Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Blues Rumors

Jaden Schwartz Receives Max Fine For Cross-Checking

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Cross-checking is apparently the flavor of the week for the NHL Department of Player Safety. After handing Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ben Chiarot a maximum fine for cross-checking on Monday, they have assigned the same punishment to St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz, per an announcement. Schwartz will be out $5,000 as a result of his actions, the most he could be fined under the CBA.

The hit in question was on Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton in last night’s game between the two teams, a convincing 5-2 Hurricanes win. Late in the first period, Hamilton delivered a hard, but legal check on Schwartz along the boards and Schwartz decided to retaliate with a cross-check up high on Hamilton. The decision cost Schwartz a two-minute minor right away, but has cost him even more in retrospect. It’s another knock against Schwartz in a disappointing season for the 26-year-old winger. Schwartz has just 28 points through 58 games and it could be that his offensive frustration is beginning to boil over into his checking game.

Player Safety might not be done dolling out discipline today. They have also announced that New Jersey Devils forward Kurtis Gabriel will have a hearing this afternoon in regards to a boarding penalty against the Philadelphia Flyers’ Nolan Patrick last night. So too will Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry for what’s being called “high-sticking/slashing” on Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg. With the Devils set to face the Boston Bruins tonight, the department will likely act swiftly in their punishment of Gabriel following his hearing, while they can take more time with the Lowry decision as the Jets are off today.

Minor Transactions: 03/02/2019

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As always, Saturday is a busy night on the NHL schedule with ten games on tap (including the 1,000th game of the year and Jarome Iginla’s sweater retirement in Calgary) and most of the teams battling for Wild Card spots in action.  Accordingly, there should be quite a bit of roster movement today.  We’ll keep tabs on those moves here.

  • The Coyotes announced the recall of winger Hudson Fasching from Tucson of the AHL. This will be his first stint with Arizona after they acquired him in the offseason from Buffalo.  Coming out of college, the 23-year-old looked like a legitimate power forward in the making but his offensive prowess has yet to translate to the pros as he has just 25 points in 48 games with the Roadrunners this season.
  • With Justin Faulk able to return last night, the Hurricanes have returned defenseman Jake Bean to AHL Charlotte. He had been recalled on an emergency loan on Thursday but he had to be sent down for it to not count against the four post-deadline regular recalls allowable.  Bean has had a strong rookie campaign with the Checkers, collecting 33 points in 56 games while getting into a pair of games with Carolina as well.
  • Sammy Blais is back with the Blues as he has been recalled under emergency conditions from San Antonio of the AHL. It’s already the second time this week he has been brought up under these conditions.  The winger is needed with the uncertain situations regarding center Brayden Schenn and winger David Perron who are both currently on IR and are questionable to play tonight.  Blais has played in 27 games with St. Louis this season, picking up three points along with 80 hits. When the team announced that Blais was replacing an uninjured Robby Fabbri in the lineup later in the day, however, the Blues announced that they have terminated the emergency recall and have opted to make Blais one of the team’s four regular recalls.
  • CapFriendly reports that the Detroit Red Wings have recalled rookie forward Christoffer Ehn from the AHL on an emergency basis. Ehn, a big defensive center, has been a nice piece for the Red Wings in his first season in North America. The 2014 draft pick has skated in 44 games and notched seven points and has been trusted with key defensive assignments. However, that hasn’t kept him out of the minors entirely; he has six points through 13 games with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. For now, he’ll return to Detroit as an injury replacement and work to show that he should finish out the year in the NHL. With Anthony Mantha healthy enough to return, the Red Wings announced they have re-assigned Ehn back to Grand Rapids before their Saturday game even started.
  • CapFriendly also adds that the Los Angeles Kings have reassigned forward Matt Luff to the nearby Ontario Reign of the AHL. Luff, 21, has been a frequent fixture of the minor news cycle this season, going between the Kings and Reign with regularity. The second-year pro has ten points in 31 games with L.A. and an impressive 21 points in just 18 games with Ontario. The big wingers is making it hard for the Kings to keep him out of the NHL, but they’ve done so again. Using his size to his advantage as a more physical player would help Luff to stay at the highest level more frequently.
  • The Florida Panthers announced that they have returned defenseman Riley Stillman to the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. Stillman, the son of former NHLer Cory Stillman, made his NHL debut on this latest recall, skating for 11 minutes against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. The 2016 fourth-round pick has added NHL experience to a strong first AHL campaign in Springfield and has established himself as a depth option for Florida. The young blue liner could push for a more regular role with the team next season.
  • Denis Gurianov is on his way down to the minors yet again. The enigmatic Dallas Stars winger has been reassigned to AHL Texas, the team announced. With the size, skill, and skating to be an NHL regular, as well as point-per-game AHL numbers that suggest he his time in the minors has run its course, Gurianov nevertheless continues to find it hard to stick in Dallas. He has just four points in 21 games with the Stars this year, compared to 37 in 39 with their affiliate. With the team pushing for a playoff spot and in need of all the offense they can get, it’s fair that they again reassign Gurianov if he’s not producing. However, one has to wonder if the young forward needs a change of scenery if he can’t get an extended look in Dallas in his third season with the club.
  • The New Jersey Devils announced they have recalled forward Joey Anderson from the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. Despite an injury, Anderson had spent much of the season with New Jersey, playing 19 games after signing out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth last offseason. He has just two goals and three points in that span before being sent down last week before the trade deadline.

