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Minor Transactions: 03/21/18

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It was a busy night in the NHL yesterday, as we saw Alex Ovechkin score another patented goal and Winnipeg fans experience small heart attacks when Patrik Laine blocked a shot.  As always, while the league prepares for another night of action we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Ottawa Senators have sent Jim O’Brien back to the minor leagues, after playing just 9:18 in their loss last night. O’Brien has just ten games under his belt this season, recording just a single assist.
  • Dillon Simpson is on his way back to the Bakersfield Condors, as the Edmonton Oilers have re-assigned him while recalling Brad Malone under emergency conditions. Malone has played just seven games in the NHL this season, instead spending most of the year with the Condors, registering 31 points in 50 games.
  • The San Jose Sharks continue their movement of Tim Heed, bringing him back up to the NHL today. Heed has been involved in 14 transactions since the beginning of February, as he continues to pop up and down for the club. Heed has 11 points in 29 games for the Sharks this season, while playing just three contests in the AHL.

Tavares Notes: Potential Suitors, Rangers, Deadline Moves, Snow

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The worse the New York Islanders play as their recent struggles continue, the more NHL teams are salivating at the chance to steal away a star player, which is a rare thing, according to the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons. The last significant star free agent that signed with another club dates back to 2006 when the Boston Bruins signed Zdeno Chara away from the Ottawa Senators. However, usually franchise free agents sign with their former team like Steven Stamkos did back in 2016.

Simmons writes that the San Jose Sharks and the St. Louis Blues are the two teams that are thought to be at the top of the list of suitors for Tavares. He adds that several teams with cap space might also be interested in attempting to lure Tavares to their team as they lack that superstar player, including the Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks. Other teams like Montreal, Detroit, Carolina and even Toronto might also attempt to make a stab at acquiring the 27-year-old center.

  • It doesn’t look like the New York Rangers are expected to go after Tavares, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. With the Rangers rebuilding their franchise, it just doesn’t seem to make sense that Tavares would sign with them. Considering Tavares is fueled by team loyalty, it seems unlikely he would sign with the Rangers who could offer only seven years, while the Islanders can offer eight years and are much closer to reaching the playoffs.
  • The lack of trade deadline moves might also count against the New York Islanders in their quest to re-sign Tavares, according to Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos. While saying that he would not move Tavares, Islanders’ general manager Garth Snow also said he would not make moves for rental players. In the end, the biggest acquisition the team made was trading a third-round pick for defenseman Brandon Davidson, who had been placed on waivers only months earlier. Now after seven losses since the deadline, Kypreos questions whether Snow’s moves were the right ones. Certainly bolstering the team for a playoff run might have shown Tavares how committed the team is to winning. Instead the losing could easily drive the soon-to-be free agent away. The team is sitting in last place in the Metropolitan Division, well out of range of a playoff spot. “It almost feels like this thing is snowballing away from the Islanders and Tavares,” said Kypreos.
  • Arthur Staple of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that co-owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky have some tough decisions to make in the next few weeks. The scribe writes that they chose to keep Snow last offseason because he and then-new head coach Doug Weight were close with Tavares. However, with fans calling for Snow’s head, ownership may want to make a change before Tavares hits free agency. Even if they don’t make an immediate move, Snow’s job may come down to whether Tavares stays or goes. “It’s out of my control,” Tavares said regarding Snow’s job status. “I’m here to play hockey, be the best player I can be for the Islanders. Those things are above my head. I just try to have the right attitude every day, not take this for granted, enjoy the group we have, the staff we have. Ever since I’ve been here I’ve been treated great, just tried to come out and give everything I can. We wish we’d have more success, but anything that happens, anything that has happened is out of my control.”

