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Minor Transactions: 01/12/19

January 12, 2019 at 10:00 am CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

As they prepare to square off tonight, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are also on the board with some minor moves already. The Atlantic Division battle between likely first round opponents highlights a busy twelve-game Saturday slate. The Metropolitan Division gets the action started, with marquee matinee match-ups between the Rangers and Islanders and the Devils and Flyers. Other notable games later on include the Avalanche and Canadiens, both fighting to stay in the playoff picture in their respective conferences, the Blue Jackets and Capitals, two of the teams jockeying for position at the top of the Metro, and the Senators and Sharks, as Erik Karlsson faces his former team in his new home. With lots of action across the league, including some high stakes contests, expect some maneuvering to be made on several rosters. Keep up with all of the transactions here:

  • Urho Vaakanainen made his return to the AHL’s Providence Bruins lineup last night, indicating that he had been sent down, despite a formal announcement. Vaakanainen had been on the Boston Bruins’ injured reserve in December and was loaned directly from there to Team Finland for the World Junior Championship, a venture that ended in a gold medal. With the Bruins in enough of a roster crunch as is, it makes sense that the promising rookie would head back to the AHL, where he can continue to develop while also serving as the next man up on the Boston blue line.
  • In what has become a daily occurrence over the last several weeks, the Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo on an emergency loan from the AHL Marlies, the team announced. There was hope that starter Frederik Andersen may be able to return from injury for tonight’s game, but he has added a bout with the flu to his list of ongoing issues and will remain sidelined. Michael Hutchinson will instead make his fifth straight start, with Kaskisuo again suiting up as the backup. The struggling minor league keeper has yet to see any game action in the NHL.
  • The New Jersey Devils have returned goalie Cam Johnson to their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Devils, in response to activating MacKenzie Blackwood from the injured reserve, who will get the start today for New Jersey. Johnson did not make an appearance in net for the team on his recall, which comes as little surprise given his struggles in the AHL this season. Johnson, who has also spent time in the ECHL, was a standout at the University of North Dakota, but is still adjusting to the pro game in his first season. The Devils also announced that injury-prone forward Marcus Johansson has been activated from the IR as well. If the Devils have any chance of getting back into the playoff picture, Johansson will need to be at the top of his game the rest of the way. Worst case scenario, they can flip the impending free agent before the trade deadline.
  • With Ryan Murray out sick, the Columbus Blue Jackets needed an extra defenseman and have elected to recall Gabriel Carlsson. Carlsson, a first-round pick back in 2015, has only played in one game with Columbus this season and has struggled to carve out a role for himself with the NHL club. The big stay-at-home defender will use this latest recall to try to prove he’s worthy or more play time.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have reassigned forward Michael Bunting to the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunner, per a team release. Following the acquisition of Jordan Weal and the return of Josh Archibald, the team had a surplus of forwards and Bunting is the man tabbed to head back to the minors. Bunting scored in his debut with the team and played in four games overall on the recall.
  • After being sent to the San Jose Barracuda Friday, the San Jose Sharks have recalled forward Rourke Chartier from the AHL once again, according to CapFriendly. The 22-year-old has split his season evenly between the Barracuda and the Sharks. He’s played 12 games in the AHL with three goals and 10 points, while struggling a bit more with the Sharks as he has one goal in 13 appearances so far this season.

AHL| Boston Bruins| Columbus Blue Jackets| New Jersey Devils| San Jose Sharks| Toronto Maple Leafs| Transactions| Utah Mammoth

2 comments

Minor Transactions: 01/11/19

January 11, 2019 at 10:50 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Just four games are on the schedule for this evening, but one will feature the return of a former franchise player. Jeff Skinner returns to Carolina for the first time as a Buffalo Sabres forward and has his team on track for the playoffs. The Sabres sit just two points behind the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division and could tie them with their game in hand tonight. Skinner’s 29 goals are a huge part of Buffalo’s success, and have him on pact for a new career high.

