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Zack Mitchell

Kings Sign Zack Mitchell

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The Kings have dipped their toes into the minor league free agent market.  CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that they have signed winger Zack Mitchell to a one-year, two-way contract.  The deal pays the league minimum salary of $650K at the NHL level and $150K in the minors.

Mitchell had spent the previous four seasons in Minnesota’s system after they signed him as an undrafted free agent back in 2014 but was eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer.

Last season, Mitchell spent most of his time at the minor league level, suiting up in 42 games with the Iowa Wild of the AHL.  He was fairly productive down there, picking up 16 goals and 17 assists in that span.  He also suited up in 23 games with Minnesota where he collected five points (3-2-5).

Although he was acquired as an unrestricted free agent, Mitchell could still potentially become a restricted free agent next summer.  He has played in 34 career NHL games thus far and if he suits up in 46 with the Kings this season, he will become a regular RFA.  If not, he will once again be a Group VI UFA next July.

Minnesota Wild Place Zack Mitchell On Waivers

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Tuesday: Mitchell has cleared, and will be assigned to the Iowa Wild.

Monday: The Minnesota Wild have placed Zack Mitchell on waivers, continuing what has been a transaction-filled season for the forward. The 24-year old cleared waivers before the season, and bounced up and down throughout the first month of the year. Now that he’s been up for some time, he’ll have to clear again before heading to the Iowa Wild. The team needed a roster spot to make room for Zach Parise’s imminent return from injured reserve.

Mitchell has played 21 games for the Wild this season, registering his first NHL goal and recording five points so far. The undrafted forward signed with Minnesota after an impressive end to his junior career, and has continued showing some offensive skill in the minor leagues. He made his NHL debut last season, and is now an interesting option for the team as a depth forward with the ability to fill several roles. If he does make it back to Iowa, he’ll likely retake his role as a key offensive contributor—he has 16 points in 11 AHL contests this season. That versatility could actually make him an interesting claim for another team, as he has experience on both the penalty kill and powerplay at the minor league level.

For Minnesota, activating Parise has been part of the plan all along. The team had banked salary cap room whenever possible, knowing that Parise would make his return at some point and bring his $7.54MM cap hit with him. For a team trying to crawl back into the postseason, they certainly don’t have a lot of roster flexibility. They’ve been right up against the cap all season, and are at the limit of 50 contracts. That’ll be tough to deal with as they head towards the trade deadline and navigate any new opportunities.

Minor Transactions: 10/22/17

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Here’s where we’ll keep tabs on the minor news and notes throughout the day with the most recent moves at the top:

  • The St. Louis Blues have reassigned Samuel Blais and Ivan Barbashev to the AHL, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Blais was called up on Oct. 13 to take over a role on the team’s second line. He played in four games, but only put up one assist in that time. The prospect had an impressive campaign with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves last year, putting up 26 goals as a 20-year-old. While it surprised many that he didn’t make the Blues squad out of training camp, Blais put up three goals and an assist in his first two games with the San Antonio Rampage and was immediate called up as the team was hoping he could revitalize their offense. However, his ice time has decreased and he was often moved to the team’s third line. Blais will return to San Antonio. Barbashev played six games for St. Louis, but didn’t produce a point and was a healthy scratch for the team’s first two games. His ice time was also reduced to the point where he played just under eight minutes against the Golden Knights on Saturday. He will be sent to the Chicago Wolves, according to Thomas. There have been no corresponding call ups.
  • The Minnesota Wild announced a few transactions today, sending forwards Luke Kunin, Zack Mitchell and Cal O’Reilly to the Iowa Wild of the AHL. Kunin and Mitchell had been with the team since Wednesday, while O’Reilly was called up Saturday before their game against the Calgary Flames. Michael Russo of The Athletic tweets they are only being sent down temporarily as the team will likely need them for Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. All three saw action against Calgary Saturday. Kunin, the team’s 2016 first-round pick, saw the most time (11:47) and contributed two assists to the team’s 4-2 comeback victory. O’Reilly played 8:16 seconds, while Mitchell was on the ice for 7:17. Neither registered a point.
  • The Montreal Canadiens have recalled both Nikita Scherbak and Michael McCarron after their latest defeat at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks. Montreal has had trouble scoring goals and defending this season, and with a 1-6-1 record likely want to shake up the lineup. The team will need to make two corresponding moves to make room for the youngsters on the roster. Both Scherbak and McCarron were first-round picks by the Canadiens, and have gotten off to nice starts in the AHL. With a combined 13 points through six games, perhaps they’ll be able to infuse some offense into the struggling Montreal attack.

