Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Ryan Hartman

Josh Archibald To Receive Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The league’s Department of Player Safety has been awfully busy this season, and have more work to do today. Arizona Coyotes forward Josh Archibald will have a hearing about his illegal check to the head last night of Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman. Archibald was penalized on the play, in which it appeared as though he hit Hartman’s head directly.

The two-minute penalty that Archibald received was actually his first of the season, and though he’s not a player that shies away from contact he certainly isn’t a headhunter either. The 5’10” 176-lbs winger is just fighting to stay in the league after he was traded to Arizona last season and was given his first opportunity to suit up on a regular basis. In nine games this season he has zero points, and has posted very poor possession numbers.

That makes any suspension easier to take for the Coyotes, but tough for a player who has a tenuous grasp on the NHL. The 26-year old is in the second season of a two-year contract that carries a cap hit of $700K, and will be looking for a qualifying offer this summer as he becomes a restricted free agent for the final time—that is, if he gets into another 18 games and becomes ineligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency.

Ryan Hartman Re-Signs With Nashville Predators

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Nashville Predators will have Ryan Hartman back next season for a relative discount, after the team announced a new one-year contract worth $875K for the restricted free agent. Hartman is coming off his entry-level contract but won’t get much of a raise despite consecutive seasons with 31 points.

Hartman, 23, was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the deadline for a package that included a first-round pick and talented prospect Victor Ejdsell. Nashville clearly believed that Hartman could be a key piece up front going forward for them, given his blend of physicality and skill. He scored 19 goals for the Blackhawks during the 2016-17 season and though that number dropped to just 11 last season his presence was still felt in the Predators lineup. In nine playoff games he recorded three points including a game-winning goal against the Colorado Avalanche.

Going forward, Hartman should be able to negotiate a bigger contract. Though he’ll be part of an extremely deep forward group in Nashville, there’s good reason to believe he can break that 31-point mark this season and represent one of the best bargains in the league. Making less than $1MM is usually reserved for fringe NHL players or veterans holding on to the end of their careers, not full-time roster players with enough upside to garner big trade packages at the deadline. The Predators are actually heading into the season with plenty of cap space given the relatively inexpensive restricted free agents that remain unsigned. The team could still make a big move this summer to bring in some more salary, but will have to be careful not to limit their ability to retain Ryan Ellis going forward. The defenseman is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in 2019 and could receive a huge extension at any time.

This is the epitome of a “prove it” contract for Hartman, who only scored six points down the stretch for the Predators following the trade. Though he is effective in more ways than just offense, it will look like a big miss on the part of GM David Poile if he can’t generate the kind of offense he did in Chicago. If a career-high mark is coming this season he’ll certainly set himself up to negotiate a long-term contract next summer, especially given that he will be arbitration eligible for the first time. Hartman is putting most of the risk on his shoulders though, as any struggles could limit his earning potential going forward. For both sides, offensive production and on-ice success is the goal of any contract, but especially so in such an inexpensive short-term deal.

Ryan Hartman Suspended One Game For Illegal Check

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The decision is in, and the fourth suspension of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been handed out. Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman has received a one-game suspension for his illegal check to the head of Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg. As the accompanying video from the Department of Player Safety explains:

It is important to note that Soderberg does not materially change the position of his head just prior to, or simultaneously with contact in a way that contributes to the head being the main point of contact. If Hartman wishes to deliver this hit, he must hit squarely through Soderberg’s core with a full body check.

Instead, Hartman takes a poor angle of approach that picks Soderberg’s head and makes it a main point of contact, and delivers the hit with substantial force.

Hartman has not previously been suspended in the NHL, only fined earlier this season for a slashing incident. He will now have to sit out Game 5 as the Predators look to eliminate the Avalanche from their first-round matchup.

Adding Hartman’s suspension to ones already given out to Drew Doughty, Nazem Kadri and Josh Morrissey this postseason, the league has already easily exceeded the two playoff games served last year by suspended players. Nick Ritchie was forced to sit out Game 1 of the Anaheim Ducks first-round series after being suspended in the second last game of the season, and Matt Calvert earned a one-game ban in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ series for cross-checking.

Like with Morrissey, Hartman could miss out on clinching the series for the Predators as they currently sit up three games to one over the Avalanche. If Colorado can win and stay alive, Hartman is eligible to return for Game 6, though his future actions will be looked at with even more scrutiny.

Ryan Hartman To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The playoffs have so far been quite the busy period for the Department of Player Safety, already handing out suspensions to Drew Doughty, Nazem Kadri and Josh Morrissey. Today, they’ll have a hearing with Ryan Hartman of the Nashville Predators to determine whether his hit on Colorado’s Carl Soderberg last night requires any supplementary discipline.

Hartman collided with Soderberg midway through the third period, and was given a two-minute charging penalty. The hit came after Soderberg had passed the puck and seemed to have significant contact with the head. It was actually Hartman’s third penalty of the game, and now he might face even more discipline from the league offices.

