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Scott Harrington

Anaheim Ducks Claim Scott Harrington

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After being traded from the San Jose Sharks to the New Jersey Devils, Scott Harrington is quickly on his way back to California. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the depth defender has been claimed off waivers by the Anaheim Ducks.

While the Devils likely hoped they could sneak Harrington through, this isn’t a big loss as the prize of the deal was Timo Meier.

In Anaheim, the 29-year-old defender will get a much bigger opportunity at the NHL level, especially if the Ducks move out some of their expiring contracts in the next few days. Harrington, quietly, has racked up 238 regular season games in the NHL, mostly playing the seventh defenseman role.

There is at least a chance that the Ducks could even flip him, should another team be interested in adding Harrington as a depth piece. Anaheim would have had the second crack at him on waivers, given they sit in 31st place, only ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Michael Houser Clears Waivers

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Feb 28: Houser has cleared, but Harrington was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks.

Feb 27: The Buffalo Sabres have signed Michael Houser to a midseason contract for the third season in a row, and placed him on waivers for the purpose of an assignment to the minor leagues. Houser was playing with the Rochester Americans on an AHL deal (again), and would need to clear waivers to remain there. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets reports that Scott Harrington, recently acquired by the New Jersey Devils, is also on waivers.

Houser, 30, has actually been incredible in his limited NHL opportunities with the Sabres, stepping into emergency situations and playing very well. Last season in two games he allowed just four goals on 77 shots, winning both appearances and posting a .948 save percentage. He’s never been that effective at the minor league level but has now cashed in with three consecutive one-year NHL contracts.

It is unclear why exactly the Sabres are signing him now, but it could suggest one of their other goaltenders will be traded away in the coming days. There has been some rumbling that Craig Anderson has drawn a bit of interest, and Eric Comrie’s contract is likely one the team is ready to move on from.

This was always the likely scenario for Harrington after joining the Devils, as he won’t have a full-time NHL role with his new team. That doesn’t necessarily mean he will spend the rest of the season in the minor leagues, but at this point the team doesn’t need him on the active roster and can stash him in the AHL. That is, of course, unless a team wants to take him, but Harrington already cleared waivers twice this season, so the risk seems minimal.

Pacific Notes: Kane, Hayden, Harrington, Martinez

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While Oilers winger Evander Kane was believed to be well ahead of schedule, it was still expected that he’d be out a little while longer.  However, as team reporter Jamie Umbach relays, the veteran was a full participant in practice today and is hoping to be cleared to return to the lineup on Tuesday against Seattle.  Kane has missed the last 31 games after having his wrist sliced by a skate and would be a huge addition to their top six forward group.

However, the Oilers will have to make several roster moves in order to get cap-compliant to be able to activate Kane and his $5.125MM AAV from LTIR including the demotion of several players and the expected transfer of defenseman Ryan Murray to LTIR.  Postmedia’s David Staples examines the list of possible candidates to be waived in order to help free up that money and suggests that veteran center Derek Ryan might be the likeliest to hit the waiver wire, a move that would free up $1.125MM on the cap.

More from the Western Conference:

  • Late Sunday, the Kraken announced (Twitter link) the recall of forward John Hayden from AHL Coachella Valley. The 27-year-old has impressed in his first taste of minor league action since 2017-18, collecting 13 goals and 12 assists in 34 games for the Firebirds.  With Jaden Schwartz listed as day-to-day, Hayden appears to be the insurance policy to ensure that there’s an extra forward available if needed.
  • Sharks defenseman Scott Harrington left Wednesday’s game early with an upper-body injury but it appears it won’t keep him out for long. Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News notes (Twitter link) that the veteran was back at practice on Sunday.  Harrington has a goal and five assists in 16 games this season with San Jose, a decent showing after attending training camp on a PTO.  He wasn’t in the lineup today against New Jersey but he should be nearing a return to game action.
  • The Golden Knights announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Alec Martinez suffered an undisclosed injury during tonight’s game against Dallas and did not return. Head coach Bruce Cassidy didn’t have an update on the veteran following the contest.  Martinez has six assists in 40 games so far this season while chipping in with 141 blocked shots.

San Jose Sharks Recall Scott Harrington

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The San Jose Sharks announced this afternoon that they’ve recalled defenseman Scott Harrington from the San Jose Barracuda, their AHL affiliate. No corresponding transaction was announced, however it does come a day after the team placed defenseman Mario Ferraro on IR. The recall gives the Sharks a full 23-man squad, but more importantly, seven defenseman on the roster for this evening’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.

Harrington, 29, signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Sharks back in September to serve as key defensive depth for San Jose as the team works through its (bigger picture) roster transition. The defenseman has bounced between both levels so far this season, getting into a pair of games for the Sharks, where he’s recorded one assist, as well as five games for the Barracuda, including an assist there too.