 

Minor Transactions: 3/18/18

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The Tampa Bay Lightning look to bounce back from a shutout loss to the injury-riddled Boston Bruins, the Vegas Golden Knights try to right the ship after a 4-5-1 run, the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers jockey for playoff positions, and the St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks, and Calgary Flames look to stay alive in the postseason picture as the NHL provides a slate of eight intriguing games today. Here is how teams are preparing:

  • The Buffalo Sabres have reassigned Justin Bailey to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. However, beat writer John Vogl indicates that it could be short-term. Bailey owes the AHL a one-game suspension, which he will serve tonight, but Vogl expects he could be back up with the Sabres on Monday. Buffalo is far outside the playoff picture and should be playing as many of their young players as possible down the stretch.
  • With Carter Rowney dealing with injury, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Josh Jooris on an emergency basis. Jooris was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes at the deadline in an exchange for Greg McKegg, but was not expected to play much of a role for Pittsburgh. Yet, he’s already played in two games for the Penguins and could take on a regular role on the fourth line moving forward.
  • CapFriendly tweets the Colorado Avalanche have activated forward Vladislav Kamenev off of injured reserve and is already playing with the team’s fourth line Sunday. Kamenev, who broke his arm in November one NHL after he was traded from Nashville in the Matt Duchene trade, has only played 17 AHL games between Milwaukee and San Antonio, putting up three goals and 13 assists. He had been on a conditioning loan with San Antonio for the past week.
  • CapFriendly reported that the San Jose Sharks have recalled defenseman Tim Heed from the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL after being sent down Tuesday. Heed has served as a spare defenseman for most of the season for the Sharks as he’s played in 29 games this year, having put up three goals and eight assists.

Joonas Donskoi's Absence Not Expected To Be Long-Term

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  • While Sharks winger Joonas Donskoi is set to miss tonight’s game with what appears to be a shoulder injury, head coach Peter DeBoer told Paul Gackle of the Bay Area News Group that the issue isn’t expected to keep him out long-term. The 25-year-old has been rather productive as of late with six points in his last seven games so his absence will be notable as San Jose looks to hold onto a playoff position in the tight Western Conference.  Winger Jannik Hansen is expected to take Donskoi’s spot in the lineup.

San Jose Sharks Sign Maxim Letunov To Entry-Level Contract

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After three seasons at the University of Connecticut, Maxim Letunov has decided to turn pro. The San Jose Sharks today announced the signing of the big forward to a two-year entry-level contract. The signing comes just days after Letunov was named a Hockey East second team all-star for the second time.

Amazingly, Letunov has already been traded twice in the NHL. After being selected in the second round of the 2014 draft, the St. Louis Blues sent his rights to Arizona in a trade for Zbynek Michalek at the 2015 trade deadline. A little more than a year later, his rights were traded again, this time from Arizona to San Jose for a pair of draft picks. Letunov has long been expected to be an effective player at the next level, and will now get his chance to prove it in the Sharks organization.

Standing 6’4″ 180-lbs, Letunov had 28 points this season with UConn. Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson had this to say in the press release:

Max is a talented scorer and playmaker who has utilized his high-end speed and creativity to produce at every level that he has played. His tremendous hockey sense has allowed him to develop into a strong special teams asset at both ends of the ice. He has worked hard to improve his physical strength and has shown us that he is ready to translate his game to the professional ranks.

Though born in Russia, Letunov has been in North America for years, playing midget hockey in Dallas before suiting up for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. Though there’s no guarantee he gets past the AHL level, he has many attributes that should excite San Jose fans. Getting the 22-year old into their development system was just the first step.

San Jose Sharks Sign Antoine Bibeau To Two-Year Extension

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The San Jose Sharks have signed goaltender Antoine Bibeau to a two-year contract extension, avoiding restricted free agency with the 23-year old goaltender. Bibeau will be the third Sharks goaltender to start an extension next season, after Martin Jones and Aaron Dell already inked contracts in the past year. Financial details have not been released.

Bibeau was signed to a one-year two-way deal last offseason after going unqualified by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and has posted strong numbers with the San Jose Barracuda. His .928 save percentage puts him third in the AHL behind only Michael Hutchinson and former teammate Garret Sparks, and has once again sparked his potential as a future NHL netminder. Though he wasn’t selected until the sixth round in 2013, his size—6’3″ 207-lbs—and athleticism is an intriguing combination for the Sharks. While they’re set at the NHL level for the next few seasons with Jones and Dell, every organization needs a solid #3 to step up if injuries should occur.

