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Latest On Trade Market For Defensemen

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Mentioning the market for defense in the NHL immediately brings to mind at least two things: Jakob Chychrun and the Ottawa Senators, both as they are separately, and the rumors connecting the defenseman to Canada’s capitol. With Chychrun having been on IR to finish last season and now to start this season, the rumors surrounding the 24-year-old had been a bit quieter than usual, but expected to tick up with his return on Monday.

Tonight on Hockey Night in Canada’s 32 Thoughts segment, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman seemed to confirm this inevitability, expecting talks on Chychrun to begin heating up once the defenseman returns. Another interesting note from Friedman on the Coyotes and their defensemen is the possibility of a trade involving Conor Timmins. A second-round pick in 2017, Timmins’ prospect status has never really been in question, at least for his on-ice performance. Instead, injuries have derailed the 24-year-old’s career. Now on a conditioning stint in the AHL, Timmins appears to be fully healthy and soon to be ready for NHL action, causing Friedman to wonder if Arizona might pursue a trade market for Timmins as well.

A newer name added to the defensemen speculation is San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson. Once thought to be unmovable, Karlsson is off to an incredible start, on pace to set several career-bests already, scoring 11 goals along with 17 assists in just 19 games on the season. With four years left at an $11.5MM cap hit after this season, Karlsson will be incredibly difficult for the Sharks to move even with his historic production, but it just may make doing so possible for the rebuilding San Jose squad. According to Friedman, this also from 32 Thoughts, the Sharks haven’t gotten that far yet in any Karlsson talks. As Friedman says, the belief is that Karlsson has not yet been asked to move his no-movement clause, at least not for any specific team.

Friedman adds that he believes the Sharks are currently trying to determine what other teams are willing to do in regards to the rest of the contract. Of course the Sharks and their potential trade partner will have to work out how much, if any, San Jose retains on the remaining contract and what assets they could get back for Karlsson, which would hinge on how much the Sharks would retain.

One team looking for defense that many want to see on the shortlist to acquire Karlsson would be the Ottawa Senators. Their search for a defenseman in the early part of this season has been well documented and Chychrun has been the number one name associated with them. As reported by Friedman on 32 Thoughts earlier, it is believed Ottawa did try to work on a deal that would have sent Nikita Zaitsev to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Tyler Myers, but the deal did not get far enough for Myers, who has a modified no-trade clause, to be asked for permission. Other pieces would have presumably had to be involved to make the deal work for both sides, but that sort of swap would have benefitted Vancouver to the tune of $1.5MM in cap savings while giving Ottawa the defenseman they’ve been looking for and allowing them to get out from under the Zaitsev contract.

Scott Harrington Clears Waivers

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November 18: Harrington has cleared waivers, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Sharks are now free to assign him to the AHL.

November 17: For the second time this season, Scott Harrington has been placed on waivers, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets. The veteran defenseman had previously cleared on October 13 and needed them again (after spending more than a month on the active roster) if the San Jose Sharks wanted to send him down.

Harrington, 29, has only played two games during that stretch and neither of them came this month. It’s been a long time since he actually got onto the ice, last suiting up for the Sharks’ October 22 game against the New Jersey Devils. With the team now home for three games, they can afford to loan him to the San Jose Barracuda for some game action to keep him sharp, though Harrington will likely remain a call-up option for them throughout the year.

That is of course unless he is claimed, which isn’t entirely out of the question. Signed to a one-year, two-way deal that carries a cap hit of just $750K, there are worse options on NHL rosters around the league. Harrington has over 200 games of NHL experience and was a rather effective option just a few years ago. While he won’t light up the scoresheet with points, he could represent an upgrade over some sixth or seventh defensemen.

Still, as always with these depth players hitting waivers, a claim remains the more unlikely outcome. If he clears, the Barracuda play a back-to-back this weekend in Tucson where he could make his AHL season debut.

