Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tommy Cross

Blue Jackets Ink Defenseman Dillon Simpson

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Columbus continues to bolster their numbers on the blue line, adding a third free agent defenseman so far in Dillon Simpson. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that it is a two-year, two-way deal for Simpson, which will carry an average annual value of $675K in the NHL.

Simpson, 25, was eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency this season and will leave the Edmonton Oilers after another season spent entirely in the minor leagues. The former University of North Dakota standout played 61 games for the Bakersfield Condors in 2017-18 and recorded 18 points. Obviously not in the Oilers plans, he’ll try to catch on with the Cleveland Monsters and show the Blue Jackets that he’s capable of excelling in professional hockey.

Columbus saw Jack Johnson and Ian Cole head to new teams in free agency and have responded by signing several minor league defensemen to rebuild their depth. The team is also hoping for a bounce back by the Monsters, who struggled this season after seeing several key graduations over the last few years.

Columbus Signs Defenseman Adam Clendening

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Blue Jackets continue to add to their defensive depth, now adding journeyman blue liner Adam Clendening to their ranks. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports that it is a one-year, two-way deal for Clendening and adds that he will be paid $700K at the NHL level and $300K at the AHL level, with a $400K final salary guaranteed. Clendening is expected to compete for a job in Columbus with fellow new addition Tommy Cross and returning prospects Dean Kukan and Gabriel Carlsson.

Clendening, 25, is on his seventh NHL organization already and has never been able to secure a full-time role. Selected 36th overall in 2011, the former Boston University standout has just 86 NHL games under his belt and was allowed to walk into free agency when he went unqualified by the Chicago Blackhawks. Even if he doesn’t make an impact at the highest level for the Blue Jackets, Clendening is an excellent minor league defender that can put up big point totals and log huge minutes.

The Cleveland Monsters, Columbus’ AHL affiliate, have fallen on tough times recently and need help turning things around. After winning the Calder Cup in 2016, the team finished second-last in the entire league with just 25 wins. That included ranking in the bottom three in both goals for and goals against, something that Clendening will try to change next year.

Blue Jackets Sign Defenseman Tommy Cross

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Columbus Blue Jackets are bringing in a familiar face in former USHL Junior Blue Jackets player Tommy Cross. The 28-year-old defenseman, a long-time Boston Bruins depth player, is also a good friend of Cam Atkinson from the pair’s time at Boston College. TSN’s Frank Servalli reports that it is a two-way deal for Cross, paying him the minimum $650K at the NHL level.

The 28-year-old has shown off his offensive game over the past couple of years with the Bruins’ AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. In two seasons, he’s combined for 20 goals and 71 points. However, the blueliner has not had any success cracking the Bruins lineup, even with the team’s rash of injuries in the last couple of years. He hasn’t appeared in a regular season game in two years, although he did make an appearance in a Bruins’ playoff game in the 2016-17 season.

The two-way deal should allow Cross to play a major role for the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters and would have to challenge both Dean Kukan and Markus Nutivaara for playing time at the NHL level.

2017 NHL Free Agency Tracker

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Stay with PHR for all of the free agency signings this off-season. As of noon ET on July 1st, unrestricted free agency is open, but not before many extensions earlier in June. This page serves to organize everything in one spot, and are linked to the PHR story that corresponds with the signing. All July signings will be separated by date while June signings are organized alphabetically by team. It will be updated as soon as stories post.

Please note that signings on this list start on June 12.

July 1st:

Read more

Boston Bruins Sign Tommy Cross To One-Year Contract

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Boston Bruins have re-signed a depth option, signing Tommy Cross to a one-year, two-way contract worth the league minimum of $650K in the NHL. Cross was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but the Providence Bruins captain will be back for at least one more season.

Cross has developed into a defensive rock for the P-Bruins, providing excellent play at both ends of the rink in the AHL. He also jumped into the Boston lineup for a playoff game this spring when the Bruins’ defensive group was devastated by injury. The 27-year old registered 35 points this season in the minors, his second as the captain of the team. The former second-round pick hasn’t quite lived up to the hype coming out of Boston College, but still has a chance to make an impact at some point at least in a part-time NHL role.

For the Bruins, players like Cross are extremely important given the uncertainty on their blueline for next season. With young players, injury risks and aging veterans, they could easily be put into a position like they were in the playoffs. A similar decision will have to be made on Joe Morrow, who is a restricted free agent this summer but hasn’t developed into the defenseman he was projected as when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the first round. Morrow played just 17 games for the Bruins this season, but could be a valuable depth option if they can get him under contract.

Boston Bruins Recall Tommy Cross, Matt Grzelcyk

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Boston Bruins have brought up some reinforcements for their game against the Ottawa Senators tonight. Both Tommy Cross and Matt Grzelcyk have been recalled on emergency basis. Cross, the captain of the Providence Bruins took part in the morning skate and should be paired with John-Michael Liles tonight, replacing the injured Adam McQuaid.

Cross, 27, was drafted in the second round, 35th overall in 2007 but has played just three games at the NHL level in his entire career. Fighting his way up through almost every level of hockey in the United States, Cross completed four years at Boston College before originally being assigned to the ECHL. A leader everywhere he’s played, he wore a letter (A, then C) on each of his two national college championships, and has captained the P-Bruins for two years. He’ll try to lend that veteran presence to the team, even if it is a brand new stage for him in the NHL playoffs.

Grzelcyk on the other hand is just 23-years old, and just completed his first professional season. Another graduate of a Hockey-East school, Grzelcyk captained Boston University his final two seasons. The undersized defender has excellent puck-moving skills, and racked up 32 points in his rookie AHL season. While he is still young, his experience in NCAA playoff games and the World Juniors in 2014 should help any nerves he may have about making his NHL playoff debut (should he get into the lineup). In two games with Boston this season, he has been held pointless.

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

scroll to top