  • Kasimir Kaskisuo has been returned to the minor leagues by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but won’t be there for long. Frederik Andersen is not expected to play until Monday according to Lance Hornby of Postmedia, meaning Michael Hutchinson will likely get another start in net tomorrow night.
  • With MacKenzie Blackwood on injured reserve and potentially staying in the NHL long-term, the Binghamton Devils have signed Evan Cormier to an AHL contract for the rest of the season. Cormier had been playing on an amateur tryout previously, but has a .938 save percentage in four games.
  • Speaking of the Devils, the New Jersey variety have sent Egor Yakovlev back down to Binghamton today. Yakovlev is expected to suit up for the minor league game tonight, his ninth game with Binghamton this season.
  • The Ottawa Senators have placed Colin White on injured reserve, recalling Stefan Elliott in his place. White suffered an upper-body injury against the Los Angeles Kings last night when he was crushed by defenseman Jake Muzzin.
  • Troy Grosenick is heading back to the AHL after filling in for Juuse Saros on the bench last night. The minor league goaltender was called up under emergency conditions when Saros was sick, but won’t get into an NHL game just yet.
  • The San Jose Sharks have returned both forward Rourke Chartier and defenseman Jacob Middleton to the AHL Barracuda, the team announced. Considering the Sharks and Barracuda share a building, every recall and reassignment in San Jose is a paper transaction. The duo are expected to play for the Barracuda tonight, but could very well be called up tomorrow when the Sharks host the Ottawa Senators. With both Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun still sidelined, there’s a a good chance that at least Middleton’s return is only temporary.
  • In search of more offense, the Buffalo Sabres recalled top AHL forward C.J. Smith last month. After recording, one point in four games, he’s headed back down. The team announced that Smith has been reassigned to the Rochester Americans. No corresponding move has been made as of yet.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have shuffled their lineup, sending emergency backup J-F Berube and winger Eric Robinson back to the AHL and promoting center Kevin Stenlund, per a team release. The 6’4″ pivot has yet to make his NHL debut, but has performed well in his second season in North America and has the makings of a strong bottom-six center. A second-round pick by Columbus back in 2015, Stenlund’s arrival to the Blue Jackets roster has been long-awaited.

AHL| Buffalo Sabres| Columbus Blue Jackets| Injury| New Jersey Devils| Ottawa Senators| San Jose Sharks| Toronto Maple Leafs| Transactions Colin White| Frederik Andersen| MacKenzie Blackwood| Michael Hutchinson| Stefan Elliott

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Sharks Open To Pursuing Top Rentals

January 9, 2019 at 6:13 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 3 Comments

After making a big splash at the trade deadline last season with the acquisition of winger Evander Kane, Sharks GM Doug Wilson indicated to Paul Gackle of the Mercury News that they’re once again open to going after an impact rental player.  Before Kane’s addition last season, San Jose was typically content with adding role players and shoring up their depth around the deadline but they’re open to a more aggressive approach this time around.

It’s certainly understandable that Wilson is open to trying another big swing.  The Sharks are built to win now and have several prominent unrestricted free agents on the roster already in defenseman Erik Karlsson plus centers Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton.  With Karlsson unlikely to sign a contract extension until after the trade deadline (when he becomes eligible for an eighth year), an impact addition plus a strong playoff run could certainly bolster their chances of keeping him in the fold beyond this season.

However, there are a couple of potential complicating factors here.  For starters, San Jose projects to only be able to add a player making just shy of $4MM on deadline day, per CapFriendly.  Most impact rentals have a higher price tag than that.  Accordingly, the Sharks would either need to send someone off the roster to help offset salary or have the other team retain part of the contract, resulting in a higher asking price.

That leads to the other challenge that Wilson will face.  As a result of the Kane acquisition (and subsequent extension), San Jose doesn’t have their first-round pick this season.  They also have to give up the higher of their 2019 second-round picks to Ottawa as part of the Karlsson trade, a move that also cost them their 2020 first rounder.  On top of that, their top two 2021 top picks are presently encumbered from the Karlsson trade as it’s a conditional selection contingent on him re-signing and how far the Sharks go in the playoffs this year.  (There’s also the conditional first-rounder they’d owe if they deal Karlsson to another Eastern Conference team although that’s extremely unlikely to occur.)  That certainly limits their trade chips.

