writes, the team is hopeful that winger Matt Read, recently activated from IR, can help get the Flyers back on track. Read returned to the lineup Sunday in the team’s shootout loss to Anaheim and was held off the score sheet while skating on a line centered by Sean Couturier and with Dale Weise on the other side. Head coach Dave Hakstol liked what he saw from his reconstituted third line: “I like that group the other night,” coach Dave Hakstol added. “I thought Dale Weise played, the last two games, really well. In Anaheim he was in on forechecks. He was in and heavy on pucks. That whole line was. I thought that line was effective the other night.” As Isaac notes, the Flyers have roughly 40 games left on their 2016-17 schedule but with other team’s in the division playing well, the team needs to start stringing some wins together.
  • Ron Smith, who spent seven seasons coaching in the Carolina Hurricanes minor league system, recently passed away at the age of 72. Luke DeCock of The News & Observer details the impact Smith had not only on the Hurricanes organization, but on the development of video analysis and statistical tracking. Smith helped develop Erik Cole, Eric Staal, Mike Commodore and Craig Adams, players who would be go on to help Carolina win a Stanley Cup in 2005-06. He also tracked scoring chances for and against long before anyone had heard of possession metrics such as Corsi or Fenwick, as DeCock notes. After his coaching career ended, Smith spent another decade as a pro scout for the Hurricanes before retiring from hockey altogether.

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