The veteran defenseman, a second-round pick of the Penguins back in 2011, made his NHL debut in 2014-15 as a member of those Penguins, but spent the bulk of his career in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, primarily serving as depth. Last season, Harrington had his first AHL work since 2016-17, where he played in 50 games for the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate. Given his shuffle in the San Jose organization thus far, it’s unclear what the plan for Harrington is right now, but with the absence of Ferraro on the backend, there could be some extra minutes to go around for the Sharks.

Scott Harrington Clears Waivers

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November 18: Harrington has cleared waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Sharks are now free to assign him to the AHL.

November 17: For the second time this season, Scott Harrington has been placed on waivers, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets. The veteran defenseman had previously cleared on October 13 and needed them again (after spending more than a month on the active roster) if the San Jose Sharks wanted to send him down.

Harrington, 29, has only played two games during that stretch and neither of them came this month. It’s been a long time since he actually got onto the ice, last suiting up for the Sharks’ October 22 game against the New Jersey Devils. With the team now home for three games, they can afford to loan him to the San Jose Barracuda for some game action to keep him sharp, though Harrington will likely remain a call-up option for them throughout the year.

That is of course unless he is claimed, which isn’t entirely out of the question. Signed to a one-year, two-way deal that carries a cap hit of just $750K, there are worse options on NHL rosters around the league. Harrington has over 200 games of NHL experience and was a rather effective option just a few years ago. While he won’t light up the scoresheet with points, he could represent an upgrade over some sixth or seventh defensemen.

Still, as always with these depth players hitting waivers, a claim remains the more unlikely outcome. If he clears, the Barracuda play a back-to-back this weekend in Tucson where he could make his AHL season debut.

Sharks Sign Scott Harrington

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Scott Harrington’s tryout with San Jose was a successful one as the team announced that they’ve signed the 29-year-old to a one-year contract.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed while he is the first player to get upgraded to a full contract from a PTO agreement.  GM Mike Grier released the following statement:

Scott came into camp on a tryout, performed well, and earned his contract. He’s a high character person and we are excited to have him join the Sharks.

Harrington spent most of last season with AHL Cleveland, an affiliate of the Blue Jackets, where he got into 50 games, recording three goals and four assists.  On the surface, nothing particularly special.  However, it’s worth noting that it was his first taste of action in the minors since a pair of appearances in 2016-17.  Between that time, Harrington had been a regular depth defender in Columbus.

For his career, Harrington has 210 NHL games under his belt between Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Columbus with only seven of those appearances coming last season.  He has 38 points in those outings while averaging 13:37 per night in ice time.  Harrington will still have to battle for a roster spot but there is definitely an opening with the long-term injury to Nikolai Knyzhov.  Harrington could slot in as their seventh defender, a role he’s quite comfortable holding if nothing else.  If the Sharks want to send him to their AHL affiliate to start the season, however, they will need to send Harrington through waivers over the coming weeks.

San Jose Sharks Sign Scott Harrington To PTO

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The number of PTO agreements signed today grows to four. The San Jose Sharks have announced the signing of defenseman Scott Harrington to a professional tryout agreement.

The Sharks have undergone a significant roster transformation in new GM Mike Grier’s first offseason, seeing a franchise face in Brent Burns depart and new NHL-quality players such as Matt Benning, Luke Kunin, and Oskar Lindblom enter the fold. With this PTO, Harrington joins the competition for a job on new coach David Quinn’s blueline.

Harrington, 29, was a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2011 draft and has over 200 games of NHL experience, almost entirely with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Harrington spent most of last season with the Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, although he did get into seven NHL contests averaging 14 and a half minutes per game.

The six-foot-two Harrington doesn’t have much offense to his game, but he did see extensive time on the Monsters’ penalty kill and has experience as a defensive specialist. He’ll head to the Sharks camp to compete with Jaycob Megna, Radim Simek, and Markus Nutivaara for a spot on the lower end of the team’s defensive lineup.

 

Artem Anisimov, Scott Harrington Placed On Waivers

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Tuesday: Both Anisimov and Harrington have cleared, according to Friedman.

Monday: Two veterans have hit waivers today, as Artem Anisimov of the Ottawa Senators and Scott Harrington of the Columbus Blue Jackets are available for claim, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.

Anisimov already cleared in February, but has bounced back and forth from the taxi squad to the active roster enough to need his waiver clock reset. Despite spending some of the time on injured reserve, the veteran forward has played ten games since he cleared, meaning if the team wanted to put him back on the taxi squad or in the minor leagues, he needed to go through the process again.

