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Options For The Oilers To Replace Andrej Sekera

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Normally, it takes training camp before any teams begin scrambling for an unanticipated injury replacement among the leftovers of the market. It is unclear how long the Edmonton Oilers knew about the injury to defenseman Andrej Sekera – they announced the surgery today indicating they knew of the injury prior – but what is clear is that the team will need to add another body to the mix in Sekera’s stead. Out indefinitely with a torn Achilles tendon, Sekera is likely to miss a substantial amount of time and extremely unlikely to be back at 100% at any point in the 2018-19 season. It is no coincidence that with Sekera missing most of last season due to a knee injury, the Oilers defense struggled on all fronts. Sekera had easily been the team’s top defender over the two years prior and this will now be the second straight season where he cannot be relied upon. The team must do something to avoid another frustrating campaign on the blue line, but what?

In replacing Sekera, Edmonton will likely target a right-handed defenseman. Although Sekera is a lefty himself, the team is set on the left side regardless with Oscar Klefbom, Darnell Nurse, and Kris Russell. There is also free agent addition Kevin Gravel, also a left-handed defenseman, though he is best suited for his current extra man slot. The right side however poses questions behind Adam Larsson, with Matt Benning likely slated for the second pair and now a hole on the third pair. It is unlikely that the Oilers want to press Benning into a top-four role this season, nor do they want a left-handed depth option like Gravel, Ryan Stanton, or Keegan Lowe as a regular on the right side. As such, they are likely looking for a second-pair caliber righty.

The easy answer is the free agent market. In a relatively stagnant summer, there remains ample talent available in unrestricted free agent defensemen. However, the Oilers are not in the most flexible of positions. The team currently has all but approximately $5MM in cap space committed to their roster which doesn’t include restricted free agent defenseman Nurse, still in need of a new contract. If and when Nurse re-signs, the team will be left with little to no cap space. Fortunately, at this point in the summer they face little competition on the free agent market and could negotiate several tryout deals with available defenders, signing one or more after the start of the season once Sekera’s $5.5MM cap hit can be buried on injured reserve. Yet, the pickings are slim on the right side. Cody Franson could be the team’s best bet with Paul Postma potentially as the next-best option. Ryan Sproul or Frank Corrado could be younger dark horse candidates, while the team could possibly look at veteran Kevin Bieksa. However, if the Oilers consider overloading on lefties as they would have anyway with Sekera, then Toby Enstrom, Luca Sbisa, Alexei Emelin, Johnny Oduya, or even old friend Brandon Davidson jump out as attractive options.

If the team is set on adding a right-hander and not sold on the available free agents, they could also wait for training camp cuts. While there is no guarantee that the right player would wind up on waivers, it’s also well within the realm of possibility. Robert Bortuzzo, Nate Prosser, Jake Dotchin, Steven Kampfer, Brad Hunt, Alex Biega, and Adam McQuaid – a former favorite of Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli in Boston – are just some of the names who could wind up on the waiver wire and fit in on the right side of the Edmonton blue line. It would not be a surprise to see the team sign multiple defenders to PTO’s and also keep an close eye on who gets cut from training camps.

Finally, Edmonton could simply stand pat and attempt to replace Sekera internally. On paper, it doesn’t seem like the Oilers have the pieces to do so effectively, but some of their defensive prospects have not yet been given the opportunity to show what they can do at the NHL level. Many will clamor for recent first-round pick Evan Bouchard to get a shot at sticking with the team. Although very talented – and a right shot – it would be asking a lot for the 18-year-old to step into the top pro game and succeed. It’s not unprecedented, but it is unlikely. Recent Swedish import Joel Persson, currently on loan to his SHL club, is a 24-year-old righty who could be an intriguing experiment and has more experience with the pro game. William Lagesson, on loan in Sweden last season but now back in North America, is a left-shot defenseman but played on the right side frequently during his college days at UMass and is a very safe defensive player who could be a stopgap. Elsewhere in the system, small puck-mover Ethan Bear and hulking Ryan Mantha are both righties who could provide some different style options alongside Lagesson in the AHL. Between these young possibilities and some veteran depth, the Oilers could opt to just let camp battles decide who steps into Sekera’s shoes.

The only thing that is for sure is that Sekera is not going to be suiting up for Edmonton any time soon. Whether the team finds a way to add a capable free agent, gets lucky on the waiver wire, or trusts their young depth, the Oilers will need someone to step up in his stead. An injury to a top defenseman is not how they wanted to begin the season, but the Oilers now have some time to figure it out before the puck drops on the new campaign.

