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Lee Stempniak Announces Retirement

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After a season spent mostly without a contract or in the minor leagues, Lee Stempniak was without a team once again this summer. Today, he announced his retirement from the NHL altogether, ending a 13-season run.

Stempniak, 36, played just two games for the Boston Bruins in 2018-19, instead suiting up for 20 contests in the minor leagues, the most AHL time he had seen since 2005. Originally selected in the fifth round of the 2003 draft, the Dartmouth College grad carved out a long successful career playing somewhere between a top-line scoring option and a third-line checking winger. Routinely scoring double-digit goals, he actually set a career-high of 28 in 2009-10 and will finish his career with 203 in 911 regular season games.

More impressive than his point totals perhaps is his career path, which took him to ten different NHL organizations. Stempniak was traded six times over his career, in various deals that were often completed at or around the trade deadline. An NHL mercenary, he never played more than 233 games for a single team.

The veteran forward would like to stay in hockey, and already there have been many who believe he’ll find success in whatever he does. The consummate professional during his playing days, it will be easy to see him get behind a bench or jump into a front office role at some point in the future.

QMJHL To Retire Sidney Crosby’s No. 87 League-Wide

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The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced a major honor for one of the best players in the game last night. Commissioner Gilles Courteau revealed that, beginning with the 2020-21 season, the No. 87 will be retired league-wide out of respect for the “contributions to the QMJHL and to hockey” of one Sidney Crosby.

Crosby, undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the NHL right now and perhaps one of the greatest players of all time, started to make a name for himself in hockey in the QMJHL 15 years ago. The Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia native debuted in 2003-04 with Rimouski Oceanic. While he only played two seasons of junior hockey, Crosby recorded a jaw-dropping 303 points over those two years with Rimouski. Since departing from the league to join the NHL, no QMJHLer has been able to top Crosby’s 168-point sophomore season and only one player has managed to surpass his 135-point debut campaign. Crosby’s time in the QMJHL represented two of the best seasons in the modern era of the league’s history. In fact, he is the only player to earn league MVP honors in back-to-back seasons. Crosby was named the third best player in all of QMJHL history last year, during the league’s 50th Anniversary celebration, behind only Guy LaFleur and mentor and Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux.

Since he left the QMJHL, Crosby has managed to make his unbelievable junior production look like only a minor footnote on his tremendous career. Crosby has been the captain of the Penguins since 2007-08 and has led the team to three Stanley Cup championships in that time. He has averaged 1.3 points per game over his NHL career, including six different 100+ point seasons, totaling 1216 points in 943 games. Crosby is an eight-time All-Star who has won two Hart Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, two Maurice Richard Trophies, and two Conn Smythe Trophies, as well as a total of five gold medals across the Olympics, World Championships, and World Juniors. And he’s still not done. Crosby shows no signs of slowing down and there are surely more accolades to come in his storied career. In selecting a true game-changing talent to honor with a league-wide jersey retirement, the QMJHL could not have done better than to choose Sidney Crosby, whose iconic No. 87 will now be immortalized forever in the league.

Eric Gryba Announces Retirement

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Veteran defenseman Eric Gryba was cut by Calgary back on Thursday and as it turns out, that will be the final stint of his career as the blueliner announced his retirement on Twitter, releasing the following statement:

I’m hanging up the skates! I am proud of the career I was able to put together and couldn’t be more grateful of all the support I received along the way. I am excited for my next chapter and all the challenges that are to come.

The 31-year-old spent last season with the Devils where he played predominantly for their AHL affiliate in Albany.  He did, however, get into ten games with New Jersey which extended his NHL career to seven seasons between the Devils, Oilers, and Senators who drafted him back in the third round (66th overall) back in 2006.

While Gryba was never a big offensive producer during his 289 career NHL games (he collected seven goals and 36 assists), he provided plenty of physicality from the back end, averaging nearly 2.7 hits per game while adding 368 penalty minutes.  He also got into 254 games in the minors, meaning that his career spanned over 500 professional games which is a pretty good run for a third-round selection.