Nikita Kucherov, who was also involved in an incident last night, will not receive a hearing after his hit on Sami Vatanen last night. The league, according to Darren Dreger of TSN, decided that the head was not the main point of contact and will not review it further.

Minor Transactions: 3/25/18

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

There have already been a couple early moves today as the league prepares for the second-to-last week of the regular season. Expect more to come as injuries and college additions continue to shift roster makeup. Others will be made to specifically prepare for key match-ups, such as major playoff position battles today between the Penguins and Flyers and Predators and Jets. Keep track of all the action here:

  • The Ottawa Senators have recalled forward Ben Sexton from their AHL affiliate in Belleville, marking the first big-league call-up for the 26-year-old. Sexton was a leader and top scorer as a college player at Clarkson University from 2010 to 2014, but the Boston Bruins, who had drafted him in the seventh round in 2009, moved on after just two disappointing minor league campaigns. Ever since, Sexton has been much more productive in the AHL and has finally earned his first NHL shot in his first season with the Senators after posting 10 goals and 21 points in 28 games so far in 2017-18.
  • Victor Ejdsell is also making his first trip to the NHL, not long after making his North American pro debut. The Chicago Blackhawks have announced Ejdsell’s promotion this morning and the 22-year-old Swedish forward could be in the lineup in short order, seeing as it was an emergency recall. Ejdsell was acquired by Chicago in the Ryan Hartman trade last month and only joined the AHL’s Rockford Ice Hogs last week. Ejdsell recorded 34 points in 50 games in the Swedish Hockey League this season before making the jump and notched an assist in his first AHL game.
  • With backup Al Montoya suffering through a minor ailment, the Edmonton Oilers announced they are recalling Laurent Brossoit on an emergency basis. The 25-year-old goaltender and one-time back-up this year has struggled in the NHL, posting a 3.22 GAA and a .886 save percentage in 13 games this year. He’s fared slightly better with the Bakersfield Condors with a 2.72 and a .912 save percentage in 22 games. The Oilers also announced they have sent forward Brad Malone to Bakersfield. Malone had been recalled Friday, but did not play Saturday.
  • The St. Louis Blues’ Samuel Blais has been up and down quite a bit in the past couple of days. The 21-year-old winger was called up Friday on an emergency basis and sent back down that night. He was recalled Saturday on an emergency basis and was assigned back to the San Antonio Rampage this morning, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He did not play in either Friday’s or Saturday’s games. The Blues have also assigned emergency fill-in Ville Husso to the San Antonio Rampage, according to NHL.com’s Lou Korac. The move suggests that Blues backup Carter Hutton, who has been out with a neck injury since Mar. 3, is ready to return to the team.

Trade Deadline Recap: Western Conference

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After a month of lead up, a sprinkling of trades over the last week or so, and a wild deadline day today, NHL teams are done with transactions for the 2017-18 NHL season. Here are the deals that improved contenders in the Western Conference:

Deadline Day

Winnipeg Jets receive:
F Paul Stastny

St. Louis Blues receive:
F Erik Foley
2018 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
F Tomas Tatar

Detroit Red Wings receive:
2018 first-round pick
2019 second-round pick
2021 third-round pick

 

Nashville Predators receive:
F Ryan Hartman
2018 fifth-round pick

Chicago Blackhawks receive:
F Victor Ejdsell
2018 first-round pick
2018 fourth-round pick

 

San Jose Sharks receive:
F Evander Kane

Buffalo Sabres receive:
F Danny O’Regan
Conditional 2019 first-round pick
Conditional 2020 fourth-round pick

 

Anaheim Ducks receive:
F Jason Chimera

New York Islanders receive:
F Chris Wagner

 

Vegas Golden Knights receive:
D Philip Holm

Vancouver Canucks receive:
F Brendan Leipsic

 

Winnipeg Jets receive:
D Joe Morrow

Montreal Canadiens receive:
2018 fourth-round pick

 

Calgary Flames receive:
F Nick Shore

Ottawa Senators receive:
2019 seventh-round pick

Read more

Ryan Hartman Traded To Nashville Predators

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Nashville Predators have indeed acquired Ryan Hartman from the Chicago Blackhawks, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The Blackhawks will receive a 2018 first-round pick, a 2018 fourth-round pick and prospect Victor Ejdsell. Nashville will also receive a 2018 fifth-round pick along with Hartman.

Ryan HartmanHartman got off to a flying start to his season, collecting six points in his first two games.  However, he has tailed off offensively since then, tallying just 19 since then in 55 contests.  On the season, he has eight goals and 17 assists while averaging 12:48 of ice time per game.

The gritty winger was Chicago’s first-round pick (30th overall) back in 2013 and is in his second full season in the NHL.  He has spent some time at center this year and while the Predators are well-stocked at that position, that type of versatility was certainly attractive to them.

Hartman carries a cap hit of just $863K this season and does not have any bonuses in his entry-level contract.  He will be a restricted free agent in July but will not have arbitration eligibility.

In terms of a return for Chicago, the Blackhawks will be happy with the package received. Though Nashville’s first pick will come late in the round, it’s still a strong asset to play with and help accelerate the Chicago re-tool. It gives the Blackhawks another shot to select a top prospect, or another piece to use in an offseason trade.

