Western Notes: Fedun, Oilers’ Front Office, Holden, Kubalik
With lots of questions surrounding the last spot on the Dallas Stars’ defense, SportsDay’s Matthew DeFranks reports that Taylor Fedun is expected to play after participating in warm-ups before Game 6 of their second round series against the St. Louis Blues. The veteran defenseman was questionable to play, but he successfully warmed up with no issues.
The team has been hampered by injuries at the third pairing spot alongside Ben Lovejoy, as both Jamie Oleksiak and Joel Hanley are out with injuries, while Fedun has also struggled to get on the ice. The team had a number of options if Fedun could not go, including Dillon Heatherington and Gavin Bayreuther.
- While nothing has been signed, the Edmonton Journal’s Kurt Leavins suggests that if/when Detroit Red Wings Senior Vice President Ken Holland takes over as General Manager in Edmonton, he’s likely to bring front office personnel with him. He writes that Detroit’s Director of Amateur Scouting Tyler Wright is a likely candidate to follow Holland, as well as Ryan Martin, the Red Wings Assistant General Manager, who is the team’s salary cap guru. He adds that rumors that Dave Tippett could end up as the team’s head coach would be a good move considering the relative success he had in Arizona when the team had little to work with.
- After being relegated to the press box for all but one game in the playoffs, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nick Holden is motivated to come back and reclaim a spot on Vegas’ blue line, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Ben Gotz. The 31-year-old played in his least amount of regular season games since the 2013-14 season after he was passed on the depth chart by Jonathon Merrill. With one more year on his contract at $2.2MM, Holden must prove he is capable of being a regular. “Whenever you’re sitting out, it’s added motivation to try to bring your level up,” Holden said. “It’s good for a team to have that healthy competition, because that pushes all of us to be better.”
- The Athletic’s Scott Powers (subscription required) writes that while the Chicago Blackhawks are finalists in the sweepstakes to sign Swedish forward Anton Wedin, the team is also expected to sign NLA forward Dominik Kubalik after the World Championships. Kubalik, whose rights were acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on January 24th of this year, is coming off a 25-goal, 57-point season in the Swiss League. The 23-year-old is expected to challenge for a bottom-six spot in the Blackhawks’ lineup immediately.
Maple Leafs Still Seeking Right-Shot Defenseman
The Toronto Maple Leafs are undoubtedly one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup this season, but many would agree that they face an uphill battle if they don’t improve their defense corps. For years, the right side of the defense has been an issue in Toronto and nothing has changed. Nikita Zaitsev and Igor Ozhiganov are the only right-shot defenders that play regularly for the Maple Leafs and the former has struggled all season long – to the point that the team is actively shopping him and his lengthy contract – and the latter is still adjusting to an NHL pace of play. The only other righty on the blue line is Justin Holl, who is scoreless in two games so far this season as a total non-factor. Toronto needs more production, better checking, and all around more cohesion among their defensemen and it all starts with fixing the right side.
It comes as no surprise then that Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reports that the team is still actively scouring the market for a solution on the right side, preferably a top-four caliber defender. Kypreos again mentions the St. Louis Blues’ Alex Pietrangelo, a player that the Maple Leafs were linked to earlier this season, as a possibility, but questions his availability. Colleague Elliotte Friedman also mentions Los Angeles Kings’ off-side lefty Jake Muzzin and Philadelphia Flyers’ bruiser Radko Gudas as options. The problem, and one addressed by Kypreos, is that the prices are high on these top right-side defensemen with term remaining on their contracts and he believes that the Maple Leafs are unwilling to part with young roster forwards like Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson or top blue line prospect Rasmus Sandin to get a deal done. Kypreos lists the team’s first-round pick and AHL defensemen Timothy Liljegren and Calle Rosen as their top bargaining chips, but that likely will not be enough to land one of the top long-term defensemen on the market.