With their pursuit of John Tavares last summer and their eventual acquisition of Karlsson, San Jose served notice that their window to win is now so adding another impact rental player makes plenty of sense.  However, given their shortage of top picks and somewhat limited salary cap space, their options may wind up being more limited than they’d like.

Doug Wilson| San Jose Sharks

3 comments

San Jose Sharks Could Pursue A Goaltender

January 8, 2019 at 7:31 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 6 Comments

The San Jose Sharks are hot right now. The team has won three straight and 12 of 17 dating back to December 1st. They are within striking distance of the Pacific Division and Western Conference lead, just three points back of the Calgary Flames. After a slow start, both Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson are playing Norris-caliber hockey and the offense is among the best in the league. Everything appears to be going well.

Yet, one can’t help but notice that the Sharks continue to get poor results from their goaltending. As they countdown to the Trade Deadline next month, TSN notes that San Jose could certainly be in the market for another goalie. San Jose is dead last in even strength save percentage and starter Martin Jones is among the worst starting goaltenders in the NHL statistically this season. Jones has an .899 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average in 32 games so far, while backup Aaron Dell has struggled even more, holding an .890 save percentage and 3.10 goals against average. Both keepers are fortunate to be playing in San Jose, where the Sharks allow a league-low 28.1 shots per game, but against superior competition – such as in the postseason – Jones and Dell will be exposed if they don’t improve.

The current trade market, unquestionably a buyer’s market, is likely to feature many legitimate goalies for the Sharks. Even if the team doesn’t want to meet the price for a keeper like Detroit’s Jimmy Howard or Colorado’s Semyon Varlamov, the options are aplenty. Cam Talbot (EDM), Craig Anderson (OTT), Keith Kinkaid (NJD), Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney (CAR), and Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth (PHI) should be available for the Sharks to scoop up. While Jones and even Dell may have been better than the majority of this group in recent years, the season is more than halfway over and the Sharks keepers’ numbers speak for themselves. San Jose won’t be the only buyer in the goalie market, but they are seemingly guaranteed to land another keeper if they want one and the cost shouldn’t be too high. The team will have close to $4MM in cap space available at the trade deadline and would just have to find a way to carry three goaltenders for the rest of the season while staying cap compliant.

The more interesting question is whether the Sharks will also look into a more long-term solution, either ahead of the deadline or in the coming off-season. Jones and Dell, both 29 years old, each played well last season and were superb in 2016-17. However, if the team is losing faith in the duo, they may try to move Jones – in the first season of a six-year, $34.5MM deal – and replace him via trade or with a top free agent, such as Sergei Bobrovsky or even Los Angeles Kings rival Jonathan Quick. The team may also opt to simply upgrade his backup, moving on from Dell, who is signed through next season, in favor of a superior veteran option. So long as the Sharks play to their current level, that of a real Stanley Cup contender, GM Doug Wilson and company will have to do everything they can to give the team a shot at its first title.

Doug Wilson| San Jose Sharks Aaron Dell| Brent Burns| Brian Elliott| Cam Talbot| Craig Anderson| Curtis McElhinney| Erik Karlsson| Jimmy Howard| Keith Kinkaid| Martin Jones| Michal Neuvirth| Petr Mrazek| Semyon Varlamov| Trade Rumors

6 comments

Snapshots: Jones, Martinez, Kravtsov, Comtois

January 6, 2019 at 5:56 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 3 Comments

The San Jose Sharks have won four of their last five games and seem to be trending in the right direction. They stand in third place in the Pacific Division with a  23-13-7 worth 53 points, but one thing that could hold the team up is the play of their goaltending.