Carl Gunnarsson To Miss At Least One More Week

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson is at least a week away from returning to the lineup from his upper-body injury, notes Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This latest issue has kept the veteran out of the lineup for the better part of a month.  GM Doug Armstrong acknowledged earlier in the week that their acquisition of Michael Del Zotto was in part due to the uncertainty surrounding Gunnarsson’s timeline for a return.

Minor Transactions: 02/28/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Seven games grace the NHL schedule tonight, including John Tavares’ return to New York. The former Islanders captain spurned the team by choosing the Toronto Maple Leafs in free agency and is expected to get a less than welcome reception upon his return tonight. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins do battle in a matchup of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. As the league prepares, we’ll be right here to keep track of all the minor moves.

  • Sammy Blais is on his way back down again, a usual occurrence recently for the young St. Louis Blues forward. Blais has been moved up or down eleven times this season, including a recall just two days ago. The 22-year old has three points in 27 games for the Blues this season.
  • Sam Steel and Jacob Larsson were both returned to the San Diego Gulls last night, their stay as insurance policies for the Anaheim Ducks apparently over for now. The pair will continue their development at the AHL level and wait for another opportunity.
  • Drake Batherson has been recalled today for the Ottawa Senators as Rudolfs Balcers deals with the flu. The Senators are giving all of their young prospects a chance to show what they can do at the end of the year, and Batherson is one of the most exciting. The 20-year old fourth-round pick has developed into quite the professional already, recording 49 points in 41 games for the Belleville Senators while also contributing eight points in 19 games for Ottawa.
  • Matt Luff has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings for their game against the Dallas Stars, another young player set to get a chance down the stretch. Luff has played 30 games for the Kings this season and has ten points including seven goals.
  • The Boston Bruins have sent Karson Kuhlman back to the minor leagues according to Mark Divver of the Providence Journal. Kuhlman played four games earlier this month for Boston, recording two points in the process.  Later in the day, the Bruins also announced that they returned Peter Cehlarik to to the AHL.  Cehlarik fared well in 14 games with Boston where he collected six points but his ice time had dropped in recent games so he’ll return to the minors and play a prominent role with Providence.

2019 Trade Deadline Day Recap

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The trade deadline for the 2018-19 season has come and gone, with teams all around the league loading up for a Stanley Cup run. This year saw a nearly unprecedented level of skill available, though things got started quite early. Before deadline day, names like Matt Duchene, Brandon Montour, Mats Zuccarello, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Dzingel, Gustav Nyquist and Nick Jensen all switched teams. However, the day was no disappointment; a slow pace early on ended in fireworks right before the deadline and as deal trickled in right after. Below is a complete list of the 21 trades featuring all but seven of the NHL’s teams made on February 25th alone (chronologically):

