Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Lightning Rumors

Minor Transactions: 04/17/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The NHL playoffs are over for both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins, meaning they’ll have to wait until next season to enact any revenge. The Lightning experienced arguably the worst collapse in history when they were swept out of the first round after recording a historic 62-win season, while Sidney Crosby and the Penguins weren’t able to call on any postseason magic to overcome Barry Trotz and the New York Islanders. As teams are eliminated there will be minor moves made to clean up rosters, and we’ll be here to keep track of all of them.

Victor Hedman Still Out For Tampa Bay Lightning

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The Tampa Bay Lightning are on the brink of elimination. After a season that saw them lose just 16 games in regulation, the team is down 3-0 in their series against the Columbus Blue Jackets and will need to win four straight to avoid a historic collapse. Unfortunately, they won’t have their best defenseman in the lineup to help out. Victor Hedman has been ruled out again by head coach Jon Cooper, who also notes that Anton Stralman will not play and Alex Killorn is a game-time decision.

Hedman was injured against the Washington Capitals on March 30th and missed the final few games of the regular season, but suited up in the first two games of the series. Even though he was on the ice the Norris-caliber defenseman was clearly not up to his lofty standards, and now could potentially watch his team get swept out of the first round without being able to help. The Blue Jackets have a chance to make history by knocking the Presidents Trophy winners out in four games, and will do it on home ice.

Luckily, if you can call it that, the Lightning will get some help back in the form of Nikita Kucherov. The potential Hart Trophy winner will be back after missing game three due to suspension, and will try to get his first points of the season and help Tampa Bay stave of elimination. Kucherov has been a solid playoff performer in the past, recording 58 points in his first 58 postseason games but now has just a single assist in his last six going back to last season.

Snapshots: Hedman, Ferland, Hamilton, McKenna, Simmonds

at CDT | by 2 Comments

It looks like the Tampa Bay Lightning will be without another key player Sunday. Already without the suspended Nikita Kucherov, NHL.com’s Bryan Burns reports that star defenseman Victor Hedman will miss Game 3 with an unknown injury.

Head coach Jon Cooper said earlier today that Hedman would be a game-time decision, but now Braydon Coburn is on the ice, taking Hedman’s place. Hedman has been playing injured in the first two games of the playoffs.

  • There won’t be any supplementary discipline from Saturday’s Game 2 between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes despite a number of controversial hits. Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said that neither Micheal Ferland or Dougie Hamilton will receive any attention from the Department of Player Safety, according to News & Observer’s Luke DeCock. Ferland gave a big hit to Washington’s Nic Dowd, but the angle looks like Ferland hit through Dowd’s body and did not aim for the head. Hamilton’s elbow to Washington’s Evgeny Kuznetsov was also heavily criticized, but it wasn’t believed that the elbow had enough force for supplementary discipline.
  • Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Mike McKenna sent out a tweet Sunday, saying he would have a “humongous big announcement” coming on Monday. While there no confirmation what it is about, speculation has risen that McKenna might be ready to announce his retirement. AHLcom’s Tony Androckitis wrote that the 36-year-old McKenna was leaning towards ending his career Saturday night after the Lehigh Valley Phantoms ended their AHL season. “I’m pragmatically saying I’m not sure,” said McKenna. “It’s going to take an awful lot to convince me to play again I think. In terms of what I need to have happen for my family, more so than me.” McKenna, who could be considered an AHL-lifer, made 11 NHL appearances this season — 10 with Ottawa and another one with the Philadelphia Flyers. He’s made 35 NHL appearances over the course of his career.
  • NHL.com’s Robby Stanley reports that Brian Boyle remains “ill” and is day-to-day for Monday’s Game 3 matchup with the Dallas Stars. Boyle missed Game 2 with the flu. The scribe adds that there still isn’t an update on the status of Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds left Saturday’s game after taking a puck to the knee. A update is expected on Monday.

Vegas Golden Knights Sign Nikita Gusev To One-Year Deal

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Vegas Golden Knights announced they have officially signed KHL star Nikita Gusev to a one-year, entry-level deal. That one year deal will be burned this season, which should allow the team to sign him to a long-term extension next season when he’ll be a restricted free agent. The deal is for $925K, including a $92,500 signing bonus, according to CapFriendly.

Gusev is expected to join the Golden Knights in practice Monday and could possibly join the team for Game 4, although nothing has been decided about if/when he will play, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. Head coach Gerard Gallant said that he’s comfortable with his current lineup and they don’t need Gusev in this series, but he’ll see where things go, according to Schoen.

Because he was on the team’s reserve list, Gusev is eligible to join the team for the playoffs, but whether Gusev will actually play for the team on such an already loaded roster when he lacks much experience playing on North American rinks is another questions. The Golden Knights are expected to have a press conference later today and will discuss their plans for him then.