Ejdsell though could be the most interesting piece in the deal. After spending quite a bit of time wooing him last summer, the Predators signed the big winger to an entry-level contract but allowed him to stay in Sweden for another year. He made them look like geniuses, as he jumped to the SHL and has recorded 30 points in 47 games. The 6’4″ winger is a strong goal-scoring threat that can contribute in several different ways in the offensive zone, and could jump right to the NHL level next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Early Notes: Columbus, Hartman, Vermette

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets added Mark Letestu yesterday for their playoff run, but had checked in on several other options before making the deal. Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Blue Jackets offered a third-round pick for Artem Anisimov, hoping the Blackhawks would also retain some salary.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet also believes that the Blue Jackets asked about Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka of the St. Louis Blues, but obviously didn’t make a deal. Letestu ended up only costing Columbus a fourth-round pick, which certainly doesn’t take them out of the running today for an additional upgrade.

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that the Chicago Blackhawks are looking for a first-round pick plus another asset for Ryan Hartman, a big ask for a young player with just eight goals this season. Hartman, 23, is a versatile player that could draw interest from many teams, and is a restricted free agent this summer. That could be part of why the Blackhawks are considering moving the forward, as like most years they’ll have some tough decisions to make on their young free agents due to their ongoing cap crunch.
  • Antoine Vermette was held out of the lineup last night for the Anaheim Ducks, and John Shannon of Sportsnet reports on his eight-team approved trade list. Shannon explains that only two of those teams are currently in playoff spots, which could drastically limit any return should the Ducks decide to move him. Vermette is affordable and playoff-tested, but ultimately holds a lot of power in deciding whether he’ll be traded today.

Winnipeg Jets Talking To Several Teams

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Winnipeg Jets are one of the best teams in the league this season, and just got Mark Scheifele back to add to their impressive attack. Now, they might be looking to get even better. Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the Jets are talking to several teams, and mentions Rick Nash, Mike Hoffman, Patrick Maroon, Mark Letestu and Ryan Hartman among those the team has looked into.

That list of players includes both rentals and those with years remaining on their contracts, meaning the Jets could be open to acquiring just about anyone available around the league. The team has plenty of cap space both this season and next, and look like legitimate contenders already.

The team also has several promising young prospects coming through the system, and could pull from that group in order to land some NHL talent right away. Players like Nash and Hoffman will come with hefty price tags, making an acquisition of their level something new for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. In his tenure with the team, they’ve never really been buyers at the deadline, with sending Andrew Ladd back to Chicago and the Tyler Myers–Evander Kane swap his biggest two in-season moves.

Central Notes: Poolman, Hartman, Anisimov, Pickard

at CDT | by 1 Comment

While the expectation was that Jets defensive prospect Tucker Poolman would sign with Winnipeg and get into a game before the end of the season, that has gone out the window as a result of a shoulder injury.  Accordingly, Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun wonders if that may ultimately have an impact on whether or not he decides to test free agency this summer now.

Poolman, Winnipeg’s fifth round pick (127th overall) in 2013, recently completed his third season with North Dakota, picking up a career high 30 points in 38 games.  The Jets could have dangled the ability to burn the first year of his contract now to help entice the 23 year old to sign but now that he can’t start his entry level deal until 2017-18, it may make more sense for him to opt to test the market.

If Poolman does opt to wait to sign, he won’t become an unrestricted free agent until August 16th as the Jets will hold his rights through the 15th.  He’s eligible to become a UFA as a result of it being four years since he was initially drafted.

Elsewhere in the Central:

  • Blackhawks rookie winger Ryan Hartman will be a healthy scratch against the Lightning tonight, notes Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. The decision comes as a result of the youngster taking too many penalties with the last straw being a double minor (which included an unsportsmanlike conduct call) against the Panthers on Saturday.  Hartman has 18 goals and 11 assists in 70 games this year and the belief at this point is that he should be back in the lineup later this week.
  • Also from Lazerus, Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville anticipates to have injured center Artem Anismov back in time for the playoffs. The Russian forward suffered a leg injury back on March 14th against the Canadiens and was expected to miss a minimum of three-to-four weeks.  In the meantime, the ‘Hawks continue to experiment with finding the right replacement for Anisimov; tonight, rookie Tanner Kero will get a chance to center the second line with Artemi Panarin and Patrick Kane.
  • While there are few positives in Colorado this year, one has been goaltender Calvin Pickard, particularly when it comes to his playing time, writes Jason Hills of the Denver Post. Their struggles coupled with the season-ending groin injury to Semyon Varlamov have allowed the team to give Pickard plenty more starts than they otherwise might have been able to do.  Pickard’s numbers aren’t particularly impressive for a starter (a 2.91 GAA and a .907 SV%) but with an important decision looming regarding which goalie to protect for expansion, the chance to give the 24 year old an extended look as a starter at the NHL level is certainly beneficial.
AJAX Loader
Load More Posts

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

scroll to top