Dan Girardi Announces Retirement

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After 13 NHL seasons, veteran defenseman Dan Girardi has decided to hang up his skates. The 35-year old played the last two seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but became an unrestricted free agent this summer. Girardi released a statement through the Lightning to give thanks for everything that has helped him along the way:

I would like to thank all my coaches, family, friends and teammates for supporting me throughout my entire hockey career. I want to thank the New York Rangers for giving me a chance to fulfill my childhood dream of playing in the NHL. Throughout those 11 incredible years I have made so many friends on and off the ice. I bled Ranger blue and gave it my all for my team, the city and the Garden faithful. I also want to thank the Tampa Bay Lightning for helping me continue my career by giving me a chance to play for such an amazing organization, city and fan base. The last two years in Tampa Bay have been so much fun for me and my family. I will always fondly remember my time here. Finally, I want to thank my wife Pamela for always being there for me and holding down the fort and to Landon and Shaye for always being daddy’s No. 1 fans.

Girardi’s career will end after 927 regular season games but he may be best known for his work in the postseason. An absolute warrior in the playoffs, he ended up playing in 143 contests with the Rangers and Lightning, averaging nearly 23 minutes a night. In fact, during the Rangers’ Stanley Cup runs in the early part of the 2010’s, Girardi was playing nearly half the game, shutting down the opponent’s top players on a nightly basis. Those playoff runs never did end in triumph, but he’ll still go down as 30th all-time in playoff games by a defenseman, reaching the postseason in 12 of 13 seasons.

Zachary Lauzon Announces Retirement

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Today a promising young career was cut short, as 20-year old defenseman Zachary Lauzon has announced his retirement through a piece by Mikael Lalancette of TVA Sports. The former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect was not offered a contract from the team this summer after dealing with post-concussion symptoms for two years, but did receive an invitation to their rookie camp. Unfortunately, Lauzon’s headaches and dizziness returned, leading to his decision to end his hockey career.

Selected 51st overall in 2017, Lauzon was a promising puck-moving defenseman from the QMJHL that had just put up 21 points in 63 games. Even when he was drafted though there were concerns, as he had just suffered another concussion in the playoffs with Rouyn-Noranda and would miss most of the Penguins development camp that summer. He played just 25 games for the Huskies the following year, and missed all of 2018-19 as he tried to get himself right.

At this point, it would have been a long road to even get to the level he was playing at in 2017. Instead Lauzon will hang up his skates and focus on his health, another example of how easily the dream of professional hockey can be taken away.

Minor Transactions: 09/04/19

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It’s now September and teams are still filling out their organization depth charts as they wait on the restricted free agent market to heat up. With moves being made daily in the minor, professional, collegiate and European leagues, we’ll keep track of all the notable ones right here. Check back often for an updated list:

  • Former NHL forward Jim Slater has announced his retirement, ending his playing career after four successful seasons in Switzerland. The 36-year old was originally selected in the first round by the Atlanta Thrashers back in 2002 and played 584 games over his NHL career. Slater is set to join Michigan State University as an assistant coach for the upcoming season, returning to the place he made a name for himself as a Hobey Baker finalist in 2004.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick Kalle Loponen has decided to bring his talents to North America, signing with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL for the 2019-20 season. Loponen was picked in the seventh round earlier this year but will get a much bigger opportunity in Sudbury than he would have in Finland. The 18-year old does not have an NHL contract at this point, but it will be much easier for the Maple Leafs’ brass to get an in-person look at his potential.
  • Boston University grad Max Willman has found a home to begin his pro career. The former Brown University standout has signed a one-year deal with the ECHL’s Reading Royals, the team announced. A fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2014, Willman is an athletic and intelligent player. He totaled 51 points in 135 NCAA games, including one near point-per-game campaign at Brown,  and should be able to translate his ability easily to the pros.
  • Cross-town rival Lincoln Griffin of Northeastern University has also signed in the ECHL. He is set to join the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on a one-year contract, the team announced. Griffin is fresh off of a season in which he was a top-six scoring forward for a Huskies program that was a national contender. The speedy winger will look to take another step forward in his jump to the pro ranks.

Niklas Kronwall Announces Retirement, Joins Detroit’s Front Office

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The Detroit Red Wings brought one franchise legend back to run their front office in Steve Yzerman, and he’ll be joined by another one. Niklas Kronwall has announced his retirement as a player and will now move to the front office as an advisor to Yzerman. Kronwall and the team released a four-minute video explaining his decision and thanking everyone that has been involved in his long career.

The 38-year old Kronwall was an unrestricted free agent after his last contract with the Red Wings expired, but it never seemed like he would sign anywhere else. Selected 29th overall in 2000 out of the Swedish Elite League, Kronwall spent his entire career with Detroit, playing in 953 regular season games and winning the Stanley Cup in 2008. In that playoff run Kronwall was one of the Red Wings’ best players, recording 15 points in 22 games and leading the entire postseason with a +16 rating.

