Minor Transactions: 12/14/24
It has been a busy Saturday on the transaction front across the NHL. We’ve covered several of them already but quite a few other teams have made minor moves. We’ll run through those here.
- Utah announced (Twitter link) that they’ve re-assigned defenseman Kevin Connauton to AHL Tucson. The veteran was recalled on Wednesday but with Utah claiming Dakota Mermis on Thursday, Connauton was no longer needed as a reserve defender. The 34-year-old has played in 17 games with the Roadrunners so far this season, notching three goals and three assists.
- The Senators announced (Twitter link) that forward Cole Reinhardt has been re-assigned to AHL Belleville, one day after being recalled. The 24-year-old has been quite productive in the minors so far, picking up five goals and ten assists in just 12 games which has helped earn him five games with Ottawa. In those outings, he has a goal and an assist, his first points at the NHL level.
- After being papered down on Thursday, the Blue Jackets have recalled goaltender Jet Greaves and winger Mikael Pyyhtia, per the AHL’s transactions log. Greaves made his 2024-25 Columbus debut on Thursday against Washington, making 35 saves on 37 shots in a losing effort. He has a 3.02 GAA and a .902 SV% in 15 appearances with the Monsters. As for Pyyhtia, the 22-year-old has played in 19 games with the Blue Jackets so far, collecting a goal and an assist while averaging 13:33 per night of playing time.
- After papering down defenseman Keaton Middleton and winger Givani Smith on Friday, the two are back up with the Avalanche, the team announced (Twitter link). Middleton has played in four games with the Avs this season in his first NHL action since the 2020-21 campaign; he has been held without a point while averaging 11:33 per night of ice time. Smith, meanwhile, was acquired as part of the Mackenzie Blackwood trade earlier this week after he cleared waivers. He has played in eight games between the two teams and is still looking for his first point of the season as well.
- After having his contract terminated earlier in the week, former San Jose prospect Valtteri Pulli has found his next home. HC Lugano of the Swiss NL announced that they’ve signed the blueliner for the remainder of the season. Pulli played in just two games with the AHL’s Barracuda before requesting his release earlier this week.
Sharks Mutually Terminate Valtteri Pulli’s Contract
Dec. 12: No one claimed Pulli on waivers, indicating his contract with the Sharks has been terminated. The Sharks now have two open contract slots.
Dec. 11: The Sharks announced Wednesday that they placed defenseman Valtteri Pulli on unconditional waivers for mutual contract termination.
“Valtteri requested to play in Europe, and we mutually agreed to terminate his contract,” said Sharks assistant general manager Joe Will. “We want to thank Valtteri for his contributions to the organization and wish him all the best.”
San Jose signed Pulli, now 23, as an undrafted free agent out of Finland’s TPS in 2023. They were one of a few NHL teams that had interest in bringing him over from Europe, beating out the Bruins, Canucks, Islanders, Penguins, Predators, and Jets, Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek (then of Sportsnet) reported at the time.
However, Pulli has spent the entirety of his entry-level contract on assignment to the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. The 6’6″, 209-lb lefty was limited to 10 points and a -8 rating in 59 appearances last season and has barely played in 2024-25, serving as a scratch for all but two of the Baby Sharks’ 21 games.
Pulli was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season and was highly unlikely to receive a qualifying offer, so he could have tested the open market then and returned to Europe. Instead, the Sharks will part ways with him a few months early, allowing Pulli to finish the season overseas. A return to the Liiga with TPS, where he had 19 points and a +7 rating in 82 games from 2020-21 to 2022-23, seems likely.
While unlikely, any of the NHL’s 31 other teams could acquire Pulli for the rest of the season if they place a claim before 1:00 pm CT tomorrow.
San Jose Sharks Sign Valtteri Pulli
May 3: While “soon” may be a relative term, Pulli still ended up in a San Jose uniform. The Sharks made the contract official today, announcing a two-year contract for the Finn. PuckPedia reports Pulli’s deal carries a cap hit of $950,000.
March 19: Last month, it was reported that free agent defenseman Valtteri Pulli was receiving interest from several teams. Now that his season in Finland has ended, discussions on an NHL deal can pick up. Sasha Huttunen of Ilta Sanomat reports that the Sharks are one of the teams interested in the blueliner, going as far as to suggest that a contract already could be done. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek indicated (video link) the same, noting that the deal should be made official soon.
The 22-year-old just wrapped up his first full campaign at Finland’s top level, picking up a respectable 17 points in 53 games while logging nearly 18 minutes a night of playing time. It’s also worth noting that Pulli stands 6’6 which was sure to intrigue some scouts, especially since he has shown that he can hold his own in the SM-liiga.
It’s worth noting that Pulli has another year left on his contract with TPS. As a result, if Pulli doesn’t crack the NHL roster of whomever he signs with next season – the Sharks or otherwise – he will have to be loaned back to Finland for the 2023-24 campaign. He will still burn a year off his entry-level deal in that situation, one that will only be for two seasons due to his age.