Karlsson Responds To Trade Speculation

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The hockey hot stove has been abuzz ever since San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier explained that he would listen to calls about star defenseman Erik Karlsson, but there’s one thing that much of the speculation seems to overlook. Karlsson has a full no-trade clause all the way through his contract, which keeps him wrapped up through 2026-27. He would need to sign off on any deal, so Corey Masisak of The Athletic asked him whether he would:

Suffice it to say, the 32-year-old isn’t interested in throwing any more gas onto the fire. Instead, he’ll just continue to rack up points in a resurgent year for the Sharks. Karlsson has 24 points in 18 games and played a whopping 34:12 on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild. Averaging the most ice time since he arrived in San Jose, he looks poised for a vintage season near the top of the defenseman scoring list.

Latest On Erik Karlsson

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Prime Erik Karlsson was a treat to watch, and despite a tough year for the San Jose Sharks, ’EK65’ is giving us some of his best hockey in years. The 32-year-old has a whopping 10 goals, 12 assists, and 22 points in just 17 games while averaging over 25 minutes per game, his highest mark since arriving in San Jose.

With the team nowhere near playoff contention and leaning more toward rebuilding than ever, Karlsson’s apparent return to form suddenly makes his $11.5MM cap hit look more palatable on the trade market, still with some retention on San Jose’s side. General manager Mike Grier told NHL.com’s Nicholas Cotsonika today that he’ll “listen” to offers on Karlsson before this season’s March 3 trade deadline.

As Grier noted in his interview, a second blockbuster trade involving the Swede won’t be a straightforward process. Karlsson has a full no-movement clause in his contract and controls the outcome of any potential trade. Despite the contractual hurdles to moving him, though, Grier was nothing but complimentary of Karlsson’s play:

“He’s a dynamic player. To me, he’s probably one of the three best offensive defensemen in the League, and he’s been great for us. He’s done everything we’ve asked as far as preparation, practicing, playing. He’s been great. So maybe there’s a scenario where a team comes asking for him [in a trade], because I do think he’s a difference-maker. He’s someone who can go out there and win you a game — or win you a series, for that matter — so maybe something will come up down the road. We’ll see.

Karlsson can absolutely be the difference-maker that Grier claims. Karlsson received Norris Trophy votes in eight straight seasons from 2011-12 to 2018-19, including trophy wins in 2012 and 2015. During that timeframe, Karlsson notched 492 points in 545 games, leading the league’s defensemen in assists and points.

Injuries have been a constant during his last few years in San Jose, though, and his play, while still commendable, hasn’t been at the truly elite level he displayed in his prime with the Ottawa Senators. But in just 17 games this season, Karlsson’s already matched his total point output from two seasons ago in 52 games.

With so many teams close to or above the salary cap using long-term injured reserve, however, moving Karlsson to a contender will be a challenge, even at a 50% retention rate of $5.75MM per season. It’s unlikely a third team would be willing to take on another 50% hit ($2.785MM) until 2027 without significant compensation, though, a much different ask than we’ve seen in past similar three-team trades.

If Karlsson keeps up even 75% of his torrid pace to start the season, though, he remains a top-flight defender that can transform a team’s chances of winning a Stanley Cup for the better.

Injury Notes: Allison, Bowers, Knyzhov

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A trio of roster transactions involving injured players were made tonight, starting with the Philadelphia Flyers. According to CapFriendly, the team has moved forward Wade Allison to injured reserve, signifying he’ll miss at least five more days with a lower-body injury.

Allison was placed on injured reserve retroactive to November 12 and will miss at least the team’s upcoming three-game road trip against Columbus, Boston, and Montreal. The 25-year-old left Saturday’s game against Ottawa after laying a hit on Senators defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, and The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor reported yesterday that Allison won’t miss too much time. Through 14 games this season, Allison has contributed three goals and an assist.

  • The Colorado Avalanche have moved forward Shane Bowers to injured reserve, according to CapFriendly, freeing up a roster spot for any potential call-ups. On Saturday, Bowers was given a six-week timeline by head coach Jared Bednar after sustaining an upper-body injury 1:46 into his NHL career. The team did not have any extra roster spots for healthy players, with all non-dressed players out with injuries.
  • The San Jose Sharks have also moved defenseman Nikolai Knyzhov to long-term injured reserve. Knyzhov, 24, has not played hockey since suiting up for all 56 games of the shortened 2020-21 season. A groin injury kept him out for the entirety of 2021-22, and an Achilles injury is expected to keep him out until mid-February.