Paul Gackle of The Mercury News writes that the Sharks rank 31st in the league in even-strength save percentage (89.85 percent) even though the defense seems to have found their game in the month of December. The root of the problem has been the play of starter Martin Jones, who just started a six-year, $34.5MM contract, who has a 2.88 GAA and a .897 save percentage in 31 appearances this year. Head coach Peter DeBoer has put more responsibility on backup Aaron Dell lately, but Gackle writes the team might start to worry whether they can count on Jones for the playoffs.

While a trade is a possibility, Gackle writes that the team’s other option would be to give some playing time to one of their AHL goaltenders in Antoine Bibeau and Josef Korenar, who was just named to the AHL All-Star game. The team could also consider trade rentals such as Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth, Keith Kinkaid and Petr Mrazek, but with Jones’ contract, the team is quite limited.

  • Despite being rumored to be ready to return, Los Angeles Kings head coach Willie Desjardins said that defenseman Alec Martinez is “not quite there yet,” according to Los Angeles Times’ Curtiz Zupke. Martinez has been out with an upper-body injury since Dec. 8.
  • New York Rangers prospect Vitali Kravtsov had two things going against him at the World Juniors, according to NHL.com’s Igor Eronko. The Rangers’ 2018 first-round pick played through a torn triceps during the WJC playoffs for Russia, which finished with a bronze medal. The scribe also points out that Kravtsov moved to the center position in November with his KHL team, Chelyabinsk Traktor, despite never having played that position before in his career. Despite that, he centered Russia’s first line despite just 12 games of center experience.
  • Speaking of injuries at the WJC, Anaheim Ducks announced that prospect Max Comtois will miss the next two weeks due to the fact that he played throughout the tournament with a separated shoulder. Comtois, who scored five goals and an assist in five games for Team Canada, played for the Ducks for 10 games earlier this season, but was returned to the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL. The 2017 second-round pick will return there after he recovers from his injury.

Anaheim Ducks| Injury| Los Angeles Kings| Peter DeBoer| San Jose Sharks| Snapshots| Willie Desjardins Aaron Dell| Alec Martinez| Antoine Bibeau| Brian Elliott| Keith Kinkaid| Martin Jones| Max Comtois| Michal Neuvirth| Petr Mrazek| Team Canada| World Juniors

3 comments

San Jose Sharks Sign Lukas Radil To One-Year Extension

January 6, 2019 at 3:40 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

With eight forwards heading for either restricted or unrestricted free agency, the San Jose Sharks have cut that number down as they announced they have signed forward Lukas Radil to one-year extension for the 2019-20 season. CapFriendly reports that the extension will be for $700K, a small decrease from his current AAV of $750K but this new contract will be a one-way pact.

“He has seized the opportunity that he has been given and earned his place on our team,” said general manager Doug Wilson. “His love for the game is apparent as is his character and maturity to how he plays the game. We feel that his game will continue to grow.”

The 28-year-old has played overseas until this season, his last three in the KHL, where he tallied 41 goals over three seasons for Moscow Spartak. San Jose signed the forward to a one-year, $750K deal in April of 2018. He played 11 games with the Barracuda in the AHL earlier this season where he put up six points, but has been even more impressive after getting promoted to the Sharks where he has scored six goals and nine points in 18 games this year and holds a +10 rating, which is third on the team in plus/minus.

Wilson has quite a bit of work to do this offseason as the team has a number of players hitting unrestricted free agency, including Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Joonas Donskoi and Marcus Sorensen. That doesn’t include their biggest free agency concern in defenseman Erik Karlsson. The team also has to work on new contracts for restricted free agents Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc, Rourke Chartier and Joakim Ryan. So locking up Radil to another one-year extension helps add some depth for next year and keeps Radil from leaving to another team or returning to Europe.

The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz was the first to report the extension.

