Colorado Avalanche Announce Four Minor Contracts
The Colorado Avalanche are expected to be a potential landing spot for some of the very best free agents on the market, but for now they’ll announce some organization depth instead. Sheldon Dries, Miikka Salomaki, Kiefer Sherwood and Mike Vecchione have all signed contracts with the Avalanche. Financial details have not yet been announced.
Dries was already in the system, signed out of Michigan University in 2017 as an undrafted free agent. He has played in 45 NHL games over the years but does most of his damage in the minors. In 50 AHL games this season he recorded 21 goals and 35 points, making him an easy call-up option.
Starting with Salomaki, the other three names have NHL experience of their own. The 27-year-old former Nashville Predators forward has played 167 games at the highest level, but registered just 27 points in that time.
Sherwood, who is just 25, has played 60 NHL games over the last two seasons but was another strong minor league performer. He’ll provide even more goal scoring for the Colorado Eagles, a team that will be loaded once again.
Vecchione was a sought after college free agent in 2017 and ended up inking a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers, but hasn’t played in the NHL since that spring. Instead he’s been a monster in the minor leagues, recording seasons of 40, 38 and 36 points without even playing 70 games in a single one.
Minor Transactions: 03/10/20
If you are a fan of an Eastern Conference team fighting for a playoff spot tonight will certainly be of interest, as the Boston Bruins take on the Philadelphia Flyers while the Tampa Bay Lightning battle the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both games could have massive ramifications on seeding, while six other games have meaningful impact as well. As teams prepare for tonight’s action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Matt Tennyson, who will play tonight in place of Fredrik Claesson. Tennyson, 29, has played in 19 games this season for the Devils, recording three points.
- Like most days that end in Y, Nicolas Roy has been involved in another transaction. The Vegas Golden Knights forward is back on the AHL roster along with Brandon Pirri after his latest recalled. Roy has now been brought up or down more than 30 times on the season.
- The Minnesota Wild have returned Gerald Mayhew to the minor leagues after going scoreless in six consecutive games. The 27-year old Mayhew has dominated the AHL this season scoring 39 goals in 48 games, but hasn’t been quite able to carry that production over to the NHL level.
- Sheldon Dries and Martin Kaut have both been returned to the Colorado Eagles, which bodes well for the health of Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche star suffered a lower-body injury but it is not clear how serious it is at this point.
- Perhaps most notable today among the minor moves is the recall of Nicolas Beaudin by the Chicago Blackhawks. The 20-year old defenseman is in his first year of professional hockey after being selected 27th overall in 2018. Through 59 games with the Rockford IceHogs, Beaudin has collected three goals and 15 points.
Minor Transactions: 03/05/20
Ten more games are on the schedule for this evening, with another pair of prime Metropolitan match-ups. The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers are both in action again after their battle last night, against the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes respectively. Carolina and New York are still within striking distance of a playoff spot, but will need to win games like these down the stretch. As the Metro and the rest of the league prepare, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.
- The Colorado Avalanche have recalled Sheldon Dries and Kevin Connauton, sending Martin Kaut back to the minor leagues in the meantime. Dries and Connauton have combined for just four games in the NHL this season, but have both been important contributors for the Colorado Eagles of the AHL.
- As expected, Thomas Hickey has been recalled under emergency conditions by the New York Islanders as they deal with Johnny Boychuk‘s eye injury. Hickey, a veteran of more than 400 NHL games, hasn’t played for the Islanders yet this season, instead dressing with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
- Jalen Chatfield has been reassigned to the AHL by the Vancouver Canucks. Fellow rookie defenseman Guillaume Brisebois was also sent down briefly, but only to be recalled under emergency conditions. Neither player has actually suited up for Vancouver this season.
Minor Transactions: 11/30/19
As usual, Saturday presents a large slate of games around the league with 26 teams in action. That means there will likely be plenty of roster movement which we’ll keep track of here.
- The Golden Knights announced that they’ve returned goalie Garret Sparks to Chicago of the AHL. He was brought up on an emergency basis to serve as the backup while Marc-Andre Fleury tended to an illness in the family but it appears that Fleury is ready to return. The team also announced they have recalled forward Nicolas Roy from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on an emergency basis. Roy has been up and down between Vegas and Chicago for much of the season. The 22-year-old has played in six games for the Golden Knights, scoring a goal and three points and has appeared in 11 games for the Wolves, tallying two goals and six points. Since it’s an emergency recall, Roy could be recalled while the team determines if Cody Eakin is seriously hurt after taking an elbow to the head Friday against Arizona.