The prices will be lower on the rental market, but the options are also less appealing. The best right-handed defensemen who are impending free agents all belong to top contenders – Erik Karlsson, Anton Stralman, Dan Girardi, Tyler Myers – and even some of the more moderate options play for teams not looking to sell, such as the Golden Knights’ Deryk Engelland and the Bruins’ Steven Kampfer. If the Leafs feel adding a solid, stay-at-home righty would give them the boost they desire, the New Jersey Devils’ Ben Lovejoy or the New York Rangers’ Adam McQuaid would both be serviceable options. If they instead want a puck-mover, they could try to pry Nick Jensen from the Detroit Red Wings or Taylor Fedun from the Dallas Stars, but neither are guaranteed to be available. There simply isn’t a great market right now at right-shot defense, typical of the position that has become one of the most valuable in hockey due to scarcity. It may be the one piece that the Maple Leafs need to put them over the top, but making a deal is going to be easier said than done.
Minor Transactions: 11/22/18
Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers in the United States, who unfortunately will not have any hockey to watch tonight. The NHL has a rare day off with no games scheduled, which will give the entire league some time to readjust their rosters. As always, we’ll keep track of all those minor moves right here.
- The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled Tyrell Goulbourne from the AHL, sending Nicolas Aube-Kubel back down in his place. Goulbourne has four points in ten games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season, adding 29 penalty minutes for good measure. Aube-Kubel meanwhile has played nine games for the Flyers without recording a point, meaning this could be a chance for him to get back on track offensively. The 22-year old forward has a huge offensive ceiling, but needs more consistent ice time to continue his development.
- Jakub Zboril was reassigned to the AHL last night by the Boston Bruins, following the return of Kevan Miller to the lineup. That means Connor Clifton is safe for now as the team awaits the returns of Zdeno Chara, Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy. Zboril is still in the long-term plans of the Bruins, but needs to see the ice on a regular basis and not sit in the press box for the NHL team.
- Mario Kempe has been assigned to the AHL by the Arizona Coyotes, after the team activated Alex Goligoski and Jakob Chychrun for last night’s game. Kempe has suited up four times for the Coyotes this season but is still looking for his first point. That hasn’t been a problem in the minor leagues for the 30-year old forward, who has nine points in eight games for the Tucson Roadrunners.
- The Vancouver Canucks have recalled Reid Boucher from the minor leagues, assigning Brendan Gaunce to Utica in the process. Boucher has been a part-time player his entire career, playing just 132 games across five NHL seasons. He came to the Canucks in 2016-17 and looked like he might have a chance to contribute on a more consistent basis, but has spent more time in the minor leagues than with the NHL club.
- Taylor Fedun was acquired by the Dallas Stars earlier this month, and today he’ll get his first recall from the minor leagues. Fedun is on his way up to take the place of Ben Gleason, who has been reassigned to the AHL. The 30-year old Fedun played just seven games in the NHL last season and has 46 contests under his belt over a long professional career.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled Daniel Carr from Chicago of the AHL. He’s taking the place of Tomas Hyka who was went down to make room for him. Carr is the leading scorer in the minors with 22 points in 16 games and has had some success at the NHL level, collecting 16 points in 38 games with Montreal last year. Meanwhile, Hyka has spent most of the season with Vegas, picking up a goal and three assists in 17 games.
Dallas Acquires Taylor Fedun From Buffalo
The Stars have added some defensive depth, acquiring defenseman Taylor Fedun from the Sabres in exchange for a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick. Both teams have announced the swap. The pick will only be conveyed if Fedun plays in 25 or more games with Dallas this season.
Fedun has played in nine games so far this season with Buffalo’s AHL affiliate in Rochester, collecting five assists. He will remain at the minor league level for the time being as the Stars have already assigned him to AHL Texas.
The 30-year-old has seen action at the NHL level in each of the last five seasons, amassing 46 games between the Oilers, Sharks, Canucks, and Sabres. Overall, he has two goals and 13 assists in that span while averaging a respectable 14:08 per night in ice time. He’s in the final season of a two-year, two-way deal that pays the league minimum $650K in the NHL and $300K in the AHL.