Steven Kampfer Out Four To Six Weeks With Broken Hand

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The hits keep coming for the New York Rangers, as the team announced today that Steven Kampfer would be out four to six weeks with a broken hand. Kampfer had recently been given more responsibility on the blue line for New York, logging a season-high 22:39 of ice time last night against the Winnipeg Jets. The team has recalled defenseman Ryan Sproul to fill the roster spot.

Kampfer, 29, was acquired by the Rangers last season in exchange for failed top prospect Dylan McIlrath. The team finally moved on from McIlrath, the 10th-overall pick from 2010, after recording just four points in 38 career NHL games. In Kampfer the team acquired a journeyman of sorts, that has now played 166 NHL games split between four franchises. Though he doesn’t offer much offensively, the team was just looking for anyone who could handle himself in the defensive end.

The Rangers are trying to add speed and youth to their team, and this will certainly give them another opportunity. While Brady Skjei has already proven himself at the NHL level, Neal Pionk and John Gilmour are still trying to show they have what it takes to be part of the future in New York. With Kampfer out for a good chunk of the rest of the season, there is even more ice time to go around.

Stamkos, Killorn, Hayes Fined By NHL

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The punishment doesn’t always fit the crime, especially in the NHL’s fine system. In early October, some fans were outraged when St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo received a fine of just over $3,000 for repeated cross check to the back of New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson. The fine was the maximum amount prescribed by the NHL collective bargaining agreement, but many felt that such a relatively small amount of money was not nearly enough for a fairly brutal showing by Bortuzzo.

Now, the script has flipped. Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn and New York Rangers counterpart Kevin Hayes have all been fined $5,000 for a conspiracy of… water squirting? TSN reports that in Thursday night’s game the trio all engaged in what the league has defined as unsportsmanlike conduct. Hayes got the affair started when he sprayed Killorn with water from the Rangers’ bench prior to the pair taking the ice. On the ensuing face-off, Killorn retaliated with multiple jabs directed at Hayes, for which he received a slashing penalty. In defense of the perceived wrong to his teammate, Stamkos went the “eye for an eye” route and sprayed water at the Rangers bench. All three were determined to be equally guilty in the affair, while J.T. Brown and Steven Kampfer, whose fight was heavily endorsed by their respective benches, received no share of the blame.

Objectively, it seems silly for water squirting to warrant a $5,000 fine, even if that amount is equivalent to roughly $5 for the majority. However, in the context of Bortuzzo’s maximum $3,000 fine for cross-checking, it seems that the league has their priorities out of alignment. A re-haul to the fine structure in the CBA may be need to be addressed at the table during the league’s next bargaining, if not sooner.

Steven Kampfer Signs Two-Year Extension With New York Rangers

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Friday: The team has made the deal official, though no details were released.

Thursday: In the middle of the night after their playoff win, the New York Rangers did a little contract celebration, inking Steven Kampfer to a two-year extension according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. It’s a two-way deal worth $650K each season in the NHL, while only paying $300K in the AHL. The 28-year old will now become an unrestricted free agent after the 2018-19 season.

Kampfer came over from the Florida Panthers in a mid-season trade that sent former first-round pick Dylan McIlrath down south. He had actually been traded to the Rangers prior to that in a deal for Joey Crabb, and will now stick around in the Big Apple for a while. At the time of the McIlrath trade, our own Zach Leach had this to say:

The University of Michigan product appeared to have a bright future in front of him playing for the Boston Bruins right out of college. However, as his play dropped off, the Bruins sold high on him at the 2012 NHL Trade Deadline in a deal with the Minnesota Wild for Greg Zanon. This time around, Kampfer will provide some experienced depth for the Rangers, but seems likely to still see significant AHL minutes throughout 2016-17.

Zach was right in predicting a stint in the AHL, as Kampfer would go on to play 43 games for the Hartford Wolfpack this season, with 10 matches for the Rangers sprinkled throughout. He scored 19 points at the AHL level and registered just two during his time in New York.

The right-handed shot defenseman still provides that depth for the Rangers, and is still expected to be mostly an AHL defender over the next two years. He doesn’t fill any expansion requirements for the Rangers, as he is 12 games short of the 70 needed over the last two years. Instead, New York will have to expose one of Kevin Klein or Nick Holden (or sign Brendan Smith to an extension).

Snapshots: Schultz, Ryan, Folin

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When the Pittsburgh Penguins traded a third-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers last year for Justin Schultz, they thought they were adding a depth defenseman with a bit of upside. What they got instead, is the fifth-highest point producer in the league among defenders. Behind only Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Duncan Keith and Victor Hedman, Schultz is providing #1-type production for less than half of what the Blues are paying Carl Gunnarsson and his four points.