- A.J. Greer’s stint with the Avalanche was short-lived. One day after being recalled, he has been returned to AHL Colorado, per the AHL’s Transactions Page. The winger has had two NHL call-ups this season but has yet to play with the big club. Greer has two goals and 44 penalty minutes in nine games with the Eagles so far.
- The Avs also announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned center Sheldon Dries to the minors. He has just one NHL game under his belt this season after playing 40 a year ago. He has been productive with the Eagles though, leading them in scoring with 14 points in 17 contests.
- With Carl Soderberg suffering a lower-body injury late yesterday against Vegas, the Coyotes have recalled center Michael Chaput from AHL Tucson. This will be his first NHL action of the season but the 27-year-old got into 32 games with Montreal last year. He has 12 points (9-3-12) in 15 games with the Roadrunners.
- The Jets announced that they have placed defenseman Nathan Beaulieu on IR, creating a roster spot that they used to recall defenseman Cameron Schilling from AHL Manitoba. With Beaulieu and Dmitry Kulikov both injured, Winnipeg needed to get an extra defender on the roster. The 31-year-old has just 10 games of NHL experience but has played in 512 AHL contests.
- The Detroit Red Wings announced they have assigned defenseman Jonathan Ericsson to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. The 35-year-old has been a major piece to the Red Wings success over the years, but has been the odd man out as Detroit continues to get younger. Ericsson made the team out of camp, but was placed on waivers on Oct. 23 and sent to the Griffins where he played 10 games for the AHL squad. He was recalled again due to injuries on Nov. 14 and now returns to Grand Rapids. Ericsson is on the final year of a six-year, $25.5MM contract.
- The Anaheim Ducks announced they have assigned defenseman Jacob Larsson to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. Larsson appeared in 25 games for the Ducks so far this season in a bottom-pairing role with a goal, two assists and a minus-three rating, while averaging 17:31 ATOI.
Minor Transactions: 11/28/19
Happy Thanksgiving to all our American readers, who will have to go almost hockey-less today. With the NFL taking over the airwaves, just one NHL game is scheduled. That one takes place in Montreal, where the Canadiens will welcome back P.K. Subban as a New Jersey Devil. Still, teams are likely to make several moves today and we’ll keep track of all of them right here.
- The Ottawa Senators have returned Max Veronneau to the minor leagues. where he can continue his development in his first year of professional hockey. The Princeton grad has six points in 14 games for the Belleville Senators this season.
- Sheldon Dries and A.J. Greer have been recalled by the Colorado Avalanche, after Andre Burakovsky left last night’s game with an upper-body injury. The Avalanche are expected to get Mikko Rantanen back on Saturday night, but may need the extra body tomorrow.
- After Jimmy Howard was injured in the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calvin Pickard has been recalled by the Detroit Red Wings. Jonathan Bernier had an admirable performance after taking the net ill, but Pickard may be needed to hold the fort until he gets better.