Dallas is in need of some depth on the back end as they’ve been bit by the injury bug. Connor Carrick, John Klingberg, Stephen Johns, and Marc Methot are all banged up at the moment which has stretched their organizational depth pretty thin. Fedun has shown in the past that he can be called upon when injuries strike so even though he’ll start in the minors, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him called up before too long.
Minor Transactions: 01/05/18
Last night was filled to the brim with hockey all across North America, with a dozen games in the NHL and a World Junior semi-final. There were some shocking finishes, with the Coyotes taking down the Predators and Canadiens icing the Lightning. Now, as we head into another weekend full of hockey, teams will be making minor changes to their rosters and we’ll keep track of everything right here.
- The Buffalo Sabres have sent Taylor Fedun back to the minor leagues, meaning he must be healthy enough to get back on the ice. Fedun hasn’t played since November due to a foot injury, and has just seven games in the NHL this year. The 29-year old is ticketed for the AHL until another few spots open up on the Buffalo blueline.
- Zac Dalpe and Dean Kukan are on their way back to the AHL again, another cap-saving measure for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they await their next game on Sunday. Columbus has been sending the pair down to get into some game action between Blue Jackets matches, allowing them to also bank some cap space for any potential moves at the deadline.
- Filip Chlapik has been reassigned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, ending his short stint in Ottawa. The NHL Senators are getting Zack Smith back into the lineup tonight, and Chlapik needs to continue to play for his development. The 20-year old recorded one point, but is still looking for his first NHL goal.
- The St. Louis Blues have activated Samuel Blais from injured reserve and sent him to the minor leagues. Blais had been dealing with a lower body injury and has played just 22 games this season split between the Blues and San Antonio Rampage. The sixth-round pick will have to prove he’s back to full strength before getting another chance with the big club, who still haven’t found their optimal mix of forwards for the stretch run.
- After only two days on injured reserve, Marcus Kruger has been activated by the Carolina Hurricanes. Kruger’s IR stint could be retroactive to the last game he played on December 27th, but it will still mean and end to Aleksi Saarela’s first NHL call-up. Saarela didn’t get into a game, meaning he’ll have to wait for another chance to make his NHL debut.
- The Vegas Golden Knights have moved Jon Merrill to injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, making room for Luca Sbisa to be activated. Sbisa is expected to be in the lineup tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks, while it’s not clear how long Merrill will be out.
- The Arizona Coyotes have sent both Kyle Capobianco and Lawson Crouse to the minor leagues, with no corresponding moves given. The Coyotes don’t play until tomorrow night, and could activate Brad Richardson for the game after he returned to practice.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have also sent goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to the minor leagues to get a start, recalling Matiss Kivlenieks to stay complient in the NHL. Korpisalo will get into a game for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters to stay sharp, but should be recalled later this weekend.
Morning Notes: Houston, Fedun, Matthews
The new owner of the Houston Rockets met with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently, according to a report from Katie Strang of The Athletic. Tilman Fertitta, who purchased the Rockets this summer for $2.2 billion, had previously suggested he’d be interested in bringing the NHL to Houston. One meeting doesn’t prove that anything is set to happen, but it does have to throw Houston into the ring for potential expansion or relocation in the future. Bettman did admit to The Athletic that they would have to consider Houston if there was interest “under the right circumstances.”
There are several teams around the league with uncertain futures, most notably in Calgary, Arizona and New York (Islanders), and now two US locations that seem like legitimate new possibilities. Seattle, with its new arena proposal headed by Oak View Group, and now Houston with interest from an owner who is more than financially capable. While many Canadian hockey fans wish that Quebec City was first on the list, they may remain in the NHL’s back pocket even longer if viable locations are popping up in the United States. There is no clear path for expansion right now, nor is the league actively looking for relocation at the moment.