In two games with the Maple Leafs last season, Bibeau actually played quite well stopping 51 of 55 shots for a .927 save percentage. He’ll be tasked with the starting job for the Barracuda for the time being, but could play himself into a very interesting position after the 2019-20 season. Bibeau will finish this extension at the age of 26, and will qualify for unrestricted free agency. Even without much NHL experience, if his success at the AHL level continues he could be an interesting trade chip or piece in free agency for a club willing to take a risk.

 

Minor Transactions: 03/07/18

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The winning streak continued for the Nashville Predators yesterday, who now have come out on top in nine straight games. The Predators, buyers once again at the trade deadline, now sit just one point behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the best record in the NHL and look ready to make an impact in the playoffs once again. As they and other teams prepare their lineup on a quiet night in the NHL, we’ll keep track of all the minor transactions around the league.

  • The Buffalo Sabres announced Daniel O’Regan’s recall earlier this morning, bringing up the prospect acquired in the Evander Kane trade. O’Regan has played 19 games in the NHL for the Sharks this season, but won’t get to make his Sabres debut just yet. He stayed out late after practice and will likely be a healthy scratch tonight.
  • Montreal has sent Zach Fucale back to the minor leagues for the time being, likely indicating that Antti Niemi should be ready to return tomorrow night. Fucale is still waiting for his first chance in the NHL, but has struggled in his limited time with the AHL’s Laval Rocket. The 22-year old is still a legitimate goaltending prospect, but he’s clearly not ready to make an impact at the highest level.

Poll: Will The San Jose Sharks Re-Sign Evander Kane?

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When the NHL trade deadline finally came around, one name that was expected to be the big prize was all but out of the news. Evander Kane’s rumor mill had quieted tremendously in the weeks leading up to the deadline, with Rick Nash taking over as the top rental option. The Buffalo Sabres might have waited too long, as they ended up being unable to secure a first-round draft pick for Kane when they eventually did deal him.

The San Jose Sharks were the eventual buyers, and apparently were the only team to submit a real offer for the enigmatic winger. Much of that probably has to do with the fact that in the 21 games leading up to the deadline, Kane had just five points. It looks like a steal for San Jose now, as Kane has already matched that number in his first three games for the Sharks and provides a scoring boost while the team tries to lock up their position as a Western Conference contender.

The condition on the second-round pick Buffalo did send, is that if the Sharks re-sign Kane the Sabres will receive that much-coveted first rounder. Is that going to happen? No one can tell you for sure, but Kevin Kurz of The Athletic believes that GM Doug Wilson would like to try.

One of the biggest red flags in Kane’s history on the open market would be his lack of playoff experience. The 26-year old has now played 560 games in the NHL without advancing to the postseason, something that the Sharks intend on changing this year. If he helps get them to the playoffs, and shows his capability as a big-bodied scoring threat therein, he could fetch a long-term big money deal on the open market. Even without a long playoff run, he still stands to enter free agency as one of the top offensive options, and ranked third on our Midseason UFA Power Rankings.

Do you believe San Jose will make it work with Kane and convince him to stay? Should they even be considering it? What happens if they get knocked out early, or Kane is a no-show come playoff time? Vote below on whether you think Kane will re-sign with the Sharks, and explain why in the comment section.

Will Evander Kane re-sign with the Sharks?
Yes 57.54% (542 votes)
No 42.46% (400 votes)
Total Votes: 942

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Jonathan Cheechoo Officially Retires From Professional Hockey

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Though he hasn’t played in the NHL since 2010, Jonathan Cheechoo has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey. The 37-year old winger had played the last four seasons in the KHL, though wasn’t part of a professional team for the 2017-18 season. The San Jose Sharks, Cheechoo’s most recognizable team, will honor him before their game on March 24th.