Known best for his punishing open-ice hits, Kronwall was an extremely effective player at both ends of the rink. Three times he recorded at least 44 points in a single season with his career-best of 51 coming in 2008-09 as part of a three-headed monster on defense along with Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski. When Lidstrom and Rafalski would eventually retire, Kronwall took on the mantle of top dog for the Red Wings defense corps and reached new heights in ice time and responsibility. For three consecutive seasons from 2012-2015 he received Norris Trophy votes as one of the best defensemen in the league, while averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time.

To go along with his incredible NHL resume, Kronwall also consistently performed well internationally. In 2006 he took home an Olympic gold medal with Sweden to go along with his Stanley Cup and World Championship gold, putting him in the rare “Triple Gold Club.” Add in his two Swedish championships before coming to the NHL, another pair of silver medals at the Olympics and Worlds, and Kronwall is one of the most decorated hockey players of his era in terms of team success.

Even last season as age and injury started to catch him, Kronwall recorded 27 points and averaged nearly 20 minutes a night for the Red Wings. Losing him from the blueline eventually was inevitable, but his departure will likely have a fairly substantial impact on how the team performs next year. The Red Wings will now look to some of their young players to start taking on more responsibility while veterans like Mike Green, Jonathan Ericsson and Trevor Daley all enter their finals years under contract.

Ben Lovejoy Announces Retirement

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Another veteran free agent is off the market, but it isn’t because of a new contract. Ben Lovejoy has decided to announce his retirement as a player after 11 NHL seasons.

Lovejoy, 35, finished last season with the Dallas Stars after coming over as a trade deadline acquisition from the New Jersey Devils. The undrafted defenseman played well enough down the stretch to find himself among our Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents, but instead of grinding through another contract as a depth piece he’ll hang up his skates. Lovejoy carved out quite the career for himself through the years, suiting up 544 times in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Devils and Stars and recording 101 points. In 2016 he took home the Stanley Cup with the Penguins, playing in all 24 postseason contests and recording six points.

Though many undrafted college free agents never find their way in the NHL, Lovejoy is an example of how an organization can prop up their depth charts with overlooked talent. The Penguins, who inked Lovejoy in 2008, are one of the best examples of this around the league and continue to find NHL talent in unexpected places.

Free Agent Profile: Scott Darling

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Veteran goaltender Cam Ward called it a career today, signing a one-day contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, who he served for 13 seasons to begin his NHL career. The 35-year-old finally moved on from the Hurricanes last season, but struggled in a backup role with the Chicago Blackhawks. With his numbers slipping and age catching up with him, Ward decided now was the time to retire.

Interestingly enough, Ward’s failed replacement in Carolina, Scott Darling, also remains an unsigned free agent, waiting for a market to develop. Just two UFA goaltenders – Anthony Stolarz and Jared Coreau – have signed an NHL contract since July 2nd and no goalie has been inked in 50 days. The market is dead quiet, but Ward’s exit leaves Darling as the obvious top name if a team does come calling. Darling, 30, is just hoping at this point that he too doesn’t have to consider retirement.

It was not long ago that Darling was actually considered one of the best backup goaltenders in the NHL. A 2007 draft pick, Darling was a slow-developing prospect who played another year of juniors, two years in college, and four years bouncing around the minors before he ever saw NHL action. However, when he broke through in 2014-15 with the Chicago Blackhawks, he immediately impressed. Darling spent three seasons as the backup to Corey Crawford, with his role increasing each year, and in total posted 39 wins, a .923 save percentage, and a 2.37 GAA in 75 appearances.

The Hurricanes believed they were getting a bargain when they acquired Darling for a third-round pick in the summer of 2017 and signed him to a four-year, $16.6MM contract. However, it quickly became clear that the star backup was not cut out to be a starter. Darling was unable to overtake Ward despite ample opportunity, posting an .888 save percentage and 3.18 GAA in 43 appearances. Darling made 40 starts to Ward’s 42 and was outplayed by the aging veteran, which is not what either he nor Carolina had hoped for.