- Buffalo’s season is getting even worse with the announcement that Taylor Fedun and Matt Tennyson have been put on injured reserve today. An already thin blueline gets even thinner, and head coach Phil Housley announced that Fedun would be out six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury. In the meantime the team has recalled Casey Nelson because Zach Redmond is also nursing an injury in the minor leagues. The Sabres need defensive help even when all of their starters are healthy, and risk falling out of the playoff race altogether if they don’t find an answer on the back end.
- Auston Matthews is out once again for the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight, despite practicing for much of the week. The 20-year old superstar hasn’t played in ten days, though the team is 3-0 in his absence. Nikita Soshnikov will enter the lineup in his absence, though it likely means Patrick Marleau will regain his position at center ice. Marleau has been a winger for the last several years, but was forced into the center role in Toronto due to their lack of depth behind Matthews. Beyond the NHL, the Maple Leafs don’t have a ton of other options down the middle, a concern that could lead to some interesting decisions this summer. Tyler Bozak is a pending unrestricted free agent, but could be too expensive to bring back on anything other than a short-term deal. The team may have to look elsewhere to fill the third-line center role next year.
Minor Transactions: 11/16/17
Last night was an entertaining one in the hockey world, with the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames taking us back to a different era of hockey. The two teams got into a line brawl that will likely result in several suspensions. While we wait on word from the Department of Player Safety, keep your eyes right here for all the minor moves around the league.
- The Buffalo Sabres have made some changes, recalling Kyle Criscuolo and Casey Nelson from the AHL. To make room, the team placed Matt Tennyson and Taylor Fedun on injured reserve. It’s interesting that young defenseman Brendan Guhle wasn’t the call-up, as he continues to star for the Rochester Americans. Instead, the more veteran Nelson will re-join the team. Nelson played 11 games for the Sabres last year, registering zero points.
- Montreal has recalled Nicolas Deslauriers from the Laval Rocket in preparation for their game tonight against the Arizona Coyotes. Deslauriers was acquired by Montreal earlier this season in exchange for Zach Redmond, but has yet to make his debut with the Canadiens. The 26-year old forward is a big body that the team could insert into the lineup to provide some energy and physicality.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled forward Nick Paul, bringing him back after just a few days. Paul was sent down on Monday in likely a move to save some cap space, and will now rejoin the squad to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Paul has suited up for just one game this season in the NHL, in which he was held scoreless.
- The New York Islanders have ended the emergency conditions of Josh Ho-Sang‘s recall, instead changing it to a regular recall now that Anthony Beauvillier is healthy. Ho-Sang is still expected to be in the lineup tonight for the Islanders when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes, with Alan Quine sitting out.
- According to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider, Jonny Brodzinski has been called up to the NHL. To make room, Michael Amadio has been sent back down. As Rosen points out, the Kings are currently in need of a winger at the NHL level—partly due to the recent trade of Mike Cammalleri—instead of a center, hence the move to Brodzinski.
- Later in the day, the Sabres also announced they have sent Nicholas Baptiste to the minor leagues after seeing very little ice time in the last few games. Baptiste has suited up for four games for Buffalo this season, registering zero points.
- The Calgary Flames have assigned goaltender Jon Gillies to the AHL after coming up to fill in for the injured Mike Smith last night. Gillies got some excitement when the two teams started a line brawl, and even got into the game in relief of Eddie Lack. Smith is with the team and expected to play in their next game.
Minor Transactions: 10/31/17
Happy Halloween reader, and welcome to another edition of who’s up and who’s down. As usual, we’ll keep an eye on all the movement around the National Hockey League and collect all the minor moves right here.
- The Buffalo Sabres started the day off with the first move, bringing Taylor Fedun back up from the minor leagues. Fedun has already played two games this season for the Sabres, but had given up that depth spot to Zach Redmond of late. With Justin Falk expected to be activated this week, there is no clear path into the lineup for Fedun. Perhaps he’ll serve as insurance while Buffalo heads out on a short two-game road trip to Arizona and Dallas. The 29-year old has 41 games of NHL experience so far, registering 15 points.