Hurricanes Send Necas Back To HC Kometa Brno

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The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have returned 2017 first-round pick Martin Necas to HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga, the top professional league in the Czech Republic. The 18-year-old center was allowed to play nine games with the NHL club before the team would have to decide whether to burn his first year of his entry-level contract. However, Necas has been returned after playing just one game for the Hurricanes.

Having played in six of the team’s preseason games, a few were surprised when Necas made the team, a team hoping to make the playoffs this year. However, the youngster’s raw skill was evident and the team hoped to capitalize on that. The Hurricanes also had the option of sending Necas to Charlotte of the AHL, but he has said on several occasions he would prefer to return home to play with his old team, if given the option.

The 12th overall pick in this year’s draft, Necas made his NHL debut on Oct. 17 against the Edmonton Oilers, but didn’t register a point in less than seven minutes of ice time. He has been scratched in all the other games. Returning to his team in Brno, Necas put up seven goals and eight assists in 41 games there last year. He also scored four goals in 10 playoff games as well.

The move also gives Carolina some maneuvering room for the future. Prior to loaning Necas to the Czech Extraliga, the Hurricanes had 50 contracts, the maximum you can have. Now, the team has 49, according to CapFriendly.

West Notes: Mironov, Kerdiles, Coyotes, Wild

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Although it’s generally not viewed as a good idea for teams to keep waiver-exempt young players as healthy scratches for long periods of time, that is what’s happening with the Avalanche and defenseman Andrei Mironov who has sat for six straight.  Mike Chambers of the Denver Post notes that the team is okay with that arrangement for now as the rookie, who speaks very little English, gets to be around a trio of fellow Russians who are helping him adapt to the North American game.  Despite this, head coach Jared Bednar acknowledged they will have to get him into some more games in the near future as sitting a 23-year-old is not an ideal long-term strategy.

Elsewhere out West:

  • The Ducks announced that they have returned winger Nicolas Kerdiles to San Diego of the AHL. He has played in two games with Anaheim this season but has failed to play four minutes in either of them.  This marks the third time already this year that the 23-year-old has been sent down after he cleared waivers in late September.
  • Coyotes winger Brendan Perlini will miss his fourth straight game on Thursday with an upper-body injury, reports Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan (Twitter link). However, he did skate with the team on Wednesday and appears to be nearly ready to return to the lineup.  As for center Brad Richardson who missed Tuesday’s game with a lower-body issue, Morgan adds that he will be a game-time decision on Thursday.
  • As expected, the Wild announced that they have made several recalls from Iowa of the AHL. Forwards Zack Mitchell, Landon Ferraro, and Luke Kunin were all recalled and should be in uniform on Friday night.  The team waited until 4:00 PM CST to announce the call-ups, meaning that they will not count on Minnesota’s salary cap until Thursday.

Wild Recall Trio Of Forwards

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Among the rash of injury announcements out of Minnesota on Friday was that winger Charlie Coyle suffered a right fibula fracture and would miss the next six-to-eight weeks.  While losing him certainly hurts, the fact he will miss that much time enabled them to place him on long-term injury reserve which freed up the cap space to bring up some replacements instead of potentially having to dress only nine forwards for their game today against Columbus.

The team wasted little time doing so, announcing the recalls of forwards Christoph Bertschy, Landon Ferraro, and Zack Mitchell from AHL Iowa and they will likely comprise their fourth line for the time being.

This will mark the third straight season that Baertschy has had a stint with Minnesota, having spent eight games combined with the team over the past two years.  He spent the majority of last season in the minors, collecting 11 goals and 13 assists in 67 games.