To Anaheim Ducks:
D Patrick Sieloff

To Ottawa Senators:
F Brian Gibbons

 

To New Jersey Devils:
2022 fifth-round pick

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
G Keith Kinkaid

 

To Winnipeg Jets:
F Kevin Hayes

To New York Rangers:
F Brendan Lemieux
2019 first-round pick (top-3 protected)
2022 conditional fourth-round pick (if Winnipeg wins Stanley Cup)

 

To Montreal Canadiens:
F Jordan Weal

To Arizona Coyotes:
F Michael Chaput

 

To Florida Panthers:
F Cliff Pu
Future Considerations

To Carolina Hurricanes:
F Tomas Jurco (AHL contract)
Future Considerations

 

To Colorado Avalanche:
F Derick Brassard
2020 conditional sixth-round pick (no pick if Brassard re-signs)

To Florida Panthers:
2020 third-round pick

 

To Columbus Blue Jackets:
D Adam McQuaid

To New York Rangers:
D Julius Bergman
2019 fourth-round pick
2019 seventh-round pick

Read more

Michael Del Zotto Heading To St. Louis Blues

at CDT | by 1 Comment

According to Frank Seravalli of TSN, the St. Louis Blues have added some defensive depth by acquiring Michael Del Zotto from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2019 sixth-round pick.

Del Zotto, 28, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of a year that sees him join a third organization. In fact, the veteran puck-moving defenseman will be joining his sixth franchise since being selected 20th overall in 2008 and could suit up for the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Del Zotto has played 601 regular season games split between the New York Rangers, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Canucks and Ducks, but has rarely been given a lengthy or large opportunity to show what he can do. Once a 40-point defenseman for the Rangers, he has been held to just seven this season through 35 contests.

In St. Louis, there may not be a much bigger opportunity. The team already has several puck-moving options and powerplay quarterbacks, meaning Del Zotto will be battling for ice time on the third pairing. That battle will be tougher when Carl Gunnarsson gets back from injury, though it’s not clear exactly when that will be.

For the Ducks this is a small win, given they only gave up Luke Schenn and a seventh-round pick for Del Zotto a month ago. Schenn was never going to make an impact for the team, so this essentially has moved them up a round for facilitating a move from Vancouver to St. Louis.

Western Notes: Zuccarello, Chiasson, Binnington, Karlsson

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Dallas Stars traded for Mats Zuccarello Saturday evening and brought him to Dallas early Sunday. The team traded two conditional picks for the veteran winger, including a conditional third-round pick in 2020 that could turn into a first-rounder if Zuccarello re-signs with the Stars.

However, Zuccarello was non-committal when asked about his thoughts of his impending UFA status, according to The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro. The veteran said he isn’t thinking about it right now and his goal in Dallas is to help the team get into the playoffs and beyond.

  • On a negative note, Zuccarello, who fared well in his debut with Dallas with a goal and an assist, left Sunday’s game against Chicago as the Stars announced that he would not come back after suffering an upper-body injury. Zuccarello was hit in the arm or hand while blocking a shot by Chicago’s Ryan Murphy late in the second period (video link here). Forward Jamie Benn was also declared out with a lower-body injury as the team suddenly lost several players in their newly-enhanced lineup. No word on the severity of either injury.
  • TSN’s Ryan Rishaug writes that the Edmonton Oilers might still make a move at the deadline with forward Alex Chiasson being the most viable trade chip the team has. The team would be looking for a pick and Rishaug believes that if a team is willing to offer up a third-rounder for Chiasson, the team will pull the trigger on a deal. Chiasson has 17 goals this season and has been one of the few bright spots during a dismal season in Edmonton.
  • Fox Sports Andy Strickland writes that St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington will become a Group 2 restricted free agent this summer once the goaltender hits 26 games this season. The standard number is 28 games, but Binnington signed his entry-level contract in the 2012-13 season, which had a reduced schedule due to the lockout and the number of games was reduced. The 25-year-old goaltender, who spent a good portion of his career in the AHL, has a 14-2-1 record to go with a 1.70 GAA and a .934 save percentage. He is in line to get a significant pay raise.
  • The San Jose Sharks were without star defenseman Erik Karlsson once again Sunday after he left Saturday’s game after re-tweaking his strained groin, which kept him out of nine games recently, and there is no word on how long he’s be out, according to Mercury News’ Paul Gackle. Head coach Peter DeBoer expressed optimism that it wouldn’t be long. Of course, DeBoer said the same thing when Karlsson first was injured, which could be worrying. “We have MRIs and those types of things, but you get put in spots, you can re-tweak, you can overextend it,” DeBoer said. “Everybody thinks it’s healthy and then you get hit a certain way. It’s a contact sport. You can’t control that stuff.”