- The Ottawa Senators have returned Max McCormick to the AHL after calling him up just yesterday. McCormick played in Senators’ game against the Montreal Canadiens last night, but amazingly saw just a minute of ice time and 14 minutes of penalties. It won’t be the last time he’s used in this role for Ottawa, who will likely bounce him up and down if they feel they need a physical presence.
- The Arizona Coyotes have indeed sent Louis Domingue to the AHL, recalling Joel Hanley with the corresponding roster spot. The Coyotes turned to Scott Wedgewood in net last night and finally got their first win of the season. Domingue, once considered a capable backup, will need to find his game again in the minor leagues.
- Julius Honka, profiled as a potential impact rookie earlier this summer, has been sent to the AHL by the Dallas Stars. Honka wasn’t playing enough to warrant staying up with the NHL team, as his development is key to the Stars future. The 14th-overall pick from 2014, Honka has tremendous upside as an all-around defender capable of contributing offensively and skating big minutes in the future. He’ll have to wait for a bigger opportunity, or an injury to one of the Stars’ top six.
- Philadelphia has recalled another defender, bringing up Will O’Neill from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Both Nolan Patrick and Andrew MacDonald are currently on injured reserve, while Shayne Gostisbehere is still out with an upper-body injury. O’Neill will serve as an insurance policy on the upcoming two-game road trip, but is unlikely to get into a game. The 29-year old has never been called up previously, but has a long history of success in the AHL.
Eastern Notes: Smith-Pelly, Andersen, Fedun
A few days ago, Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz hinted that bottom-six winger Devante Smith-Pelly might be nearing a promotion to a better line. Well, NBC Sports’ Tarik El-Bashir writes that tonight will be that promotion as the 25-year-old has been moved onto the team’s top line alongside Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov in their game against the Edmonton Oilers.
Smith-Pelly, who came to Washington this offseason, has had a very inconsistent career, starting when he was a highly-touted prospect and was drafted in the second round in 2010 by the Anaheim Ducks. Despite his junior success and his success at the AHL level, the winger had trouble figuring things out at the NHL level and quickly found himself bouncing around different teams. He signed a one-year, $650K deal with Washington this offseason after a one-year stint in New Jersey a year ago in which he tallied just nine points in 53 games.
Now, with the Capitals, he has started to show some of his skills and has earned the trust of Trotz. While he’s yet to score a goal, the belief is that his talents might be a perfect fit alongside Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. Smith-Pelly will replace Jakub Vrana, who moves to the team’s second line next to T.J. Oshie and Niklas Backstrom, who is returning after missing a game due to illness.
“He deserves it. He’s put in the work. His game is such that he needs to move up in the lineup,” Trotz said on Smith-Pelly’s promotion.
Buffalo Sabres Recall Taylor Fedun
After it was announced yesterday that the Buffalo Sabres would be without Jacob Josefson for weeks, the team has placed him on injured reserve. In his absence, the Sabres recalled Taylor Fedun from Rochester to serve as another option on defense. Josh Gorges was also missing from practice today, leaving the team with just six healthy defensemen prior to Fedun’s promotion.
The 29-year old Fedun actually played 27 games for the Sabres last season, recording seven points and 16 penalty minutes. The undrafted Princeton grad has carved out quite the professional career for himself, as a big part of several AHL teams. He’s bred from the new NHL, relying on his mobility more than strength to help him at both ends of the rink.
Buffalo knew that he’d be one of their first recalls in case of injury, signing him to a new two-year, two-way contract just before he hit free agency. While he’s unlikely to make much of a full-time impact for the Sabres, knowing that they can call him up to jump into the lineup provides a nice amount of depth. He will however need to clear waivers to go back down to Rochester once Gorges or Justin Falk get healthy.