San Jose Sharks Place Radim Simek On Injured Reserve

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The San Jose Sharks will be without one of their regular defensemen for at least one week. According to the team’s media relations department, the team has placed defenseman Radim Simek on injured reserve and recalled Nick Cicek from the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda in his place.

Simek, 30, has dressed in all 17 of San Jose’s contests this season. He’s registered just one goal, though, and is playing just 14:43 per game. The Czech defenseman has been in the organization since 2017 when he signed as an undrafted free agent and is in the third season of a hefty $2.25MM AAV extension.

Last night, Simek left San Jose’s shootout win against the Minnesota Wild after just one shift with an undisclosed injury. There was apparent head contact on a hit from Wild forward Mason Shaw, which caused the injury. Shaw did not receive a penalty on the play.

Veteran Scott Harrington, who’s played just twice this season, could suit up in Simek’s place. However, Cicek, also an undrafted free agent, could look to make his NHL debut while Simek is out. After signing an AHL contract with the Barracuda for 2021-22, his first professional campaign, he impressed enough to receive a two-year entry-level deal from the Sharks this past offseason.

He’s yet to register a point in 10 AHL contests this season, however, after scoring five goals and adding 20 assists for 25 points in 53 games there last season. The 22-year-old spent four seasons with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks and served as captain during his final season in 2020-21.

Prospect Mason Beaupit Traded In The WHL

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  • Sharks goalie prospect Mason Beaupit is on the move at the junior level as WHL Winnipeg announced that they’ve acquired the 19-year-old from Spokane. Beaupit was a fourth-round pick of San Jose (108th overall) this past summer after posing a save percentage of .893 last season in 49 games.  Things haven’t gone as well this year, however, as that dropped to .833 in nine contests with the Chiefs.  The Sharks have until June 1, 2024 to decide whether or not to sign him.

Could Matt Nieto Carry Some Trade Value At The Trade Deadline?

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  • With the Sharks believed to be open to moving just about anyone, Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News examines a handful of veterans that could be on the move. One candidate that might fly under the radar is winger Matt Nieto.  The soon-to-be 30-year-old has four points in 12 games so far this season while holding his own in a top-six role.  He wouldn’t have that role on a contender but a veteran making just $800K that can move up and down the lineup could be intriguing to some cap-strapped teams.  Accordingly, Pashelka posits that San Jose could do a little better than the fifth-rounder they received for Andrew Cogliano who was moved at the deadline last season.

Snapshots: Zegras, Carter, Benning

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The NHL Department of Player Safety today fined Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras $1,500 for slashing San Jose Sharks defenseman Matt Benning during last night’s game. Zegras was assessed a minor penalty for slashing on the play.

It’s the second fine issued today after New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas escaped with a fine instead of a suspension stemming from his collision with Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock. Thankfully, Benning was not injured on this play. The Ducks will be ecstatic that no further discipline was awarded to Zegras, who’s second on the struggling team with eight points in 10 games.

Laurent Brossoit Sent To AHL On Conditioning Loan

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The goaltending issues that the Vegas Golden Knights were expected to face when Robin Lehner was ruled out for the season have certainly not materialized. The duo of Adin Hill and Logan Thompson have been almost perfect, posting a combined save percentage of .941 through ten games.

Hill, acquired from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick before the season began, is 4-0 and has allowed just seven goals on 123 shots. Thompson, the de facto starter, leads the league with two shutouts in his first six games.

With those two playing at such a high level, it will make for an interesting decision when Laurent Brossoit is healthy enough to play again. The veteran netminder took a step toward that goal today when he was loaned to the Henderson Silver Knights on a long-term injury conditioning stint. Brossoit is coming off hip surgery and there is no concrete timeline for his return to NHL action.

A LTIR conditioning loan is usually limited to three games or six days, though it can be extended in certain circumstances. When it is over, Brossoit does not necessarily need to be activated.

Remember, the Golden Knights are also right up against the cap, meaning activating Brossoit will be a tricky game for the team to play. They will likely have to reduce their roster to fewer than 23 players, plus figure out what to do with their three goaltenders. Brossoit himself might end up on waivers, or even traded, given the performance of Hill and Thompson so far.

That bridge doesn’t have to be crossed yet, but if he proves himself healthy enough to return, it’s coming soon.

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