Ferraro is in his first season with the Wild after signing with them in July.  He has the most NHL experience under his belt with 75 games of experience between Detroit and Boston.  He’s coming off an injury-plagued 2016-17 with the Blues where he got into just 22 games with their AHL affiliate but is off to a good start this season with a pair of assists in Iowa.

Mitchell got into 11 games with Minnesota last season but didn’t get on the scoresheet.  He’s coming off a quiet 2016-17 in the minors as well as he tallied just 22 points with Iowa, well off his previous totals of 35 and 42 but the team saw enough in him to qualify him over the summer.

Even with the short-term LTIR, the Wild are fairly tight to the cap and have just over $1MM available to spend per CapFriendly but that’s enough for one more recall at some point.  With Zach Parise and Mikael Granlund not yet ready to return, it will be interesting to see if they bring someone else up just to have a spare skater.

Wild Re-Sign Kurtis Gabriel

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The Minnesota Wild have reportedly come to terms on a new deal with gritty forward Kurtis Gabriel. While the team has yet to make the contract official, TVA’s Renaud Lavoie believes that the ink has dried on a one-year, two-way contract worth $715K at the NHL level for the restricted free agent. With several frequent fourth liners in 2016-17 now gone – Tyler Graovac (traded to Washington), Erik Haula (selected by Vegas), Jordan Schroeder (traded to Columbus), Ryan White (will not be re-signed) – Gabriel will be given every chance to earn a regular spot in the lineup next season.

A 2013 third-round pick, Gabriel has not been able to come close to the offense he showed with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack in his three years of pro experience. Gabriel has just one point in 16 NHL games over two seasons and 40 points in 190 career AHL games. The value that Gabriel does bring to the table is his toughness and two-way ability. Gabriel averaged two hits per game in his brief NHL stints in 2016-17 and racked up more than two penalty minutes per game. That was in just about 5 minutes of ice time per game too. At 6’4″, 211-lbs., the big winger is a force to reckon and, given the proper amount of ice time, could be one of the most ferocious checkers in the NHL. He also wins battles along the boards and is an above-average shot blocker. Increasing his offensive output or at least working on a horrendous possession game would help Gabriel’s chances of sticking with the Wild next season, but fourth-line opportunity and physical domination often go hand-in-hand regardless.

Gabriel is locked up for next year, but the off-season is far from over for GM Chuck Fletcher and the Minnesota front office. They still have major restricted free agents to sign in Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter, and Marcus Foligno, as well as competition for Gabriel on the checking line in Zack Mitchell, not to mention an ongoing search for a reliable back-up goalie behind Devan Dubnyk. It’s nice to have one box checked off, but the Wild brass have their work cut out for them this summer.

Ryan Carter Signs PTO With AHL’s Iowa Wild

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Ryan Carter’s comeback continues. After the report last week that Carter had begun practicing with the Minnesota Wild in an attempt to return to the NHL, he has taken another step toward that goal today by inking a professional tryout agreement with the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa. The Iowa Wild announced the deal today, and Carter is expected to see his first ice time of the 2016-17 season in their next two games.

It’s been a long, strange road for Carter to get back to the NHL, and it’s not over yet. The Minnesota native played for the Wild for the past two years, recording 25 points in 113 games in a bottom-six role. However, when his contract expired at the end of last season and he hit free agency this summer, he made the executive decision that he would either sign with his hometown team or hang up his skates for good. The Wild were unable to commit to a contract for the 33-year-old, but didn’t want to rule out a return for the hard-working forward who grew up in White Bear Lake and played college hockey for Minnesota State – Mankato. They decided to invite Carter to camp this fall, giving him a chance to earn a contract instead. However, he was released not long after the action began due to issues with a lingering shoulder injury. Carter underwent a procedure on a torn labrum in his right shoulder four months ago, and many expected that to be the end of his career. Carter was not ready to call it quits just yet though, and rehabbed and work his way back into game shape, before going to the Wild brass with hopes of rejoining the team.