The ‘Canes essentially cleaned house last summer, letting Ward walk in free agency and burying Darling in the AHL, replacing them with the far more effective duo of Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney. Darling did make eight spot starts for Carolina this past season, but somehow performed even worse than he did the year prior. In the minors, Darling sat behind lauded prospect Alex Nedeljkovic and when he did get a chance to play – he made just 14 appearances – the results were just as bad if not worse than his NHL performance. Not wanting to be weighed down by Darling’s $4.15MM cap hit any longer, the team traded him to the Florida Panthers this off-season along with a sixth-round draft pick for a new backup in James Reimer. The Panthers quickly bought out Darling, making him a free agent.

Potential Suitors

It has now been more than two years since anyone has been impressed by Darling’s efforts on the ice. With that said, the free agent market at goalie is slim pickings, with Darling easily headlining a group that includes Michal Neuvirth – who has signed a PTO with the Toronto Maple Leafs – Chad Johnson, Al Montoya, and Michael Leighton. Each of those players is both older than Darling and was last considered a legitimate NHL option far prior to Darling’s downfall. Darling is simply the best of a poor group, but is looking for redemption. Unlike Ward, Darling will have no expectations of any role or guaranteed play time. He will instead be looking for an opportunity to show that he can still be an effective NHL backup, likely by seeking a third-string role with the chance to battle for play time at the top level.

Accepting a role such as this could open some opportunities for Darling, especially once training camp begins. Injuries to starters or backups can shift the paradigm for an NHL team and leave them searching or an experienced option. The Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers are examples of teams with shallow depth in net and injury concerns who could turn to Darling in the even of an incident.

It’s also very possible that several teams are already aware of their weaknesses in goal and simply waiting to see how their current keepers look in training camp and the preseason and potentially even early on the in the regular season. The Columbus Blue Jackets are the one team that everyone is focused on in net, as the team is set to have former backup Joonas Korpisalo and newly-signed European prospect Elvis Merzlikins begin the year as a young, unproven tandem. Early concerns could lead to Columbus looking for additional support, with Darling as the top option other than trade or waivers. The Colorado Avalanche are also in need of depth in net. Their top two of Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz are likely to be fine this season, but the lack of any other experienced name behind them could be a cause for pause, especially given this will be Francouz’ first full NHL season.

Ironically, the Florida Panthers are one final team that could be in the goalie market and would have been a good fit for Darling. The team understandably bought out Darling’s hefty contract, but could’ve actually used a player of his experience. The Panthers spent big on Sergei Bobrovsky’s this summer and will likely ask him to start 65+ games this season, but young Samuel Montembeault is currently slated to be his backup with other untested prospects behind him. Montembeault’s performance in the backup role, as well as the effect on his development of sitting so often, could lead the Panthers to search for a veteran option. Darling won’t be the answer now, but one has to wonder if the two sides connected at all prior to what was clearly an orchestrated trade-and-dump.

Projected Contract

It’s nearly September and teams are getting ready for training camp, yet Darling still sits without a contract. At this point, he will receive a PTO or nothing. Even if he proves himself in camp, it will likely only result in a minimum $700K NHL cap hit on a one-year, two-way deal. If that’s what it takes to climb his back way into the NHL though, Darling will surely take it. After all, he’s receiving a nice pay check from the Panthers for four more years anyway.

Cam Ward Signs With Hurricanes, Announces Retirement

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Veteran goaltender Cam Ward has signed a one-day contract with the Carolina Hurricanes in order to retire as a member of the team that he played nearly his entire career for. Ward played parts of 13 seasons in Carolina before joining the Chicago Blackhawks for one year in 2018-19. GM Don Waddell explained what Ward means to the franchise:

Cam was a cornerstone for this organization for more than a decade. From his ’Cam’s Champs’ program to his efforts with the Hurricanes Foundation and time spent teaching at our hockey camps, he had a tremendous impact on this community. We’re proud that he has chosen to retire with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Ward, 35, memorably burst onto the NHL scene in 2006 as a young goaltender with tremendous ability. After struggling through his first partial season something clicked for the rookie in the playoffs, and he took over from Martin Gerber and led the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup. Awarded the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP, Ward would forever be remembered in Carolina regardless of what the rest of his career brought.

He wasn’t done.

Ward would quickly become the team’s full-time starting goaltender and go on a solid run for the next decade, twice earning Vezina Trophy votes as one of the league’s best. He holds the franchise records for games played, wins, winning percentage, shutouts and saves. He left Carolina with a .909 save percentage and 318-244-84 record in the regular season, and a .917 mark in the postseason.

It was obvious there wasn’t a lot left for Ward in Chicago last season, but it is fitting for him to return to Carolina before hanging up his pads for the last time. Good luck in retirement, Cam.

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