Gusev, perhaps the best player in the KHL this past season and arguably the best player in the world outside of the NHL, is coming off a big year with SKA St. Petersburg where he scored 17 goals, but had a career-high 82 points in 62 games. He has scored 119 goals in the KHL over the course of his career and 337 points over nine seasons. He was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round back in the 2012 draft, but many felt that Gusev might never come to North America as he seemed content playing in the KHL. That led to Tampa Bay sending the now-26-year-old to the Vegas Golden Knights as part of an expansion draft trade in which the Golden Knights also took on the contract of veteran defenseman Jason Garrison.

Regardless, it’s a huge signing for the Golden Knights, who could conceivably match the highly skilled stickhandler and passer to their third line next to Cody Eakin and Alex Tuch. Even if he doesn’t play, the addition only give the Golden Knights even more depth for the franchise.

Atlantic Notes: Hedman, Johansson, Debrusk, Krug

at CDT | by 8 Comments

With the Tampa Bay Lightning in a “must-win” sitatuion being down 2-0 to the Columbus Blue Jackets and already without their best forward in Nikita Kucherov, the status of their top defenseman Victor Hedman is also up in the air. In fact, Tampa Bay Times reporter Bryan Burns reports that Hedman will be a game-time decision for Game 3 Sunday in Columbus, according to head coach Jon Cooper.

Hedman, who suffered an undisclosed injury at the end of the regular season and was again banged up after Game 2, did not take the ice this morning for the team’s optional skate. While he did play in the first two playoff games, Cooper said that Hedman hasn’t been able to play his usual physical style of game, which could be the reason why he’s questionable, according to The Athletic’s Joe Smith.

  • The Boston Bruins won Saturday despite not having forward Marcus Johansson on hand. The trade-deadline acquisition was out with the flu. However, the team might be without him even longer as The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa reports that Johansson is still sick and will not be traveling with the team on their road trip to Toronto. That doesn’t mean he won’t eventually travel on his own and be present for Game 3 on Monday, but this illness has knocked out Johansson harder than the team initially thought.
  • Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy also announced that forward Jake Debrusk and defenseman Torey Krug are both “doing better” and are day-to-day. Debrusk was cross-checked in the head by Nazem Kadri late in the game, which is being looked at by the Department of Player Safety. Krug suffered a head injury (possible concussion) in Game 2 after taking a hit on the boards from Toronto’s Jake Muzzin. Connor Clifton is also day-to-day with an upper-body injury after a hit in Game 2.

Minor Transactions: 04/14/19

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After Saturday’s action, each first-round series has played two games and the Washington Capitals are the only favorite yet to suffer a loss. The Caps survived another tight battle with the Carolina Hurricanes yesterday afternoon with an overtime win. Meanwhile, the New York Islanders have shown why the higher seed should always be favored, taking the first two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but face a tougher task on the road today. Two other 2-0 series will continue later tonight, as the Nikita Kucherov-less Tampa Bay Lightning look to avoid a third straight stunning loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, while the St. Louis Blues can put the nail in the coffin of the Winnipeg Jets with a home win after taking the first two games on the road. As some teams prepare to play today and other plan ahead for tomorrow, keep an eye out for some minor tweaks to several rosters:

  •  The Capitals have swapped third-string goalies, as is common during the playoffs. Vitek Vanecek is on his way to Washington to be the emergency option for Game Three, while Ilya Samsonov returns to AHL Hershey after serving in that role for Game Two yesterday. The Bears are also playoff-bound, so this will be a balancing act for Washington moving forward.
  • The Lightning are dealing with injury concerns for both Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman, so it is not much of a surprise that they have recalled another depth option on the blue line. Cameron Gaunce has joined the team on the road in Columbus and while he looks like insurance only right now, that could change, especially if another Tampa defenseman goes down.
  • According to the AHL transactions page, the Calgary Flames have returned Dillon Dube to the Stockton Heat in the AHL. It’s likely that Dube will suit up for Stockton’s final regular season game and then will likely be recalled to serve on Calgary’s taxi-squad for the rest of the season.
  • The Boston Bruins announced they have recalled defenseman Jakub Zboril from the Providence Bruins of the AHL as a precaution, especially with the status of defenseman Torey Krug up in the air. A 2015 first-rounder, Zboril scored four goals and 19 points in Providence over 56 games and has appeared in two games for Boston.

Blue Jackets Sign Vladislav Gavrikov

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Saturday: The Blue Jackets announced that they have signed Gavrikov to a two-year, entry-level deal.  Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch notes that the Russian embassy is closed for the weekend which could potentially delay Gavrikov’s arrival.