AHL| Doug Wilson| Free Agency| San Jose Sharks Erik Karlsson| Joakim Ryan| Joe Pavelski| Joe Thornton| Joonas Donskoi| Kevin Labanc| Lukas Radil| Marcus Sorensen

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Minor Transactions: 01/06/19

January 6, 2019 at 2:30 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Despite many eyes across North America focused on the NFL Wild Card playoffs, the NHL has a busy Sunday scheduled this weekend. Seven games are on tap today, with the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators—two teams that are in the rumor mill—kicking things off this afternoon.  As always, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the league today.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have sent goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues once again, and could have him dressed for the Toronto Marlies game this afternoon. Kaskisuo has been serving as the backup for Michael Hutchinson while the team deals with injury, but still hasn’t gotten into an NHL game. With Frederik Andersen expected to return soon, he may have to wait for another opportunity.
  • Though the terminology varies on the ECHL and AHL websites, minor league defenseman Nolan De Jong will be playing for the San Jose Barracuda for the time being. With Jacob Middleton recalled by the Sharks, the Barracuda have acquired De Jong to give them some more depth on the back end. The former University of Michigan captain has nine points in 22 games with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL this season.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled goaltender Cam Johnson from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. He was recalled with the recent injury to MacKenzie Blackwood, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Johnson will serve as the backup today against Vegas. The former University of North Dakota standout has had an up and down season between the ECHL and Binghamton. While he has had quite a bit of success with the Adirondack Thunder, he hasn’t been as successful in 14 AHL games. Johnson has a 3.91 GAA and a .866 save percentage. To make room for Johnson, the team assigned defenseman defenseman Egor Yakovlev to the AHL.
  • The Calgary Flames announced they have assigned forward Dillon Dube and goaltender Jon Gillies to the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Dube has appeared in 23 games with Flames, but if the team is sending him down, it’s likley that forward Andrew Mangiapane is ready to return from injured reserve. And with David Rittich healthy and ready to go, the team didn’t need Gillies, who was serving as an emergency backup. He has yet to make an appearance for Calgary.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have assigned both forward Ben Street and defenseman Jake Dotchin to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, according to Eric Stephens of The Athletic. Both players had cleared waivers recently. The team also sent defenseman Korbinian Holzer to San Diego. The moves are expected to open up roster spots for the return of center Rickard Rakell and Cam Fowler, who have been on injured reserve. Rackell has been out since Dec. 5 with a ankle injury, while Fowler has been out since Nov. 12 with a facial fracture. UPDATE: Stephens adds that Fowler has officially been activated off of injured reserve.
  • The Edmonton Oilers will get back a key defenseman as they announced they have activated Kris Russell, while placing forward Kailer Yamamoto on injured reserve. Russell has been out since Dec. 11 with a groin injury and has been badly missed in Edmonton, who have since acquired multiple defenseman to add depth to their team. Russell has eight points and a plus-four rating for the Oilers. Yamamoto, the team’s first-round pick in 2017, is still trying to gain a full-time position with the team, but has just a goal and two points in 13 appearances, while having eight points in 11 games in the AHL.
  • The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they have recalled Chad Ruhwedel from his conditioning stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 28-year-old defenseman has played the role of the team’s seventh defenseman for several years now, but found himself in the press box for a long stretch of time, since Nov. 19, and the team opted to send him to the AHL to get him back into game shape. Ruhwedel played five games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, posting one goal, five points and a plus-eight.

AHL| Anaheim Ducks| Calgary Flames| ECHL| Edmonton Oilers| New Jersey Devils| Pittsburgh Penguins| San Jose Sharks| Toronto Maple Leafs| Transactions Andrew Mangiapane| Ben Street| Cam Fowler| Chad Ruhwedel| David Rittich| Jake Dotchin| Jon Gillies| Kailer Yamamoto| Korbinian Holzer| Kris Russell| MacKenzie Blackwood| Rickard Rakell

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Minor Transactions: 01/05/19

January 5, 2019 at 9:31 am CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

It’s the first weekend of the new year and the NHL is ready to roll out some marquee match-ups. Two cross-conference contests start the action, with matinees from the Flames and Flyers, as well as the Wild and Senators. Later, P.K. Subban and the Predators visit Shea Weber and the Canadiens, the division rival Sabres and Bruins battle it out for the final time this season, and some of the game’s biggest names clash when the Sharks host the Lightning. With nine games on the docket today and another seven tomorrow, teams are sure to be shuffling their rosters. Expect some movement today and keep track right here:

  • Recently-named AHL All-Star Jacob Middleton has been recalled by the San Jose Sharks, CapFriendly reports. The 23-year-old defenseman has shown off his well-rounded game this season with the San Jose Barracuda, with 12 points and a team-leading +15 rating in just 26 games. At 6’3″, 210 lbs., Middleton has NHL size, but over the past year or so has begun to show NHL talent as well. The 2014 seventh-round pick is exceeding expectations for San Jose, becoming yet another capable option on their deep blue line. The only question now is whether he makes his debut on this recall and, if so, how he performs under the pressure. In confirming the recall, the Sharks also announced that Justin Braun has been placed on injured reserve, which may provide Middleton the opportunity to see some action.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced, somewhat unsurprisingly, that Kasimir Kaskisuo is on his way back up today, courtesy of an emergency recall. With starter Frederik Andersen still sidelined with a groin injury and backup Garret Sparks currently in the concussion protocol, the Leafs turned to newly-acquired Michael Hutchinson to start on Thursday and will apparently ask him to do so again tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. There was optimism that Sparks could be ready to at least dress as the backup tonight, but Kaskisuo’s call-up would indicate that won’t be happening. Toronto simply has to hope that Hutchinson can manage the game well enough, as Kaskisuo’s season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies has been nightmarish (.871 SV% and 3.82 GAA) and he should be nowhere near an NHL net right now, if possible.
  • Another team to frequently swap their goalies around has done so again, as the AHL lists the St. Louis Blues as having recalled Jordan Binnington and reassigned first-year pro Evan Fitzpatrick to the San Antonio Rampage. Fitzpatrick, a 2016 second-round pick, earned his first NHL recall earlier in the week as the organization dealt with the losses of Chad Johnson (waivers) and Ville Husso (injury), but the green 20-year-old did not see any action. Following the acquisition of Jared Coreau, ironically from the same Anaheim Ducks that claimed Johnson, the Blues now have another veteran option in the AHL and apparently feel comfortable bringing Binnington back up. Binnington has enjoyed a strong season in the minors and is St. Louis’ best option behind starter Jake Allen, even if his limited NHL experience does leave a lot to be desired.
  • After clearing waivers, Chicago Blackhawks forward Andreas Martinsen is headed to the AHL, the team announced. Joining him is rookie Dylan Sikura, who has struggled to produce with Chicago so far but is enjoying a fine season with the Rockford Ice Hogs alongside brother Tyler. As for Martinsen, he is no stranger to the minor leagues; the hulking Norwegian played in 64 games with the Ice Hogs last season compared to just nine with the Blackhawks. Martinsen has registered just four points in 24 games in Chicago this season, so the ’Hawks likely won’t be rushing to call him back up.

AHL| Anaheim Ducks| Chicago Blackhawks| Injury| San Jose Sharks| St. Louis Blues| Toronto Maple Leafs| Transactions| Waivers Andreas Martinsen| Chad Johnson| Dylan Sikura| Frederik Andersen| Garret Sparks| Jacob Middleton| Jake Allen| Jared Coreau| Michael Hutchinson| Ville Husso

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Rudolfs Balcers Recalled By Ottawa Senators

January 4, 2019 at 10:36 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

When the Ottawa Senators traded Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks in the fall, the immediate roster changes were hard to justify. Karlsson was heading west, while just Chris Tierney and Dylan DeMelo would be suiting up for the Senators in 2018-19. While Tierney and DeMelo are fine players, they would need an outstanding season to replace the impact that Karlsson had in Ottawa. Beyond those two roster players the team also received a package of draft picks and University of Michigan prospect Josh Norris, who will need to be signed at some point before actually joining the Senators organization. The most interesting piece though in the entire trade may have just been Rudolfs Balcers, a 21-year old minor league forward who had found great success as a rookie in the AHL.