Selected in the second round of the 1998 draft, Cheechoo was a dynamic offensive player in the OHL and quickly turned that goal scoring prowess into success in the NHL. In 2005-06 after the lockout, Cheechoo took home the Maurice Richard trophy for leading the NHL in goals with 56. He, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau were nearly impossible to stop (especially on the powerplay), scoring 93, 92 and 86 points respectively that season for the Sharks. Though Thornton and Marleau are still excellent players in the NHL, Cheechoo’s flame would burn brightly and quickly extinguish.

After another impressive season with 69 points, Cheechoo’s offensive production would quickly deteriorate to the point where he registered just 14 points in his final season with the Ottawa Senators. He’d continue to score in the AHL, until leaving for the KHL in 2013 to become one of the league’s more dangerous offensive threats. In four seasons in Russia, Cheechoo put up 164 points in 217 games and was named an All-Star three times. Cheechoo’s NHL career ended with 305 points in 501 games.

In his announcement, Cheechoo thanks the Sharks for giving him a chance in the NHL:

First of all, I would like to thank the San Jose Sharks organization for drafting me and giving me the opportunity of playing in the National Hockey League. We had many awesome years of incredible hockey! I want to thank all of my former teammates. It was an awesome experience to play alongside all of you. You made the game enjoyable and helped me to become a better player and person.

Eastern Notes: Kane, Budaj, Sanheim, Reaves

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Evander Kane has found a new home, at least for the rest of this year. While it’s too early to know whether he will stay in San Jose for the foreseeable future, the Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes that the Sharks might be the best fit for the 26-year-old personality. In a 10-point notebook on Kane, Harrington writes that what Kane really needs is to be on a veteran team who will tell him how things work, something that he did not have in Buffalo.

The Sharks, who are loaded in veterans such as Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Joel Ward and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, should be able to have some controlling effect on Kane. Thornton already proved that when the veteran picked Kane up from the airport in a limousine after the trade. He also writes that Kane already is showing off his speed with San Jose as he’s tallied up three assists in two games with the Sharks. That speed was not very apparent over the past couple of months in Buffalo, but the scribe writes that Kane was well aware Buffalo management wanted to move on from him and may have lost interest in sacrificing himself for the Sabres.

Harrington also adds that general manager Jason Botterill should have made a trade earlier when Kane was hot. Knowing his reputation, which only got worse in the last couple of months with his teammates, they never were likely to get the asking price that Botterill was demanding. In the end, it was quite obvious that only veteran teams showed interest in Kane as the runner-up at the deadline was the Anaheim Ducks.

Due to his reputation, Harrington wonders whether Kane will be forced to take a lesser deal this offseason. Players at his age and skill should be getting a long-term deals at $6-7MM, but Kane may be forced to accept something closer to a four-year term if teams continue to worry about his ability to co-exist with his teammates.

  • Tampa Bay Times’ Joe Smith tweets that Tampa Bay Lightning backup goalie Peter Budaj, who hasn’t played since Dec. 29, is really close to returning to the team. The team could have a decision to make, however, as emergency backup Louis Domingue has won four of his six starts and has played well for Tampa Bay. Domingue, who has a 3.29 GAA and a .905 save percentage would have to be officially recalled, however, if they want to keep the 25-year-old. The team has already used two of their four allotted recalls on Anthony Cirelli and Adam Erne, so the team may not want to use a third recall yet and might stick with Budaj. The 35-year-old has struggled with Tampa Bay this year, however, with a 3.80 GAA and a .878 save percentage.
  • John Boruk of NBC Sports Philadelphia writes that the Philadelphia Flyers talked to the Ottawa Senators right before the trade deadline about acquiring winger Mike Hoffman. The scribe writes that sources have said the Senators asked for a package that included defenseman Travis Sanheim and a first-round pick as a starting point. While a first-rounder (they have two of them this year) might have been a possibility, Sanheim proved to be the deal-breaker.
  • Providence Journal’s Mark Divver tweets that he spoke to a pro scout who believes the Pittsburgh Penguins made a mistake when they traded enforcer Ryan Reaves to the Vegas Golden Knights last week. While Reaves took a lot of criticism for his lack of offense with the Penguins, he provided the team with leadership and a physicality the team really needed. The scribe writes that the Penguins struggled when things got tough Thursday when they played the Boston Bruins.

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