Training Camp Cuts: 09/26/19
Like always, we’ll keep you aware of all the training camp cuts right here. Keep checking back to see the updated list:
Anaheim Ducks (per team release)
F Alex Broadhurst (to San Diego, AHL)
D Hunter Drew (to San Diego, AHL)
D Zack Hayes (to San Diego, AHL)
F Justin Kloos (to San Diego, AHL)
F Jack Kopacka (to San Diego, AHL)
D Patrick Sieloff (to San Diego, AHL)
D Chris Wideman (to San Diego, AHL)
G Anthony Stolarz (to San Diego, AHL)
Boston Bruins (per team release)
F Ryan Fitzgerald (to Providence, AHL)
F Joona Koppanen (to Providence, AHL)
F Zach Senyshyn (to Providence, AHL)
F Pavel Shen (to Providence, AHL)
F Oskar Steen (to Providence, AHL)
D Jeremy Lauzon (to Providence, AHL)
D Urho Vaakanainen (to Providence, AHL)
G Kyle Keyser (to Providence, AHL)
F Paul Carey (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Brendan Gaunce (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Alexander Petrovic (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
Buffalo Sabres (per team release)
F Dylan Cozens (to Lethbridge, WHL)
Carolina Hurricanes (per team release)
F Morgan Geekie (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Janne Kuokkanen (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Steven Lorentz (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Eetu Luostarinen (to Charlotte, AHL)
F Stelio Mattheos (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Jake Bean (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Kyle Wood (to Charlotte, AHL)
G Alex Nedeljkovic (to Charlotte, AHL)
D Jesper Sellgren (to Lulea HF, SHL)
F Ryan Suzuki (to Barrie, OHL)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
D Bowen Byram (to Vancouver, WHL)
F Martin Kaut (to Colorado, AHL)
F Sheldon Dries (to Colorado, AHL)
F Logan O’Connor (to Colorado, AHL)
F Michael Joly (to Colorado, AHL)
G Hunter Miska (to Colorado, AHL)
D Jacob MacDonald (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Dan Renouf (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
Edmonton Oilers (per team release)
F Kailer Yamamoto (to Bakersfield, AHL)
Florida Panthers (per team release)
F Anthony Greco (to Springfield, AHL)
D Ian McCoshen (to Springfield, AHL)
G Chris Driedger (to Springfield, AHL)
Montreal Canadiens (per team release)
F Matthew Peca (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Phil Varone (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Dale Weise (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Karl Alzner (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
D Xavier Ouellet (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
New York Rangers (per team release)
F Daniel O’Regan (to Hartford, AHL)
Ottawa Senators (per team release)
F Parker Kelly (to Belleville, AHL)
G Marcus Hogberg (to Belleville, AHL)
F Nick Paul (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
F Jordan Szwarz (placed on waivers before AHL assignment)
Vegas Golden Knights (per Jesse Granger, The Athletic)
F Reid Duke (to Chicago, AHL)
D Dylan Coughlan (to Chicago, AHL)
2019 Arbitration Figures And Results
August 6th: All arbitration cases have now been completed. In total, six cases were decided by an arbitrator’s award this year. That number, though seemingly not many, actually presents a 50% increase over last summer and more than the past two off-seasons combined. Of those six decisions, the teams and players received the favorable decision an even three times apiece, and each award landed within $150K of the midpoint. All things considered, there were few surprises in arbitration, even though there were more awards than expected. Now the question is where the relationships between those teams and players go from here.
Originally published on July 19th: Friday marked the start of the arbitration season in the NHL, with Brock McGinn first scheduled for his hearing with the Carolina Hurricanes. The appointments will come fast and furious after that, with 23 cases left on the books. When we asked our readers how many would actually get to the hearing stage more than 36% of voters thought 3-4 was reasonable, the same number that reached last year.
We know now that at least one will, as Andrew Copp‘s agent Kurt Overhardt told Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press that their camp will “look forward to” the hearing scheduled for Sunday. Copp and the Jets exchanged figures earlier today. It is important to remember that the two sides can actually work out a deal in the short period after the hearing and before the actual decision is submitted by the arbitrator. For every case except Ville Husso, who the St. Louis Blues took to arbitration, the team involved will be allowed to choose the duration of the contract awarded. They can choose either one or two years, unless the player is only one year away from unrestricted free agency, at which point only a one-year deal is available.