The 32-year-old Anisimov has played in just 14 games this season and has four points, totals that compare poorly even to his disappointing 2019-20 campaign. He at least scored 15 goals for the Senators last year, though he was still obviously a shell of his former self. Carrying a $4.55MM cap hit, there’s virtually no chance that another team claims Anisimov at this point.

Harrington meanwhile has continued to serve in a depth role for the Blue Jackets, playing just six games this season. The 28-year-old defenseman is closing in on 200 games in his NHL career, but doesn’t represent much more than an injury replacement or taxi squad filler at this point. For his cap hit of $1.63MM that’s not enough, meaning it should come as much of a surprise that he finds himself on waivers.

By moving Harrington to the taxi squad or waivers, the Blue Jackets can bury $1.075MM of his cap hit. He also appears to be a potential buyout candidate for the summer when he will still have one year remaining on his deal. Despite the fact that he is a defenseman, Harrington also seems unlikely to be claimed given his cap hit.

Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Scott Harrington

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed Scott Harrington to a three-year contract that will keep him in the organization through the 2021-22 season. Harrington was a restricted free agent for the final time, thus giving up two unrestricted free agent years in the deal. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports the deal will carry an average annual value of $1.633MM. GM Jarmo Kekalainen released a statement on the deal:

Scott Harrington is a very smart, reliable defenseman who made great strides to become a regular contributor on our blueline last season. He works very hard and has continued to improve steadily over the past three seasons. Scott has shown himself to be an excellent leader who has earned the respect of his coaches and teammates and we look forward to his continued contributions to our club.

Harrington, 26, had quite the tumultuous first few years in his professional career before settling into a depth role for the Blue Jackets. Originally selected 54th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, he would play only ten NHL games for them before heading to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a package for Phil Kessel. In Toronto he would play just a single season split between the AHL and NHL before being traded once again, this time for Kerby Rychel. In his first season with the Blue Jackets he played just 27 total games between all levels, and followed that with just 32 the next season. In 2018-19 though he was given his biggest opportunity, suiting up for 73 games in the regular season and another ten in the playoffs.

Though he was playing just over 13 minutes a night, Harrington still recorded 21 points in those 83 games last season. With the entire blue line set to return at this point it is unclear exactly how he’ll fit in, but given his new salary and term there’s a good bet he’s in the team’s lineup plans. That will cause some speculation that another player may be on their way out, but the Blue Jackets have always found strength in their defensive depth and next season should be no different.

Adam McQuaid, Ryan Murray Remain Out For Blue Jackets

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For anyone hoping to see Adam McQuaid face off against his former team this postseason, you’ll have to wait a while longer. As the Columbus Blue Jackets departed for Boston today to face the Bruins in their second-round series, Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports that neither McQuaid nor fellow defenseman Ryan Murray made the trip. There is no clear timeline for either’s return, but they will at least miss the first two games in Boston.

McQuaid, 32, has yet to play this postseason after suffering a concussion late in the regular season. The veteran defender was acquired by the Blue Jackets from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, but many still remember him most from his time with the Bruins. McQuaid, ironically a Columbus draft pick, spent the first nine years of his career in Boston before he was traded this past off-season. At the time, Boston was dealing from a position of strength, but ended up struggling with injuries on the back end all season and could have used McQuaid. Now, they could face the physical stay-at-home defender in the playoffs, that is if he can get healthy. Not only would McQuaid sure up the Blue Jackets’ bottom pair and provide insight into the Bruins’ inner workings, he would also provide the playoff experience sorely lacking from the roster. McQuaid has appeared in 68 playoff games and two Stanley Cup Finals, including winning it all with the Bruins back in 2011.

Murray, like McQuaid, is no stranger to being injured. The 2012 No. 2 overall pick has only played in more than 66 games in a season once in his six-year NHL career and finds himself on the sidelines again this postseason with a back injury. Murray has actually had a career campaign, recording 29 points in just 56 games and +20 rating that led all Columbus defensemen. Yet, Murray has been out since early February and it grows harder to imagine a comeback with each missed game. If Murray is able to return versus Boston or perhaps later in the playoffs, it would give the Blue Jackets a major boost and make them an even more dangerous puck-moving team.

Fortunately, Hedger notes that Markus Nutivaara did make the trip and is not expected to miss any further time with the upper-body injury that cost him the final two games of the first round sweep. He joins Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, and David Savard as a very capable top-four unit for Columbus. However, with McQuaid and Murray still out, the Blue Jackets could struggle matching up their bottom pair against the Bruins. Scott Harrington played very well against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but will have to keep up with that level of play if he and Dean Kukan (or Adam Clendening or Vladislav Gavrikov) want to defend against a deep Boston team.

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