That ridiculously low deal is what brought Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to wonder what hell earn this summer when he becomes a restricted free agent for the final time. Mackey thinks that Kevin Shattenkirk’s four-year, $17MM extension in 2013 is the low-water mark for what one might expect this summer, which would already represent an almost $3MM raise per season. The Penguins don’t look to have an issue with the raise though, as they’re likely taking $5.75MM off the books when Marc-Andre Fleury eventually leaves town.

  • The San Jose Sharks have sent Joakim Ryan back to the AHL, with David Schlemko expected to play in tonight’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. Ryan was brought up just yesterday when it looked like Dylan DeMelo may not be ready to re-join the team. Instead, DeMelo did play his first game in almost two months and with it the need for Ryan was removed. He’ll head back down to the AHL where he has dominated this season, registering 33 points in 46 games.
  • Christian Folin will miss at least three weeks with an upper-body injury, the Minnesota Wild announced today. The 26-year old defenseman suffered the injury last night against the Sharks, and will be out for almost the rest of the season. While the team recently had Jonas Brodin re-join the lineup, this is another hit to a defense group that isn’t as deep as they would like heading into the playoffs.
  • The New York Rangers will be scratching Adam Clendening tonight and inserting Steven Kampfer in his place. In the latest article from Larry Brooks of the New York Post, Clendening doesn’t agree with the demotion but will take it as motivation going forward. Tanner Glass is also expected to get into the lineup for the Rangers, who take on the surging Tampa Bay Lightning tonight in Florida.

Rangers Notes: Klein, Grabner, Glass

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Part of the reason the New York Rangers went out and traded for Brendan Smith from Detroit was his versatility on the back end. Despite being left-handed, Smith is experienced on both sides of the ice and has been playing with Ryan McDonagh to start his Rangers career. With both Kevin Klein and Dan Girardi out, New York has been playing five left-handed defenders.

There was hope that Kevin Klein would return sooner than later, but he won’t travel with the team as they head out on a four-game road trip according to Brett Cyrgalis of the NY Post. Head coach Alain Vigneault told Cyrgalis he’s “not really sure what’s going on there” when speaking about Klein, who hasn’t played since February 21st.

  • The Rangers have also been without Jesper Fast and Michael Grabner recently, but got some good news on one of them today. Grabner will travel with the team and test his hip tomorrow morning before their game in Tampa Bay—though he’s not expected to play. The team’s leading goal scorer, Grabner has had an unbelievable season with 26 markers. That’s his highest total since 2010-11 when he broke into the league with 34 as a 23-year old.
  • Despite many fans fears that Tanner Glass will get into tomorrow’s game at the expense of a young forward, Vigneault hasn’t made up his mind yet. Glass was recalled along with Steven Kampfer this morning, and would be making his 2016-17 debut for the Rangers if he got into the lineup. The 33-year old Glass is know for his bang-and-crash style, recording no fewer than 130 hits in any of his full NHL seasons. The Rangers’ current leader in hits among forwards is Chris Kreider with 102, with no one else breaking 100.

Atlantic Division Notes: Ennis, O’Reilly, McIlrath, Smith

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After missing 30 games due to groin surgery, Buffalo Sabres winger Tyler Ennis returned to the team’s lineup this afternoon and it didn’t take long to make a good impression. Ennis scored just 19 seconds into Buffalo’s matinee contest against Dallas today to give the Sabres an early lead. Prior to the injury, the 27-year-old Ennis had tallied just a single goal and an assist in 12 appearances.

Ennis, a three-time 20-goal scorer, has been a spectator much of the past two seasons, seeing action in just 23 contests a year ago and now missing 30 games this season. A healthy Ennis would provide a big boost to the Sabres lineup, both for the balance of this campaign and beyond.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Sticking with the Sabres, the team has also recalled center Cal O’Reilly from Rochester of the AHL in advance of today’s game, according to John Vogl of the Buffalo News. O’Reilly, 30, has 34 points in 36 minor league games and has also made four appearances with the Sabres, failing to register a point. In 137 career NHL games the 30-year-old pivot has scored 16 goals and 48 points.
  • The Florida Panthers have recalled defenseman Dylan McIlrath from a conditioning assignment with Springfield in the AHL, the team announced via Twitter. McIlrath appeared in six games with the Thunderbirds, tallying a goal and an assist while accumulating 13 minutes in penalties. Florida acquired the physical blue liner in a trade earlier this season from the New York Rangers in exchange for fellow defenseman Steven Kampfer and a draft choice.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ben Smith is nearing a return to the club, reports James Mirtle of TSN. Mirtle adds that Smith will have the pins removed from his broken hand later in the week. Smith was claimed by the Leafs off of waivers from Colorado earlier this season and has scored two goals and one assist while primarily playing on the team’s fourth line and serving as a key penalty killer.