Here we’ll keep track of all the hearings still on the books and the figures submitted. This page will be updated as the numbers come in:
July 20:
Brock McGinn, Carolina Hurricanes – Team: $1.75MM AAV, Player: $2.7MM AAV
Settled: Two years, $2.1MM AAV
July 21:
Andrew Copp, Winnipeg Jets – Team: $1.5MM AAV, Player: $2.9MM AAV
Awarded: Two years, $2.28MM AAV
July 22:
MacKenzie Weegar, Florida Panthers
Settled: One year, $1.6MM AAV
Zach Aston-Reese, Pittsburgh Penguins
Settled: Two years, $1.0MM AAV
Ville Husso, St. Louis Blues (team-elected)
Settled: One year, two-way, $700K AAV
Christian Djoos, Washington Capitals – Team: $800K, Player: $1.9MM
Awarded: One year, $1.25MM AAV
July 23:
Evan Rodrigues, Buffalo Sabres – Team: $1.5MM, Player: $2.65MM
Awarded: One year, $2.0MM AAV
July 24:
Oskar Sundqvist, St. Louis Blues
Settled: Four years, $2.75MM AAV
Neal Pionk, Winnipeg Jets
Settled: Two years, $3.0MM AAV
July 26:
Colton Sissons, Nashville Predators
Settled: Seven years, $2.86MM AAV
July 27:
Sam Bennett, Calgary Flames
Settled: Two years, $2.55MM AAV
July 28:
Mirco Mueller, New Jersey Devils
Settled: One year, $1.4MM AAV
July 29:
David Rittich, Calgary Flames
Settled: Two years, $2.75MM AAV
Pavel Buchnevich, New York Rangers
Settled: Two years, $3.25MM AAV
August 1:
Remi Elie, Buffalo Sabres
Settled: One year, two-way $700K AAV
Chandler Stephenson, Washington Capitals
Settled: One year, $1.05MM
August 2:
Linus Ullmark, Buffalo Sabres – Team: $800K, Player: $2.65MM
Settled: One year, $1.33MM
Will Butcher, New Jersey Devils
Settled: Three years, $3.73MM AAV
August 4:
Jake McCabe, Buffalo Sabres – Team: 1.95MM, Player: $4.3MM
Settled: Two years, $2.85MM AAV
Anton Forsberg, Carolina Hurricanes – Team: $700K/$70K, Player: $833K
Awarded: One year, $775K AAV
Sheldon Dries, Colorado Avalanche
Settled: One year, two-way $735K AAV
Rocco Grimaldi, Nashville Predators – Team: $700K/$70K, Player $1.275MM
Awarded: One year, $1MM
Joel Edmundson, St. Louis Blues – Team: $2.3MM, Player $4.2MM
Awarded: One year, $3.1MM
Sheldon Dries Re-Signs With Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have avoided arbitration with Sheldon Dries, signing the forward to a one-year contract. Dries was scheduled for a hearing on August 4th, but obviously won’t need that now. Dries was the only arbitration case left on the books for the Avalanche. According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post, the deal is a two-way contract worth $735K at the NHL level.
Dries, 25, was an undrafted free agent coming out of Western Michigan University in 2017 and latched on with the Texas Stars on an AHL contract. That season he impressed the entire hockey world by scoring ten goals in the Calder Cup playoffs, helping the Stars reach the finals (which they would ultimately lose). He earned himself a one-year entry-level deal with the Avalanche and a chance to suit up for 40 games in the NHL during the 2018-19 season. Though he had just six points during those games, he established himself as a legitimate depth option that was deserving of another deal.
Whether Dries will see any more time in the NHL this season is still unclear. The Avalanche have improved their forward group tremendously with additions like Nazem Kadri, Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky, not leaving a lot of room for players like Dries to compete. Still he could very easily see some games as an injury replacement, especially given he is waiver-exempt and can be moved up and down without an issue.
Colorado’s Matt Nieto Out 6-8 Weeks
What was originally considered to be a minor injury has turned out to be anything but for Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Nieto. Just days after stating Nieto was “dinged up” and would miss Saturday night’s game, BSN Denver’s AJ Haefele relays news from GM Joe Sakic tonight that Nieto is expected to miss six to eight weeks with an undisclosed lower-body injury.
The timeline leaves little to no chance that Nieto will return in the regular season. If the Avalanche make the playoffs, his availability would be in question through at least the first round, if not longer. It’s a tough blow for both the team and the player in what has been a career year for Nieto. The 2011 second-round pick has been nothing if not consistent over his NHL career as a bottom-six forward. Including this season, Nieto has recorded at least double-digit points in 58 or more games in each of his six seasons. His best year to date came in his sophomore campaign with the San Jose Sharks, when he registered 27 points in 72 games, although he nearly matched that total last season in Colorado. However, with 22 points already through 58 games this year, Nieto was on pace to finish the 2017-18 season with 30 points. This injury ensures that won’t happen, robbing Nieto of a new career best and the Avalanche of one of their top-nine scoring forwards.