Today, after getting off to another great start in the minor leagues, Balcers was recalled by the Ottawa Senators. Originally selected in the fifth round given his unusual route to professional hockey, Balcers has turned into a legitimate NHL prospect that was leading the Belleville Senators in both goals and points through the first part of the season. Drafted out of Norway in 2015, the Latvian left winger came over to the WHL for the 2016-17 season and lit up the Canadian junior ranks, scoring 40 goals in 66 games. That touch around the net has continued with another 37 goals in 103 AHL contests.

It’s not that the trade hinges on the future of Balcers, it doesn’t. The Senators were in a situation where they felt they needed to trade their pending free agent captain, and received a big package that includes a top prospect like Norris and another first-round pick. But the deal could very well look a lot better down the line if Balcers continues to produce at the NHL level and turns into a legitimate top-six forward for the Senators. With the team facing more tough decisions on Mark Stone and Matt Duchene, both unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, there could be plenty of room in the 2019-20 lineup for a player like him.

The team has sent Jack Rodewald back to the AHL to make room on the roster.

AHL| Ottawa Senators| San Jose Sharks Erik Karlsson| Jack Rodewald

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Minor Transactions: 12/28/18

December 28, 2018 at 10:49 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

We’re back to regular roster rules in the NHL, and with that teams will be making several moves to address their needs. A pair of teams, Boston and Dallas, used the holiday freeze to go over the 23 man roster limit and will need to come back down, while others were just waiting to send some underperforming forwards down to the minor leagues. As always, we’ll keep track of all the movement around the league right here.

  • Rourke Chartier is on his way back up to the San Jose Sharks, recalled by the team after their win over Anaheim last night. Chartier has played 13 games for the Sharks this season, but is looking to make a bit more of an offensive impact if he gets back into the lineup. The 22-year old has just a single point—his first NHL goal—in those 13 contests.
  • Though the Los Angeles Kings have normally been moving trios of players up and down to save cap space, that may not be the plan with Daniel Brickley who today was assigned to the AHL by himself. Dion Phaneuf resumed skating yesterday, meaning Brickley’s opportunity at the NHL level could be over for the time being.
  • John Stevens has been on season-opening injured reserve for the first part of the year, but today was assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. That likely means that Stevens is ready to resume his playing career, one that will likely keep him in the New York Islanders minor league system for the rest of the season.
  • The St. Louis Blues have assigned Zach Sanford to the AHL, giving them room on the roster to activate Robby Fabbri from injured reserve. Sanford has already set a career high with nine points in 23 games this season, but will have to continue to hone his skills at the minor league level for now. The 6’4″ forward hasn’t quite established himself as a full-time NHL player, but there is certainly still potential to grow into a reliable middle-six winger.
  • Chad Ruhwedel has been sent to the AHL on a conditioning stint, but he’ll remain on the Pittsburgh Penguins 23-man roster. The 28-year old defenseman has played in just 11 games this season, and with Jamie Oleksiak returning to practice in full there wasn’t room to get him into the lineup.
  • Lias Andersson hasn’t adapted to life in the NHL quite as well as some had hoped, and today the New York Rangers sent the top prospect back to the AHL. The 20-year old center has just four points in 21 games this season, but is such a huge part of the Rangers future they must put him in the best situation to succeed. Andersson did have 12 points in 14 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack earlier this year, a pace he’ll hopefully return to now that he’s back in the minor leagues.
  • With John Gibson dealing with an injury, the Anaheim Ducks have recalled goaltender Kevin Boyle from the minor leagues to fill in for now. The team is already without Ryan Miller, meaning Chad Johnson will have to hold the crease for the time being.
  • Alan Quine has been sent back to the minor leagues by the Calgary Flames, ending a three week run with the team. Quine has played nine games for the Flames this season, recording four points. He cleared waivers before the season began, and would have had to again if he played another game with the team.

AHL| Los Angeles Kings| New York Islanders| San Jose Sharks| Transactions Daniel Brickley| Dion Phaneuf

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