Friday: Following teammate Nikita Gusev, who is expected to sign with the Vegas Golden Knights soon, it seems KHL defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov’s move to the NHL is imminent. KHL insider Igor Eronko reports that Gavrikov is expected to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the coming days. As a draft pick of the Blue Jackets, Gavrikov was on the team’s reserve list at the trade deadline and is thus eligible to play in the postseason immediately.

With the announcement from SKA St. Petersburg that they had granted both Gusev and Gavrikov permission to sign in the NHL prior to their KHL contracts expiring at the end of the month, both players are now free to join their NHL clubs. Gavrikov, 23, may not be as big a name as Gusev, but he would be a meaningful addition for Columbus. The big, stable defenseman plays a defense-first style but can also pack an offensive punch. At 6’3″, 205 lbs., Gavrikov led SKA in plus/minus by a significant margin at +48, but registered a career-high 20 points this season as well.

A physical presence with puck-moving ability and years of pro experience, Gavrikov should step in and be a difference-maker right away for the Blue Jackets. Obviously, Columbus is a playoff team with a capable blue line as is, but one of their greatest weaknesses is their bottom pair. Even without any games played in the NHL, it would not be a surprise to see Gavrikov get the nod over a Dean Kukan or Scott Harrington or Adam Clendening. With Columbus off to a surprisingly hot start in their series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, this would be another unexpected plus for a team in search of a major upset.

Anton Stralman Unsure Of His Return, Victor Hedman Could Miss Game Three

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman is unsure if he will be able to play at all in their first-round series, notes Joe Smith of The Athletic (Twitter link). He suffered a setback to his previous lower-body injury late in the season and the team decided to shut him down for a bit.  While Stralman is feeling better and if he gets the green light to return from team doctors, he’d be a welcome addition to a Tampa back end that has struggled so far against Columbus.  Head coach Jon Cooper also told Smith (Twitter link) that Victor Hedman is also banged up and expressed that he’s hopeful that his top defender will be available for Game Three against Columbus.

Nikita Kucherov Suspended For One Game

at CDT | by 12 Comments

12:10 PM: Kucherov has been suspended for one game, the Department of Player Safety announced (video link).  He’ll be eligible to return for Game Four on Tuesday night.

8:02 AM: It hasn’t been a great start to Tampa Bay’s postseason as their 5-1 loss to Columbus on Friday night caused Lightning head coach Jon Cooper to call the situation a “five-alarm fire” as they now trail the best-of-seven series 2-0.  Things could potentially get worse for the Presidents’ Trophy winners as winger Nikita Kucherov will have a disciplinary hearing today, the Department of Player Safety announced.

This comes from a boarding incident on Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nuutivaara late in Friday’s game.  Nutivaara was on his knees but Kucherov still lined him up with a big hit, receiving a minor for tripping, a major for boarding, and a game misconduct in the process.

Losing Kucherov for any period of time would be a huge blow to the Lightning.  He led the league in scoring with 128 points (41-87-128) during the regular season, setting a new record for the most points by a Russian-born player in the process.  While he has been held off the scoresheet through the first two games, he’s certainly capable of putting up points in a hurry.  The series resumes on Sunday so a decision from the league will likely come quickly one way or the other.

AHL Announces 2018-2019 First, Second All-Star Teams

at CDT | by 3 Comments

After announcing their All-Rookie team earlier this week, the AHL have now given us their choices for the first and second All-Star Teams for 2018-19. These players were voted in by coaches, players and media all across the league. This is not the same as the rosters for the All-Star Game, instead these are the top players at each position for the entire season.

First All-Star Team:

Goaltender: Alex Nedeljkovic, Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes)

Defenseman: John Gilmour, Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers)

Defenseman: Zach Redmond, Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)

Left Wing: Daniel Carr, Chicago Wolves (Vegas Golden Knights)

Center: Carter Verhaeghe, Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Right Wing: Jeremy Bracco, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Second All-Star Team:

Goaltender: Shane Starrett, Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)*

Defenseman: Aaron Ness, Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)

Defenseman: Ethan Prow, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Left Wing: Tyler Benson, Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)*

Center: Chris Mueller, Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Right Wing: Andrew Poturalski, Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes)

*Also named to All-Rookie Team

Just like last season when Sami Niku and Mason Appleton made both the All-Rookie and All-Star rosters, Starrett and Benson will draw quite a bit of praise for their outstanding years. The fact that Starrett is having this much success even as an undrafted goaltender is all the more impressive, while Benson certainly delivered on his 32nd-overall selection in his first year of professional hockey.

Talented minor league wingers seem to grow on trees in Toronto, as the team once again has a player with several league accolades. Bracco is currently leading the AHL in scoring with 78 points heading into the last few games of the season, and is a good bet to challenge for a roster spot with the Maple Leafs in the future. So too will Nedeljkovic, who will likely be pushing for a full-time role with the Hurricanes pretty soon.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top