Fortunately, Sakic and company did manage to add Derick Brassard from the Florida Panthers at the deadline at a relative bargain rate and he will be in the lineup right away tonight when the Avs face those same Panthers. Even amidst a miserable season for the veteran forward, Brassard is a major addition for Colorado and should arguably be considered the best non-first line forward on the club the rest of the way. If he plays up to that expectation, he will more than make up for Nieto’s absence and could be the key to the Avalanche winning a playoff spot and Nieto seeing the ice again this season. Beyond Brassard, Tyson Jost, Sven Andrighetto, and Sheldon Dries are among the others who could be asked to step up in Nieto’s stead. The fate of the Avs’ season may rest in their ability to emulate their fallen teammate’s work ethic and tenacity on the ice.
Minor Transactions: 12/22/18
After just three games yesterday, the NHL has a full slate of 14 contests today. Bruins-Predators and Blue Jackets-Flyers begin the day as matinee match-ups, with several more afternoon games on the docket and even more teams squaring off later tonight. The league may be on a roster freeze, but teams are still busy preparing for a loaded weekend ahead of the holiday break. As they do, those minor moves not prevented by the freeze are bound to happen throughout the day:
- A day after going back to the minors, CapFriendly reports that the Colorado Avalanche have recalled Sheldon Dries from the AHL. Dries, 24, has been frequently reassigned back and forth between the Avs and Colorado Eagles this season. The undersized forward has four points in 16 NHL games and only two points in ten AHL games. He’s set to take the place of Colin Wilson who sustained a shoulder injury on Friday night against Chicago and has been placed on IR. In addition, the Avs have brought up winger A.J. Greer and goalie Pavel Francouz, per the AHL’s Transactions Page. Greer has averaged a point per game in 21 contests with the Eagles but is scoreless in four NHL contests. Meanwhile, this will be Francouz’s first NHL recall after signing with Colorado in May. The 28-year-old has fared well in the minors, posting a 2.61 GAA and a .921 SV% in 21 games.
- The San Jose Sharks sent forward Rourke Chartier back to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda late yesterday, the team announced. Chartier has spent much of the season up with the Sharks but has been very productive in limited action with the Barracuda. in nine AHL games, the 22-year-old has logged eight points and a +8 rating. However, he has just one lone goal and no assists through 13 NHL games. Chartier has had no problem scoring in the minors so far in his pro career but needs to work on translating that ability to the next level.
- With Jake McCabe and Lawrence Pilut back to full health, the Buffalo Sabres announced that they have returned defenseman Brendan Guhle to the AHL. Guhle, 21, has been a major asset for the Rochester Americans this season with 13 points in 25 games and has especially stepped up alongside vet Zach Redmond since Pilut took on a full-time role in Buffalo. However, in two brief NHL appearances, Guhle has been a non-factor and still seems in need of seasoning in the minors.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have flipped forwards, announcing that they have recalled winger Jacob Nilsson from AHL Rockford while assigning center Luke Johnson to the IceHogs. Nilsson signed with Chicago back in May following a decent season in the SHL but he has yet to make much of a mark, collecting just 14 points in 31 minor league games this season. Meanwhile, Johnson has split the season between the Blackhawks and IceHogs. He has been productive in the minors with seven points in ten games but has just a single assist in 15 NHL contests.
- The Ottawa Senators revealed that have recalled goaltender Marcus Hogberg from AHL Belleville. Craig Anderson took a hard hit on Friday and didn’t finish the game so this appears to be some insurance if he’s unable to dress tonight. Hogberg has been the backup with Belleville this season, posting a 2.55 GAA with a .906 SV% in seven appearances. The Sens had an extra roster spot available so they don’t have to designate this as one of their two allowable 48-hour emergency recalls that would have allowed them to exceed the roster limit.
- When the Los Angeles Kings activated Ilya Kovalchuk today, the team had to free up a roster spot. The team announced they have placed defenseman Dion Phaneuf on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 11, with an upper-body injury that he suffered during the team’s game against the Buffalo Sabres on that date. The veteran defenseman has struggled mightily this season after being a significant addition when the team acquired him in a midseason trade from Ottawa. Phaneuf has just one assist in 32 games this season and averages just 14:58 per game this season, well under his career averages.
- The Nashville Predators announced that they have returned forward Tyler Gaudet to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. Gaudet was recalled Thursday and was a healthy scratch today against Boston.