He’s well on his way, now. After more than a week of practicing with the NHL Wild, this PTO gives Carter the chance to finally see some game action with the AHL Wild. If the coaches and executives like what they see, expect Carter’s hard work to pay off in a contract by the end of the month. As long as he is signed by March 1st, the NHL Trade Deadline, Carter will be eligible to play in the postseason for the West-leading Wild. With Tyler Graovac recently clearing waivers and being demoted to the AHL and the utter lack of production from Kurtis Gabriel and Zack Mitchell, the need for another reliable player on Minnesota’s fourth line is more apparent now than ever. Carter gives them an option that costs nothing in trade capital, is familiar with the team, and can be counted on for hard work and dedicated play.

Central Notes: Blackhawks, Mitchell, Predators

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The Daily Herald’s John Dietz writes that the Blackhawks are aiming for a strong start following their bye week.When returning from a bye week, teams are 3-10 after playing their first game. The Hawks don’t start up again until Saturday night, but head coach Joel Quenneville thinks that while the break can cause “hiccups,” the break can be a source of good. Defenseman Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane both think the team will be fine, while Keith realizes that Edmonton has been on a roll and will give the Hawks their best, despite a 5-1 beating the Hawks handed them just a week ago.

In other Central Division news:

  • The Wild returned Zack Mitchell to the Iowa Wild after being recalled earlier in the week. Mitchell has played in 11 games this season with the Wild, but has failed to register a point with the big club. It contrasts with his performance in Iowa, where Mitchell led the team in scoring last season. This season he has 14 points (8-6).
  • The Predators are on pace to sell out all of their home games this season reports the Tennessean’s Nate Rau. This would be the first time in franchise history that the Preds would sell out, and team officials say that the Preds have been on a “hot streak” in term of sales since hosting the All-star game. Rau writes that only seven years ago, the Predators were in danger of being sold and possibly moved due to a lack of interest. But another key has been the creativity of season ticket packages. After offering two-year plans, and now three-year plans, the job done by the team on the ice and the front office have allowed for such creativity.
    Related: Deadline Primer: Nashville

Wild Recall Alex Tuch, Waive Tyler Graovac

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Despite having the most points in their conference, the Wild have decided to shake up their roster. The team has announced that they’ve recalled top prospect Alex Tuch and winger Zack Mitchell from the Iowa Wild of the AHL. To make room on the roster, the team has placed forward Tyler Graovac on waivers and placed defenseman Jonas Brodin on the injured reserve (retroactive to January 18th).

Alex TuchTuch, who was selected 18th overall in the 2014 draft, will be receiving his second career cup of coffee. The 20-year-old appeared in three games for the Wild earlier this season, averaging a bit under 12 minutes per game. The talented offensive weapon failed to record a goal or assist during his brief cameo, but he has compiled 12 goals and 13 assists in 36 games for Iowa this season. Dane Mizutani of TwinCities.com notes that Tuch was practicing alongside first-liners Eric Staal and Nino Niederreiter during Monday’s practice.

Mitchell, 24, made his NHL debut earlier this season with the Wild, compiling zero points in 10 games. The former undrafted player has spent the past two-plus seasons with Iowa, and he’s compiled eight goals and six assists so far this season.

The team may have placed Graovac on waivers, but Mizutani notes that the squad is assuming that he’ll go unclaimed and ultimately land with Iowa. On the flip side, Jason Brough of Pro Hockey Talk writes that Graovac’s affordable contract (including a $625K cap hit for next season) could be enticing to some teams. The transaction is also an indication that the organization would like Charlie Coyle to get more reps at center.

The 23-year-old has spent much of the season on the Wild’s fourth-line, collecting three goals and one assist in only six games. Prior to this season, the 2011 draft pick has played in five games for the Wild between two seasons.

Brodin has missed the past 12 games as he’s recovered from a fractured finger. The former first-rounder was logging a career-low 19:47 minutes per game, but his offensive production was approaching career-highs. After having never finished with more than 19 points in his previous four seasons, Brodin had already scored three goals and provided 13 assists in 43 games this season.

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