 

 

Minor Transactions: 1/4/2016

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A day after calling up Daniel Altshuller from Charlotte of the AHL, the Carolina Hurricanes have returned the goaltender to the Checkers, according to the team’s official Twitter account. Meanwhile, the club has recalled veteran net minder Michael Leighton from their top minor league affiliate to serve as the team’s back-up between the pipes behind starter Cam Ward.

Altshuller did not see action in last night’s 3 – 1 loss to Carolina and has yet to make his NHL debut. The 22-year-old was selected in the third-round of the 2012 draft, 69th overall, by the Hurricanes and has appeared in 33 contests across the last two seasons with Charlotte, posting a record of 11 – 12 – 5.

Leighton, 35, has seen action in three games with Carolina this season, starting two, and has a 2 – 1 – 0 record with a GAA of 3.53 and a Save % of 0.875. He has appeared in 109 games over parts of 10 NHL seasons, spending time in the Chicago, Nashville, Philadelphia and Hurricanes organizations during that time. He famously backstopped the Flyers to a surprising berth in the 2009-10 Stanley Cup Final, ultimately losing to the Blackhawks in six games.

  • The Florida Panthers have loaned blue liner Dylan McIlrath to the Springfield Thunderbirds on a conditioning assignment, the team announced on their website. McIlrath, a first-round pick of the New York Rangers in 2010, has appeared in four games with the Panthers since joining the team after being acquired from New York in a November trade for fellow defenseman Steven Kampfer and a seventh-round pick in 2018. The hulking defender has tallied a single goal and has 14 penalty minutes on the season, while averaging just 9:39 of ice time per game.
  • Yanni Gourde was reassigned by the Tampa Bay Lightning to their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, tweets Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. The 25-year-old pivot made two appearances this season, failing to register a point while seeing about nine minutes of action per night. The Lightning welcomed veteran forward Ryan Callahan back into the lineup last night and his return allowed the team enough roster flexibility to send Gourde to the minors.
  • In a procedural move necessitated by the activation of goaltender Michal Neuvirth from IR, the Philadelphia Flyers have placed blue liner Mark Streit on LTIR, according to CSN Philly’s Tim Panaccio. Streit last played on December 11th and is expected to be out until sometime later this month due to a shoulder injury. By placing the veteran defender on LTIR, the Flyers are temporarily able to clear his $5.25MM cap hit from their ledger, thus allowing for the activation of Neuvirth. Had the transaction not been made, Philadelphia would have been over the salary cap by around $682K.

Atlantic Notes: Kulikov, Kampfer, Ceci, Zetterberg

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Former Florida defenseman Dmitry Kulikov said he was ‘surprised’ that he was dealt to Buffalo at the draft, writes George Richards of the Miami Herald.  Kulikov knew there was a chance he could be moved but hadn’t heard that the Sabres were one of the teams that was interested in him.  Kulikov told Richards that he was excited for the move and also noted that there were times in the past he wanted to be traded:

“I’m excited to change the scenery a little bit, go on to a new team. It felt right for some reason. After being here so many years … There were times I wanted Florida to trade me, then we drafted some good players and the team started to turn around and it was fun, so, at that point, I wanted to stay. But when the trade came, it felt like a good opportunity for me to step up my game.”

Kulikov is entering the final year of a three year, $13MM contract he signed back in the 2014 offseason and will undoubtedly be pushing to improve upon a one goal, 16 assist effort from last year.  He’s likely to start next season in a top four role with the Sabres.

Other tidbits from the Atlantic Division:

  • Also from Richards’ column, Panthers blueliner Steven Kampfer is fully recovered from offseason knee surgery. Kampfer noted he had been playing through pain since December and is now pain free.  Kampfer will likely be in a heated battle for a roster spot at training camp as Florida has nine defensemen that could conceivably make a push for a space on the opening night roster.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports that talks continue between the Senators and RFA defender Cody Ceci and that they are looking at two and six year deals (Twitter links). Ceci had a career high 10 goals and 26 points in 75 games with Ottawa while averaging 19:18 per game.
  • NHL.com reports that Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg has been named captain of Sweden’s entry into next month’s World Cup of Hockey. It will be Zetterberg’s 13th appearance internationally for his home country.  As their depth chart currently stands, he will likely be in a battle for a middle six spot in Sweden’s lineup.

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