Minor Transactions: 02/24/2019

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Tomorrow is the NHL Trade Deadline and, if yesterday is any indication, more deals are on the way today. Meanwhile, it’s also the last chance that GM’s have to take a look at their teams in game action and decide what, if anything, needs to be addressed via trade. A dozen teams will hit the ice today, including several top contenders who have yet to make a move. It’s all leading up to a busy day of dealing tomorrow. For now, teams will still need to keep an eye on the day-to-day operations, so keep up with all of the minor transactions here:

  • The Colorado Avalanche announced that they have recalled forward Sheldon Dries from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. Dries has been back and forth frequently this season, logging 36 games with the Avs and 13 with the Eagles. Dries is not much of an offensive force, but continues to get the call due to his solid two-way game. Colorado has suddenly re-discovered their offense of late, outscoring opponents 20-4 on their current four-game winning streak, so they can afford to bring in the stable defensive forward now that they’re not as desperate for secondary scoring.
  • With their roster in disarray following two major trades, it is no wonder that the Ottawa Senators are having to make additional moves. The team has announced that defenseman Christian Wolanin has been promoted from AHL Belleville. Wolanin, in his first full pro season out of the University of North Dakota, has played in 12 games with Ottawa versus 35 games with Belleville. He has been very productive at the AHL level and looks to have the makings of an NHL regular. The Senators hope he can display that potential down the stretch.
  • With Mats Zuccarello set to join the team, the Dallas Stars have opened up a roster spot by sending Joel L’Esperance back to AHL Texas, beat writer Mark Stepneski reports. L’Esperance has been enjoying strong production with the Texas Stars in his first pro season, recording 42 points through 49 games thus far. However, the Michigan Tech product was held scoreless in four games with Dallas on his first recall. Regardless, L’Esperance likely remains the next man up for the Stars this season.
  • The St. Louis Blues have announced that forward Brayden Schenn has been placed on the injured reserve and top prospect Jordan Kyrou has been recalled to replace him. Although Schenn’s upper-body injury is not expected to be serious, he has missed the Blues’ past two games so this placement lets St. Louis replace his roster spot in case he has to miss a few more games. Kyrou, 20, has played in 16 games with the Blues in his first pro season, registering three points, and has been a point-per-game player through 36 games with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. The promising forward is expected to be a full-time player in St. Louis sooner rather than later, so this call-up is a preview of what’s to come for the Blues.
  • The Detroit Red Wings announced they have recalled goaltender Harri Sateri from the Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. Sateri was sent down Saturday, but with goaltender Jimmy Howard under the weather still, Sateri will backup Jonathan Bernier for one more game.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets activated winger Markus Hannikainen from injured reserve. The 25-year-old was placed on IR last Tuesday with an illness and is now ready to return. Hannikainen has four goals and seven points in 42 games this season. Unless another move is forthcoming, that will give the Blue Jackets 15 forwards and just six defenseman on their current depth chart, an unusual number.
  • The Anaheim Ducks swapped defensemen, according to CapFriendly. The team promoted Korbinian Holzer from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL, while assigning Andy Welinski to San Diego. The 31-year-old Holzer has played in just two games with Anaheim, while Welinski has appeared in 19 games with the Ducks.
  • The New Jersey Devils have moved four players as they announced they have assigned forwards Joey Anderson and Brett Seney to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL and have recalled forwards Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian from the AHL. Anderson, who signed with New Jersey out of Minnesota-Duluth last season had two goals in 19 games with New Jersey, while Seney has had five goals in 50 games. McLeod, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, is in his first season of professional hockey and has six goals and 31 points in 52 games. Bastian, a 2016 second-rounder, has 17 goals in 56 games with Binghamton.

Blues Likely Aren't Ready To Give Up On Robby Fabbri Yet

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • While Blues winger Robby Fabbri has had a particularly rough year, it sounds like the Blues aren’t too surprised. In a reader chat, Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the team appears to be willing to consider this as merely a transition year as he works his way back from multiple knee surgeries and may be inclined to give him another chance next season.  The 23-year-old has played just 26 times this season and has spent considerable time as a healthy scratch.  He’s owed a qualifying offer this summer of just over $971K and considering he has just five points on the year, it shouldn’t cost much more to sign him which would make a worthwhile move to make despite his struggles in 2018-19.

Minor Transactions: 02/17/2019

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Yesterday saw the Hurricanes move into the Eastern playoff picture at the expense of the Penguins, the Bruins pass the Maple Leafs in the Atlantic, and the Blues win their ninth straight as they pull away from the Western wild card race entirely. With another six games on the docket today, featuring eight teams still jockeying for playoff position, we could see more movement in the standings. Meanwhile, there will definitely be some movement across NHL rosters, as teams prepare for the week ahead. Keep up with all the action here:

  • The Vancouver Canucks recalled a newly-acquired player before last night’s game, but it wasn’t Ryan Spooner. Luke Schenn, acquired in the Michael Del Zotto trade in January, was given his first Canucks promotion the team announced, although he did not suit up last night. The veteran blue liner has played well since joining the AHL’s Utica Comets and the Canucks could use some solid play on the back end while dealing with several injuries.
  • The Ottawa Senators announced the return of young goaltender Filip Gustavsson to the AHL, as well as veteran forward Darren Archibald, who has become a fixture of the team’s the daily transactions. Gustavsson, 20, was given his first recall on Tuesday to serve as the backup to Anders Nilsson while Craig Anderson was sidelined. Gustavsson did not see any action and will now head back to the Belleville Senators. Meanwhile, his reassignment implies that Anderson has been cleared to return to action.
  • CapFriendly reports the Colorado Avalanche have sent Sheldon Dries and Dominic Toninato back to the minors. Dries has skated in three times as many games with the Avs this season than the AHL’s Colorado Eagles and has never been down for too long, whereas Toninato has only gotten into two NHL games as opposed to 37 AHL games and has been more productive at the lower level. Neither player has been any help in solving the Avalanche’s secondary scoring problem, so for now they’ll get some work in with the Eagles. BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater reports the Avalanche have recalled Andrew Agozzino. The 28-year-old veteran hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2015-16 season. He currently has 22 goals and 50 points in 48 games with the Eagles.
  • No sooner than he was called up is Tucker Poolman being sent back down. The Winnipeg Jets announced that the 25-year-old defenseman has been reassigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose after he was recalled just yesterday, only to watch the Jets’ game from the press box. Poolman has yet to play in the NHL this season after getting into 24 contests last year. Poolman is signed for two more years and is hoping to earn a role in Winnipeg sooner rather than later.
  • The Athletic’s George Richards relays from head coach Bob Boughner that the Florida Panthers have placed Roberto Luongo on the bereavement list due to a death in the family. He will be unavailable through at least tonight’s game. As such, the team will call up young Samuel Montembeault from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds to back up James Reimer for the time being. The team has since confirmed the move.
  • Casey Nelson has finished his own conditioning stint and has been recalled by the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced. Nelson has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since early December, but after a five-game stint with the AHL’s Rochester Americans he looks ready for a return.
  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have recalled Michael Bunting from the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL just a two days after the team put him on waivers and sent him to the AHL. The 23-year-old Bunting has appeared in just five games for Arizona, but has flashed some potential in Tucson as he has posted 11 goals and 27 points in 31 games.
  • The St. Louis Blues announced they have assigned forward Sammy Blais to the San Antonio Rampage after being recalled Saturday. He was recalled to fill in as an emergency forward for Sunday’s game. He didn’t play and now will return to San Antonio. Blais has 18 points in 25 games for the Rampage.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top